TOP PICKS…
• 1970 Macallan 40 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 12 available ($699.99)
Another stupendous Macallan from the Gordon & Macphail stocks. Easily the best ultra-high end value available in Macallan. When the distillery bottling 25 year is $800, the 30 is $1200, and a 40 year sells for $10K, this just seems like a steal. The quality is second to none as Gordon & Macphail have great access to top quality wood and were, in fact, the official bottlers of Macallan until modern whisky times. Enjoy this wonderful whisky knowing that you’re one of the lucky few…
• 1964 Bowmore 46 year “Fino” Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 1 available ($13,999.99)
A legend is born. Only 72 bottles made, 8 Bottles for the US. One bottle for K&L. This is one of the finest liquids to ever pass through my lips. I’m not just saying that because I’m obsessed with 60s Bowmore. If you’ve just won the lottery or happen to be some billionaire trying to really fill out your collection this is the whisky for you. If not, you should get 25 of you closest friends, each put in $500, and split the bottle 25 ways. That’s an oz each, totally worth it. Here are my very precise tastings notes. Nose: 24 carat gold. Palate: Liquified Diamonds. Finish: Longer than a Swan 105. (David Othenin-Girard, K&L Wine Merchants)
• 1989 Bunnahabhain 22 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
Introducing our newest source for top-quality whisky at wonderfully reasonable price points – the Exclusive Malts! Our partnership with this independent bottler will bring EM expressions for the first time ever to the United States, available only at K&L. Seeing that last year’s trip resulted in almost zero Islay expressions, David and I were eager to make amends this time around. We had already committed to peated whiskies from Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, and Caol Ila, so when we found a relatively mellow, laid-back, mature malt from Bunnahabhain for a bargain basement price, we figured why not just add it in with the others? The whisky is lithe and lean on the entry with lots of earthy, oily notes and hints of resin with light peat. The low proof makes the whisky entirely drinkable right out of the bottle and the intensity of the vanilla and oil goes all the way to the finish, lingering long on the back end. Complex, mysterious, and understated , much like Bunnahabhain distillery itself. A wonderful whisky at a knockout price. We expect this one to move fast. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)
• 1996 Caol Ila 15 Year Old K&L Exclusive Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($119.99)
One of the most surprising visits from our 2012 trip was at Caol Ila distillery on Islay. The Diageo plant is so big, so efficient, and so sterile that our appointment was more about around professional growth and crossing another distillery off our list. We didn’t expect to be wowed. For all of the criticism Caol Ila takes as being a whisky factory, the single malt made on site is damn good. Caol Ila uses big, fat-necked stills that produce a round and fruity spirit. That soft and supple character compliments the peat smoke of Islay malts perfectly. None of their whisky is aged on the island, so the brine and salt character attributed to Islay aging never really appears. What’s frustrating for U.S. customers is that most of the expressions that showcase the depth and potential of the distillate don’t make it across the water. The 18 year old we tasted on site was one of the best whiskies I had tasted all year, but since we can’t buy casks directly from Diage o, we were going to have to look elsewhere for something similar. Last year’s visit to Sovereign resulted in a 30 year old Caol Ila cask of supreme complexity, but we were so intrigued by the 18 year that we wanted something with less age and more fruit. Tasting the 15 year old cask on the mainland in Glasgow, we found what we were looking for. Soft, supple textures, youthful campfire smoke, brandied fruit on the palate, with vanilla accents that smooth out the finish. A tasty winner that we can’t wait for you to try.
• 1994 Caperdonich 18 Year Old K&L Sovereign Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($125.99)
We love finding great casks of whisky from “lost distilleries,” single malt institutions that are no longer in operation making their whisky more collectable and difficult to find. While the buildings at Brora and Port Ellen still stand today 30 years after their closure, Caperdonich, closed forever in 2002, was completely gutted and destroyed just recently. Nothing remains from the former Pernod-Ricard facility other than the single malt already sitting in cask. Much like its demolished cousin Banff, which we featured in last year’s K&L single malt lineup, Caperdonich has a distinct and understated character that doesn’t jump out of the glass immediately. It needs to be coaxed out. Our single barrel of 18 year old malt is a tease at first – hinting at supple fruit on the nose, yet lithely avoiding any serious concentration on the palate. Water is a must with the cask strength in order to temper the heat and bring out the nuance. With the alcohol in check comes the classic character of the distillery – grass, hay, and notes of pepper with more stonefruit. It’s a keenly interesting whisky that offers a chance at understanding a fallen soldier. Again, the Banff comparison will be key. Some people thought last year’s cask was underwhelming, others thought it was the best they had ever tasted. This year’s Caperdonich barrel will likely polarize drinkers much the same, wowing those who appreciate delicacy. Like the distillery itself, it will be missed after it’s gone.
