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Following on from their excellent unpeated Madeira release, Ardnamurchan distillery are now treating us to this latest Sauternes cask matured expression.  Matured for an impressive 8 years, this unpeated single malt Ardnamurchan has been finished for 30 months in ex-Sauternes wine barriques. Bottled at a very impressive and drinkable 50% vol, this has all the hallmarks of another great single malt release from Ardnamurchan distillery.

Should be another belter.

Available now for immediate dispatch.

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Slàinte

Ardbeg 14 Year Old “Unicorn Tales – Anthology Release” Islay Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

$149.99

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This freshly release single malt is a one-of-a-kind bottling from Ardberg. The first ever Ardberg aged in rare Madeira casks, it combines the nuances of Madeira cask maturation with Ardberg’s traditional Bourbon barrel notes. Matured for 14 years in a marriage of these pristine casks, this is a Scotch overflowing with complexity in the form of rich, luscious tropical aromas plus zesty citrus and rich smoked notes across the palate. According to Ardberg, “The “Anthology” will tell a story of three rare and strange liquids: Experimental maturation in which Dr. Bill crossed classic Ardbeg smoke with sweeter, more delicate notes. The result: a merging of ‘cask’ species, creating entirely new Ardbeg.” EXTREMELY LIMITED – Don’t wait on this one!

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

Irish whiskey & the licence to experiment with non-oak maturation

One key distinction of Irish whiskey is the allowance of wood species other than oak for maturation, a practice not permitted in Scotland. This means non-oak maturation is allowed in Ireland which gives producers licence to experiment, as this blog post explains.📖  Read the Post

Old Overholt Straight Rye, 40%

https://youtu.be/s8U3vFMe6FQ

Rye is a product that divides whisky drinkers. Some see it as very spicy, others a little one dimensional, but I personally love it! This is Old Overholt Straight Rye, an absolute cornerstone of American spirits, one that has literally covered the modern day development of the country, through good and bad. The history of this liquid is too long to put into a video biography, you’ll just have to watch it. But even though it isn’t the most complex liquid on the earth, I love it.

SAZERAC COMPANY AWARDED 27 MEDALS AT THE SPIRITS BUSINESS’ 2024 AMERICAN WHISKEY MASTERS

 Among the top honors are Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon and 1792 Aged 12 Years, both winning prestigious Master medals 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 5, 2024) – The Sazerac Company, one of the world’s largest, privately-owned distilled spirits companies, is honored to receive a total of 27 medals in The Spirits Business American Whiskey Masters 2024. Top honors include two Master medals – awarded to Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon and 1792 Aged 12 Years – as well as 15 Gold medals and 10 Silver medals. Traveller Whiskey, the first new brand release from Buffalo Trace Distillery in several years, won a Gold medal in its first year of existence.

The American Whiskey Masters is chaired by The Spirits Business and a panel of leading spirits specialists. Spirits are judged in a blind taste test and awarded by category. This year, the competition included 85 entries from 19 companies across America.

“Thank you to the judges at this year’s American Whiskey Masters, we are honored and thrilled to have received 27 medals at this year’s competition,” said Jake Wenz, President and CEO at Sazerac. “Our teams working across Sazerac’s vast portfolio of American Whiskeys are committed to the craft of making quality whiskey. These awards are a strong reflection of our team’s daily dedication to exceptional distilling and aging.”

Sazerac brands awarded medals include W.L. Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, E.H. Taylor Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Traveller Whiskey, Benchmark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Early Times Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and more. Sazerac’s full list of winners includes:

Master

• Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon Finished Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Bourbon Aged 12 Years

Gold

• Very Old Barton 90 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Single Barrel Bourbon (Bourbon – Super Premium Category)
• W.L. Weller Antique Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Full Proof Bourbon
• 1792 Small Batch Bourbon
• E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Thomas H. Handy Straight Rye Whiskey
• Benchmark Top Floor Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Bottled in Bond Bourbon
• Sazerac Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
• Traveller Whiskey

Silver

• Early Times Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• W.L. Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Sweet Wheat Bourbon
• W.L. Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Early Times American Blended Whiskey
• Early Times Bottled in Bond Whiskey
• Benchmark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1792 Single Barrel Bourbon (Bourbon – No Age Statement Category)

About Sazerac:

With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers and communities around the world.

Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.

Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.

To learn more visit www.sazerac.com.

Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Launches New Packaging & “Seize Tonight” Campaign

New initiatives pay homage to John E. Fitzgerald, the U.S. Treasury Agent whose act of stealing from the best barrels in the rickhouse inspired the Larceny and Old Fitzgerald brands

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (July 2024) – Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey today announced new elevated packaging along with a new campaign entitled “Seize Tonight.” The upgraded design on both Larceny Small Batch and Larceny Barrel Proof uses premium papers and foils to prominently feature the key and keyhole iconography the brand is known for alongside the Old Fitzgerald seal. The “Seize Tonight” campaign is centered around the idea that the most memorable moments happen when you let curiosity get the best of you and take a little risk – much like John E. Fitzgerald himself.

