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Staff Favorites - David Driscoll
David Driscoll
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David Driscoll likes to drink alcohol when he is not working at K&L. His main interests include wine, beer, and distilled spirits. Before he worked here he went to college at a decent school, got a masters degree from an OK school, worked as a waiter and taught elementary school in Chinatown. He decided to get into the wine business after reading a few books about wine and realizing that one cannot seriously learn about wine solely through reading. His career goals include: trying to convince K&L customers that he does know something despite his youthful appearance, and learning everything about everything about every single wine ever made.
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Reviews
Domaine Hubert "K&L Exclusive" Pays d'Auge Vieux Calvados (750ml)
Review Date: 02-04-2018
If you're buying your bottle of Hubert in 2018, then you're getting the domaine's new blend based primarily on the 2008 vintage with bits of 2006 and 2010 blended in. It's textbook Astrid—friendly, feminine, but with a bit of a spicy kick. At thirty bucks, to think we can offer an apple brandy of this quality that's mostly 9 years old with 11-year and 7-year added for good measure is astounding. There's a reason this is the top selling Calvados in our store's history. 2000 bottles and counting!!
Price:
$34.99
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 12-22-2017
I know what you might be thinking: "I've had the Ariston Aspasie Carte Blanche dozens of times at this point." I've consumed at least 100 bottles of this in my 10 years at K&L, but unless you've bought a bottle post-November 2017 then you haven't had the new and improved Carte Blanche. You can look at my colleague Gary Westby's review for the technical details, but the short version is that the technological advancements put into place six years ago at Aspasie are just now showing up in the bottle, after five years of lees aging. If you thought you were getting a bargain for a sub-$30 Champagne before, you're getting a better version today. The control that the Aspasies have over the fermentation and pressing now results in a much fresher wine. More dynamic on the palate, cleaner on the finish, and livelier in every way, my most recent experience with the Carte Blanche was like drinking it again for the first time. If it's been a while since your last bottle of Aspasie Carte Blanche, you may want to consider revisiting this soon.
Price:
$37.99
Ardbeg "An Oa" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 09-30-2017
The An Oa is the best new Ardbeg I’ve tasted in more than five years and it’s the roundest and easiest to drink of the regularly available editions. While it doesn’t pack the power that both the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan offer with their bold proofs, it makes up for it with richness and a rounded sweetness on the finish. You get all the peat, brine, smoke, and salt that you could ever want, but with more texture and perhaps finesse—not something we normally associate with the beastly Islay profile. In any case, this is the first bottle of Ardbeg in some time that I’ve been adamant about buying for my own personal daily enjoyment, not just my collection.
2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 08-18-2017
It's great to see how this wine has come around over the years. We've been getting shipments of the 2009 Coufran since the vintage was released in 2012 and I've been slowly tasting bottles throughout the years, watching what was once a merlot-driven and supple wine from a ripe vintage mature into a savory, complex, and serious bottle of mature Bordeaux. Tasting it today, it's at its most profound position yet. The wine is much leaner than it was a few years back and has shed some of that baby fat, now resembling something with age from St. Emilion or Pomerol. For the price its tough to beat, especially when stacked up against some of the other $20 bargains we have in the store. Few, however, show as much evolution as the Coufran. This is a Wednesday night steak frites wine at its finest.
Hakushu 12 Year Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Review Date: 05-08-2017
Personally, I’ve always been surprised how much more popular the Yamazaki 12 is compared to its sibling the Hakushu 12. To me, the Yamazaki has always been a fine whiskey, but the more dynamic malt is easily the Hakushu, which as pretty much the same delicate and light-drinking flavor profile as the Yamazaki, but with just the faintest touch of smoke. It's so ethereal straight out of the glass, but I feel like it tastes even better with ice (I know that's tough for some people to handle). The subtle peat is like a ghost that moves slowly around every part of my palate, brushing it with hints of earth and phenolic goodness after coating it with sweet grains. With our new pricing, this is a can't miss deal. It's nice to have some real quantity again!
