Welcome one and all to our now live 177th auction! We have thousands of high-quality drams to choose from this month, so fear not we’ll get that drinks cabinet restocked in no time after the carnage of Christmas. To get you on your way we have picked out a few special expressions to get your watchlists started.

Littlemill Testament to the Past with Matching Mini 5cl

First up is a dram so rare this is the first time we have auctioned it in 177 auctions, this is the inimitable Littlemill Testament to the Past with Matching Mini 5cl. Only 250 bottles of this 44 year old Testament Release were created. Each one is housed in a hand-blown decanter and accompanied by a dress stopper made from natural sandstone rescued from the remains of the distillery. Not only that, the matching mini gives the buyer the chance to sample the goods while still retaining the full bottle.

Highland Park 50 Year Old 2020 Release

Now for something special from the far north, this is the Highland Park 50 Year Old 2020 Release. This incredible dram began life as a marriage of nine refill casks which were first laid down in 1968. After ageing for nearly four decades they were matured for a further 12 years in first fill sherry casks. And to top it all off the resulting whisky was then married with some of the 2018 50 year old which had been kept back specifically for this purpose. If this deliciously convoluted dram doesn’t float your boat then I don’t know what will.

Glenturret 30 Year Old

While the good folks at Glenturret have been quietly reinventing themselves as a high-end luxury dram and destination (not one, but two Michelin stars thank you very much) since they were purchased by the Lalique Group in 2019, this Glenturret 30 Year Old serves as a reminder that their output has always been really rather good. A great way to taste a well-aged classic for a fraction of the cost of the current iteration of their 30 year old.

Macallan Fine and Rare 1949 53 Year Old

Our final bottle needs little introduction, this is the Macallan Fine and Rare 1949 53 Year Old. A bottle of timeless grace and sophistication, this unfussy gem from one of Scotland’s most celebrated (and collectable) distilleries. There were 57 vintages released in the ‘Fine and Rare’ collection, with this 53 year old having been distilled in 1949 before finally being released in 2002. Ever popular with collectors and drinkers alike, the Macallan juggernaut shows no signs of stopping.

As always we have an enormous selection of drams to suit every budget on offer this month, so now is the time to delve into this month’s offerings and start building that watchlist.

Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

Poitin Now has hit the road for 2026

4 Tastings in 4 Provinces

The exciting new approach from Poitín Now will see all of the best poitín in Ireland being celebrated in a regional way and therefore bringing the festival, and our native spirit, to be accessible in a more regional way for all participants.

These regions all boast quality food and accommodation venues or are easily accesed through mini bus or lift shares for many with ample parking. We look forward to seeing you at Molly’s Bar in Warrenpoint for the first of these brilliant tastings.

Location: Molly’s Bar, Warrenpoing
Date: Saturday, Mar 7 from 4 pm to 6 pm GMT

Buy your Poitín Now Ticket Here

Isle of Raasay Distillery

Isle of Raasay – The Chinkapin

ABV: 50.2% 70 cL

ralfy review 1117 Extras – The alcohol risk that waits for us all !

TEELING WHISKEY RELEASES 7TH EDITION IN AWARD-WINNING SOMMELIER SELECTION – RIOJA RED WINE CASK

TEELING® Whiskey, the world’s most awarded Irish Whiskey*, is proud to unveil the seventh release in its innovative Sommelier Selection series – Rioja Red Wine Cask Finish.

At Teeling Whiskey, we believe in driving the evolution of Irish Whiskey through the creation of new and unique expressions. As part of this innovative mission, the Sommelier Selection series was developed to capture the flavours and influence of some of the world’s most celebrated wine regions. Previous editions have explored the impact of French, Italian, and Portuguese wine casks on Teeling’s award-winning Small Batch blended Irish Whiskey.

For this latest release, Teeling has turned its attention to Spain, focusing on its flagship Rioja red wine. Famous for its balance of red and dark fruits combined with distinctive cask maturation, Rioja wine offers a distinct complementary character to Teeling’s whiskey style. Only the finest ex-Rioja Red Wine casks from Northern Spain were selected to finish Teeling Small Batch, creating an expression that is truly unique within the Irish Whiskey category.

The result is a whiskey layered with vibrant red fruits, subtle spice, and a soft tannic structure, perfectly balanced by the natural floral and fruity character of Teeling Small Batch. This limited-edition Irish Whiskey is a true celebration of both Irish & Spanish taste and character.

Jack Teeling, Founder and Managing Director of Teeling Whiskey, commented:
“With our Sommelier Selection, we set out to push the boundaries of Irish Whiskey by bringing the influence of world-class wine regions into our whiskey-making. Rioja is at the heart of Spanish winemaking, and we are delighted to showcase how its red wine casks can add a new dimension to our Small Batch, continuing our journey of discovery to what Irish and Teeling Whiskey can be.”

The Teeling Whiskey Sommelier Selection – Rioja Red Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 46% ABV with no chill filtration, staying true to Teeling’s ethos of craft and authenticity. It will be available in Ireland at the Teeling Whiskey Distillery in Dublin 8, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Australia, Singapore and Japan among other international markets.

