Hibiki 21 Year Old Japanese Whiskey (750ml) $899.99 View

Incredibly floral on the nose, with citrus peel, sliced apple, burning incense, sandalwood, peach pit, aged oak, and spices so fine you could count them by the grain. It’s weighty and honeyed, driven forward by the mizunara oak character, with waxiness and smoke progressing to lime zest, green apple, kumquat, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, with a creamy elegance to the finish.” (JM)

96 Points Whisky Advocate Review Date: 12/2023

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

Six new arrivals await.

Two surreal new chapters from Whiskyland, three very different Decadent Drams, and a fresh Equinox & Solstice to round it out. Big personalities. Proper variety. All killer. While Stocks Last.

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Speyside (Tam) Signatory Vintage 2013 – Whisky Folk Review

DOUGLAS LAING LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION EPICUREAN LOWLAND MALT SCOTCH WHISKY:

The Epicurean Three Wood Finish: A Masterclass in Versatility

Douglas Laing & Co. proudly unveils The Epicurean Three Wood Finish, a limited-edition celebration of cask craft and Lowland spirit. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.1% and offered in a run of just 1,920 bottles, this Small Batch release reaffirms The Epicurean’s status as the Master of Versatility.

In this exceptional bottling, three distinct wood types unite to create a Whisky of remarkable depth and character:

• Virgin Oak introduces bold spice and toasted richness.
• Bourbon casks add smooth layers of vanilla and honey’d sweetness.
• Sherry casks impart a luxurious fruitiness and mellow warmth.

Together, these casks create a harmonious Lowland Malt that is as complex as it is compelling.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Bright citrus, vanilla cream and toasted oak, with honey’d sweetness and hints of dried fruit and nutty spice.
• Palate: Silky and layered with vanilla, baking spice, baked apple and golden syrup. Rich Sherry fruit adds depth and warmth.
• Finish: Long, smooth and gently spiced with lingering notes of toffee, dark fruits and a soft oak dryness.

Presented with a premium foiled label, this non-coloured, and non-chill-filtered release speaks to The Epicurean’s commitment to authenticity and quality.

The Epicurean Three Wood Finish is a spirited showcase of how wood defines Whisky – and how versatility defines The Epicurean. 

Chloe Wood, Brand Manager commented:

“Our belief is that flavour is shaped throughout the Whisky-making journey, but it is in maturation where it truly comes to life. The Epicurean Three Wood Finish is a testament to this, with layers of richness, spice, and sweetness intertwining to create a wonderfully versatile Lowland Malt. This limited-edition release showcases the art of wood and Whisky in perfect harmony, reinforcing The Epicurean’s reputation as the Master of Versatility.”

The Epicurean Three Wood Finish is available in select markets around the world, retailing for £65.00 / €77.00.

Our July 2025 Auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from 7pm (GMT) until 7pm (GMT) Sunday 27th July 2025.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Brora – 22 Year Old (Rare Malts 1972)

 Glenrothes – 42 Year Old (1980)

Ledaig – 42 Year Old (1972) Dùsgadh

Michter’s – 20 Year Old (Limited Single Barrel Release 2015)

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.com.

The Pinnacle of American Single Malt
Balcones Unleashed:
Cask Strength Single Malt Icons, Exclusive to K&L
“Balcones has long stood among the finest craft distillers in the U.S….”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Balcones has redefined what American single malt can be. These two K&L-exclusive barrels—one finished in Madeira, the other aged full-term in Oloroso—are among the most compelling cask strength malts we’ve ever offered. Towering in structure, wildly expressive, and utterly singular, they showcase the kind of power and complexity that puts Balcones in a class of its own. If you think you know American whisky, these will rewrite the script.

Balcones “Madeira Barrel” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel #17122 Texas Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($89.99)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer

Balcones has long stood among the finest craft distillers in the U.S., but in recent years, we’ve seen a clear shift in their focus toward single malt. From my perspective, that’s a wise move—because it’s increasingly evident that the most exciting whisky potential in this part of the world doesn’t come from corn-based spirits. Very little of the truly great whiskey emerging from Texas is bourbon, and frankly, few producers anywhere can match the intensity and complexity that Balcones delivers in their cask-strength single barrels.

While the comparison may seem surprising given their wildly different styles, these cask-strength single malts are starting to resemble the American equivalent of Kavalan—an ace in the hole that makes neighboring single malts feel tame by comparison. These whiskies aren’t for fans of delicate Highland malt—at least not straight out of the bottle. Instead, they’re for those who crave raw power and presence in the glass.

