Review Date: 05-06-2024

Yamazaki has undeniably set the standard for Japanese whisky for the past century. While there is no shortage of contenders popping up today, it seems that Suntory, and Yamazaki in particular, are poised to be the standard bearer for the category for the foreseeable future. This latest batch of the 12-year-old single malt pours a solid gold. The nose is a complex array of ripe stone fruits, warm cereals, freshly churned cream, vanilla, tropical fruits, and spices. The Mizunara oak is seamlessly integrated. Candied ginger, lemon grass, and sun-dried raisins are carved in relief against a background of sweet baking spices. On the palate, the fine balance makes it somewhat difficult to pull obvious notes at first. With a little more time in glass and after several sips, the beautiful weight and texture unfold into toasted coconuts, grilled peaches drizzled in honey, lemon curd, and nutty granola. The finish reprises the complex wood profile provided from a mix of cask types, the lovely spices of which linger on the palate for a long time.

Review Date: 12-13-2023

It's been a decade since we started importing this gem and remarkably the price is the same today as it was then. Incredibly the quality has only gone up in that time as quality farming practices and barrel management continue to make incremental improvements to what was already an incredible product. There is nothing else like this available anywhere. It's pure and bright and yet so complex. The nose is an amazing mix of fresh apple, snapping it's so crisp. A basque cider quality is distinct on the nose - apple with a yeasty hint of the fermentation that brough us all the complexities on top of that fresh apple flavor. Spices abound but play second fiddle to the tart and sweet ripe fleshiness of the apple notes. Never overly woody, these brandies have been treated to such gentle aging nothing is overpowered. The palate is incredibly soft and supple. At 42% ABV, there is enough hit to make this inexpensive bottle a go to for cocktails, but the texture is ample enough to demanded careful sipping after a hearty winter meal.

Review Date: 12-05-2023

Tessellations of flavor abound in this exceptional release from Ardbeg. The heads of the barrels were deeply grooved and heavily toasted before being put back on the barrels for this batch. The end result is a more chocolatey profile that bolsters the sweet smoky, herbal and spicy components of Ardbeg. The nose is a sultry mix of succulent beef burnt ends, roasted apple skins, maple and brown sugar oatmeal, sea salt, bruised pears, and pure peat smoke. The palate is beautifully sweet. Tons of golden malt and waxy candy corns mixed with sea spray, kelp, and vanilla pod. Coffee pod and cocoa nib come through on the finish. It's a big hit from Ardbeg and surely a malt that will keep you coming back to it for new notes over and over again.

Review Date: 10-17-2023

It's hard to dance around the fact that many American palates find Biajiu (pronounced bye-joe) impossible to drink. And yet - it is the world's most popular liquor. As someone who is personally and professionally dedicated to exploring the great spirits of the world, I cannot ignore a category that is beloved by hundred of millions of people. I also cannot clam to be an expert in this particular category. In truth, the first time I tasted baijiu, I was surely in the same boat as most Americans - I found it strange and wild, overwhelming, and nearly impossible to shoot down (the customary way to serve it). However, thanks in large part to the dedicated importer of, among many other Baijius, Moutai, I found myself with a broader and more regular exposure to the category than the average American. It has grown on me tremendously. I have come to find it buguiling and complex. It offers much of what I love about the other great spirit traditions of the world - immense flavor, generations of history and cultural customs, quirks of individual production, beauty and design, and companionship and connection over a glass of liquor. While I feel I must offer a 'caveat emptor' disclaimer on the intensity and wholly different flavor profile of this spirit to the portion of K&Ls customer base that is uninitiated in the flavors of Baijiu, I also couldn't resist the opportunity to bring to our customers one of the world's most important spirits at nearly half off its regular price for the past few years. If you know, you'll know this opportunity was too good to pass up. Now, as to how it drinks: the aromatics are insane - a combination of sweet and savory unlike really anything else in the spirit world. Moutai is famous as an example of 'sauce aroma' Baijiu, and indeed there is a lot of soy sauce like flavors in the nose. A complex and nutty fermentation to be sure. But its really so much more than that. It is sweet, like incredbily overripe tropical fruit reminiscent of some clay pot agave distillations. It's funky, like the screeching of a car tire. Toasted sesame seeds and garden fresh snap peas come to mind, not unlike some of the craziest Jamaican rums. Some gnarly kombuchas comes close to mimicking the wilder aspects of the aromas. Indeed, production involves a very much alive ferment with a mix of yeasts and fungi like koji all in operation together. Instead of a mash or wort like whisky production, fermentaton and distillation take place on wet yet solid grains (sorghum and wheat). Direct steam injection into the fermented mass lifts the alcohols and they are run to a condenser. The spirit is then aged ranging from just a year or two on up to decades, mostly in sealed pottery. The process refines and blends all these flavors together. When you get around to tasting it: holy smokes. Texturally it feels almost like two different liquids. It is at once very soft and mouth coating (again clay pot agave distillation comparisons are hard to ignore), and yet the alcohol (53% ABV) gives it pinpoint focus and bite at the same time. The flavors range from sweet citrus, peel, pith and juice on down the line to complex compost/forest floor and overripe bananas. While Moutai has the undeniable reputation of being the very best, I don't feel I personally have enough breadth and depth in the category to make that claim for myself. What I can say with certainty is that it is the most "complete" spirit I've tasted in the category. By that I mean it is compelling at every stage of tasting and exudes hallmarks of quality - complexity, texture, weight, heady aromatics, clean but lengthy finish, and it leaves an impression. If you are a fan of Baijiu, you should not miss the chance to grab this bottle at the best price we've seen in years. If you regularly give it as a gift, time to case up. If you are interested in exploring the wide world of spirits but have never had Baijiu before - this is starting at the top of the pyramid.

Review Date: 07-22-2023

The quality of the Raasay malt is off the charts. It's beautifully peaty with bright clear fruit and malt on the nose. The palate has a lot of rich vanilla and dried candied fruit sweetness with a lingering salty peat on the finish and a very pretty malted chocolate note at the very end. If you're looking for a new staple malt from Scotland, this should be it. They've managed to produce a super compelling malt as their first core release and I can't wait to see what else comes out of this special distillery in the coming years.

Review Date: 07-19-2023

Rum is the wild west of the spirits world. It can be so many things from essentially cane based vodka to insanely weird and wild pot still hogo funk to grassy vegetal Agricole to doctored food lab concoctions and everything in between. While I find most of these styles can have their purpose and place, I'd say the question I get asked the most in the rum world is for a good "sipping rum." In this context, I find Appleton, particularly the 21, to be simply perfect. It offers a proper age statement with all the complexity that affords to aged spirits. It has a blend of column distilled spirit and super funky Jamaican pot distillate. It is expertly blended by one of the world's greatest palate, Joy Spence, to give a balanced and nuanced drinking experience and it's not pumped full of sugar and flavoring agents. In short, it brings all the best elements of rum together in a single bottle and delivers amazing value and pleasure. Let's taste: The color is stunning. Rich aged mahogany in the glass, it has immediate visual appeal. The nose is powerful. The aromas jump out of the glass in a bouquet of vanilla, butterscotch, baking spices, orange peel, candied pecans, toffee, dark cocoa, and just a hint of tobacco leaf. On the palate it is rich and sweet without ever stepping into cloying. The 43% ABV is perfect for neat sipping - robust enough for the hardcore and supple enough for the uninitiated. The finish is long, surprisingly dry, and supremely enjoyable.