Price:
$159.99
Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 05-08-2017
When the Suntory Toki first launched at $45, it was a bit of a stretch because of how hot the market was for Japanese whisky. I'm much more comfortable selling this in the mid-thirties, however, and with our new pricing we can do that. While you sip on your bottle of Yamazaki or Hakushu, you pour this one on the rocks, add some soda water, and make yourself a real mizuwari--the great whisky soda that dominates Japan's drinking culture. The fruitiness on the nose really blossoms with the addition of bubbles, so don't be shy here. Do Japanese whisky right and drink it how it's intended!
Price:
$29.99
Lagavulin 8 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 04-06-2017
This 8 year version of Lagavulin is even more quintessentially Islay than the 16. It's fresher, livelier, peatier, and simply more dynamic on the palate. I also love that Lagavulin paid homage to the classic whisky travel book "The Whisky Distilleries of Scotland" by Alfred Barnard, a writer who visited all 150 active distilleries in the UK back in the late 19th century. He specifically mentions an "exceptionally fine" Lagavulin 8 year expression, and it's clear from tasting the modern rendition why he felt so strongly. It's a lovely whisky and it very much speaks to the strength of what may be Scotland's top producer.
Old Forester "1920 Prohibition Style" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Review Date: 02-03-2017
This was my favorite single Bourbon release of 2016 and I'm thrilled we were able to get another large allocation of it. Regardless of whether you want to get wrapped up in the story about how this was based on the Prohibition era recipe, there's no doubt about it: this is a delicious bottle of American whiskey and it easily stands out from the crowd of currently available options. There's a weight and a richness that coats the palate and the 115 proof brings plenty of punch with a flurry of baking spices. I love the graham crackery goodness as well. I don't taste a lot of Bourbons these days that really have a deeply concentrated flavor of dark grains. This has it in spades. Add this to your short list of new and exciting Bourbons right now.
Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 05-28-2016
The Navy Strength gin is not simply a higher proofed version of the Rare Dry from Four Pillars, but rather an entirely different formula. This one uses finger limes for a different citrus tone, but the balance of spice and botanicals is what ties both gins together. This is a bolder, brighter, more intense experience, but it's obviously made by the same team because the same attention to detail is prevalent. This is a world class gin of the highest quality, pure and simple.
Price:
$39.99
Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 05-28-2016
Bow down to the new king of gin: Four Pillars. A group of gin crazy Aussies put together one of the most focused and high-quality gin distilleries in the world in the Yarra Yarra Valley and now we're fortunate to get a taste of that goodness here in the U.S. The Rare Dry gin simply explodes with citrus, a burst of fresh orange, but it still packs a lovely balance of juniper and spice with the most delicate and graceful of mouthfeels. This is high quality gin, pure and simple. It tastes like it was fussed over, formulated and retooled until it was perfect. I can't stop talking about it nor drinking it. I'm just so happy we have it.
Launois "Quartz" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 05-17-2016
The Quartz is the leaner, more focused entry level wine from Launois and it might be my favorite. Underneath the fruit you get down into the minerality and the oyster shell notes that you expect from a fine Chablis. It's just that this wine has bubbles and it makes you feel like you're floating on air. Stunning.
Price:
$49.99
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 05-17-2016
An absolutely delicious, world-changing, life-altering experience. When you taste Launois's Cuvee Reserve and you realize that you only paid $35, you start to wonder what else you've been overpaying for? What about those shoes you ordered online? What about that special cheese you bought from the artisan market? Maybe there are other secrets like this out there that you just don't know about. Credit our own Gary Westby for the epiphany. Just don't bother him once we're sold out again. This is bright, clean, refreshing, and stunningly elegant 100% Grand Cru quality fruit and it's TO DIE FOR.