* Based on World Whiskies Awards, 2019-2025 

Sommelier Selection Rioja – Tasting Notes

• Nose: Strawberry compote, cherry, delicate cinnamon spice and caramel sweetness
• Taste: Dark berries, butterscotch, black pepper and nutmeg
• Finish: Long luxurious finish with dry tannins, a slight minerality, honey and a hint of dark chocolate

About Teeling Whiskey

The Teeling Whiskey Company was founded in 2012 to revive the old Teeling family trademark of Irish whiskey and bring craft distilling back to Dublin. Since its establishment, TEELING has become the most progressive Irish whiskey company, driving innovation and offering a selection of unique handcrafted, small-batch Irish whiskeys. The Teeling Whiskey Distillery began operations in 2015, marking the first new distillery in Dublin in over 125 years, and has welcomed over one million visitors since opening. TEELING Whiskey is now exported to more than 80 different markets and has won over 650 international awards for its quality.

THIS ARTICLE APPEARS HERE WELL AFTER THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE AND AS A MATTER OF INTEREST

Celebrating This Year’s Sales Award Winners

Our growth isn’t just measured in cases shipped or awards earned… It’s built bottle by bottle and relationship by relationship. Every sale is a story of connection, trust, and shared success.

That’s why we are proud to recognize this year’s Heaven Hill Brands Sales Award Winners: The Regional Managers and Distributor Partners whose achievements over the last fiscal year embody what it means to Thrive Together.

2026 Regional Manager of the Year
Cole Armstrong
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits

This year, Cole Armstrong set the pace and earned the highest individual sales honor at Heaven Hill Brands. As Regional Manager of the Year, Cole’s consistent performance and trusted leadership stood out across the business.

Representing our portfolio with excellence and building strong distributor partnerships along the way, Cole has exemplified what it means to raise the bar, delivering results while embodying the spirit of “Many Spirits. One Team.”

2026 Brand Award Winners

Elijah Craig – Illinois
Chris Tabor, Regional Manager
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits

Evan Williams – New Jersey
David Tabachnik, Regional Manager
Allied Beverage Group

Heaven Hill – Pennsylvania
Art Schomp, Regional Manager
Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits

These awards honor more than sales milestones. They reflect the heart of our business: strong partnerships, shared wins, and a culture built on accountability and trust. To every Regional Manager and Partner recognized, thank you for the energy, integrity and commitment you bring to building beloved brands and lasting relationships. Your work is a powerful reminder that at Heaven Hill, we don’t just sell spirits, we lift them all across the world.

New Era 9 Year Old “K&L’s Tesseract” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon 

$129.99

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New Era Bourbon is an amazing tale of the power of enthusiasm. It is a story that almost sounds too unfathomable to be true, and it represents the dream for so many lovers of bourbon. Started by bourbon geeks Zan Brammell and Matt Hobbs, each ran significant single barrel clubs for several years, picking casks for their friends and followers.

They eventually met and joined forces to bring that talent to the broader market. They have built great relationships with distillers and brokers over the years and now get access to extremely high quality stocks and unique barrels. This, the first K&L Exclusive New Era pick, comes from an undisclosed distillery in Kentucky with an unusual mashbill of 64 percent corn, 24 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley. It is pretty easy to pick out what that might be, but finding one this old is truly unprecedented.

While we will not mention the name of that distillery out of respect both for the agreements with New Era and the distillery itself, but it’s the oldest from them around anywhere. This label’s artwork features a 1960s piece by Dorelle Heisel, the grandmother of K&L Spirits Buyer Stephanie Manning. Known as “Cincinnati’s Brain Lady” and “Abby” to her grandchildren, Dorelle was a pioneer of early biofeedback technology, introducing many to psychedelic subculture. Her work transports viewers to an alternate state; something also made possible through experiencing a truly excellent whiskey.

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

Highly Commended: Sustainable Distillery

Sustainability is central to how we work at the Cotswolds Distillery, from caring for the landscape around us to reducing our environmental impact behind the scenes. This commitment is brought to life through initiatives such as our Wetlands Ecological Treatment System, a living reed-bed landscape that treats the majority of our production wastewater on site while supporting local wildlife. To be highly commended in the Sustainable Distillery category is a meaningful acknowledgement of this approach, and of our belief in doing things thoughtfully, responsibly and with the future in mind. Take a look at the video below to discover more about our wetlands.

WATCH HERE

Lochindaal 16 Year Old Tri Carragh 57.8% 70cl

£204.16

Named after the bay on the Hebridean island of Islay, this 16-year-old, elegantly peated Lochindaal bottling started life back in 2009 at the iconic Bruichladdich distillery. Aged entirely in a first-fill bourbon barrel, it doesn’t mess about. Instead, it lets the sweetly smoky, citrus-driven, creamy tropical fruit profile shine. There’s chocolate and caramel too, and of course, delightfully warming cereal notes. A brilliant Islay release that won independent bottler Tri Carragh a category win at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards.

Exciting News! Our 10 Year Old Estate Whisky has won its category and a Gold medal at the World Whisky Awards.  This is a unique whisky, made entirely with barley grown on Shelter Point Farm. We have always been proud of this expression and we’re delighted that its quality has been confirmed by the judges at the World Whisky Awards.

Buy the 10 Year Old Estate Whisky