Just named Third Best Whiskey in the World for 2019 by Whiskey Advocate!
Four Roses Small Batch Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($54.99)

For the first time in almost a decade, Four Roses has added a new bourbon to their core lineup. This is a must for your holiday bar, while supplies last. Unless you’ve decided to rearrange your life and run an ongoing stakeout at your favorite retailer, finding Bourbon this good hasn’t been possible in quite a while.

Four Roses Small Batch Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($54.99)

93 points Whisky Advocate: “The limited-edition releases from Four Roses are always top-notch, but this bourbona permanently available addition to the lineupproves itself every bit the equal of its rarer brethren. Made with the distillerys F yeast strain, among others, it has a perfumed nose, with orange blossom, cedar chest, berries, spearmint, tobacco leaves, sassafras, licorice, and layers of earthy spice. The palate is consistent and deep, with flavors of cherry Coke, cough syrup, orange oil, leathery dark fruit, black pepper, chili flakes, and chocolate, shifting into a minty finish replete with pepper, cinnamon, dark chocolate, cooked berries, and roasted walnuts. Full, rich, and utterly satisfying.”

K&L Notes: The Small Batch Select is a 104 proof bottling that is made from the following recipes: OBSV, OBSK, OBSF, OESV, OESK, OESF. It’s a blend of 6 and 7 year old bourbons and is a worthy addition. It’s loaded with spiciness and a bit of sweet fruit on the nose and morphs into vanilla, cigar box, and stone fruits on the palate. It finishes long and clean with a touch of fresh mint lifting it and begging you to sip again.

Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 27, 2019

Four Roses combined six of their popular mash bills to create a whiskey that is greater than the sum of the parts, as indicated by its Whiskey Advocate recognition as Third Best Whiskey in the World. Supremely sippable at 104 proof, but packing a punch of flavor nonetheless. A perfect combination of baking spice, creamy pear and apricot richness, rye spice and a touch of mint. At this price, it’s the perfect sipping/mixing/nosing bourbon to keep at the home bar, and it’s a permanent fixture at the distillery, so supply should be no problem on this one.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 27, 2019

We’ve been quietly cranking through this incredible Four Roses offering since it launched earlier this year. It’s become a staple on the bar of nearly ever staff member in our Redwood City store and with good reason. Now with the major accolades bestowed upon it by Whiskey Advocate, I’m guessing it will be on nearly every whiskey lover’s bar by the end of the year. It is perfect holiday drinking. Loaded with insane amounts of cinnamon it would sit next to any dessert splendidly at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Cigar box and cherry fruit notes blend together in a hedonistic concoction worthy of any bourbon lovers adoration. The oak vanillins carry sweetness to every corner of your mouth. The finish hints at the fresh mint and other herbal notes found in Four Roses F yeast strain. It goes on and on and then keep on going thanks to the 104 proof which is absolutely the best decision Four Roses could have made for a blend of this caliber. Huzzah to Brent Elliot – Master Distiller since 2015 and the Master Mind behind this great new offering.

MIYAGIKYO 2019 LIMITED EDITION
50TH ANNIVERSARY
70cl | 48%

Released to celebrate the 50th anniversary
since the opening of Miyagikyo, it’s made
up of casks filled in the 1960s, 70s, 80s,
90s and 00s.

SHOP NOW

Kilchoman 2006 Single Cask – Loch Fyne Exclusive
Final Ever Bottles!

Don’t miss the final lot of bottles from the Loch Fyne Exclusive Kilchoman 2006 Single Cask! Distilled at Kilchoman, Islay’s farm distillery, on 4th May 2006 and matured in a single bourbon cask (#36/2006) for 12 years before being bottled exclusively for Loch Fyne Whiskies on 21st June 2018. Just 228 bottles have been filled from this single cask, each one individually numbered and presented free from chill-filtration and artificial colouring at a natural cask strength of 56.9% abv.

Last Ever Bottles
70cl / 56.9% abv

£130.00

Single Malt Scotch and American Whiskies are expected to boost English whisky sales to over £2.44 Billion over the next couple years. 