Review Date: 07-18-2023

Expertly crafted and underpriced are not two things that go together often, but when we see it, we like to go big. This is a screaming deal, especially when stacked against the two major players in the blended Japanese category - Nikka Days and Suntory Toki. This has all of their softness, lush fruit, sweet caramels, and just a little bit more weight and texture - presumably from a decent malt content. Gentle sweet spice and just the right amount of oak balances the orchard fruits and nuttiness in what feels like a very classic Japanese whisky. Use this in highball with a lemon twist for a refreshing summer sipper or simply enjoy neat or on the rocks for something you can quaff late into the evening.

Review Date: 06-27-2023

Sometimes things happen that make you think "it'll all be ok." In a world of skyrocketing prices we've managed to put together an incredible deal on one of Scotland's greatest flagship marques. Laphroaig 10 sets the standard for peated Scotch for many drinkers. It's intense and yet full of balance and finesse. We've locked in pricing on a large parcel that has allowed us to turn the clock back over a decade and offer this classic for the same price we were selling it for in the beginning of 2012! This one isn't likely to last long, but we will always fight the good fight against inflation in booze pricing and keep doing all we can to get the sharpest pricing to our customers. Whether you rely on the 10 year as a staple or you're been thinking about dipping your toe in the peated waters of Islay, now is definitively the time to buy. Let's taste! Luminous amber in color, it seems to glow in the glass. The aromatics are intensely rich. Smoke and salt mesh with golden barley and toasted bread. Saturn peaches and green apples receive a BBQ char. Sweet oatmeal laden with brown sugar and maple syrup gloss the smoke. On the palate vanilla and dew covered herbs mix with the fruit and smoke. Sweet malt stands strong as a backbone and a delicate floral nuance adds incredible depth and intrigue without being overwhelming. The palate weight is huge even at 43% ABV and the finish lingers for a long time with a pleasant bonfire smoke and reprise of sweet fruit and grain. Lovely.

Review Date: 06-01-2023

The importance of Bardstown Bourbon Company in 2023 cannot be overstated. These folks set out to build the world's most sophisticated and nimble whiskey production facility on the planet, and by all accounts they have succeeded. Since 2016 they have been producing a huge portion of the non distiller producer's Kentucky whiskey (and even some whiskey for the big boys who just wanted to increase production the easy way!) if that isn't a testament to the quality they are putting out, try this bottle for yourself. Their first release of 100% their own distillate comes in at a patient 6 years and robust 48% ABV - all at a legacy distillery's price point! Color is liquid amber. Nose: poised and balanced. Given the high rye in the mash, you might expect a spicier profile, but this has it all. The sweet caramel, toffee, coffee, vanilla, and candy corn loveliness is ballast to a prickly herbaceous spice melange and toasty oak. On the palate the wood leads. You've got fresh sawn oak, loads of vanilla and fresh Belgian waffles with grade A maple syrup. Dried fruits and a kiss of zesty citrus blossom adds intrigue and depth to an otherwise very classic Bourbon profile. This is a slam dunk drinker and a shot across the bow for every one in the whiskey game. Up your quality AND lower your prices, or Bardstown Bourbon Company will eat your lunch.

Review Date: 05-13-2023

A fascinating thing is happening in the whisky realm. Huge multinationals like Beam Suntory have access to epic whiskies from their many holdings around the world and they employ some of the most skilled blenders on the planet. Much like traditional Scotch blenders sourcing grain and malt from all over Scotland to make traditional blended whiskies, in today's landscape, they’re able to scour their worldwide inventories for component whiskies to bring together in a blend that is greater than the sum of its parts. While many purists might balk at the notion of blending across traditional whisky categories, it really is the natural and logical pinnacle of the blenders art to include all the colors of the whisk(e)y rainbow in their palette. Beam owns some of the most important distilleries in Japan, Scotland, America, Canada, and Ireland, and it is with these distillates that they’ve produced Ao, a truly world whiskey. Let’s taste: the color falls somewhere between lemon and copper. The nose is beguiling. While overtly ‘whisky-y’ it is perhaps rightfully difficult to pin down. Sweet fruits, both fresh and dried, lean surprisingly towards the tropical. Candied nuts, savory herbs, corn, malt, rye, barley, barrel spice, vanilla, caramel; all there, but nothing stands out particularly above the rest. The palate is a big surprise - peat seems to jump out of nowhere providing a grounding force to the whisky. Going back to the nose, I’m shocked at how much peat there is on the palate. There is a little easy going smoke here, but really it’s more peat than smoke. That peat and gentle smoke plays beautifully with the distinct spiciness I associate with a rye grains. The texture is smooth and approachable and at 43% ABV it’s not going to do anything for big proof heads, but it’s not soft and slouchy. The finish seems to focus on barrel and baking spice and is a complex picture of the whole whisky. Priced attractively, Ao is an excellent opening salvo in the budding category of world blends, and I can’t wait to see what else Beam does in this space as they surely can muster some of the most compelling raw ingredients for future blends should they choose to do so.

Review Date: 05-13-2023

A fresh shipment of Kentucky Spirit just arrived after a long absence from our shelves. It's amazing to compare the quality of this old stalwart to most of the NDP whiskies being released for two or three times the price. There simply isn't a fair comparison - this blows them out of the water on every level. Tasted from barrel #2386 - bottled on 3-1-23, rested 30 minutes in glass: A powerful aroma lifts straight out of the glass - honey, toasted nuts, butterscotch, vanilla, cinnamon, Werther's Original hard candies, roasted corn, and cracked black pepper. On the palate it's surprisingly sweet yet never cloying. The respectable 101 proof gives it enough heat to stand up to all of that sweetness. It is both mouth coating and mouth watering at the same time. A little more maple than honey on the palate compared to the nose, great cut, marzipan, sweet style corn bread, green apple skins, and Dr. Pepper. The finish is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of burn to remind you you're drinkin the Kickin' Chicken, but better.

Review Date: 04-21-2023

I longed for this gin to be available in the United States for years after I first tasted it in Spain in 2017. It has finally arrived, albeit in relatively small quantities. Spain excels at elevating the humble G&T to magical heights. It is worth ordering one everywhere you go. It's no wonder they also make incredible gin. Nordes is very much a gin of place - the local grapes are used to make the base spirit, and a hearty array of local botanicals firmly places the flavor profile in Galicia. The nose is super bright and lifted - citrus-forward yet balanced by complex herbal notes from bay leaf and black tea. The whole thing is set off by just a touch of sea salt coming from beach-grown sea beans. While the flavors are all in a perfectly arranged bouquet, it is the supple texture from the grape spirit that really makes this gem shine. It's versatile for cocktailing and tastes phenomenal poured straight into a glass out of the freezer - a rare treat with just the right gin on a hot day.

Review Date: 04-08-2023

Impossible to keep in stock since it's release and subsequent #2 Whiskey Of The Year from Whiskey Advocate in 2020, we finally have some Knob Creek to sell! It is absolutely deserving of the major accolades and has kept up batch after batch in the intervening years with the high quality of its first release. It's a big, bold, spicy, and sweet Bourbon. It carries a sweet ripe red cherry note from nose on through to finish that is bright and lovely. The nose is redolent with cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut. It shows a touch of developed varnish and sawdust for a savory balance. The palate is peppered butterscotch and caramel covered apples with a healthy bite from the 100 proof - not overwhelming, but enough to know this bottle means business. The finish is long and complete hitting every flavor facet again as it rides off into the sunset. It's a super easy to drink, easy on the budget, and it's finally available in a decent quantity making it easy to buy! It's wonderful to see the big boys in KY releasing age statements that don't always come with a crazy price tag. This feels like what Bourbon used to be.

