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Staff Favorites - Neal Fischer
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Reviews
Boulard-Bauquaire "Carte Noire" Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne
Review Date: 07-22-2023
When a producer sets out to make a Blanc de Noir, they have to use an especially delicate pressing method to ensure none of the color from the skin bleeds into the juice. With the Boulard-Bauquire Carte Noir, "delicate" is definitely the byword. This sparkling wine is so clean and elegant in its delivery. It's quite floral, but always hinting at darker fruits and mixed berry notes, with just a little something tropical. Those darker notes come through more directly on the palate as black cherry and blackberry, but always with a kid-gloved approach. A light toast eases into an elegant finish, with the glimmer of those delicate dark notes.
Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 06-02-2023
The Bardstown Bourbon Company's Origin Series #1 is a homerun at this price point. Right off the bat, the nose snaps with great cinnamon and black pepper bite. It moves into dusty spicebox, honey, med-dark caramel, then it hits with tropical fruit notes (pineapple, coconut). The palate starts bright and moves darker. There's flavors of orange marmalade, more coconut, and vibrant spice. Then coffee-flavored caramels and an earthy woodiness come to dominate. This Bourbon has a luscious round texture and slides into a very long finish with tongue-tingling spice.
Price:
$39.99
Suntory "AO" World Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 05-24-2023
Suntory Ao kind of comes out of nowhere as a product. There's not a whole lot of whisk(e)y lovers who are screaming for more blends, let alone a blend like this. But sometimes life hands you something you never knew you wanted, so the only thing to do is be pleasantly surprised and appreciate what was poured into your glass. Ao sees the Beam Suntory folks blending malt and grain whiskies from Ireland, Scotland, the US, Canada, and Japan. I'd definitely be curious to see more specs on this and know more about what whiskies are going into it, but all I really need to know is that it all comes together seamlessly. On the nose I get a tickle of gentle sweetness. There's honey toasted cornflakes, caramel apple, fresh pear, creamy vanilla, and red fruit. Scents of new suede come in followed by tropical fruit notes like kiwi and papaya. The palate is incredibly smooth and inviting with a lovely round texture. I get flavors of nougat and a brooding smokiness. It gets a little earthy, and notes of dusty oak come in, then it transitions to orange blossom and more tropical fruit. This whisky is so layered, and it's very impressive the way no component overshadows any other. All the whiskies going into this blend have been expertly weaved together to create something totally delicious.
Price:
Hidden
Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
Review Date: 05-13-2023
Wild Turkey has long been a favorite of mine, and I mean that for their whole lineup from the regular ole 101 to their more premium expressions. In my opinion, the Kentucky Spirit single barrel selections hit such a sweetspot of affordability and complexity. In our world-gone-mad where Bourbon prices regularly climb above $100 regardless of quality, Kentucky Spirit is there to remind us all that you can get something great at an approachable price point. The barrel I'm currently enjoying (#2386) has a nose packed with polished oak, medium caramel, and vanilla Italian soda. The spice gravitates toward level-handed cinnamon candies then shifts in a much more herbal direction, plus some very nice dark fruit notes like plum and blackberry. The palate is loaded with sweet corn, dark drizzly caramel, slight menthol, and much more pronounced fruit. The texture is a standout feature - as soon as it passes the lips you can tell how round and full this Bourbon is, and the longer that you hold it on the tongue the more viscous it gets. Towards the end, there's more sweet corn notes, chewy vanilla nougat, and candied almonds.
Price:
$64.99
Launois "Veuve Clemence" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 05-10-2023
The Clemence from Launois is 100% Grand Cru grown Chardonnay aged for four years on the lees (compared to the Brut Reserve). It's a particularly nimble member of the Launois lineup with a lot of crispness and bright characteristics. The nose is focused with aromatic light florality and a glowing citrus medley along with a touch of melon. On the palate, that extra year of aging on the lees shows in a peaches & cream flavor. The beautiful citrus acidity shines throughout with hints of clementine and tangerine on top of a chalky minerality.
