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Staff Favorites - David Driscoll
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David Driscoll
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David Driscoll likes to drink alcohol when he is not working at K&L. His main interests include wine, beer, and distilled spirits. Before he worked here he went to college at a decent school, got a masters degree from an OK school, worked as a waiter and taught elementary school in Chinatown. He decided to get into the wine business after reading a few books about wine and realizing that one cannot seriously learn about wine solely through reading. His career goals include: trying to convince K&L customers that he does know something despite his youthful appearance, and learning everything about everything about every single wine ever made.
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Reviews
2015 Moulin de la Gardette "Cuvée Ventabren" Gigondas
Review Date: 10-02-2017
We’ve been working for years now with the Meunier family to bring the Moulin de la Gardette wines from Gigondas directly to K&L and over the last few years they’ve become some of the most popular and beloved wines in the store with their plush fruit flavors and spicy complexity. With the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Southern Rhône gaining traction once again with a growing legion of drinkers who appreciate both the ripeness and the approachability of the cuvées, we’ve had to increase our orders annually to satisfy customer demand and search out new expressions from one of France’s most historic appellations. With an average age of sixty-five years, the property's vines produce concentrated and focused berries and that richness shows through in just about every bottle of Moulin de la Gardette I've ever tasted. However, it was a recent bottle of the 2015 "Cuvée Ventabren" that really got my attention. Made from the property's oldest vines (between 80-100 years of age), the blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault is simply stunning in both is pureness of fruit and in its expression of terroir due to the fact that Gardettes vines are planted in dry, high-elevation soils, forcing them to dig deep into the earth in search of water and nutrients. Tasting the Gardette you can clearly make out black cherries and fresh strawberries, but also sage, forest, and brush alongside the peppery accents from the Syrah. Jean-Baptiste Meunier vinified the Ventabren in cement tanks and aged the wine in giant foudres so as not to mask those delicate flavors with oak. I was taken aback by the pure deliciousness of the wine, right out of the bottle and even more so after it had time to breath. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the 2015 Cuvée Ventabren is the price. The critics have already lauded the wine with huge scores and high praise, so our direct relationship plays a big role in keeping the bottle price well under $40. If you're looking for a knock out bottle that not only expresses the character of the Southern Rhône, but also tastes pretty damn great, I'd highly recommend snagging a few bottles.
Price:
$69.99
Ardbeg "An Oa" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 09-30-2017
The An Oa is the best new Ardbeg I’ve tasted in more than five years and it’s the roundest and easiest to drink of the regularly available editions. While it doesn’t pack the power that both the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan offer with their bold proofs, it makes up for it with richness and a rounded sweetness on the finish. You get all the peat, brine, smoke, and salt that you could ever want, but with more texture and perhaps finesse—not something we normally associate with the beastly Islay profile. In any case, this is the first bottle of Ardbeg in some time that I’ve been adamant about buying for my own personal daily enjoyment, not just my collection.
Price:
$62.99
2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc
Review Date: 08-18-2017
It's great to see how this wine has come around over the years. We've been getting shipments of the 2009 Coufran since the vintage was released in 2012 and I've been slowly tasting bottles throughout the years, watching what was once a merlot-driven and supple wine from a ripe vintage mature into a savory, complex, and serious bottle of mature Bordeaux. Tasting it today, it's at its most profound position yet. The wine is much leaner than it was a few years back and has shed some of that baby fat, now resembling something with age from St. Emilion or Pomerol. For the price its tough to beat, especially when stacked up against some of the other $20 bargains we have in the store. Few, however, show as much evolution as the Coufran. This is a Wednesday night steak frites wine at its finest.
Price:
$21.99
Paranubes Oaxacan Aguardiente de Caña Agricole Rum (1L)
Review Date: 07-14-2017
The Paranubes Oaxacan aguardiente de caña is one of, if not the, best agricole rhums I've ever tasted and it beautifully balances a smooth and fruity character with the grassiness and the intense cane flavor of something like Neisson. What it removes is the funk, the earth, and the sometimes bitter notes that send some people running for the hills. The aromatics are absolutely stunning—there is a pure and unflinching note of raw cane that absolutely explodes from the bottle. At 54%, the rum is no slouch. But it's clearly distilled with a master hand because it's incredibly polished despite all that intensity. I could drink this straight out of the bottle, neat in a glass, on the rocks, in a cocktail, or simply with soda. I can't get enough of it—it's that good.