Review Date: 04-05-2023

Hakushu has always been my favorite of the Suntory malts. The sweet and elegant malt profile is rounded out beautifully by the gentle peat smoke giving the whisky more body and texture than its brothers. The "forest distillery" also produces a verdant whisky - it feels green and fresh, cool and earthy. Moist peat and cool mint gently hold up the bouquet of flowers and cereal notes. The palate is extremely balanced with pepper and cinnamon playing off of the sweeter grain notes. The smoke is more rich body than intense fire. A long and earthy finish is sweetened by a maple syrup and caramel note that leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. With Japanese whisky being so hard to get these days and the price ever increasing, you have to get while the gettin' is good.

Review Date: 03-29-2023

The Red box, cream colored label of Takara is bottled at the familiar 93 proof of the regular USA release of Blanton's. The big difference here is in the reported age of the barrels - purportedly 2 years older than the standard US bottling. This review is of barrel no. 46, dumped on 4/11/22. A spicer nose than the Takara Black, there is much more cinnamon, allspice, and black pepper here. Cola and vanilla mingle with sweet oak and cherry pie. The palate is a round and supple texture loaded with creamy vanilla, brioche, and candied corn. It's a beautiful whiskey that will remind you what all the hype is about.

Review Date: 03-29-2023

The corporate ownership structure of the Blanton's label has led to chronic supply issues in the United States and a vast array of bottles available basically everywhere except the USA. Given that the marque is owned by a Japanese corporation, it is unsurprising that some of the most interesting bottlings are Japanese exclusives. Thankfully in today's global economy (and with the skyhigh demand for Blanton's in the USA) it makes sense to get these bottle back to the states and on retail shelves. There are two Takara bottlings, both reportedly 2 years older than the standard US bottling. Takara Black is bottled at 40% ABV. The following review is from single barrel #16 dumped on 3/1/22. Color: liquid amber. Nose: caramels, candy corn, vanilla, oak tea, cocoa nibs, candied cherries, cinnamon bark, and fresh cream. Palate: Sweet and mellow - the 40% ABV is so delightfully easy this just rolls around your taste buds but doesn't lack for intensity of flavor. Having lived in a world of high octane Bourbon barrels for so long, this is a refreshing and wonderful reminder that 80 proof can still taste so incredibly good when the raw materials are unparalleled in quality. While the unique export from the US/import to Japan/export from Japan/import back to the US situation of these bottles does add some significant markup over their original Japanese MSRP, we are proud to sell these whiskies of outstanding quality at reasonable markups compared to the rest of the market.

Review Date: 01-11-2023

The opaque black bottle is elegant and unassuming. When you pour from it, it’s hard not to smile as the bright blue liquid comes flowing out. It just makes me happy. Then you smell the glass - and that too makes me happy. It’s a beautiful array of citrus peel, sweet and savory spices, and the kind of floral notes that aren’t overly perfumey, but are pretty and elegant. The Illusion promised by the name comes when you add tonic. Right before your eyes it changes from blue to pink, but this quirk of butterfly peas isn’t the reason to buy the gin, it’s just a fun side effect in my book. It’s the composition, balance, and texture that makes The Illusionist so compelling. There is a sweet and spicy nuttiness underneath the objectively refreshing citrus notes and it’s all tied together beautifully by a strong juniper backbone and deft selection of other herbal botanicals. I find this to be an extremely versatile gin that tastes just as good in a G&T as it does straight out of your freezer or in a complex cocktail like The Last Word. Bravo.

Review Date: 01-09-2023

It is amazing how much difference a glass can make in the drinking experience. Not only the actual technical factors of concentrating the aromas and delivering the bouquet in just the right way, but also the feel of the glass. The rim on your lips, the way the wine cascades over the edge, the weight and balance of the delicate hand blown stem in your hand, it all conspires to elevate any wine you put in it. This is what we have here in the Zalto Universal glass. While they do make varietal specific options as well (also available at K&L) the Universal is the one to get if you want the most versatile experience and the same set of glasses for everything. It both universal for varietals and universally adored.

Review Date: 01-03-2023

It is an absolute thrill whenever we get to take the time to write up what are otherwise instant sell out items. Nikka From The Barrel was one of those secret treats for those with insider knowledge who visited Japan long before the massive Japanese whisky boom of the last decade. With the intro of the 750ml version for the US market and the subsequent winning of Whiskey Of The Year from Whiskey Advocate in 2018, the secret was out. As a consequence, it has been all but impossible to get our hands on a decent quantity of stock since it's domestic debut. In production since 1985, this high proof rarity is the consummate expression of Nikka - after all, blending for complexity, harmony, and completeness, is the hallmark of most great Japanese whisky - even the single malts are built upon many different lots of varied distillate from the single distiller that produces them typically. When all of Nikka's whisky sources come together thoughtfully and are allowed to marry over a long period with the slightest and slowest reduction in proof, the result is pure magic. It is robust and yet elegant in every stage of tasting. The nose is soft and sweet, but powerful, helped by the higher ABV. Orange zest, orchard fruit, candied ginger snaps, sweet cooked grains, and loads of butterscotch, vanilla, and oak that will instantly satisfy jaded Bourbon drinkers but also offer something new. On the palate, more of the same but deftly combined with a savory edge and the smoky flavors of toasted oak. A little more raisined fruit than on the nose and a sultry mix of dark chocolate and pink salt. While the flavors border on perfect, it is the texture that really sets this whisky apart. It's so much more full than many whiskeys on the market today, it has that textural je ne sais quoi of vintage whisky that is so rare to see in contemporary offerings. The finish is cool, long, and sweetly spiced. While this whisky defines easy categorization, it is safe to say that any lover of brown water will find it an enjoyable and flavorful pour at a very fair price point.

Review Date: 12-06-2022

What used to be a staple on our shelf has moved into the unobtainable realm since McKenna 10 year won Best in Show at the SF spirits comp in 2019. Beating out every other whisky of any type this under the radar stalwart shot into the stratosphere of Bourbon circles everywhere. Tack the pandemic on top of that destroying supply chains (and the fact that it's a 10 year old BIB single barrel product) and you've got a recipe for infrequent stock drops and limited availability. Fortunately for K&L fans our excellent relationship with Heaven Hill has afforded a sizable allocation this holiday season and we've got it on an email offer for the first time in many many years. But accolades aren't as important as how it tastes - so let's taste. Deep chocolate in color the intensity of 10 years in new American oak stands out even before you pull the stopper. The nose is overtly sweet - vanilla, butterscotch, caramels, milk chocolate, and brown sugar. It's a rich and heady mix. The alcohol feels just right - at the 100 proof required to be bottled in bond it is robust, but not over the top. The palate shows more of the same big sweet flavors but adds in toasty oak spices and a very pleasant minty herbal note that offers balance. The finish is long and sweet without being cloying. It's a pleasure to have this back on the shelf for once. While the days of us buying this whisky a pallet at a time are long gone, this deal offers a glimmer of hope that we might soon return to a world where the top name staples of yesteryear are once again readily available!