John E. Fitzgerald, a U.S. Treasury agent in the late 1800s, used his keys to access aging whiskey barrels, stealing the best Bourbon for himself. When it came time to dump these barrels some were unusually light and exceptionally smooth and became known around the distillery as “Fitzgerald Barrels”. This inspired the historic Old Fitzgerald brand and then Larceny which launched in 2012. The connection between the two brands is highlighted in the new Larceny package. Elements like the original Old Fitzgerald seal in foil on top of the capsule and Fitzgerald’s signature at the bottom of the label show the classic brand’s endorsement of Larceny. Larceny’s iconic key symbol has also received an upgrade with a sculpturally embossed foil key that takes direct inspiration from the Old Fitzgerald key. Wheated Bourbon Mashbill is prominently featured on the bottom label, calling out Larceny’s unique flavor profile.

Sometimes what’s not there is the key to what is. One of the biggest features of the new package is not visible to the naked eye. Printed with UV ink, the legend behind Larceny can barely be seen in natural light but hold the label under a blacklight and the story is revealed. This feature alludes to the fact that for many years the story of John E. Fitzgerald was lost to history. It was only in recent decades that Fitzgerald’s true identity as a Treasury Agent with a taste for stolen whiskey came to light. The new label resembles a page ripped from the history books – lost for many years, but rediscovered. On the back of Larceny bottles, Bourbon fans can scan the QR code taking them directly to the newly updated Larceny website.

Inspired by John E. Fitzgerald’s act of mischief that left the world with an extraordinary Bourbon, the “Seize Tonight” campaign is the brand’s take on carpe diem which encourages fans to embrace the unexpected and break from routine. This campaign will be extended across connected TV, digital, social and on and off premise this fall.

Unlike many other bourbons, Larceny is made with wheat instead of the traditional rye, using a mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley. The use of 20% wheat as the secondary flavor grain is 25% more than the leading competitor, resulting in exceptional smoothness. Larceny Small Batch is available nationwide at a SRP of $27.99 and the new packaging is now shipping. Individual batches of Larceny Barrel Proof are released nationally on an allocated basis three times annually at a SRP of $64.99 and will be bottled in the new packaging starting this fall.

ABOUT LARCENY BOURBON: The story of Larceny begins with John E. Fitzgerald, a bonded U.S. Treasury agent with a penchant for thievery of the best Bourbon. Using his keys to let himself into rickhouses at night, the “Fitzgerald Barrels”, as they came to be known, became one of America’s most beloved whiskeys after Prohibition with the launch of Old Fitzgerald. Today, the John E. Fitzgerald story continues through Larceny, an incredibly smooth and exceptional small batch Wheated Bourbon. First brought to market in 2012, Larceny is one of the most successful new-to-the-world Bourbons in the past decade. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the brand offers Larceny Small Batch and Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Since its inception, Larceny has been an award-winning, best in class Bourbon receiving accolades such as Double Gold at the 2024 San Franscisco World Spirits Competition and Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year in 2020. For more information, please visit www.larcenybourbon.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

Talisker 30 Year Old 2022 Release 49.6% 70cl

A  beautifully matured, inherently collectable and stunningly complex 30-year-old single malt from celebrated Skye distiller, Talikser. Aged for three decades in American oak, this rich, elegant expression really tells the story of its remote, rugged coastal location. Sumptuous and luxurious, tasting notes include salted caramel, orchard fruits, soft spices, and that unmistakable coastal peat smoke. A triumph in long-aged Scotch.

£833.33

LAX Travelers, The Macallan Has Touched Down

Macallan is no stranger to supplementing its whisky with artful touches, having debuted various art installations and limited-edition prints for its new releases over the years. Now, the distillery is bringing an interactive, visually alluring pop-up to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), designed specifically for its Travel Retail-exclusive Colour Collection.

READ MORE

Course Spotlight: Certificate in Sensory Appreciation

Crafted in collaboration with renowned whisky writer and chef, Martine Nouet, the Certificate in Sensory Appreciation is a journey into the heart of whisky enjoyment and analysis. The art and science of whisky are brought to life in an immersive, in-person educational experience over four workshops. Taught exclusively by our handpicked global network of Approved Course Providers.📖 Learn More

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 535: Old Elk Cigar Cut

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, is very excited, as he’s never heard of Old Elk. They can be found in Fort Collins, Colorado. They set themselves apart from other producers by using a process they call ‘slow cut proofing process’, meaning they dilute by adding small amounts of water over the course of several weeks, meaning they keep more of the finer and lighter flavours in their bourbon. In the glass is their Cigar Cut, which is quite amazing as it’s a vatting – a marriage or a blend, if you will – of their 6 year old bourbon that has been finished on a wide variety of barrels: 1.5 years on sherry, 1.25 years on Armagnac, 3 to 8 months on port casks and 3 to 6 months on cognac casks!

https://youtu.be/JjE1y6fxREI