Price:
$49.99
Launois "Quartz" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 05-09-2023
I'm a huge fan of everything that Launois releases, but of all their bottlings I'd probably have to say the Quartz is my favorite. (Okay, if we're counting the Special Clubs then I might have to change my tune.) Two details that set the Quartz apart come down to location and carbonation. All the fruit for this bottling is Grand Cru, coming from a single parcel in Les Mesnil sur Oger. The Quartz has lighter pressure due to being bottled at four atmospheres of pressure instead of six. The wine has a light bead and delicacy that I find very sumptuous. The nose has inviting aromatics of soft yellow apple, Bartlett pear, and a little bread. The mouthfeel is soft and round. Quartz has flavors of fresh cream and honey that never become decadent because of a nice line of lime acidity and a fresh orchard fruit medley that builds in the finish.
Price:
$49.99
Shiokawa "Cowboy Yamahai" Junmai Ginjo Genshu Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 04-12-2023
The cowboy is gentle yet savory. There's a hint of tropical fruit and melon, then white flowers and creamy vanilla, but what hits home are the notes of slight saline, meatiness, and wafting smoke. It's more savory on the palate with more smoke as well, vanilla, salt, white pepper, then back to gentle smoke in the finish. The texture is big and round, so that along with the flavors, this sake can stand up to some heftier food pairings.
Price:
$34.99
Hakushu 12 Year Old Peated Japanese Single Malt Whisky
Review Date: 04-05-2023
The nose begins grassy and floral. Light smoke emerges and builds, though it never overshoots past the malt's elegance. Over time, notes emerge of honey, nuttiness, toasted marshmallow, and grilled cedar planks. The peat is more prominent on the palate, yet it remains restrained: still-smoldering embers, burnt rocks, and firepit ash. Yellow orchard fruits appear with a bigger floral component along with a mixture of vanilla tones. It all keeps coming back to those low, slow, smoky notes though - it's never aggressive, but it never lets go either. A beautiful slow-burner single malt.
Price:
$159.99
Four Pillars "Fresh Yuzu" Australia Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 11-16-2022
Four Pillars has been making great gin out of Australia since 2013, and K&L has worked closely with since they were available in the US. I'm very excited for their newest offering: this delicious and bright Fresh Yuzu Gin. I'm even more excited that K&L has early access to it, meaning we're the first folks in the States to taste it and have it on the shelf for our customers while the rest of the country has to wait for the official Spring release. As expected, big wafts of citrus zest emanate from the glass immediately. It's not just one-note, however, and heavier spices are quick to follow the lemony yuzu scents. Fresh-cracked black pepper and angelica root are quick to emerge and tingle the nose. Light floral notes play with the spices, adding finesse and complexity, then an earthy component comes in (think green tea). All these elements are present in the flavor profile as well (with a touch more of an orange note), though the palate goes through a friendly and simple transition of yuzu to floral and then back to yuzu again. A Gin & Tonic is an obvious use for this that comes out marvelously and smacking of summer, but it's definitely more versatile than that. I'm thinking a Fresh Yuzu vesper martini might be on the menu tonight.
Jack Daniel's "Barrel Proof" Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey (375ml)
Review Date: 09-07-2022
Is it just me, or is this really approachable for sitting at 131.4 proof? It might just be me. The nose is treacle, caramel syrup on vanilla ice cream, rich coconut, and juicy crushed cherries. A little spice box and balsa wood adds weight and depth, and there's a hint of something savory just before the dessert aromas return. There's much more spice on the palate, but again this doesn't hit me as alcohol burn - it's quite enjoyable like finding extra chili peppers in your Mexican or Thai food. Black cherry dominates the palate for me with a bit of medicinality, then more caramel and notes of burnt sugar like the crusty top of creme brulee. Barrel spice and varnish make for a drying and somewhat tannic finish, but it stops short of being excessive. With water (let's be honest that's how a lot of folks with want it), banana arrives on the scene with dried coconut flakes, and the spice gets more oriented towards black pepper. The caramels come through more as well, while the texture is more rounded and the finish less tannic. Big black pepper and cinnamon stick hang out for a very long finish. That's good Jack!
Boulard-Bauquaire "Trepail" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Vieilles Vignes
Review Date: 08-30-2022
Clean citrus, light floral notes, and just a touch of yeast make for a fresh and focused nose on this Champagne. On the palate there's more yellow fruit, concentrated nectarine, and lemon zest. What a wonderful and classic old vine Blanc de Blanc.