Review Date: 11-22-2022

Basil Hayden is the core of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection - while the more limited and higher proof bottling in that collection like Booker's tend to get all of the attention from the whisky geeks, it is the humble Basil Hayden at its accessible price point, that is responsible for introducing so many whisky drinkers to fine Bourbon. If you haven't revisited this bottle in a long time, or if you're new to the Bourbon world, Basil Hayden is a perfect bottle to pick up for the holidays. It's flavors are an excellent way to end the a holiday meal and it's a clutch bottle to have around when your extended family is in town, down right delicious, well respected and well known, and not so expensive it'll break the bank if your uncle goes to town on the bottle. As for the tasting notes: The color is deep chestnut. The nose is a rich bouquet of sweet wood, loads of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and spicy wood with just a hint of herbaceous rye to balance it all out. The palate is much the same, super luscious and round, tons of oak and all of the spice and sweetness that brings. There is a surprising and delightful shot of dried fruits as well. The finish is pleasant and easy going. Just a super tasty all 'rounder on the Bourbon scene.

Review Date: 11-16-2022

I've been steadfastly proclaiming Four Pillars as the finest gin distillery on the planet for years (as have numerous competitions and critical reviewers). All they make is gin - and they're very good at it. All of their core SKUs have been staples on our shelf, and some of the most popular gins in the store, since the day they arrived. Four Pillars is so damn good that we have done batch after batch of our exclusive Faultline gin with them as it has proven to be my, and many of our customers', hands down favorite gin. But today a new to the US entrant from Four Pillars may, just may, in time dethrone the Faultline. I've been craving this gin since they first released it in Australia and it has finally been imported! At first pour, you cannot help but notice the burst of citrus that takes the air out of the room. The crystal clear gin exudes bright confidence. The complex Australian grown Yuzu fans out into a cornucopia of citrus tones ranging from lemon and lime to mandarin, cumquat and grapefruit. Lest it be overpowering, Four Pillars has balanced that exuberance with a host of botanicals that Japan has been pairing with Yuzu for centuries: green tea, brown rice, turmeric, ginger; they all play a role in elevating each other to the nth degree. When it comes to the palate: "luscious" comes to mind. Texturally it's full and friendly. This would be an exquisite Martini gin, expressive enough to be made bone dry although open knit enough to play well with many vermouth options (Bordiga dry comes to my mind first). In a G&T, no questions asked, except maybe "how many fingers?" If you are lucky enough to find fresh Yuzu - use that to garnish, although any citrus should do just fine. Feeling Japanese? Try a Gin Highball by adding your favorite soda water over some clear ice and let the bubbles carry the enticing aroma up and at you. I would be hard pressed to find a preparation that didn't work with this gin. It's powerful enough to stand up to a Negroni or Last Word without a doubt and elegant enough for the simplest of drinks. There is not a fault to be found. Bravo to the team at Four Pillars!

Review Date: 11-11-2022

There are few products that I truly love as much as Chartreuse. If you've ever talked to me in store or asked what I drink at home, the answer, for many years now, has been, "I mostly just drink Chartreuse these days." While I love many spirits, Chartreuse has really taken my heart. It's a combination of the well documented and long history (over 9 centuries for the order and 400+ years for the recipe), a certain romanticism and mysticism, purported healing powers, and its down right deliciousness that has fascinated me since my first sip. While volumes can be written (and have) about the Carthusian monks and their famous green elixir (the color Chartreuse was actually named after the beverage, how cool is that!?) the beverage that started it all is known as "Elixir Vegetal de la Grande Chartreuse." From the time the monks received a secret manuscript with a recipe containing 130 plants in 1605 it took the monks over 150 years to 'get it right.' In 1764 they declared to the world it was ready and sold the first bottle of the product we have here today. This was all a natural fit for the monks as they had long provided medicinal knowledge for the community around them as well as plant husbandry (there is still a fruit tree nursery from the monks in Paris' Jardin du Luxembourg, home to a Carthusian Monastery long before it was home to the French Senate). While the elixir is their first product, it doesn't have much sugar in it and it's bottled at 69% ABV, so it is quite intense. Chartreuse Green and Yellow were introduced in the 1800s as more easily enjoyed versions of that same secret 130 plant recipe. There have been many iterations over the years and the popularity has waxed and waned, but with the revival of The Last Word cocktail (thank you, Murray Stenson) demand for this special product has skyrocketed. Interestingly, the monks, who rely on the sales of Chartreuse to fund the monastery aren't actually all that interested in the production. They just want to make enough to quietly pray and contemplate God, mostly away from civilization. As such, with the huge interest today, Green and Yellow Chartreuse are impossible to keep in stock and there doesn't appear to be additional production coming to relieve the shortage. Even if the were to ramp up production, the liqueurs age for approximately 3 years before being released. However, for the first time ever, Elixir Vegetal, is being released in the United States! The quirks as to why this has never been sold in the US are too long to get into here, but for years I personally would hand carry a bottle or two home every time I went to Europe, or beg friends to bring one home for me if they went. It's available at nearly all French pharmacies with a day or two notice. The uses are endless for this magic elixir. While for obvious reason the monks can't claim any healthy benefits for this nonFDA approved digestif, I can tell you that I always put a spoonful in a cup of tea when I'm not feeling well. It's wonderful dropped on a sugar cube after dinner as a digestif. It makes the perfect glass rinse in place of Absinthe for many cocktails. If you just want to make your Last Word a hell of a lot more intense, try it in place of Green in full or partial measure. It's an amazing product that will undoubtedly make its way into the serious bar programs across the country in new and creative ways now that it's readily available. As to what does it tastes like? My tasting notes will never do the complexity justice, but here is an abbreviated version anyway: The nose is a wild pepper of every color mixed with exotic floral and herbaceous teas. Cinnamon and sandalwood, allspice and ginger, nuts of many types and so much more. On the palate - wild fire - if you're drinking it straight, you're in for it. At 69% ABV it's a bruiser at first, but I'll be damned if it doesn't linger for ages as a pleasant concoction reminiscent of Underburg. You'll really have to try for yourself as it's hard to explain. It comes only in 100ml bottles which are individually packed in 17th century bubblewrap - a hard wooden case the shape of the bottle. Cut the strip around the middle (or twist hard on the top and bottom in opposite directions) to open. Below the bottle is a small plastic stopper which can be fitted into the bottle as a dropper. I usually have a bottle open with and without the stopper so I can pour according to my use. Happy exploring.

Review Date: 11-11-2022

Harmony has had an incredible trajectory since its inception. I'm not sure any new whisky brand has grown quick as quickly. While the market driving Japanese whisky growth has been insatiable, it's hard to imagine Harmony being what it is today without the whisky itself tasting wonderful. While the diehard collectors might scoff at the lack of an age statement and instead proudly refer to their hard won trophies of old age stated bottles of Hibiki, the fact is, anyone looking to simply drink and enjoy the prowess of Suntory's distillations and impeccable blending now has the opportunity to do so, at a fair price and without the effort of hunting down delivery trucks. A blend of Yamazaki and Hakushu single malts, and Cheeta's grain distillates, Harmony brings together Beam Suntory's prized distilleries in a seamless package. The flavors are a delight, crisp apple, fresh stone fruits, a touch of piquant pepper and a surprising amounts of vanilla and caramel. The palate has much more weight, presumably from a higher malt content, than I recall in my early tastings when it was first released. It coats the tongue, but is never heavy. The finish is clean and bright and decidedly entices you to have another sip. It's a gorgeous dram and a great sipper or highball maker for Japanese fans and the uninitiated alike.