This barrel is no exception, though it does show a level of maturity and polish that the Oloroso barrel lacks. Let’s dive in. A gorgeous auburn hue (1.5). This one loves air. The nose explodes with molasses cookies, fig jam, shoe polish, aged leather, grape syrup, plum sauce, candied strawberries, and a deep woodsy undertone. I’ll admit I’m eating my words a bit here—there’s a strong resemblance to very old sherried malts, with tropical fruit, savory leather, and a coconut-like maturity, especially after the whisky has had an hour or more to open up. Blind, you’d never guess the age. For Waco, this is quite old.

The palate expands the experience with exotic spice—garam masala, turmeric, clove—layered over dense dried fruits. The finish continues this interplay of sweet and savory, with oak tannins perfectly woven into the whole. Some may be drawn more to the Oloroso barrel, but honestly, this is such a unique cask that you’d do well to try them side by side. I couldn’t choose between them—and I doubt you’ll be able to either.

K&L Notes: This exceptional barrel from the famous Waco distiller is truly one of a kind. Distilled on November 27th, 2017 from 100% Golden Promise barley on Balcones’ beautiful custom-built pot stills. It was filled into 59-gallon new charred American oak the very next day and matured there for over five years until May 25th of 2023 when the liquid was transferred over to a Madeira cask. (We are not allowed to disclose where the cask was sourced from.) With a total finished time of 14 months in the Madeira cask, it was disgorged on August 3rd, 2024, and bottled at its cask-strength proof of 130.5 for a total maturation of 6 years 8 months, or 80 months. This massively complex and unique offering is one of the most powerful and complex American single malts we’ve ever tasted. Nothing on the market today compares to the massive whiskies coming out of these Waco warehouses.

Balcones “Oloroso Sherry Hogshead” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel #12720 Texas Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($89.99)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer

This absolute monster of a barrel may be the most intense and complex American Single Malt we’ve ever bottled. The wonderful Balcones Distillery is capable of a great deal, but where they truly shine is in this style of powerfully extractive, deeply complex, cask-strength whisky. For me, this is perhaps the closest the States has come to producing a Kavalan-style malt—albeit shaped by very different aging conditions.

Let’s give it a go. It pours thick—you can see it flow slowly. The color is dark as night, like brown sherry. The nose is deep and commanding, with massive aromas of cooked stone fruit, dark nutty chocolate, roasted espresso, and aged wood. It’s dense, chewy, and layered.

On the palate, it’s rich and mouth-coating. There’s immense power here—nearly tannic in structure—but it never veers off course. Waves of dark fruit, nougat, rancio, teak, clove, and hard strawberry candies all roll across the tongue. An absolutely exhilarating—and jaw-dropping—experience.

K&L Notes: This exceptional barrel of Single Malt from the famed distillery in Waco, Texas was distilled from 100% Golden Promise barley on March 3rd, 2020. Initial Entry Proof was 124.9 and filled into a recently dumped Oloroso sherry cask, the source of which is embargoed. Wholly aged for over 4 years in this ultra high quality active sherry hogshead in the hot and dry Waco weather and dumped on August, 3rd, 2024. It was bottled without chillfiltration, coloring or additions whatsoever at a full cask strength of 67.5% or 135 proof. Few whiskies on the market today will match this outrageous barrel for power and complexity. An absolute bruiser, which will serious trump any other American whisky (or internationally distilled single malt) by miles. Expect dense and rich sweet nutty fruit with a thick texture and rich juicy finish.

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

North British 1995 29 Year Old, Finn Thomson Cask #47390

£129.00

The story behind selecting this North British single cask release perfectly showcases the vital role independent bottlers have in bringing the best casks of whisky to the public.

In November 2024 Finn Thomson got a message from the master blender of a highly respected whisky company who had discovered a selection of North British casks that were ‘too good’ to be lost in the blend he was creating. These were heavily sherried casks that would have altered the consistency of their house blend which required an ex-bourbon cask profile.

After attending one of Finn Thomson’s tasting where he was singing the praises of North British Distillery, he invited Finn Thomson in to taste 8 cask samples of these sherried beauties. After nosing and sipping each one carefully, he selected 4 for adding to their family cask portfolio.