Price:
$44.99
Condesa 'Prickly Pear & Orange Blossom' Mexico City Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 03-08-2022
Gin from Mexico City? You better believe it and believe that it's great stuff too! Condesa Gins are made in the heart of Mexico with Mexican sourced botanicals, helmed by Maestra Destiladora, Hillhamn Salome. Right away, it's apparent that this is a very different experience that the Condesa Clasica, but it's still got that juniper structure and is still so aromatically expressive. The prickly pear makes it playful. The addition of orange blossom really shoots the floral and citrus components of the gin to the stratosphere. If you're a fan of more flower-oriented gins like Hendrick's then you owe it to yourself to check this out. Forced to describe this gin with one word, I'd have to go with "bright". This gin shines through and keeps going with vivacity and freshness. It makes a great Gin & Tonic, but honestly I just want this over ice with two dashes of bitters and a thin wedge of lemon, lime, and mandarin orange all squeezed and dropped in the glass.
Price:
$34.99
Condesa "Clasica" Extra Dry Mexico City Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 03-08-2022
Gin from Mexico City? You better believe it and believe that it's great stuff too! Condesa Gins are made in the heart of Mexico with Mexican sourced botanicals, helmed by Maestra Destiladora, Hillhamn Salome. As all great gin should, the Condesa Clasica hits first with a firm juniper note that forms the core of the spirit, but there's a lot at play here. Spicy and floral notes intertwine beautifully, raising the juniper higher. The sage and palo santo provide a nice herbal and earthy base, but then the jasmine and citrus keep bursting through to lighten everything up with a breath of summer that gets headier with each whiff. I prefer the Clasica in a Martini, but the cocktail potential here is vast with all the unique botanicals and complex flavors.
Price:
$34.99
Ariston Aspasie "Cépages d'Antan" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 03-03-2022
With this bottle, Aspasie offers imbibers a beautiful glass of Champagne with one hand and a glimpse into the history of the Champagne region with the other. The Cepages d'Antan is made using grape varietals that have all but gone extinct in the area: 40% Arban, 40% Petit Melie, and 20% Pinot Blanc. If that sounds like an odd Champagne blend then you'd be correct, but rest assured that there's no mistaking this for anything but a great Champagne! Green apple kicks off the nose followed briskly by tropical fruits, clotted cream, a slight toasty edge, and fresh raspberries. On the palate I get bright cherry, passion fruit, and mandarin orange. The acidity is on point here helping to make a vivacious sparkler that tingles and tickles the tongue. If anyone tries to tell you that history is boring, give them a glass of this.
Price:
$124.99
Compass Box "Orchard House" Blended Scotch Malt Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 10-06-2021
Such a beautiful and inviting Scotch! As soon as you pour a dram of this, you can tell that you're in the company of a friend. True to it's name, Compass Box's new blended malt, Orchard House, is redolent of multiple orchard fruit aromas. Apple, pear, peach, and cherry step to the front of the line. When nosing this, from time to time it almost smells like Calvados, though never fully giving up its base cereal notes. Whipped buttercream floats through, cut by just enough spice (one of the contributions of Clynelish in the blend, I'm guessing). The palate keeps playing with the fruit and ups the ante with a bright citrus pop, though they are certainly grounded by earthy and leathery flavors providing excellent balance. I hear that Orchard House will be replacing Oak Cross in Compass Box's core lineup, so while I was sad to see Oak Cross go, I'm pleased that it's being replaced by this absolute stunner of a blended malt.
Price:
$44.99
Billecart-Salmon "Sous Bois" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 09-29-2021
It's Billecart, so you don't need me to tell you this wine is great - some assumptions are not foolhardy in the slightest. I was initially struck by the pretty florality of the nose that flows into aromas of light vanilla cream, soft breadiness, and citrus notes. The palate has amazing texture with weight lifted by elegant bubbles. Flavors of plum and apple mix with the citrus elements and baking spices. The oak aging really transforms this Champagne, adding complexity without applying a heavy hand.
Franck Bonville Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 09-29-2021
This delectable all-Chardonnay Champagne has a wonderful little secret: at least 50% of what's in the bottle is reserve wines. So even though it's non vintage, Bonville is utilizing a lot of its premium older wine for this Grand Cru. This Champagne comes at you with bracing minerality and acidity. There are notes of green apple, lemon tart, and enough chalk to get stuck in your teeth. That pucker factor along with a velvety soft mouthfeel makes this one of my favorite go-to Champagnes.