Review Date: 10-05-2022

The bright burnished copper color here is a bit misleading - as soon as you smell the glass you know you're dealing with a spirit that is older and carries more weight than you'd expect from color alone. Darker barrel notes are immediately present, first scent feels like the middle of a rickhouse - dark, dusty, and distinctly woody. And yet, it also sings of ripe fruits and summer days, right off the bat, good fortune indeed. Sweet spices like cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg intermix with fresh and candied apples and the crushed stones of stone fruits giving a beautiful candied marzipan/amaretto note. The legs in the glass are thick and slow to move - exceptionally beautiful like little diamonds tumbling in slow motion back into the honeyed elixir below. The palate is sweet and carefree. Brandied cherries, Werther's Originals, apple pie, candied ginger. It's like an old time candy shop in a bottle. Then a wave of the more serious woody/dusty notes comes through to maintain balance and harmony. At 51% ABV it is perfect on it's own. A splendid first batch from the inimitable Pablo Moix and hopefully just a sneak peak of what is to follow.

Review Date: 09-10-2022

We've been effectively out of stock of the 750ml for months. When it does come in, it is usually a case or two and it's gone in a flash. This single barrel barrel proof bottling of Tennessee's most famous distillery makes abundantly clear why Jack Daniel's remains one of the the most popular American made whiskies in the world. Despite the difficultly of finding it at the moment in the more traditional 750ml format, we've managed to secure nearly every 375ml bottle currently available in California. If it were possible to bottle this liquid under a Kentucky Bourbon label, I would bet large sums of money that it would take home every medal and top spot honor on the year end lists. It would be obscenely marked up at every corner liquor store. It would be the prized tater in all the locked cabinets of unopened bottles of America's finest hooch. Bizarrely, and fortunately for fans of drinking good liquor, this oddly large shipment of half bottles has made its way to our shelves - and at less than the 1/2 the cost of the 750ml to boot! So, git it while the gittin' is good. Stocking stuffers, client gifts, apocalypse booze bunker restock, locked display cabinet, whatever you need fine hooch for, now is the time to put these away. Please note proofs will vary by bottle. Bottle tasted for this review was 131.4 proof. Here it is: Color - Macallan 18. Nose: Maple sugar, cinnamon, pepper, saw dust, cherry cola, fresh cream, ripe corn. There is a sexy savory note just under all the sweeter barrel and corn notes that is hard to pinpoint. Tarragon? It feels fresh and lively. It plays wonderfully well with the robust dark cherry notes that seem to tickle even the most jaded palates. If you've ever had the pleasure of walking around a Jack Daniel's barrel house on a very hot humid Tennessee day, it smells EXACTLY like this. You can almost taste the whiskey in the air. The palate is big. It's burly. It's in your face. But somehow it still treats you like an old friend - kindly, but with a little razzing. Caramels and butterscotches come rolling out. Sweet Coca-Cola spices zip around like you dropped a Mentos in your mouth while drinking it. The finish is lengthy, reprised sweet and savory, and inviting of another sip. Or bottle, cause ya know, they're small. Take 2.

Review Date: 09-02-2022

It is incredibly refreshing to see a new Bourbon brand come to market and move away from the "my great great granddaddy moonshined back in the day' BS story that so many brands cling to. While ultimately at K&L we try to make the bulk of our decisions about what to sell based solely on the quality of what is in the bottle, a nice package and story is always good to be able to add in. Fortunately, here with Frank August, we've got the whole kit & kaboodle. First off, the package is extremely elegant and thoughtfully designed (the special glue on the back label peels off to make reuse as a vase or decanter extra easy). The whiskey itself is also shockingly elegant and thoughtful in its blend. Bottled at a respectable 100 proof, it's no punch you in the teeth bruiser, but instead is packed with flavor and nuance. The color is lovely - a golden amber. The nose is bright and clean. It has a great deal of sweetness mixed between fruit, candied sugars, and wood equally. A flash of cherry and stone fruit, maybe even a blackthorn's sloe berry with its bright tang, caramels, molasses, brown sugar syrup, and a wood profile that isn't all varnish, but rather freshly hewn green branches and a kiss of dried vanilla. The palate carries much of the nose into it, but also adds a bit more herbal complexity on the edges and a sweeter midpalate than you might expect. Molasses and tarragon both come to mind as does fresh Granny Smith apple. The finish is medium in length - lingering pleasantly, but never cloying or aggressive with just a kiss of heat. In short, this is one of the finest entrants and well conceived Bourbons to enter the scene we're likely to see. It bucks the trend of going for broke on a hazmat proof single barrel in favor of thoughtfully executing a quality dram. A delightful surprise and fine addition to any bar of collection.

Review Date: 07-23-2022

Tequila is simultaneously one of the most exciting and most frustrating categories in the spirits landscape. While on the one hand it seems there is an endless supply of Tequila - after all, every A, B, C, or D list celebrity is starting their own brand, the fact is, quality Tequila is harder than ever to come by. The reason for this is mostly tied to production methods. As Tequila has skyrocketed in popularity the biggest producers have invested enormous sums into making Tequila as efficiently and cheaply as possible from inexpensive, under ripe agave fortified with additives after distillation, in order to meet that demand. While the technological accomplishments are impressive and the results passable (or even sometimes quite good), it's unlikely to come as a surprise that the loser in this equation has been heritage, tradition, flavor, and quality. Fortunately there are still lots of producers and brands out there that do keep these elements as their guiding light. You just have to know where to look for them. G4 is one such brand - produced by the uncompromising Felipe Camarena at El Pandillo Distillery. While the core lineup of G4 Tequilas are excellent, the Blanco De Madera is phenomenal. This limited edition bottling is an additive free Blanco bottled at 45%ABV which was uniquely fermented in wooden vats. The color is crystal clear. The nose, in a word, sublime. It is fruity, rich, intense, herbaceous and inviting. Ripe fleshy tropical fruits like pineapples, guava, papaya and mango mesh with freshly cooked agave, citrus and sweetgrass set off by a touch of mint. The higher proof bottling carries the aromas brilliantly all the way to the back your nose so that you feel you're almost tasting it before you even take your first sip. It morphs slowly in the glass. It's worth making a big pour and taking your time to savor it over an hour or two. The palate is full and rich, yet very lively, again thanks to the higher proof (and the lack of sugary additives). The flavors come in waves. First sweet - a reprise of a bountiful tropical harvest. Then herbal - fresh and cooked agaves and that unique flavorful sweetness of agave syrup, but in the haunting way in which the flavor and intensity of the fruit carries through distillation - like a fine eau de vie. A little spicy kick in the final wave and carried into the finish. It's beautiful and clean; precise, yet rich. A spectacular limited edition Tequila that we were actually able to secure a decent quantity on instead of just sadly informing people it's already sold out. I'm sure it won't be long before we have to change our tune and tell people it's gone, but we will certainly keep singing the praises of quality like this whenever we can get it.

