Hello Whisk(e)y Lovers! Things are cracking along here with Driscoll recently back from a successful trip to Scotland to visit our dear friends and their new distillery as well as light a fire under their butts to get us some more casks before the end of the year! We’ve just got word that the new offerings from Tom’s Foolery have landed. We’re getting the new batch of the incredibly popular Bottled in Bond Bourbon along with our first single cask rye which was also Bottled in Bond. In addition, we’re extremely lucky to have been offered a tiny allocation of Tom’s extremely limited Bottled in Bond Applejack. The first batch of BIB Applejack yielded only 455 bottles we’re produced and we’ve secured about 1/3 of that allocation. It’s absolutely Spectacular!

TOM’S FOOLERY

Tom’s Foolery Bottled in Bond Batch #1 Ohio Straight Applejack (750ml) $54.99 Tom Herbruck is a pretty laid back guy. But one thing he takes very seriously is Applejack. Produced from locally sourced cider in small batches just like it would have by the pioneers 200 years ago, this Applejack is truly a handmade specialty of the region. To the small amounts of locally pressed fresh cider that Tom can source he adds a certain amount of hand-pressed crabapple cider. This was the tradition in Ohio and so it continues. The sweet cider is left to ferment naturally and takes at least three weeks before the natural sugars are completely converted to alcohol. This hard cider is then double distilled in copper pot stills before being aged in a variety of different barrels. The first batch of Tom’s Bottled in Bond Applejack was aged entirely in a single ex-cognac with a #3 char. 75.5 gallons of brandy entered the barrel at 118 proof and aged for four years and three months resulting in less than 370 bottles for the batch. The flavors are distinct and vibrant with tons of apple and spice on the nose. The palate is rich and viscous with plenty of fruitiness to balance the french oak component. One of the finest American apple brandies we’ve ever tasted. Only 30 cases were made available to California.

Tom’s Foolery Bottled In Bond Single Barrel #90 Ohio Straight Rye Whiskey(750ml) $49.99

Our first single barrel with the exceptional Ohio craft distillery also happens to be their second ever batch of Bottled in Bond Rye. This special little cask of rye was distilled on Monday May 21st, 2012 from a mash bill of 64% Rye, 11% Malted Rye, 22% Yellow Dent, and 3% Malted 2 Row Barley. Fermented without the addition of any enzymes on the grains in their old Cypress fermenter, it was distilled to 108.9 proof before barreling. During those four long years of aging nearly 20% of the barrel evaporated and the proof rose to 112. We decided that it tasted best at 100 proof and so Tom slowly lowered the proof for their bottled in bond label. Fabulously complex and driven by that spicy rye and earthy malt. Expect a robust mint nose with bready grain and toasty oak. The palate is unctuous and relatively oily with those big dry rye spices upfront and some sweet fruit coming through on the finish. Of course, this little guy won’t last long, so have at it while you can.

Tom’s Foolery Bottled In Bond Batch #3 Ohio Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $49.99

Tom Herbruck is an unassuming gentleman with a solid career and a beautiful family. He’s also a man with a secret. In the shed behind his house sit hundreds of barrels of whiskey. In 2011, he purchased the historic Michter’s Jug House Pot Stills and began producing what many consider to some of the finest craft whiskey on the market. In early 2016, K&L was lucky enough to connect with Tom & Lianne Herbruck to secure the first batch of his newly minted Bottled in Bond Bourbon. Truly a culmination in the Craft Whiskey revolution, Tom’s new BIB is easily the best craft bourbon we’ve ever tasted at any price point. The big bold pot still bourbon is unlike anything else on the market even from the finest Kentucky distillers. Powerful notes of fresh oak, stone fruits, and dense grain open to a playful palate of caramelized fruit and pointed evergreen. The finish is long and full with cocoa and dark smoked woods. Oily, rich and long. It doesn’t have the sweetness of the Kentucky bourbons, but definitely matches the complexity. It feels like a whiskey from a time long forgotten and so it is. Only a tiny amount of this small batch made it way out west and we’re the exclusive supplier for CA. Tom’s third batch of Bonded Bourbon is a blend of two casks over 4 years old. One is a high corn (75% Yellow Dent, 13% Winter Rye, 12% 6 Row Barley) and the other a very unusual high rye bourbon (51% Yellow Dent, 32% Winter Rye, 8% Malted Winter Rye, and 8% Wheat).

HIGH WEST

High West “Yippee Ki Yay” Whiskey (750ml) $59.99

Another winner from David Perkins and the gang at High West, the new Yippee Ki Yay takes rye whiskies from Barton and LDI distilleries and finishes the blend in both syrah and vermouth barrels for a completely unique experience. The color is an unusual beautiful ruby red. The aromas are of fresh cinnamon stick, crushed blackberries and cassis, with dried herbs in the background. The palate is a big, bold punch of cinnamon spice and blackberries on a foundation of vanilla and caramel with rye spices on the finish.

96 points Wine Enthusiast: “Attention wine lovers: this fab bottling with the cowboy label is made with a blend of straight rye whiskies finished in two wine casks, formerly holding vermouth and Syrah. The result is a deep ruddy amber hue and a strikingly concentrated flavor profile. Look for warming layers of caramel, toffee and espresso, drying to leather, zingy orange peel and spice. Sip or mix into Manhattans or any drink including sweet vermouth. (KN)” (7/2016)

BENDER’S

Bender’s 7 Year Old Small Batch Rye Whiskey (750ml) $42.99

Well here we have another one of these fabolously mysterious new ryes. This was bottled in San Francisco, but it’s been confirmed that the product has Canadian roots, of course. When I asked why they weren’t talking about its origins, the owners made it very clear that the reason that they weren’t disclosing the supplier is that they’re affraid to loose the tiny amount of rye they’re getting from this distiller to someone else. Apparently, this isn’t the same old Canadian Straight Rye! When they say small batch, they really mean it. These guys are securing a handful of barrels at a time. This fourth batch clocked in at 2750 bottles, which translates to probably 6 barrels at full strength. The Whisky is a blend of Rye and Corn whisky at 85% and 15% respectively. Bottled at a seemless 96 proof it will definitely be getting some love from Canadian, Kentucky, and San Fran fans alike.

Much more coming soon!

David Othenin-Girard

K&L Spirits Buyer davidgirard@klwines.com

(650) 556-2702 http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com