Price:
$39.99
Thierry Thibault Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne
Review Date: 06-15-2017
This wine is to die for! Very rarely do I taste a blanc de noirs where the red fruits shine through as purely as they do in this Thibault expression. There's just a lovely little tinge of berry that comes through on the finish, riding the fine bubbles and picture-perfect acidity all the way to the back of the palate. This was a great find by Gary, our buyer. I can't wait to start drinking this on the regular!
Price:
$34.99
2005 Larmande, St-Emilion
Review Date: 05-11-2017
When we can go back to the sweet-drinking wells of 2005 and 2009 and pull out deals like this, it's always a wonderful thing! Chateau Larmande is an overlooked property in St. Emilion, despite being one of the oldest producers in the region. In fact, some of their vines are more than 100 years old, giving the chateau some of the oldest and deepest roots on the Right Bank. After more than a decade in the bottle, this wine is in a beautiful spot and if you're looking for a great dinner wine that will show well straight out of the bottle, this is your guy. If you're headed to the steakhouse, and you need a slam dunk Bordeaux for $50 or less, this is what I'm putting in your hand. The Merlot fruit is still soft and supple despite the wine's age, and there's an integrated silkiness that glides over the palate with subtle secondary notes like earth and tobacco.
Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Peated Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 05-08-2017
Personally, I’ve always been surprised how much more popular the Yamazaki 12 is compared to its sibling the Hakushu 12. To me, the Yamazaki has always been a fine whiskey, but the more dynamic malt is easily the Hakushu, which as pretty much the same delicate and light-drinking flavor profile as the Yamazaki, but with just the faintest touch of smoke. It's so ethereal straight out of the glass, but I feel like it tastes even better with ice (I know that's tough for some people to handle). The subtle peat is like a ghost that moves slowly around every part of my palate, brushing it with hints of earth and phenolic goodness after coating it with sweet grains. With our new pricing, this is a can't miss deal. It's nice to have some real quantity again!
Price:
$159.99
Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 05-08-2017
When the Suntory Toki first launched at $45, it was a bit of a stretch because of how hot the market was for Japanese whisky. I'm much more comfortable selling this in the mid-thirties, however, and with our new pricing we can do that. While you sip on your bottle of Yamazaki or Hakushu, you pour this one on the rocks, add some soda water, and make yourself a real mizuwari--the great whisky soda that dominates Japan's drinking culture. The fruitiness on the nose really blossoms with the addition of bubbles, so don't be shy here. Do Japanese whisky right and drink it how it's intended!
Price:
$26.99
2014 Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 04-07-2017
The secret of the 47 hectare Lilian Ladouys property is its bevy of high-density old vines, roughly forty to sixty years of age, that form concentrated berries full of intensity. The result is a supple and sweet-fruited palate full of blackberries and spice, plump from the merlot, but balanced by the 40% of cabernet sauvignon that adds just enough grip to all that ripeness. This is one of my new favorite mid-week Bordeaux options. Personally, I've been allocating all my extra cash to 2014 Bordeaux as the prices are going to look even better once the big 2016 numbers start coming out in the near future. Load up while you can!
Lagavulin 8 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-06-2017
This 8 year version of Lagavulin is even more quintessentially Islay than the 16. It's fresher, livelier, peatier, and simply more dynamic on the palate. I also love that Lagavulin paid homage to the classic whisky travel book "The Whisky Distilleries of Scotland" by Alfred Barnard, a writer who visited all 150 active distilleries in the UK back in the late 19th century. He specifically mentions an "exceptionally fine" Lagavulin 8 year expression, and it's clear from tasting the modern rendition why he felt so strongly. It's a lovely whisky and it very much speaks to the strength of what may be Scotland's top producer.
Price:
$59.99
2014 Ridge Vineyards "Estate" Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon
Review Date: 04-05-2017
I've been buying this wine every year since I first started working at K&L and this 2014 edition might be my favorite edition thus far. It's absolutely lovely. There's plenty of plush plum and dark berry fruit, but with that acidity and earthy spice that make Santa Cruz Mountain cabernet what it is. It's full and supple on the palate, but again that weight doesn't overwhelm or throw off the balance in any way. This is a great mid-range bottle of serious CA cabernet.
