Review Date: 5-15-2013

Absolutely delicious bubbly! Bright citrus and stonefruit right on the entry with a richness that finishes cleanly, rather than nutty or oaky. The Launois Reserve is right there with the Bonville Blanc de Blanc and Bruno Michel for best $35-ish bottle of Champagne we carry. A big step up from the Quartz, although both are the same price.

Review Date: 5-15-2013

Finding a cask of sherry-aged Mortlach has been kind of a white whale hunt for me. In my opinion, when Mortlach is aged properly it's the best sherry aged whisky in the world - better than Macallan, Glenfarclas, Glendronach, or Balvenie. There's something deeper and more magical happening at the core of this malt that outshines the other Speysiders. There's plenty of Mortlach casks out there, but they're always the castaways - the barrels that Diageo cut loose because they were aged in refill hogsheads (barrels that add little richness and result in light, fruity, leaner whiskies). However, we fell upon this 22 year old monster in the Chieftain's warehouse and we didn't even blink when they offered it to us. I think it's the best sherry-aged whisky we have - it may be the best sherry-aged whisky we've ever had. It makes Mac 18 seem foolish and watered-down . It makes Glenfarclas seem overbearing. It makes Glendronach seem overly sweet. Balvenie can't hold a candle to this. Behold everyone - the great Mortlach. Sherry-aged perfection if there ever was such a thing.

Review Date: 5-15-2013

I love it when a brand-oriented whisky customer comes into K&L and I get the chance to talk with them about all of the smaller independents. Nothing feels better than turning a new drinker onto the lesser-known spirits of the world. Almost nothing. There's one thing I actually enjoy even more. I really get a kick when a brand known for bulk production and cheesy gimmickry actually delivers a product that tastes good.I love it when Glenlivet makes a good whisky. I love it when Tanqueray releases a good gin. I love it when gigantic brands show that they're still capable of making something inexpensive, but tasty. Taking a page from the craft spirits movement, Absolut has answered the call for locally-sourced, "handcrafted" (whatever that means these days - in this case I think they're referring to the fact it was manually distilled on a copper still) spirits by offering one of their own. The Elix is made from all-estate (apparently Absolut owns a number of fields in Sweden) grown wheat. It's bottled in a nice package and proofed down to 42.3%, which to me means that they actually tinkered with this thing at various levels to find the one that tasted best, rather than just dropping it down to the defacto 40%. One of the best vodkas I've ever tasted - easily.

Review Date: 5-7-2013

Lots of Bourbon-cask style action going on with this Miltonduff. Wood spice, burnt sugar, lots of round fruit with vanilla overtones. Then there's a rather herbacous note on the finish that adds an earthy character on the back end. This is just delicious. I know it's from Miltonduff, a distillery whose whisky mostly goes into Chivas blended goods, but if you're not interested in big names or collectable bottles you're getting mature, 18 year old, full proof hooch that tastes great for a great price. That's all we can ask for anymore, right?

Review Date: 5-7-2013

For anyone who is still nursing that last sip of the 1992 Bladnoch we bottled back in 2011, have no fear of finishing that final gulp. We've got you totally covered. Imperial is an old Allied Distillers distillery that was closed in 1998. It was purchased in 2005 by Pernod Ricard, but never reopened. In 2013 the buildings were demolished and plans to build a new "Imperial" distillery on the same site were announced. What we've got in this bottle is some of the last juice from the original facility. This whisky is all sweet fruit, vanilla, jelly beans, and wood oils. Lots of unsherried roundness going on. Delicious, fun, and easy to drink. Perhaps a bit too easy.

Review Date: 4-17-2013

An amazing brandy, especially for the money. Fifty year old spirits don't even exist anymore in the whisky market and they certainly don't exist for less than a couple thousand dollars. The Peyrot is a big, woody, spicy, robust Cognac. This isn't the ultra-smooth, supple, Louis XIII replacement. It's an old school Cognac from a country producer using nothing but his estate fruit and his own distillates.

Review Date: 3-12-2013

This is everything you want from gewurz and nothing that you don't! All the spice, the acidity, with a flurry of fresh ginger on the finish are in full effect. None of the bitter notes or the overpowering aromatics are in play. It's a graceful wine that showcases the varietal at its very best.

Review Date: 3-12-2013

This is one of the biggest slam dunk deals I've tasted in our entire wine inventory. Grand Cru riesling that delivers the goods for $25!!! This wine has numerous layers of fruit that morph as it drifts over the palate. The finish is quite grapey with lush texture. I'm in for as many as I can afford!

Review Date: 3-12-2013

Stunningly good white wine with a delicate balance of weight and flavor. Slight nutty flavors with saline notes and crisp acidity - this is the kind of wine I wish I could drink everyday.

Review Date: 3-12-2013

A sparkling wine that is bone dry, yet loaded with honeyed fruit along with a rounder, softer mouthfeel. This thing is just brimming with stonefruit and mineral notes. A fantastic sparkling wine that offers a stark and delicious contrast from the Champagne world.

Review Date: 3-12-2013

Wonderfully clean, lithe, and elegant bubbly. Hints of stonefruit dance in now and again. This is a perfect Spring time sipper if there ever was such a thing. Really great wine for the price.

Review Date: 3-12-2013

This is fabulous bubbly for a great price. The richness and nuttiness of this wine make it easily accessible to the newcomer, but the bready, mineral notes offer the expert some nuance and depth. I'm a big fan - especially for the price!

Review Date: 3-2-2013

Move over Macallan 18, your days are over. With the price of the world's most recognized high-end single malt reaching nearly $200, why would you even think about paying that when you can have a bigger, richer, bolder, higher-proofed version of the same thing? We travel to Glendronach every year to find barrels like this and these K&L exclusive release always win us a legion of new customers. "I could have been drinking something like this before!" people lament. Don't be sad, however. Be happy! You've discovered Glendronach. Now rejoice in its splendor.

Review Date: 2-1-2013

Crisp apple, bright acidity, and a creamy mousse make this Champagne one of the most lovely and delicious in the store right now. Brought in directly by our own Gary Westby, a man who knows his stuff. Drink it now or lay it down (if you can ignore the fact that you have perfectly drinkable and delectable bubbly in your cellar that you could be enjoying at this moment).

Review Date: 1-15-2013

We all love it when we discover something small, quaint, and unknown that turns out to be the steal of the month. At the same time, I find it to be even more exciting when a large, commonly-found, brand name comes out with something that really makes you turn your head. At our most recent tasting this Clos Du Val Cabernet shocked the heck out of me. It's delicious. Full of dark fruit and fleshy cab flavor, but totally restrained, balanced, and with subtle yet substantial tannins. Wow. What a deal.