• Faultline 10 Year Old North Highland Single Barrel 100 Proof Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($54.99)
In a single malt market where “value” is becoming a loosely defined word, we at K&L are working harder than ever to find new and interesting whiskies that everyone can enjoy. While many of our exclusive Scotland casks can be quite pricy due to the scarcity, age, and the high alcohol percentage, David and I really wanted to find a few great options that came in well under $75. Part of the problem, however, is that even young whiskies from single barrels are expensive, which is why we often opt for the older ones. It was David OG’s intuition, however, that took us outside of Glasgow to a small producer’s warehouse full of great whiskies at remarkable prices. Inside this tiny storage unit was a refill-sherry butt full of classically-flavored malt from one of the Highland’s most distinguished distilleries–one from which we practically never see independent offerings. After tasting the whisky, we were very impressed, but we felt that, at cask stren gth, the alcohol simply overpowered the flavor. A few drops of water really mellowed out the heat, bringing forward the fruit and highlighting the grain. The whisky is perfect at 100 proof. The nose offers fresh stone fruit and light vanilla, the palate is deceptively rich with a faint oiliness and incredibly subtle sherry tones that masterfully tame its youthful vigor. What we have here is good old-fashioned Scotch for people who like great whisky at a great price–exactly what the Faultline label is all about. (David Driscoll, K&L)
• Kilchoman K&L Exclusive 100% Islay Single Sherry Barrel Cask Finish Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($119.99)
Our single sherry cask of standard Kilchoman was an easy choice. The malt was simply brilliant, so good that any Islay fan could easily fall in love with its power and complexity. It was the other barrel, however, sitting in the corner of the warehouse that brought out the whisky geeks in David and me. We had heard rumors that Kilchoman was sitting on a small batch of sherry-finished 100% Islay single malt, their ultra-delicious and incredibly-limited whisky made from a small crop of barley grown and malted entirely at the distillery. It’s no secret that the rest of Islay buys their barley from Diageo’s Port Ellen malting facility, but circumventing that route is difficult, not to mention costly. Is it worth it however? The answer to that question is a resounding “YES!” The spice on Kilchoman’s all-Islay whisky is totally different from the standard make – think blanco tequila meets smoky mezcal, with lots of citrus. When you add a sherry barrel t o that equation the spice turns to cinnamon red hots, the fruit tropical and hedonistic, the peat to a sweet and vibrant tang. At cask strength, the malt overwhelms the palate, almost like a giant party in your mouth. We had to push hard for this cask, but when you see two young buyers jumping up and down and hugging each other in your warehouse after tasting it, it’s probably hard to say “no.” (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)
• 1991 Linkwood 21 Year Old K&L Exclusive Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($135.99)
Diageo’s Linkwood distillery is generally considered one of, if not the best of, the Speyside distilleries that are not sold stateside. We’re lucky to find a delicious, independently-bottled expression from time to time and we’re always on the lookout for something special. While most Speyside distilleries use heavy amounts of sherry, Linkwood’s elegant, fruity style stands on its own when aged in hogshead barrels as an alternative. Unfortunately, getting that delicate nuance of fruit and vanilla takes time and we haven’t seen older expressions of Linkwood very often. Our friends at Sovereign dug deep into their inventory, however, and surfaced with exactly what we desired: unsherried Linkwood with more than two decades of time in the barrel. Graceful, playful, and light with flavors of stonefruit, with the vanilla from the wood acting as a backbone. Because it’s bottled at cask strength, water is key to toning down the proof and releasing the potential for more flavor. A few drops helps balance the power and brings out notes of baking spice, resinous oils, and more richness from the wood. This is a whisky we expect many to pass over in favor of our other, more exciting casks, before coming back around later to realize they’ve overlooked a true gem. The sleeper of the older expressions we’ve had bottled. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)
• 1992 Longmorn 20 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
Introducing our newest source for top-quality whisky at wonderfully reasonable price points – the Exclusive Malts! Our partnership with this independent bottler will bring EM expressions for the first time ever to the United States, available only at K&L. David and I had a field day working through the various casks available in the tiny warehouse outside of Glasgow. Although we had already selected a younger Longmorn expression from Signatory, the distillery has such a great reputation amongst enthusiasts for quality and we were open to bringing in a more mature cask if it tasted great. The nose of this whisky is classic Speyside – that heady mix of vanilla, malted grains, and rich stonefruit. The palate is more of the same: sweet grains, lots of wonderful vanilla and caramel, a finish of soft fruits with a hint of banana. Great Longmorn often doesn’t do a whole lot, but it does what it does very well. There’s not supreme depth or insane complexity goi ng on with this whisky, but there’s a whole lotta deliciousness. Longmorn just simply hits the spot and sometimes that more than enough. Considering the 16 year old distillery bottle sells for well over $100 here in the states, getting this 20 year old single cask at full proof is quite the deal indeed. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)
• 1982 Port Ellen 30 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($599.99)
Whoever said that persistence pays off was so freakin’ right. The only reason we ever got a hold of this baby was that we’ve built some great relationships in Scotland. So when we asked at Sovereign, again, eyebrows raised, “Do you have anything you could offer us?” They offered. We tasted. We loved. They bottled. And it’s a true glory. The nose shows soft, earthy peat and struck match igniting pipe tobacco. The palate is all weathered leather tempered by sweet, mellowing dark wood. This long and powerful malt turns the phenols back up to 11 for a spicy, peaty finish. We’re not sure we’ll see another one of these. Diageo has been buying the few remaining casks back from bottlers well above market price for their 12th annual Port Ellen release, which retails for over $1,000. They bottled nearly 3,000 of those; there will only be 150 of ours. (David Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer)
NEW ARRIVALS
Scotland – Single Malt Scotch
• 1990 Aberlour 21 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
BACK IN STOCK
Scotland – Single Malt Scotch
• Benromach 10 Year Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($41.99)
• Bruichladdich “Laddie Classic” Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 4 available ($59.99)
United States – Bourbon and Rye
• Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection “Oat” Bourbon Whiskey 375ml ($49.99)
• Leopold Bros.Maryland Style Rye Whiskey 750ml ($46.99)
• Willett 6 Year Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($49.99)
• Willett 8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml ($64.99)
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