Old Forester "1920 Prohibition Style" Kentucky Bourbon Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 02-03-2017
This was my favorite single Bourbon release of 2016 and I'm thrilled we were able to get another large allocation of it. Regardless of whether you want to get wrapped up in the story about how this was based on the Prohibition era recipe, there's no doubt about it: this is a delicious bottle of American whiskey and it easily stands out from the crowd of currently available options. There's a weight and a richness that coats the palate and the 115 proof brings plenty of punch with a flurry of baking spices. I love the graham crackery goodness as well. I don't taste a lot of Bourbons these days that really have a deeply concentrated flavor of dark grains. This has it in spades. Add this to your short list of new and exciting Bourbons right now.
Price:
$54.99
Taittinger "La Francaise" Brut Champagne Jeroboam (3L)
Review Date: 11-27-2016
I was quite taken aback by the quality of wine in this major brand-labeled bottle. The Taittinger "La Francaise" is a wonderful combination of leesy richness with firm acidity, that glides effortlessly over the palate, hitting all the right notes. The finish is full of citrus and rich, bready flavors. It tastes like it should cost twice as much. It tastes way better than 2003 Dom, which does cost twice as much. (9/2013)
2015 d'Issan, Margaux
Review Date: 06-03-2016
Always one of my favorite properties, the 2015 Chateau d'Issan is classic Margaux flavor for a hot price. The nose is brimming with pretty aromatics, the wine soft on the palate, and the finish is long and elegant. I've bought plenty of Issan in the past as a slam dunk value for the relative vintage and 2015 won't be any different. Highly, highly recommended.
Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 05-28-2016
The Navy Strength gin is not simply a higher proofed version of the Rare Dry from Four Pillars, but rather an entirely different formula. This one uses finger limes for a different citrus tone, but the balance of spice and botanicals is what ties both gins together. This is a bolder, brighter, more intense experience, but it's obviously made by the same team because the same attention to detail is prevalent. This is a world class gin of the highest quality, pure and simple.
Price:
$39.99
Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 05-28-2016
Bow down to the new king of gin: Four Pillars. A group of gin crazy Aussies put together one of the most focused and high-quality gin distilleries in the world in the Yarra Yarra Valley and now we're fortunate to get a taste of that goodness here in the U.S. The Rare Dry gin simply explodes with citrus, a burst of fresh orange, but it still packs a lovely balance of juniper and spice with the most delicate and graceful of mouthfeels. This is high quality gin, pure and simple. It tastes like it was fussed over, formulated and retooled until it was perfect. I can't stop talking about it nor drinking it. I'm just so happy we have it.
Price:
$27.99
2009 Capbern Gasqueton, St-Estèphe
Review Date: 12-28-2015
Maybe as good a deal as anyone is likely to find in this vintage. Made by the same team from Calon Segur, this is an affordable wine built for the long haul. I bought half a case without blinking. Delicious black cherry flavors with minerality to balance it out. Fine tannins. Buy fast.
Price:
$52.99
Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 11-12-2015
I remember when I couldn't even get Wild Turkey Rye 101, but it appears the Kentucky stalwart is now rebounding from the last seven years of shortages. What a comeback! This is single barrel, high proof rye whiskey that tastes like 2008--back when I could find rich and powerful rye whiskies full of peppery notes and classic dill flavor. This is rye in the vein of of what you remember before everything started coming from LDI Distillery in Indiana. It's like getting to know an old friend again.
Price:
$69.99
Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 09-17-2015
McKenna is one of those under-appreciated gems of the booze industry. A throwback Bourbon made by Heaven Hill (the home of Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Rittenhouse Rye, and many other great brands) that's all from a single barrel, bottled-in-bond at 100 proof, and well-priced to boot. There's not much of a reputation for it out west, so it tends to go rather unnoticed, but the quality is highly-regarded by those in the know. Our inventory on McKenna is inconsistent and spotty so we tend to load up when it becomes available again. I taste inferior Bourbons every week that sell for $40, $50, and $60 per bottle based on hype and perceived rarity. But this guy just keeps truckin' along. What a deal. What a whiskey.