Price:
$39.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 05-17-2016
This is gorgeously lush wine made from hillside grapes and the top and bottom of the slopes. The nose is yeasty and voluptuous with a richness on the palate that maintains its elegance under the weight. Truly a fine wine.
Price:
$44.99
Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 09-17-2015
McKenna is one of those under-appreciated gems of the booze industry. A throwback Bourbon made by Heaven Hill (the home of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Rittenhouse Rye, and many other great brands) that's all from a single barrel, bottled-in-bond at 100 proof, and well-priced to boot. There's not much of a reputation for it out west, so it tends to go rather unnoticed, but the quality is highly-regarded by those in the know. Our inventory on McKenna is inconsistent and spotty so we tend to load up when it becomes available again. I taste inferior Bourbons every week that sell for $40, $50, and $60 per bottle based on hype and perceived rarity. But this guy just keeps truckin' along. What a deal. What a whiskey.
San Venanzio Fortunato Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore
Review Date: 06-10-2015
This is stunning for the price. Light, airy, a touch of stone fruit with a hint of what seems like sweetness, but really is just ripeness. It's fresh and dry and lovely. And the price!
Price:
$15.99
Daniel Bouju "Fines Saveurs" K&L Exclusive Grand Champagne Cognac (750ml)
Review Date: 05-19-2015
No caramel, no additives, just fresh, vibrant Grand Champagne brandy at a hot price. Nothing more to be said!
Price:
$44.99
Glenlivet 12 Year Old "Double Oak" Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-28-2015
Glenlivet is removing the 12 year old from many major markets in favor of the new "Founder's Reserve", which has no age statement and a higher price. Get your Glenlivet 12 before it goes the way of the Dodo.
Ketel One Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 04-28-2015
$20 is a hot price for the biggest brand name in all of vodka. Get it while the gettin's good.
Westland Flagship American Oak Single Malt American Whiskey (700ml)
Review Date: 04-24-2015
The great American single malt has finally arrived and it's being made in Seattle, Washington. Don't believe me? Get a bottle and see for yourselves. This is made on real Forsyth pot stills just like in Scotland, aged in bourbon and sherry casks, and brimming with Macallan-like flavor. It's still a bit young, but man is it going to get better.
El Dorado 12 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum
Review Date: 04-23-2015
A must-try-before-you-die spirit. One of the all-time greatest deals in all of spirits in general.
Price:
$36.99
El Dorado 15 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
The best rum on the planet for under $50. It's made mostly from DDL's old wooden pot still with more of that funky molasses note through the mid-palate. Love it. All day, every day.
El Dorado 21 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
Made from older stocks of DDL rums before the big transition into one consolidated Guyanese distillery, this is the ultimate aged rum. Rich oak, pure cane flavor, a bit of funky molasses, and a spicy, robust finish. I can't believe it's still $99.99
Price:
Hidden
El Dorado 3 year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
In lieu of Havana Club 3 year, the El Dorado 3 year is just as good and made the same way: three years in wood, then filtered to be a white rum. It's round and easy-drinking with pure rum flavor. Why use anything else for Daiquiris?
Price:
$19.99
Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 04-20-2015
The best and the most classic of the Beam bourbon portfolio. Big oak flavor, smooth and rich on the palate, and a finish that brings baking spices and vanilla goodness. YUM!
K&L's "Faultline" 100 Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 04-20-2015
Every batch of Faultline Bourbon that John Little blends for us here at K&L gets better and better each time. The more we do this, the better we get at doing it. We're putting out some of the softest, richest, most delicious bourbon on the market and it's only for K&L customers at a fantastic price. If you haven't bought a bottle yet, you're really missing out.
Price:
$39.99
Auchentoshan 18 Year Old Lowland Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
I LOVE this whisky. This is my new Glenmorangie 18. A classic sweet barley and vanilla flavor, but with extra viscosity and more weight on the palate. It's thick and chewy. You can almost bite into it. The Glasgow distillery is becoming relevant once again. Watch out other distilleries!