In just the last year, British consumers purchased over 89 million bottles of whisky. It has been predicted by well-known distributor, Edrington-Beam Suntory UK, that sales will see a massive increase to 91.4M bottles in the next couple of years. Current trends dictate that a consumer trend is moving blended whisky drinkers to more premium single malts and American Whiskies. The overall market for single malt scotch is expected to increase by 11% by 2020, as more and more reasonably priced bottles are being introduced to match this.

Edrington-Beam Suntory UK (also known as EBSUK), published its first annual Whisky Yearbook as an in-depth guide to the category’s performance in the UK. As the first of its kind, it will be a benchmark by all that wish to invest in Scotch Whisky.

From within the report, we also see other trends.

Single grain whisky has seen a very impressive 22% increase over the last couple of years and is set to increase by a further 80% by 2022. Canadian whisky, single grain and Japanese whisky increased in value by over 20% in the past year and are expected to see 35% increases from 2018 to 2022.

One of the more exciting categories is Irish whisky. This new category, led by Jameson, is seeing a massive increase of Irish distilleries opening and is set to increase the overall market by £28.5M.

Mark Riley, managing director of EBSUK, said: ‘Whisky is one of the most diverse and dynamic of the spirits categories… Bartenders and retailers tell us that whisky is a key focus for them, with plans to invest in broadening their knowledge and range, ensuring they can accommodate the increasing appetite for the spirit from consumers in both on and off-trade.’

Riley added: ‘Irish and single grain whiskies have been real success stories over the past 12 months – sharing rapid growth on an already strong base of both volume and value in the market’.

In the past, supply chain issues have stagnated the Japanese and Canadian whisky markets. Recently, however, the barriers have been removed, allowing for high levels of growth. Despite this, distilleries continue to address stock shortages for these two whiskies. This combination could be the reason for high growth and increase in value for these whisky ‘brands’.

There also remains a challenge of securing enough whisky from leading brands to satisfy UK demands, such as Macallan. Riley states that this will not be an issue in the coming years as supply has a more significant forecast and growth should come from this.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the paper comes from Susanne Wood, who states that the biggest growth within the whisky market will come from retailers who will ‘benefit hugely from a comprehensive and well-merchandised whisky aisle… ensuring the breadth needed to entice new drinkers in whilst keeping established whisky lovers coming back for more’.

The Whisky Cask Company brings the Finest Scotch to a Global Market. For additional information, visit www.whiskycaskcompany.com.

Guinness World Records™ title for the most valuable whisky collection 

A Vietnamese whisky collector has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the proud owner of the most valuable whisky collection.

The world-beating collection belongs to Mr Viet Nguyen Dinh Tuan of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and has been valued by the world’s leading rare whisky valuation experts at Rare Whisky 101 at a ‘hammer price’ of £10,770,635 (£13,032,468 adding 21% buyers premium if the collection were sold through a UK auctioneer such as Sotheby’s).

The collection comprises 535 of the world’s rarest, oldest and finest bottles of Scotch and Japanese whisky. Highlights include one of the world’s only complete Macallan Fine & Rare collections, including the now iconic 1926 “Fine & Rare”. Only forty bottles of the Macallan 1926 were ever released. Mr Viet owns three.

The 1926 Macallan Fine and Rare is also the world’s most expensive bottle of whisky having sold recently for a hammer price of £1,200,000 (£1,452,000 including buyer’s premium), as part of private collection which was claimed by Sotheby’s to be the ultimate collection of whisky ever to be sold at auction.

Mr Viet’s collection also holds one of only twelve bottles of the oldest Bowmore ever released, which also happens to be both the most expensive Bowmore and the most expensive Islay malt in the world, with a similar bottle fetching £300,000 (hammer price) at auction recently.

From Islay to Campbeltown, the collection also includes one of only twenty four bottles of the 1919 vintage Springbank. A similar bottle sold recently for £220,000 (hammer price) making it the world’s most expensive bottle of Springbank.

