The Single Malt market is still sizzling hot as more and more people get turned on to the special pot-stilled nectar of Alba. Scotch has been top dog in the spirits department for a long time and it’s still one of the best selling alcohol products worldwide. But sometimes our suppliers get it wrong. Either things are priced too high for market or perhaps they’ve just over estimated the interest in a particular product. When the big guys miss the mark, it’s a huge win for us. This sort of stuff doesn’t happen often so when it does we’ve got to strike while the iron’s hot. The first is a true work horse and easily the least expensive 15 year old single malt we’ve seen in decades. We’re not sure we’ll ever be able to sell whisky this old at such a low price ever again. This was perfectly good whisky for $60 and there’s just no good reason for this to be so low, but here we are. The next two are limited editions from Diageo that are nearly 50% off their original release and still selling around the world for double our price. Only a few bottles of each will be available.

The Singleton of Glendullan 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Previously $55) ($34.99)

The lovely and easy drinking Singleton of Glendullan is always a favorite with the staff. It’s easy drinking and well aged and with a price like this it won’t stick around for very long. The Singleton brand is a bit of an enigma. Owners Diageo use malt from different distilleries in different markets under the Singleton name. Other markets see Singleton of Dufftown or Glen Ord and typically it’s a pretty high end brand. So when we’re able to offer it at this exceptional price we don’t hold back. Grab as much as you can now because price reductions like this won’t last forever. The style is round, rich and malty, showcasing the classy apple fruit, honey, and subtle mineral quality that Glendullan is known for.

Auchroisk 25 Year Old 2016 Limited Release Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $500) ($249.99)

The wonderful Auchroisk distillery is one of the least understood and most mispronounced malts in Scotland. This wonderful Speyside distillery is actually one of Diageo’s youngest. Founded in 1974, the distillery was marketed for years under the Singleton brand, likely due to the incompressible mangle of letters that make up its name. The humble and efficient Auchroisk has become a stalwart of the Special Release line, having been featured in the 2010 and 2012 line ups. The 2015 release is inarguably the best of recent official bottlings and at 25 years of age it’s in perfect form. The 3954 bottles were meant to fetch upwards of $500, but it tastes way better at $250.

1991 Glenkinchie 24 Year Old 2016 Limited Edition Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $400) ($200.00)

This unusual limited edition from Diageo’s stalwart Lowland distillery is one of the finest we’ve ever come across. It was aged exclusively in refill European oak and bottled at full cask strength. Bigger and richer than the standard releases from this special little distillery, expect a heady mix of dense fruit, woodsy powerful oak, barrel spice, and strong vanilla. Powerful and tense, quite unlike most lowland whiskies, with the structure and depth provided primarily by the European oak. There’s not an overt sherry influence, but we assume that some of this would previously held sherry at one point, leaving the soft impression of dried fruit and honey to balance the intensity of wood.

That’s it for this week, but stay tuned for the next edition of the Whisk(e)y News!

David Othenin-Girard
SoCal Spirits Buyer
davidgirard@klwines.com@klwines.com
323-464-9463
http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com
http://onthetrail.klwines.com