Springbank 15 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
All the great richness and weight of the 10 with more sherry and more spice cake. A true classic.
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The king of California spirits. There's nothing else out there this good and this old with this type of heritage and history. A must try before you die type of bottle.
Springbank 10 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Does it get any better than Springbank 10? I don't know. It's still my favorite whisky all these years later. There's nothing out there that combines the peat, richness, and oily nature of the Springbank spirits. There's also no other distillery that still does every step of the process from scratch.
Ardbeg 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Still the best deal for 10 year old whisky. Still the best deal for peated whisky. Still the best deal in whisky--period. I'm never without a bottle on my bar. A true classic of the single genre. You're never too cool, too rich, too knowledgeable, or too refined for Ardbeg 10.
Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth (1L)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The classic sweet vermouth. THE one. End all. Be all. Period.
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The most classic and most reliable of the Diageo "classic" malts. God bless Caol Ila and its peaty goodness with a rich, round, fruity core of flavor to balance it all out. I'm never without a bottle.
Laphroaig "Quarter Cask" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 04-19-2015
All the peat and power of Laphroaig, put into smaller barriques for extra richness and vanilla flavor.
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Venezuelan Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
A classic darker rum that offers richness and bold vanilla flavor, but without the sweetness and added caramel that many big brands offer. A true insider's rum if there ever was one.
Price:
$39.99
Darroze Les Grand Assemblages "20 Year Old" Bas-Armagnac (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The great Armagnac we carry at the moment. A marriage of 20 year old brandies from various properties, distilled by Marc Darroze, and packaged at one hot price. Bourbon drinkers might want to take note. This smokes Pappy 20 any day of the week.
St. George Green Chile Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
Love it. My Bloody Marys will never be the same. It smells like a big bowl of salsa and tastes like an explosion of Mexican cuisine. The applications are endless. It's basically gin made entirely with chiles.
Price:
$26.99
St. George All Purpose Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
Again, don't let the vodka moniker fool you: this isn't some BS, grain neutral throwaway. This is an art that Lance and Dave have perfected over at St. George. The all-purpose is actually made from a large proportion of pear distillate to give it a creamy and soft texture. They're not just trying to make a flavorless spirit. They're trying for ethereal beauty. And they've done it. The great vodka from the U.S. is now here.
St. George California Citrus Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
While you may think of this as flavored vodka, this is really just orange gin. At least, as far as the process is concerned. Lance and Dave made this incredibly beautiful spirit through multiple macerations of separate varietals of orange, along with individual distillations. The amount of skill and blending is paramount to the finest of ginmakers. It's just that they didn't use juniper. Don't let the vodka moniker make you think this isn't something great. It is.
Price:
$26.99
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Fantastic gin from Bruichladdich distillery on the famous island of Islay. Potent and punchy flavor with an elegant mouthfeel. You can't go wrong.
Price:
$34.99
Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 02-19-2015
10 year old Bourbon for a hot price. Buffalo Trace's classic whiskey is still a steal of a deal.
Price:
$54.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Blanton's "The Original" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (1 bottle limit) (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Blanton's is always my first choice when someone asks me for a "nice" bottle of Bourbon. It's about as "nice" as Bourbon gets. Extra richness, a smooth and silky finish, and an elegant bottle. It's still the one great value in today's high-end Bourbon market.
Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
The ultimate rye whiskey for the money. It doesn't get better.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Still one of the best bang for your buck spirits of any kind on the market. Serious Bourbon that gets overlooked in the face of Pappy, even though this is the distillery's flagship product. There's a reason the distillery is called Buffalo Trace. This is the workhorse.
Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled in Bond Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 01-03-2015
The E.H. Taylor series is an interesting side project from the Buffalo Trace distillery portfolio (Eagle Rare, Weller, Elmer T Lee, Pappy, etc) offering a drier, less sweet profile than what many of us expect from Bourbon. For me, the Taylor Small Batch 100 proof is the most intriguing of the series; truly a grainy and evocative Bourbon that goes from oak, to oil, to sweet corn, and then back to a dry grainy finish. For me personally, the whiskey is great on the rocks, but really shines in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. The 50% helps bump up the flavor, allowing it to hold its own with the added sweetness, and the drier profile doesn't add too much extra sugar. The oak and corn flavors are really well balanced as well, creating a back and forth of sweet vanilla and baking spices that goes on forever even after you drink it down. It's a fun change of pace from the standard Bourbon fare and a chance to really delve deep into the complexity that Bourbon can offer. There's a lot going on in this whiskey; perhaps more than you're really looking for. Each time I taste it I find something I didn't taste the previous time. It's almost like the Boigneires Armagnac equivalent; that's a brandy that cuts out all the sweetness and gets right down to the core flavor. It's the Bourbon version of that.
Singani "63" Bolivian Muscat Brandy (750ml)
Review Date: 09-15-2014
The is the do-it-all spirit for your liquor cabinet (and you don't even know what it is!). Fruity, floral, and clean, this can be substituted into a number of different cocktails in place of tequila, vodka, gin, and rum. I've made Singani Daiquiris, Singani Margaritas, Singani Negronis, Bloody Maries, Singani and Tonic, Singani Sangria--they're all fantastic. Bolivia's finest export may indeed be Singani. Now you just need to queue up "Che" on Netflix-instant, imagine you're Soderbergh drinking Singani on the set, and drink until your heart's content.
Price:
$29.99
Lot 40 Copper Pot Still Canadian Rye Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 01-15-2014
Like other "American" rye whiskies, such as Whistle Pig, Masterson's, and Jefferson's, the Lot 40 showcases more of that great Canadian-distilled rye whiskey backstock. I was blown away by this whisky when I tasted it. Then I read Davin de Kergommeaux's amazing review and learned about the story behind the brand. This has been one of the most talked about whiskies by Canadian and European collectors for years. For the entire back story, check out Davin's post here:
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/lot-no-40-2012-release-43-alcvol.html
W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 11-01-2013
With Pappy Van Winkle completely out of the question at K&L (we get about 6 bottles a year), it's nice to know that Weller 12 is still available and at a killer price. The PVW whiskies are really just different versions of Weller 12 in different bottles. Both are made at Buffalo Trace distillery from the exact same wheated formula (using corn and wheat, rather than corn and rye). The only difference is that the Van Winkles pick their own casks. What's leftover goes into the Weller whiskies. The 12 year is the oldest and richest of the three selections and is one of the best kept secrets in the industry. Don't tell too many people about it!
Price:
$139.99
| Limit of 1 per customer |
Taittinger "La Française" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 09-19-2013
I was quite taken aback by the quality of wine in this major brand-labeled bottle. The Taittinger "La Francaise" is a wonderful combination of leesy richness with firm acidity, that glides effortlessly over the palate, hitting all the right notes. The finish is full of citrus and rich, bready flavors. It tastes like it should cost twice as much. It tastes way better than 2003 Dom, which does cost twice as much.
Nikka Coffey Still Japanese Grain Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 09-11-2013
I am a BIG fan of grain whisky, but I'm always sure to express to customers that it's not for everyone. Grain whisky is much less supple, much less round and rich, and more spicy and herbaceous. In a Scotch and Soda, it's unbeatable. I absolutely LOVE the new Nikka Coffey Still grain whisky in a cocktail. I killed a third of the bottle the first night I opened it. It goes down way too easily. The vanilla notes are rich on the entry, but the finish is more intense. Give it a whirl and see what you think.
Ariston Aspasie Brut Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 07-13-2009
This wine is always our answer to the Billecart Salmon, which by the way sells for more than twice as much. This is all about the red Ariston fruit and their champagnes are permanent staff picks. Cherry notes from the pinot noir, crisp and vibrant acidity and brioche flavors swirl together with delicate bubbles. Anyone care for some?
Price:
$42.99