Mr Viet, a businessman and resident of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, has been collecting rare and vintage bottles of whisky for more than 20 years. Having amassed his collection of more than 500 bottles, locked securely in a bespoke whisky lounge at home, Mr Viet has no intention of reining in his passion.

“For me, whisky collecting has been my life’s passion. Every spare I moment I get, I’m searching auction sites and trading websites to find famous and rare whiskies from around the world. Clearly this requires a lot of patience and no shortage of tenacity, but I’m proud of my efforts. As for my collection, I have no intention of selling any of it. Not one bottle. In fact, I’ll continue to hunt for more old and rare bottles and add to and enrich it.”

On discovering he is the now the official world record holder, Mr Viet added.

“My first reaction was one of surprise. However, I’m really happy and feel honoured to be recognized by Guinness World Records as the owner of the world’s most valuable whisky collection.  It feels like an acknowledgment of all my hard work and dedication over the past 20 years.”

Rare Whisky 101 arrived at the collection’s valuation by determining each bottle’s expected open market price; in effect what the collection could realistically be expected to fetch if sold at auction within the UK in the current market. The valuation was subsequently submitted to Guinness World Records, who confirmed the feat by certification in November this year.

Andy Simpson, co-founder of Rare Whisky 101 said:

“We were somewhat gobsmacked, not to mention a little envious, when we realised the breadth and depth of Mr Viet’s collection. It’s a truly stunning example of one person’s twenty year passion and desire to seek out the finest, rarest bottles of whisky in the world. There are certainly reasonably well known whisky collections around the world which contain far more bottles from a volume perspective. However, from a pure value perspective, we’re confident this collection is head and shoulders above the rest.  Mr Viet is, what we believe to be, one of possibly three collectors in the world to own all three variants of the legendary Macallan 1926 bottling (the Fine & Rare label, the Peter Blake label and the Valerio Adami label), which recently broke the world record. That said, it may well be the case that Mr Viet is the only collector in the world to have three bottles.”

Notes: 

About Rare Whisky 101
Andy Simpson and David Robertson launched Rare Whisky 101 in 2014 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service, brokerage and consultancy for whisky connoisseurs, collectors and investors. Having tracked every bottle sold at UK auctions over the past 12 years, the business now offers the world’s first, only and most comprehensive online single malt Scotch & Japanese whisky dataset covering some 537,000 price records and 51,011 different bottle types. In the last 12 months, RW101 have brokered around 20,000 rare whisky bottles around the globe in addition to trading in almost 1000 aged casks from iconic distilleries such as The Macallan, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Springbank, Mortlach, Talisker, Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Highland Park.

CENTRAL FLORIDA TO GET AWARD-WINNING RYE WHISKEY
Sunshine State Distributing begins distribution of Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 26, 2019) – Sunshine State Distributing announces their partnership with Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey to distribute the award-winning spirit throughout Central Florida.

Dad’s Hat whiskeys are all produced in small batches using natural, local ingredients.  To learn more about how they make their range of award winning whiskeys, you can visit their web site, https://dadshatrye.com/ .

“Rye whiskey is increasing in popularity, and for good reason: It’s spicy, yet smooth—a good sipping whiskey with distinct flavor,” said Chris Larue, president and founder of Sunshine State Distributing. “Dad’s Hat creates the best version of this classic whiskey, and we are excited to introduce whiskey lovers to the flavors of Pennsylvania rye whiskey.”

Dad’s Hat was founded in Bristol, Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia in 2011. The state of Pennsylvania is known as the birthplace of rye whiskey with production dating back to the late 1700s. Dad’s Hat distills rye spirits following the tradition of the region, a practice that has earned the distillery multiple awards including a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirit list, a naming as the Craft Whiskey of the Year by Whisky Advocate, and a stunning 91.5 rating from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Just in time for the holidays, you can find Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey on shelves in retail stores in Orange, Osceola, Polk, Brevard, Lake, Seminole, Volusia and Flagler counties.

