K&L Wine Merchants - Stephanie Manning Reviews

Kilchoman "Sanaig" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

Review Date: 11-24-2025

There are some whiskies that feel like old friends, and for me, Sanaig is one of them; it was the very first whisky I drank on my very first trip to Scotland. One sniff, and I’m back on Islay’s ragged coast at sunset, waves crashing. It has since become one of my favorite daily drams, an absolute go-to when the weather begins to turn crisp. It opens with a captivating blend of peat smoke and fruit (I taste ripe blackberry), interwoven with rich chocolate and a touch of maritime salinity. Aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso barrels, the dried fruit from the sherry tones down the 50 ppm peat level, creating an expertly balanced slow sipper. Upon visiting Kilchoman, I was struck by its remoteness; one can walk miles without seeing another soul. A 25-minute stroll leads to the pristine sand beaches of Machir Bay (the namesake of their other signature release). Family-owned, the distillery gets close to being entirely farm-to-table; they own their own peat bogs and barley fields, but must source a portion of their grains from the mainland to meet demand. Whisky nerds should know that Kilchoman is one of the few distilleries that still practice floor malting, giving them more control over their finished product. For those who want to explore a range of flavors in a single glass, who like a touch of peat and sweet without the heat— this is the dram for you.

Price: $69.99

Port Charlotte 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

Review Date: 06-30-2025

Port Charlotte 10 Year shows off Bruichladdich’s knack for turning raw Islay elements into something striking, yet elegant. It’s a coastal campfire in a glass—smoky, salty, and deeply rooted in Islay’s maritime soul. The barbecue and brine are distinctive, but the smoke frames rather than overwhelms, allowing oak and fruit notes to shine. The ten-year age statement smooths this dram’s wilder edges, giving it a body and balance not always found in heavily peated whiskies. Balance is something at which Bruichladdich excels; their flagship expression, The Classic Laddie, is mellow and unpeated; a stark contrast to their releases of Octomore, the most heavily peated Scotch in the world. They have hypermodern branding, yet the closest thing to a computer found in their distillery is a chalkboard. They do nearly everything as it was done in the late 1800s, while championing sustainability and pure Islay provenance, using Scottish barley, maturing all their whisky on the island, and refusing chill-filtration or caramel coloring. In fact, they are one of only three B-corp certified distilleries in the country. Unlike most of their bottles, Bruichladdich itself is transparent, producing their various expressions grain-to-glass. The Port Charlotte line is an homage to the nearby, long-shuttered Lochindaal distillery, which historically produced heavily peated whiskies. About 75% of the 10-year expression spends its life in American whiskey barrels, while the remainder is matured in French red wine casks. Ultimately, it’s a vibrantly layered, smoky charmer, perfect for both peat-heads and the peat-curious alike.

Price: $59.99

WA: 91

Arran 10 Year Old (New Label) Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 06-21-2025

Arran 10 Year Old is an inviting, graceful expression of unpeated malt from the Isle of Arran’s first legal distillery in over 150 years, Lochranza. It drinks light and clean, with notes of soft, creamy vanilla and honey, followed by loads of bright citrus, baked pear, and mildly nutty pastry. One gets a slight note of warm coconut in the finish. An extremely balanced whisky characterized by the fruit-forwardness Lochranza is known for. The distillery utilizes water from Loch na Davie that’s naturally low in minerality, which is then filtered through six waterfalls before being used directly for production. This one is gentle enough for a daily dram, with a quiet complexity that lingers. Those new to single malts take note: none of Arran’s releases add coloring or chill filtration, and all are perpetually drinkable. Their transparency and simplicity only adds to their charm; much like the island itself.

Price: $59.99

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