At 29 years old, this particular cask was the oldest of the bunch. A sherry butt, its slow maturation over the decades has created a whisky bursting with milk chocolate, caramel and dried fruits and is now at the sweet spot for bottling. Once destined to be in a blend, Finn Thomson is delighted to be able to release this cask as an example of how good well aged, sherried single grain whiskies can be.

The Isle of Raasay Draam Den

Did you know that Raasay is also kindly sponsoring our Gathering area this year? The beating heart of Maltstock will trelaxedly be called The Isle of Raasay Draam Den this year!

Buy your Maltstock ticket NOW!

Balvenie 12YO Double Wood, 40%

THE REVIEW

A brand that still sits on the lips of so many people, but is it still for all of the right reasons?

Balvenie, in my opinion, has had its modern reputation built on its ease of drinking and an affordable price tag. The first point is certainly questioned in this video as I feel I’ve been disappointed on two separate occasions by batches of this particular product. The second point is that this is now getting to that £50 a bottle price tag in the UK. For that money, so many other approachable and more complex offerings of whisky are available.

This isn’t meant to be a rant at Balvenie, but I think this brand has been in the sliding doors situation in whisky, where some brands have driven into the high value category, whereas others have stayed in the good value area.

I’ve worked in specialist whisky retail for a decade, and since the price increases in the Balvenie range came in, even before, I wasn’t seeing people rush to buy bottles off any of the shelves, top or not. Although Balvenie 21YO remains popular, in the same vein as Glenmorangie Signet, for reasons that go beyond my understanding.

That did turn into a Balvenie rant, didn’t it? Anyway, let me know your views on what is happening with Balvenie. If your opinion mirrors mine, what can they do to get back in the good books? If it doesn’t what do you love about this distillery?

GORDON & MACPHAIL INTRODUCES
THE WORLD’S OLDEST SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

GORDON & MACPHAIL 85 YEARS OLD FROM GLENLIVET DISTILLERY
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JEANNE GANG

ELGIN, SCOTLAND, 22 July 2025: Whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail is set to release the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky this October – an 85-Years-Old from Glenlivet Distillery – in partnership with American architect and designer, Jeanne Gang.

On 3rd February 1940 in a quiet corner of the north-east of Scotland, George Urquhart and his father, John, had the extraordinary foresight and vision to lay down spirit from Glenlivet Distillery in a Gordon & MacPhail American oak cask to be enjoyed after his lifetime by future generations.

George Urquhart, or ‘Mr George’ as he was fondly known by those who knew him best, knew he would never taste it. Only when the whisky was deemed ready would it be shared. Leaning on the family’s unique skills and experience, the time for Cask 336 came to be 85 years – longer than any other single malt Scotch whisky in history.

On 5th February 2025, the decision was taken to finally empty the cask. A total of 125 decanters of the 85 years old whisky were bottled in line with Gordon & MacPhail’s family expertise to produce liquid of the highest quality.

“This whisky is truly exceptional due to its remarkable history and unique maturation process. The influence of the cask, combined with the rarity and scarcity of the liquid, creates a whisky with a strength of 43.7% ABV that is not only extraordinary in its taste but also a living piece of history,” explains Stephen Rankin Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail, and member of the fourth generation of the family that owns the company.

For 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. It is this unique experience of cask curation that allows Gordon & MacPhail to consistently deliver a range of quality whiskies, nurtured from cask to bottle, found nowhere else in the world.

Timing is everything. Gordon & MacPhail will only release a whisky when over a century of experience determines it is appropriate to do so. Leaving each cask to mature, undeterred by commercial necessity, is a long-held, unnegotiable mantra, a fitting way to honour the integrity of each release. As a result, Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies are often the oldest expression ever to be released from a particular distillery.

To celebrate John and George Urquhart’s vision, one embraced by generations of the family that owns the business, Gordon & MacPhail has collaborated with internationally acclaimed American architect Jeanne
Gang, to create a unique decanter to house the world’s most precious whisky to date. The product design – themed around ‘Artistry in Oak’ – will be revealed later this year. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, Gang was a natural choice as a creative partner, sharing the company’s commitment to leave a legacy for future generations.

For 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. It is this unique experience of cask curation that allows Gordon & MacPhail to consistently deliver a range of quality whiskies, nurtured from cask to bottle, found nowhere else in the world.

Timing is everything. Gordon & MacPhail will only release a whisky when over a century of experience determines it is appropriate to do so. Leaving each cask to mature, undeterred by commercial necessity, is a long-held, unnegotiable mantra, a fitting way to honour the integrity of each release. As a result, Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies are often the oldest expression ever to be released from a particular distillery.