Price:
$59.99
Price:
$39.99
Tenju Chokaisan "Mt. Chokai" Junmai Daiginjo Sake (720ml)
Review Date: 05-14-2015
This is one of the best sakes we carry at K&L - period. I would bring this bottle to a dinner party and just drink it like a bottle of white wine or rose. We need to get out of the habit where we only drink sake when we eat Japanese food. This is the bottle that should prove to serious wine drinkers that sake can easily hang with a great Sancerre or an Alsatian pinot gris. Crisp, vibrant fruit on the entry with hints of pear on the finish. Made with a unique yeast derived from flowers, the sake is one of the most aromatic and delicious we carry, as well as one of the most special.
Price:
$49.99
Glenlivet 12 Year Old "Double Oak" Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-28-2015
Glenlivet is removing the 12 year old from many major markets in favor of the new "Founder's Reserve", which has no age statement and a higher price. Get your Glenlivet 12 before it goes the way of the Dodo.
Price:
$44.99
Ketel One Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 04-28-2015
$20 is a hot price for the biggest brand name in all of vodka. Get it while the gettin's good.
Price:
$24.99
El Dorado 12 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
A must-try-before-you-die spirit. One of the all-time greatest deals in all of spirits in general.
Price:
$36.99
El Dorado 15 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
The best rum on the planet for under $50. It's made mostly from DDL's old wooden pot still with more of that funky molasses note through the mid-palate. Love it. All day, every day.
Price:
$69.99
El Dorado 21 Year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
Made from older stocks of DDL rums before the big transition into one consolidated Guyanese distillery, this is the ultimate aged rum. Rich oak, pure cane flavor, a bit of funky molasses, and a spicy, robust finish. I can't believe it's still $99.99
Price:
$129.99
El Dorado 3 year Old Demerara Guyana Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-23-2015
In lieu of Havana Club 3 year, the El Dorado 3 year is just as good and made the same way: three years in wood, then filtered to be a white rum. It's round and easy-drinking with pure rum flavor. Why use anything else for Daiquiris?
Price:
$19.99
Glenmorangie 12 Year Old "Lasanta" Extra Matured Range Sherry Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-20-2015
This is the original 10 and 2 whisky--10 years in bourbon casks, with 2 years finishing in sweet sherry wood. Glendronach, Balvenie, and Aberlour all do it down, but Glenmorangie did it first and they're still the best at it. Lovely spice cake and dark toffee notes round out the finish.
Price:
$59.99
Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 04-20-2015
The best and the most classic of the Beam bourbon portfolio. Big oak flavor, smooth and rich on the palate, and a finish that brings baking spices and vanilla goodness. YUM!
Price:
$29.99
Springbank 15 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
All the great richness and weight of the 10 with more sherry and more spice cake. A true classic.
Germain-Robin XO California Alambic Brandy (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The king of California spirits. There's nothing else out there this good and this old with this type of heritage and history. A must try before you die type of bottle.
Price:
$99.99
Springbank 10 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Does it get any better than Springbank 10? I don't know. It's still my favorite whisky all these years later. There's nothing out there that combines the peat, richness, and oily nature of the Springbank spirits. There's also no other distillery that still does every step of the process from scratch.
Ardbeg 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Still the best deal for 10 year old whisky. Still the best deal for peated whisky. Still the best deal in whisky--period. I'm never without a bottle on my bar. A true classic of the single genre. You're never too cool, too rich, too knowledgeable, or too refined for Ardbeg 10.
Price:
$54.99
Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth (1L)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The classic sweet vermouth. THE one. End all. Be all. Period.
Price:
$29.99
Caol Ila 12 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The most classic and most reliable of the Diageo "classic" malts. God bless Caol Ila and its peaty goodness with a rich, round, fruity core of flavor to balance it all out. I'm never without a bottle.
Price:
$69.99
Laphroaig "Quarter Cask" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
All the peat and power of Laphroaig, put into smaller barriques for extra richness and vanilla flavor.
Price:
$56.99
Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Venezuelan Rum (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
A classic darker rum that offers richness and bold vanilla flavor, but without the sweetness and added caramel that many big brands offer. A true insider's rum if there ever was one.
Price:
$39.99
Nikka Yoichi 15 Year Japanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Nikka's northern distillery on the island of Hokkaido makes a slightly peated style of whisky; more along the line of Talisker, however, rather than Lagavulin. It's rounded and supple on the palate as well, making it one creamy, and slightly smokey delight.