Review Date: 06-18-2022

There was a brief time not so many years ago when Yellow Spot was a staple on our shelf. Sadly, those days are no longer and it is once again a rarity thanks to sky high demand and seemingly endless supply chain issues. While we've had a couple deliveries of a case or two here and there, fortunately on this latest shipment we were able to back up the truck. The Spot range is all superb single pot Irish whiskey coming out of Midleton in County Cork but the Yellow Spot is a unique marriage of casks. Full maturation separate Bourbon casks, Sherry casks, and Malaga casks are blended after a minimum of 12 years aging to create one of the richest Irish whiskies on the market. While Bourbon and Sherry are immediately familiar to most whiskey drinkers, Malaga may not be. It is another fortified wine of Southern Spain - rich and unctuous it is made in the Mediterranean coastal cities just outside the bounds of Sherry. While dry whites and reds are made there from a variety of grapes, the dessert versions are made of Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel and are not dissimilar to PX Sherry. The impact on the Yellow Spot whiskey is profound. The color is stunning bright copper. The nose is sweet and intense. It's a mix of honey drizzled dried fruits, nutmeg, cinnamon, black tea, and freshly crushed peppercorns. An easy going herbaceous note adds intrigue to all of the sweetness. Barley, fresh and malted, lends a full and weighty feel to the aromatics. The palate is big and chewy. It pings back and forth from vanilla to dates and raisins to nutmeg and allspice back to ripe peaches and even slightly tropical fruits. Chocolate and dark roasted coffee beans flash in and out. It’s a chameleon that doesn’t settle down, but keeps changing it’s colors sip after sip. The finish is long and clean with a little more focus and narrow refinement. It is an elegant sipper that will please nearly any whiskey drinker. Bottled at 46% ABV without chill filtration.

Review Date: 05-21-2022

The Yoichi distillery - built in 1934 by the famed Masataka Taketsuru, was built in the town of Yoichi in Hokkaido because of its similarities to much of Scotland. The coastal influence with its cool, humid air was a critical component for Taketsuru-san as he decided where to build his own distillery after having built Yamazaki for the Suntory company 11 year earlier. The Yoichi distillery launched its first whisky in 1940 from the Japanese built coal fired copper pot stills designed by Taketsuru several years earlier. The stills use continues today and Yoichi's style remains defined by those coal fired stills, heavy peat, and coastal influence. The 2016 non age statement version of the single malt is a breathtaking example of harmony in a glass. It is a lovely goldenrod color. The nose is briny and marked by apple juice, a fitting flavor given the Nikka company's time spent selling apple juice while the whisky matured. The peat gives a pleasant wet earth, like fine moist soil that will please any gardener. There is a sweet milk chocolate note and gentle salted nuttiness present as well. The palate is rich and round. A sweet green pepper note gives it tremendous liveliness. Sweet cereal grains round that piquant flavor out and a lengthy combination of smoke and caramelized sugar linger on the finish. It's a sexy and sultry combination that feels balanced from start to finish. When people say that Japanese whisky is marked by harmony and balance - this is what they mean. We so rarely have the opportunity to sell these in any reasonable quantity. Now is the time to stock up if you can.

Review Date: 05-21-2022

If you've ever wondered what all the fuss is about regarding Japanese whisky - the single malts from Nikka will answer all of your questions. The Miyagikyo distillery sits nestled in the Mountains of Sendai in the Miyagi Prefecture and is worlds away from the coastal home of Nikka's other distillery - Yoichi. Miyagikyo typically produces 2 whiskies - an unpeated version and a lightly peated whisky. These are made on the distilleries pot stills heated by indirect steam which give the whisky an elegant aroma and body as well as distinct fruitiness. The lightly peated and unpeated whiskys are aged in a variety of barrels before being blended together, but the flagship bottling does heavily feature sherry matured spirit. The end result is an elegant and complex single malt with incredible nuance and just a waft of smoke. The color matches an en rama Fino Sherry perfectly - bright and clear gold. The nose is elegant, almost ethereal. It's marked by high quality sherry and is reminiscent of some characteristics of Manzanilla, Amontillado, and Oloroso. The fruit is beautiful and hard to pick apart. Sweet apples, stone fruits, plums, cherry blossoms all mingle with the saltiness of Manzanilla, the savor of Amontillado, and the orange peel and nutty chocolate of Oloroso. The peat is there, but it's the kind of whisky I'd happily recommend to someone who says they don't like peat. A Oban drinker would feel right at home here. Integration is the name of the game here. There isn't a single hard edge to be found. The balance is superb. The finish is long and sweet. Built in 1969, the Miyagikyo distillery is an absolute classic of Japanese whisky production.

Review Date: 05-20-2022

Irish whiskey has no shortage of new entrants these days, but like many things in the liquor world, it is those who have been doing things the same way for decades that have the finest to offer. Such is the case with Redbreast. It would be easy to argue that there is no finer lineup of quintessential Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey than the tremendous Redbreast line. The 12 year should be a staple in any good bar. The 15 year remains an accessible luxury for many and hints at the greatness to come for those who have their eye on the 21 year or even the 27. If you want something truly special without breaking the bank - the 15 is the place to be. Let's examine the whiskey: Burnished amber in color. The nose is extraordinary. It's a rich mix of berries and cream. Sweet vanilla, red fruit, complex toasted oak. A Baked Alaska comes to mind. It smells just so soft and easy and pretty, but with a depth that feels like it's hiding something. When you taste it, you find out just what it's hiding. A spicier tangier profile provided by the higher proof. It is lively on the palate. Gingersnap and butterscotch and citrus peel come alive. The texture is full and rich. Cookies and cream abound. The finish is a touch short in the 15 year, but it's not lacking. It would be hard to overstate the quality of this whiskey for lovers of a classic Irish profile.

Review Date: 03-25-2022

Armagnac continues to offer some of the most compelling values in the world of spirits. It's insane that these ancient spirits are still available in 2022 at these kind of prices. While I've loved so many of the Pouchegu bottlings we've done in the past, the 1982 came as a surprise to me. The deep mahogany color fit right with my expectation as I associate this chateau with a very strong wood profile, but I most certainly wasn't expecting the intensity of fruit that this is showing. On the nose dark cherries, freeze dried stone fruits, and a touch of gummy peach ring are just bursting from the glass. It all sits on a beautiful tray of aromatic cedar covered in a thick varnish, staying true to my Pouchegu preconceptions. The palate is big, bold, and again, shockingly fruity. It's a testament to the power of the spirit that after nearly 40 years in oak the original fruit stands up strong both on the nose and palate. The mouthfeel is robust, leaning just a touch toward hot, but shockingly drinkable at the 54.1% ABV this clocks in at. If you're a fan of delicate fruit forward Armagnac this probably isn't the one for you. If you love big and bold wood flavors with a huge helping of fruit, do not skip the 1982.

Review Date: 03-12-2022

I'll admit I was skeptical going into my first tasting of this one. It's in a beautiful pink glass bottle (although it pours clear) and I was expecting just a massive floral and fruity mess. Boy was I wrong. There is plenty of juniper here to anchor the fruit and floral blossoms firmly in the world of gin. It's no slouch in any classic cocktails and in fact really shines beautifully in a simple G&T. The citrus is crystal clear, the prickly pear sweet yet bracing. The texture of both Condesa gins is otherworldly. That texture makes for a perfect dry martini. Just shake or stir over ice according to your pleasure and garnish with really any citrus peel you have on hand, strain, and enjoy. As a huge proponent of vermouth being a strong feature in any good martini, it's remarkable that I would make one without it, but here, the gin is so good, so complex, so bright, so lively, that you can get away without it. Of course, if you have some fresh, delicate dry vermouth to add, it's not going to hurt anything either. If you love gin, both Condesa bottles are simply must haves at all times.