ABOUT SUNSHINE STATE DISTRIBUTING

Founded in 2016, Sunshine State Distributing is the newest Florida craft beer distributor headquartered in Orlando, Florida. With diverse backgrounds in beer brands, beer distribution, craft spirits distribution and the alcohol beverage industry in general, our team launched the company as a full-service beverage distributor aiming to partner with breweries and distilleries to grow their brands through education, customized promotions and a focus on exceptional innovative products. We are a true extension of our partners and add real value to breweries and retailers. Learn more about Sunshine State Distributing at www.sunshinestatedistributing.com or email info@sunshinestatedistributing.com.

Give the gift of knowledge this Christmas, either to yourself as a treat, or to the inquisitive drinker in your life. Whether you’re itching to become whisky wise, giddy to get gin smart or just want to gift a premium experience, we’ve got you covered.

Our online courses allow you to access our award-winning material at your leisure. Globally accessible, mobile friendly and flexible, they can conveniently fit around any schedule. And, what’s more, they’re on offer at a special discounted rate until Sunday!

If you’ve already completed one or more of our courses, please consider forwarding this email to friends who you may be interested. We’d really appreciate your help in sharing our passion for whisky knowledge.

Was £120
Now £99

An engaging SQA-awarded online course exploring the essence of whisky across eight fun and accessible modules.

The course material mixes interactive explanations with illustrated activities and videos. There are pop quizzes at the end of each module to help you measure the knowledge being distilled along the way.

 Plus, the final assessment provides you with a certificate of completion which can be displayed with pride in your whisky den.

BOOK THIS COURSE

Buy a gift voucher for this course

Use the Voucher Code WHISKYFRIDAY to claim this offer when you book or buy a Gift Voucher for the Introduction to Whisky Certificate online before midnight on Sunday 1 December.

Edinburgh Whisky Academy
23b Windsor Street
Edinburgh, EH7 5LA
United Kingdom

Mortlach 9 Year Old “Old Malt Cask” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $54.99 View

2003 Glen Scotia “Malts Festival 2019 Limited Edition” Rum Cask Finish Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $109) $69.99 View

1998 Orkney (Highland Park) 20 Year Old “Thompson Bros.” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $149.99 View 

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Game of Thrones

Complete your Collection with the latest Mortlach

GET IT HERE

Complete your Game of Thrones Collection in time for Christmas

 TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrum
FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Buffalo Trace Distillery Completes Second

Warehouse X Experiment

9.1 Million Data Points Collected

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Nov. 20, 2019) – Buffalo Trace Distillery just wrapped up its second experiment utilizing its custom made, experimental Warehouse X. This experiment began in 2016 and focused on how temperature affects the aging process.

Built in 2013, Warehouse X was specifically designed for the Distillery to study the many variables that affect the bourbon aging process. Upon the warehouse’s completion, the Distillery embarked on a 20-year project in which it is monitoring a number of atmospheric elements, including natural light, temperature, humidity and air flow, using the warehouse’s four independent chambers and breezeway.

The first experiment, which ended in 2016, focused on natural light, keeping barrels in various stages of light for two years.

This second experiment ended a few weeks ago at the end of October when the barrels inside Warehouse X were rolled out, following three years of quiet resting. During this experiment the warehouse’s four chambers were used to determine how barrel activity correlates with temperature changes, keeping two chambers constant and varying the other two chambers and leaving the breezeway unchanged.

Throughout the experiment Buffalo Trace tracked temperature fluctuations from 5 degrees to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, and monitored barrel pressures ranging from -2.7psi to 3.2 psi. In total 9.1 million data points were collected during the second experiment.

As a result of this experiment the Distillery was able to confirm how temperature affects pressure, color and flavor over a period of three years.

After leaving Warehouse X, the barrels from the second experiment were rolled into a traditional warehouse to continue aging, as was done with the first experiment.

The next experiment will expand on the Distillery’s temperature experiments by focusing on how temperature swings affect whiskey activity in the barrel. This will be a two-year experiment and will begin by late November.

Buffalo Trace estimates it will collect more than 70 million data points by the end of this 20-year project.

For more information about Warehouse X visit http://www.experimentalwarehouse.com/.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 21 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 500 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.