Darroze Les Grand Assemblages "20 Year Old" Bas-Armagnac (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
The great Armagnac we carry at the moment. A marriage of 20 year old brandies from various properties, distilled by Marc Darroze, and packaged at one hot price. Bourbon drinkers might want to take note. This smokes Pappy 20 any day of the week.
Price:
$99.99
Nikka 17 Year Old Taketsuru Pure Malt Japanese Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 04-19-2015
Nikka 17 is the lightest and least heavy of the small portfolio the Japanese distillery has sent stateside. It's still packed with flavor, albeit more nuanced and less obvious than some of their other expressions. It's a concentrated palate of toasted almonds, soft vanilla, creme brulee, and sweet barley. One of the great whiskies of the world, let alone Japan.
Price:
$499.99
Limit of 1 per customer |
Bowmore 15 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 03-31-2015
I think the 15 year is probably the most iconic of the standard Bowmore selections because of the extra sherry maturation. The richness really drives home that combination of sweet and peat that makes Bowmore what it is. Campfire smoke, phenolic elements, but ultimately a softer, more rounder mouthfeel. Lovely stuff.
Glenmorangie 10 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)
Review Date: 03-17-2015
The best single malt deal there is--period.
St. George Green Chile Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
Love it. My Bloody Marys will never be the same. It smells like a big bowl of salsa and tastes like an explosion of Mexican cuisine. The applications are endless. It's basically gin made entirely with chiles.
Price:
$26.99
St. George All Purpose Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
Again, don't let the vodka moniker fool you: this isn't some BS, grain neutral throwaway. This is an art that Lance and Dave have perfected over at St. George. The all-purpose is actually made from a large proportion of pear distillate to give it a creamy and soft texture. They're not just trying to make a flavorless spirit. They're trying for ethereal beauty. And they've done it. The great vodka from the U.S. is now here.
Price:
$26.99
St. George California Citrus Vodka (750ml)
Review Date: 03-03-2015
While you may think of this as flavored vodka, this is really just orange gin. At least, as far as the process is concerned. Lance and Dave made this incredibly beautiful spirit through multiple macerations of separate varietals of orange, along with individual distillations. The amount of skill and blending is paramount to the finest of ginmakers. It's just that they didn't use juniper. Don't let the vodka moniker make you think this isn't something great. It is.
Price:
$26.99
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Fantastic gin from Bruichladdich distillery on the famous island of Islay. Potent and punchy flavor with an elegant mouthfeel. You can't go wrong.
Price:
$34.99
Blanton's Original Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (1 bottle limit) (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Blanton's is always my first choice when someone asks me for a "nice" bottle of Bourbon. It's about as "nice" as Bourbon gets. Extra richness, a smooth and silky finish, and an elegant bottle. It's still the one great value in today's high-end Bourbon market.
Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
The ultimate rye whiskey for the money. It doesn't get better.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)
Review Date: 02-19-2015
Still one of the best bang for your buck spirits of any kind on the market. Serious Bourbon that gets overlooked in the face of Pappy, even though this is the distillery's flagship product. There's a reason the distillery is called Buffalo Trace. This is the workhorse.
Price:
$21.99
Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Bottled in Bond Straight Kentucky Bourbon (750ml)
Review Date: 01-03-2015
The E.H. Taylor series is an interesting side project from the Buffalo Trace distillery portfolio (Eagle Rare, Weller, Elmer T Lee, Pappy, etc) offering a drier, less sweet profile than what many of us expect from Bourbon. For me, the Taylor Small Batch 100 proof is the most intriguing of the series; truly a grainy and evocative Bourbon that goes from oak, to oil, to sweet corn, and then back to a dry grainy finish. For me personally, the whiskey is great on the rocks, but really shines in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. The 50% helps bump up the flavor, allowing it to hold its own with the added sweetness, and the drier profile doesn't add too much extra sugar. The oak and corn flavors are really well balanced as well, creating a back and forth of sweet vanilla and baking spices that goes on forever even after you drink it down. It's a fun change of pace from the standard Bourbon fare and a chance to really delve deep into the complexity that Bourbon can offer. There's a lot going on in this whiskey; perhaps more than you're really looking for. Each time I taste it I find something I didn't taste the previous time. It's almost like the Boigneires Armagnac equivalent; that's a brandy that cuts out all the sweetness and gets right down to the core flavor. It's the Bourbon version of that.