Review Date: 03-12-2022

This gin is insanely good. I cannot keep my hands off the bottle. If a few short days, it's gone. I've made every classic gin cocktail in my repertoire and it has performed to perfection in each one. It's texturally impressive, silky, yet robustly flavorful. There is a firm juniper backbone, but with no hard edges. It doesn't classify as a London dry per say, although it is bone dry. It's not a floral bomb gin either. It's just so spectacularly balanced and graceful. It stands as one of the best gins on our shelf, in my personal collection, and in the wide world of gin. Add to that the fun facts that it's a woman owned and operated distillery in the heart of one of the most exciting cities on earth and crafted by a practitioner of the Mexico's traditional healing arts and packaged in a stunning bottle AND it's reasonably priced to boot, and you've got a 10/10 here.

Review Date: 12-31-2021

Tantalizingly close to perfection. Painstakingly recreated from the study of historical notes, careful tasting of pre-prohibition bottles, and the ingenuity of the Russell's - The recreation of W.B. Saffell's famous whiskey is finally here. Bottled at 107 proof it's seamless, powerful, and graceful all at once. The nose is a stunner: fresh gingerbread, candied corn, sweet succulent grassy notes like a burst of springtime, butterscotch, vanilla, creme brulee, dark cocoa, toasted oak and fresh saw dust, caramel, it's got the whole nine yards. And that's just the first nosing. The palate is down right glorious. The combination of sweet corn, spicy rye, and toasty barrel is on point. It drinks like the very oldest Russell's barrels we've ever sold but with a softer silkier palate. The proof is dialed in just right. The finish is long and sweet with a hint of heat on the back end that is the exact reminder you need that this was made at Wild Turkey. It's maybe the easiest drinking AND most fully flavored Bourbon I've tasted all year.

Review Date: 10-21-2021

Compass Box strikes again. It was a devastating loss when Oak Cross went away from their core lineup, but the gaping hole that was left behind has finally been filled. Orchard House delivers the goods - a bushel full of them. The whisky has been purpose driven since being laid down in barrel to showcase the incredible fruit profile of the distillery components. It's a blended malt that highlights all of the beautiful ripe fruits in the pantheon of Scotch flavors. It's branches sit heavy with apples of every shade, stone fruit from succulent apricots and peaches to candied nectarines. Ripe pear abounds. It's truly incredible. All that fruit however - is still grounded by a full and complete whisky. This is where Compass Box really shines. Their mission is to build a whisky that is more than the sum of its parts. In a classic 1+1=3 magic trick they've paired all that fruit with ex-Oloroso sherry butts and their custom French oak barrels for a robust palate with more than a sprinkle of spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg, a touch of ground black pepper, rancio complexity in just enough force to be the perfect touch - like that extra pinch of salt from a chef. Vanilla and honey pair perfectly with the malty goodness that is of course the foundation for any Scotch. It's a masterpiece at a bargain price and fully deserving of a prominent spot in the core lineup of Compass Box.

Review Date: 10-15-2021

The Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva is one of the greatest Tequilas ever produced. Dollar for dollar, there is nothing better available on the market today. We struggle to keep this Tequila in stock, but finally managed to grab a large parcel. The production of this spirit is insane and the extra time and care in making it shows with every nosing and every sip. This is decidedly NOT your big rich sweet style of extra añejo laden with additives - this is pure Agave flavor perfected meshed with quality oak for four years and then - like the world's finest eau de vie - allowed to rest for years before bottling. Nose: a complex mélange of fresh agave, blue fruit compote, freshly cut cherry wood, pencil shavings, and leafy herbs. On the palate the wood profile is rich and round, but not overpowering of the agave itself. Vanilla and caramel fill the mouth tempered by a spicy cracked pepper and fine tannin structure. Roasted and candied nuts, fresh saw dust, apple sauce, and raw sugar cane stalk all blend into a wonderful transition from mid-palate to finish. It's got length for days. If you're a lover of Tequila and are looking for extra añejo outside the cloying sweet style - you simply cannot do better than this bottle.

Review Date: 08-25-2021

There are only a few rye whiskies on the market that could match or improve upon the near perfection that is the WT 101 bottling. The barrel proof Rare Breed bottling is one of those rarities. If the spice offered by the Kickin' Chicken's Bourbon is your jam, don't miss the barrel proof version of the rye - it's turned up to 11 in every sense. The nose stands a mile high above the glass and is a complex amalgam of wild fruit patch and cracked peppercorns. Berries - black, red, and blue - intermix with fresh cut grass, humus soil, and sweet but piquant smell of hot chili peppers. The palate is a take no prisoner's affair. It's big and beastly with a serious focus on spice both pepper and cinnamon bark. If you let it linger long enough you unlock sweeter notes, gentler spices, roasted nuts, bitter chocolate cocoa nibs, and a sweet caramel/vanilla wood profile in the background. Tame it with water and it gets a little sweeter still - you can dial it in pretty much however you like it giving it tremendous flexibility in any cocktail application. It's a terrific whiskey all around.

Review Date: 06-05-2021

Glenfarclas is unmatched in many ways, but the dedication to quality and value is my favorite point to highlight. Price increases from this special distillery are nearly as rare as hen's teeth. Even as the Scotch world continues to boom and every multinational drinks company seems to raise their prices weekly and without reason or merit, Glenfarclas and the Grant family hold the line. Sure costs go up over time, but any time we've ever seen the prices increase on these special malts, it's been super reasonable, incremental increases. Housekeeping aside, let's taste the 25 - a banner for 'Farclas that flies high. This is some of Scotland's finest whisky. It's refined and genial. The nose is loaded with stone fruit but balanced with an equal measure of barley forward cereal notes. The barrel regime utilizes sherry casks heavily, but this is no sherry bomb. A combination of many types of casks allows a finesse and balance that is so rare in today's single cask, over the top, cask strength bottlings. The palate has a lot of chewiness and is never heavy. It's rounded out by a really pretty vanilla and cream note and brings in a fair amount of tropical fruit flavors like pineapple and coconut. The finish is long and clean. This is the type of Scotch that will make you fall in love with the category all over again. It's a stone cold classic. If you were introduced to Scotch recently, there's a good chance you've never tasted this and nothing will put it on your radar. It's not a trophy, it's not a bottle people scour the country looking for. It's just damn good Scotch at a great price from a family run distillery.

Review Date: 06-02-2021

A perfectly exquisite nose starts things off right. Pour me this blind and I'm definitely going to think it's high-end Cognac (I might be thrown by the lack of boise and caramel; all the better). It's extremely rich in fruit and jumps between peaches, nectarines, apples, even some red berries and a lovely, toasted oak and vanilla. Be sure to explore the nose for some time before taking your first sip—once you do, your senses will latch onto more wood notes in the nose for a time. Come back to the glass and things will have shifted again into flaky pastry, croissant, apple pie crust, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a complex touch of varnish, a very developed character that is a surprise if you're thinking about the 7-year age statement. Then again, most of the brandy in the bottle hovers around the 20-year mark, so this makes more sense. The palate itself is sweet yet very lively, never cloying. There is more to discover as you taste over time. Green apples morph into green and then roasted nuts, baking spices double down, refined tannin gives a persistent and silky mouthfeel. The finish lingers for a very long time, a pleasant reminder of what was in your glass when it was full. I'll admit, I was terrified when Gallo purchased this California classic. Not that they don't have a reputation for quality (they make a phenomenal number of great wines), it's just that they also have a reputation for big ol' bulk wine too (not to mention huge quantities of inexpensive brandy). To my immense relief, the impeccable quality on which Germain Robin built their reputation remains firmly intact now that we're 3-4 years into the Gallo ownership. It is my hope and belief that this will continue and the resources of Gallo will allow the Germain Robin brand to continue to flourish and forever push the boundaries of what is the very best California Brandy has to offer. Certainly, they have done that here in their flagship bottling. Bravo!