Ariston Aspasie "Réserve" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 09-29-2021
The Aspasie Reserve has been one of my favorite go-to sparklers since I started working at K&L (back when it was called Carte Blanche). The name may have changed, but luckily the quality of the juice is exactly as high as it has always been. For me, Aspasie Reserve is all about freshness and balance, and it's amazing that it delivers so fully on those characteristics for under $35. That price is even more impressive when you know that this wine spends five years on the lees and contains 15-20% reserve wines. Yellow apple floats on top of fresh lemon for the nose. There's a great mineral base accented by a touch of toasted buttery brioche, golden raisins, and light honey. The palate has baked apple and pear notes that lean towards richness, but never crosses over that line. The fruit maintains its presence and the acid keeps just a little edge going. Wonderful!
Price:
$37.99
Frey Ranch Bottled In Bond Nevada Estate Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 09-15-2021
I like ryes that make spice the star (sorry, no softies for me please), and Frey Ranch's offering fits that bill. Great spice hits right off the bat featuring dill, fennel, cinnamon, dark vanilla, and clove. There's a little bit of funk that reminds me of Jamaican rums which is a curious - but welcomed - feature. Butterscotch and salted almonds round out the picture on the nose. This rye has exciting and fun spice without alcohol burn and tingles the tip of the tongue. On the palate, the spices have a brighter and fresher quality and get herbal, making this dram all the more exciting. The dill comes more to the foreground with other green flavors like eucalyptus. Cinnamon bark, polished leather, and bright lemon flavors emerge as well.
Auchentoshan "American Oak" Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 07-22-2021
Yes, it's woody, but also graceful. There's a clear American oak presence accompanied by notes of cedar and sandalwood. Honey and light caramel trickle out with scents of cherry cough drops, baking spices, coconut, and dried flowers. The palate is more austere than the nose lets on with few sweet flavors. The wood and the spice take prominence with grippy tannins and flavors of shellac followed by notes of cardamom, clove, and mint. The Scotch has a viscous and mouth-coating texture, especially with an addition of water. A dry dusty wood finish caps things off into a gentle and lengthy finish.
Launois "Cuvée Réservée" Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
Review Date: 07-15-2021
Launois is an eternal favorite at K&L, and this all-Chardonnay core of their lineup is always in my wine fridge. It's such a fun Champagne that comes across super fresh with notes of pear, lemon, and chalk. The acid is zippy on the tongue with flavors of lemon meringue pie. It's playful and casual, and it's great for any occasion.
Price:
$39.99
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy
Review Date: 06-02-2021
This isn't quite the same as the Germain-Robin XO you might remember from 10 or 15 years ago, but it's some dang good brandy. Fig and damson plum come out of the glass--sticky but not cloying. The oak asserts itself, but then richer fruits come back to the foreground accented by cigar box, citrus zest, and burnt sugar. The palate reminds me of cherry-stuffed crepes I used to get at my favorite Colorado breakfast spot with an orange flambé flare. Assertive oak shows the brandy's boldness and age without undermining its grace.
Angel's Envy 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Review Date: 09-10-2020
Less cloying than the Angel's Envy Bourbon finished in Port barrels, this Angel's Envy Rye is definitely still a big sweetie! Butterscotch is the first characteristic that I notice coming from the Rum barrel finish and it does NOT let up throughout the dram. There are layers of gentle spice of cardamom, cinnamon bark, and red pepper. I pick up on a red fruit medley that eventually comes to rest as red licorice mixing with spice and pecan pralines. The core Rye elements poke through intermittently, but everything keeps coming back home to butterscotch. If you have a sweet tooth or are looking for a new after-dinner whiskey then check this out.
Littlemill "Old Malt Cask" 29 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 11-18-2019
Littlemill was Scotland's oldest licensed distillery, so expertise and quality can be guaranteed in their output. Sadly decommissioned in the 1990s and then lost to fire in 2004, bottles from this distillery are now treasures and time-capsules of a forgotten era in Lowland whisky-making. Leather and honey melts into toffee brittle. There's a light orchard fruit component to the nose that gets bolstered by beautiful sharp spice of cayenne, white pepper, and mace. Spice, wood, and vanilla hover in the air above the glass. The palate is zippy and tongue-tingling with bold spice and bright citrus freshness. The body is light, but there's still a rounded soft texture that's fun to roll around the mouth. The flavors stay bright and get more tropical into a medium-long finish.