To celebrate John and George Urquhart’s vision, one embraced by generations of the family that owns the business, Gordon & MacPhail has collaborated with internationally acclaimed American architect Jeanne
Gang, to create a unique decanter to house the world’s most precious whisky to date. The product design – themed around ‘Artistry in Oak’ – will be revealed later this year. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, Gang was a natural choice as a creative partner, sharing the company’s commitment to leave a legacy for future generations.

“I was excited to learn about everything involved in whisky’s creation. Each careful step lends something to a whisky’s unique flavor. Then, there are years of protecting the casks so they can age. In architecture, these elements of materiality and time also play a critical role in the design process. Both are about creating something enduring, so this is what I found inspiring about this opportunity to design a decanter for Gordon & MacPhail’s 85-year-old single malt whisky” expresses Gang.

Jeanne Gang’s stunning decanter will be revealed in October 2025, with decanter #1 auctioned by Christie’s New York in November 2025. To continue the legacy theme, auction proceeds (minus costs) will be donated to the oldest national non-profit conservation organisation in the United States, American Forests, a leader in forest restoration.

“Given the importance of oak in our craft, this partnership was a natural fit, aligning with our mission to leave a meaningful legacy for ongoing generations, via fundraising for the sustainable future of American oak trees,” comments Stephen Rankin.

Those who would like to learn more about the whisky ahead of its release are encouraged to register their interest at the brand’s official website at gordonandmacphail.com.

The world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky: Gordon & MacPhail 85 Years Old from Glenlivet Distillery to be released in October 2025 created through George Urquhart’s vision and celebrated via collaboration with Jeanne Gang.

Register interest via: GORDONANDMACPHAIL.COM

About Gordon & MacPhail

For more than 130 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality. Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched its own bespoke casks with spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries. Managing a portfolio of casks is a complex level of expertise which Gordon & MacPhail has honed to fully understand cask maturation matched to different styles of spirit. It is this cask curation that allows Gordon & MacPhail to consistently deliver a range of perfectly matured whiskies. Their expert maturation management creates unique, complex but perfectly balanced single malts found nowhere else. At the very heart of business lies the sample room – an exceptional liquid library spanning more than a century of Scotch whiskies featuring a wide range of age profiles and character. But these exceptional snapshots in time are not heirlooms there to impress, they exist to help inform and shape future decision-making and provide an invaluable guide for generations to come.

GORDONANDMACPHAIL.COM

About Gordon & MacPhail’s Unique Relationship With Over 100 Scottish Distilleries

Uniquely, Gordon & MacPhail is the only whisky company to have matched its casks to spirit from over 100 distilleries from all over Scotland. We then nurture it, often for many decades, then lean on experience handed down through four generations to know when to bottle it. Over its 130 history, Gordon & MacPhail built a strong bond of trust and mutual respect with these distilleries to allow the company to fill casks. These relationships were founded on the commitment that Gordon & MacPhail’s releases would complement not compete against those from the proprietary distillery, providing drinkers with interesting nuances in flavour. No other company has the depth and breadth of whisky in terms of variety of source distillery of the original spirit and age up to 80 years.

About Jeanne Gang

Jeanne Gang is the founding partner of Studio Gang, an international architecture and urban design practice with offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Paris. Known for a distinctive design approach that expands beyond architecture’s conventional boundaries, she creates striking places that strengthen connections between people, their communities, and nature. Her diverse, award-winning portfolio across the Americas and Europe includes the Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History, which the New York Times called “a poetic, joyful, theatrical work of public architecture”; a new United States Embassy in Brazil; and an expansion of the Clinton Presidential Center. Intertwined with built work, Jeanne and the Studio develop research, publications, and exhibitions that push design’s ability to create public awareness and give rise to change—a practice Jeanne calls “actionable idealism.” A MacArthur Fellow and a Professor in Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Jeanne has been named one of TIME Magazine’s most influential people in the world.

STUDIOGANG.COM

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education.

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 7 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative start-ups in the art
market. Christie’s is also committed to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.

CHRISTIES.COM

About American Forests

American Forests is the first national nonprofit conservation organization created in the U.S. Since its founding in 1875, the organization has been the pathfinders for the forest conservation movement. Its mission is to create healthy and resilient forests, from cities to large natural landscapes, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. The organization advances its mission through forestry, innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building.

AMERICANFORESTS.ORG