Review Date: 05-28-2021

The Corryvreckan will take over a room. It's a massive powerhouse of a whisky. Scorched earth, sea spray, and roasted nuts mesh with fruit compote, dark roast coffee, lovely oak spice and sweet vanilla. It's one of the most distinct noses in all of Scotch and something that you likely love or hate. If you haven't had this staple in a long time, it's worth a revisit. If you've never had it before, caveat emptor, it is not for the faint of heart. If you don't love smoky whisky - this isn't your dram. If you do, nothing else will likely suffice when the craving strikes. Ardbeg is one of the few major Scotch distilleries that hasn't skyrocketed their prices in recent years and arguably with its ravenous cult following and exceptional quality it has one of the best excuses to if they wanted to. Fortunately for now it remains one of the best deals available in any core brand lineup.

Review Date: 05-26-2021

Word on the street is that High West is transitioning Campfire to be a Utah only product. They're not going so far as to yank product from other markets, but to just naturally let it run dry and no longer replenish it after March 2021. This means unless you've got a post pandemic trip to Park City in the works you've gotta stock the bar now. It's what we did. There's no telling when it'll be sold out in CA for good, but the end is near. It's a tragedy for whisk(e)y lovers without ties to Utah as Campfire has been one of the more creative and interesting whiskies available for quite some time. It's a beautiful mélange of bourbon's classic highlights of sweet corn, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch mixed with an impossibly complex rye profile. Cracked pepper, sweet cinnamon and nutmeg, spicy black pepper and cut grass all work harmoniously with the bourbon. The kicker though - is the peated Scotch. This component really ties it all together in an unexpected way that just works. The slightly salty and robustly smoky elixir makes its presence known from nosing through to finish, but it never overwhelms. The Campfire name really is perfect. If you're dying to get outside and have a drink around the fire with friends, this is a great place to start.

Review Date: 05-06-2021

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Elijah Craig Rye since it was first released to limited markets in the U.S. in early 2020. Over a year and many prominent awards and critical reviews later, it feels like I've waited a lifetime. Fortunately, now that it is actually in my glass, it has actually lived up to my expectations and the hype. It has fully delivered on the value proposition that is the Elijah Craig brand, a move that makes Heaven Hill one of the greatest in the business. The whiskey is bursting with flavor; rye obviously takes center stage, but it is so well supported by the high corn and malted barley content that it never overshadows its co-conspirators. Sweet spice (i.e. not peppery spice) envelops the palate. Generous toasted oak leans towards coconut. The caramels and vanillas are also there; I want to say prominent, but it isn't the right word, because while it's robust, there are no hard edges. It's a rounded rye in style and texture. At 94 proof (the same as EC's small batch Bourbon) it has the easy drinkability I associate with the brand without missing the punch so many modern whiskey fans love and expect. A modern classic, no doubt, and one that has managed to stay true to everything I expect from Elijah Craig. No easy feat considering the very high bar I hold for the mark.

Review Date: 05-05-2021

Aroma pours forth from the glass. It's lifted and bright with sweet fruit, candied grain, and a hint of tropical flavor. It's hard to not enjoy this pour right from the get go. The palate is more robustly tropical and meshes citrus with chocolate and nougat. A complex baklava spice and honey keeps you guessing from start to finish. If you need a bottle will impress - it's tough to go wrong with Dalmore 25.

Review Date: 09-23-2020

Absolutely the best canned spritz I've tasted to date. Most canned spritz try to be a decent approximation of an Aperol spritz and they fail miserably. In large part, because the maker of the can neither makes Aperol, or Prosecco (or even soda water). The Angeleno Spritz is a whole other story. They are showcasing how great the Amaro Angeleno is — a product they've made for a long time and that is decidedly NOT trying to approximate Aperol. They've highlighted the balance and finesse of the Amaro with a little bit of grapefruit and a quality soda water. It's terrific: all you have to do is pour it over ice and try not to drink the entire six pack yourself.

Review Date: 09-10-2020

This rye has been highly allocated for a very long time and the small quantities that we do get typically disappear in a day or two. We were finally able to secure a large enough parcel to shout out its availability. If you love the Angel's Envy Bourbon, do not miss this opportunity to stock up the rye at a sharp price. It's a perfect cocktailing rye with its elevated proof (100 proof) and sweeter profile thanks to the Caribbean Rum finishing. This added step transforms the classic 95% rye mashbill into something altogether different. While the underlying backbone of spice from the grain is there and carries through the palate and into the finish, the nose is all sweet caramel and confection with tropical fruits. Black strap molasses and fine Cognac eau de vie notes dominate. The brown sugar flavors mix into perfect balance with the pepper spice of the rye. It's a great whiskey for a Manhattan with just a dash of vermouth. If you seek a rich round style of whiskey for an after dinner drink neat or on the rocks, this is also a perfect candidate.

Review Date: 07-29-2020

Drawing on the fynbos that are endemic to the coastal limestone rich hills and cliffs on the Cape, Inverroche's classic gin sets an extremely high bar for the lineup. It drinks like a more exotic London Dry. It's decidedly junipery with a fresh grassy cut when tasted neat. This blends perfectly with any quinine heavy tonic. The fynbos provide a unique floral component that is painted with a set of colors no other artist or landscape can copy. Citrus and rose petal begin to describe the combination - but by no means capture it. There is too much spice and verve to leave it at that. While I've been to Cape many years ago, I must admit my experience with fynbos remains nil. They are so unique it's impossible to capture their essence in words. It is captured in this gin.

Review Date: 07-29-2020

From time to time a new gin blows you away in flavor. In our world of $40+/btl gins, it is rarer still for that same gin to then take your breath away in affordability. For just 25 bucks, Jin Jiji checks all the boxes. From the spiritual homeland of the G&T comes a gin that feels like a traditional London Dry but brings so much more to the table. The complexity of black tea marries perfectly with classic ingredients like juniper and coriander while at the same time highlighting a slight savory component of cashew nut and basil. It's refreshing on its own (read: perfect for a bone dry martini) and yet so easy to mix. Try it with the Fever Tree Citrus Tonic for an added blast of zip in your next G&T or pair with the myriad aperitivi and vermouth available in your next Negroni. I've already tried several combinations and I'd be shocked if you can find one that doesn't taste delicious.

Review Date: 07-29-2020

This is insane - while not technically a vermouth because it doesn’t use wine, it’s basically Japanese sake based vermouth. It drinks like a less sweet blanc vermouth, but not quite dry. It’s got all the lift and bright aromatics of sake taken to 11 by the addition of Japanese citrus’ like Yuzu and Kabosu and made even still more complex by peppercorns and mugwort along with a host of other bitters and spices local to Kumamoto. Try it in a martini or just on the rocks with a twist. It’s exceptional.