Price:
$399.99
New Riff Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 08-20-2019
Balsa wood, incense, and musky cologne emerge from the glass. Cinnamon, clove, and other earthy spices come to the fore and dominate the nose of this bottled-in-bond Bourbon that's woody and peppery enough to make one wonder if it's a Rye. There's just enough caramel to keep things in Bourbon territory though with freshly sliced vanilla bean and nutmeg creeping in and making the nose a bit more rich and voluptuous. It's woodier on the palate with more bold spice character as well. This is definitely a great whiskey for lovers of high-rye Bourbons.
Price:
$39.99
Krug Brut Rosé Champagne
Review Date: 08-16-2019
The nose opens with Meyer lemon and pear before moving to scents of soft berries, strawberries & cream, and fresh peaches. The palate has great acid, but the fresh fruit notes from the nose are replaced here by richer and more savory flavors of stewed orchard fruits, baking spices, and gentle florality.
The 86 Co. Ford's Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 07-21-2019
A classic gin profile. This London Dry style gin comes straight out of England and starts with UK-grown grain. Bright juniper notes come right at you with pine freshness and a supporting citrus peel character. There's a subtle floral bouquet as well, but it never gets in the way or becomes perfumy. The palate presents the spices and herbaceousness displaying coriander, angelica, and then the citrus elements become more distinctly grapefruit-oriented. This will work in every gin cocktail you can find, and at this price you might as well try them all.
Price:
$24.99
Hibiki "Japanese Harmony" Blended Japanese Whisky
Review Date: 07-21-2019
This whisky contains single malt from both Yamazaki and Hakushu, so there are chops to this blend. Toasted grain, vanilla syrup, new wood, and light tropical fruit notes on the nose with just a touch of spice to keep things playful. The palate has more caramel and honey characteristics balanced by more tingly spice. There's a great salinity here as well with a gentle medicinality and robust malt character.
Four Roses "Small Batch Select" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 06-18-2019
Woody and spicy and fruity! Oh my! This newest project from Four Roses is a special blend of six of their mashbill/yeast recipes. It is more robust and richer than the previous standards from Four Roses, lending a heavy-handed approach to a classic. Cinnamon and clove burst out of the glass with heavy oak toast scents and orchard fruits. On the palate, everything is just... more. Hotter spice is also joined by mint, while those orchard fruit notes are intensified and taste like they've been baked into a pie. The wood flavors get heavier too with well charred oak and cedar notes just barely calmed down by vanilla sweetness.
Fallet-Dart "Grande Sélection" Brut Champagne
Review Date: 05-13-2019
How can a Champagne be so toasty and yet so bright and vibrant at the same time? It's picking up huge depth of flavor from spending seven years on the lees leading to a nose that's simultaneously doughy and toasty. I pick up aromas of a medley of soft orchard fruits here with pear, peach, and apricot at the helm. The palate shows off surprisingly bright acid and fresh green apples. Take this rich yet zippy Champagne to your next gathering because the range of flavors has something to please everyone in attendance.
Price:
$37.99
Red Spot 15 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Review Date: 02-26-2019
This newest offering from the makers of Yellow Spot and Green Spot is a delicious Dublin single pot still whiskey matured in a combination of Bourbon, Sherry, and Marsala casks. The nose is rich, buttery, and a little sweet. Layers of caramel peel back to open on dried red fruits and apple. There's a nice allspice note that bends and binds with a gentle medicinality and leather scent. On the palate, the first thing I notice is the voluptuous mouthfeel - this whiskey has a wonderful texture. The red fruit flavors play off of nuttiness quite well, and the whole while there's a nice tongue-tingling quality. The medium-long finish keeps the fruit and spice notes going and going.
Auchentoshan "Three Wood" Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Review Date: 06-18-2018
I recently revisited this delicious Lowland Scotch that had once been a regular favorite of mine, and was quite pleasantly surprised that I had forgotten how great it is. The aging of this whisky in Bourbon barrels along with Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks gives the spirit deep richness. On the nose I get luscious ripples of dark chocolate, salted nuts, leather, and dried dark berries. The whisky provides flavors of salted caramel with cacao nibs, black cherry, light tobacco, leather, and woody sweet finish. Treat yourself to this Scotch after dinner like dessert in a glass.