K&L Wine Merchants - David Othenin-Girard Reviews

Arette Artesanal K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Reposado Suave Tequila (750ml)

Review Date: 12-05-2024

This extremely delicious barrel of tequila comes from the famous old El Llano distillery NOM 1109, in Tequila town. While it's the very first barrel of Arette we've ever bottled it's actually the second barrel from El Llano that we've sold this year. The first was very well loved by those who were lucky enough to try it and bottled by the next Orendain generation under the Paladar label. This bottle offers another side of the old distillery built in 1900. The agave for this barrel is 100% estate grown and bottled at a gorgeous 92 proof. Let's taste it. The color is a splendid pale straw (0.2) an indication that the true spirit will be front and center rather than the wood. The nose is heady and full of rich caramelized roast agave - unindescribable note somewhere between baked pumpkin and charred lemons. With some air, more earthy spice comes out and a gorgeous citrus oil character. It still has wisps of vanilla and baking spice, but in the most perfectly framing way. The palate is very textural, nearly oily, unusual for tequila. This could be a result of the quality of the batch or the higher proof, but it gives the feeling of great sweetness initially. By the mid palate, zingy citrus, earthy mineral and dark spices have caught up. Now we have flavors or very high quality green tea, lemon sherbet, Sichuan peppercorn and green mango. There's so much going on and the sweetness and numbing spice build together. This is an absolute zinger and a testament to the potential that this old plant can produce. No one should be skipping this.

Price: $59.99

High West "A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 12" 98.6 Proof Limited Edition Whiskey Utah (750ml)

Review Date: 12-04-2024

It's been some time I've had any reason to open a bottle of Midwinter for the purposes or evaluating its quality. It's always been so hard to come by, but for once in many many years we were able to snag a large allocation. That said, there's no way it lasts thru the holidays, but I don’t need any more excuse than that to open a bottle. If you know my palate, you'll know I'm highly skeptical of bourbon aged in wine casks. It can work wonders but its damn hard to do. Now Rye whiskey on the other hand, doesn't seem to suffer the same fate as its corn-based brother. It LOVES wine casks, especially sweet wines, and Midwinter is the BIG DADDY of wine finished Rye whiskies. They start with good, aged rye whiskies (likely from Indiana, although they don't say any longer) and put them into highly active port wine casks. Let's see how Act 12 shapes up. The color is DARK - a crimson tinged mahogany (1.6). On first nosing its already extremely pleasurable and open. Big, sweet aromas of toasted vanilla bean, exotic spices, cinnamon, coconut candies, caramel sauce, strawberry jam, and nougat. With some air in the glass the overt nose gives way to a more nuanced set of aromas offering pumpernickel, anis seed, cola, Coppertone, licorice root and saffron. It's lovely and layered taking you through a bit of a roller coaster between the sweet forward wine character and the deep complex rye character. On the palate it's so sweet and round with the wine really taking over at the front. It's medium bodied, but with every sip the spice builds on the backend giving a similar dichotomy as to aromatic experience. Few American whiskies are more well suited to the winter weather than this extremely fun and drinkable bottle. It's still extremely collectible and won't be around forever, but I really hope people are popping this and drinking it by the fire this year. It's going to bring those who do a lot of joy.

Price: $149.99

Caol Ila 15 Year Old "Dramfool's Middle Cut" Cask #313328 Bourbon Barrel Finished Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 12-02-2024

This wonderful series of four barrels is one of the most unique projects K&L has ever put together. Using hand selected barrels all previously having held heavily peated Port Charlotte. Here we have another one aged in ex-bourbon aged for one year longer than the previous release. It's interesting to see how the unique barrels change the character of the spirit and all else being identical, the influence of one additional year of aging. Add to the fact that this one is CHEAPER than the 14 year and it's a slam dunk for any lover of the Caol Ila or Dram Fool. The color is a lovely inviting deep gold (0.8). The nose is pure and bold with plenty of ash-y white smoke and dense salt spray. There are hints of sweet American oak and maybe some influence from the Port Chartotte spirit offerings a more charcoal character behind the linear smoke of the Caol Ila. Big and rich on the palate, it's full of oily phenolic richness although stays quite on the clean side of the smoke spectrum on the palate. The finish offers hints of sweet oak as the ashy smoke envelopes the back palate along with a long, sweet citrus oil character. It's not so classical, but much more than its sister and just as delicious (maybe more approachable in some ways). A fabulous end to this very interesting series of casks.

Price: $99.99

Caol Ila 15 Year Old "Dramfool's Middle Cut" Cask #313322 Sauternes Barrique Finished Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 12-02-2024

This wonderful series of four barrels is one of the most unique projects K&L has ever put together. Using hand selected barrels all previously having held heavily peated Port Charlotte distillate. Here, one of the two wine casks, Jim almost certainly would have had access to Chateau d’Yquem for this project thanks to Bruichladdich’s founder Mark Reyniers connections in the wine industry. Let’s have a go. The color is an astonishing deep copper (1.0). The bouquet is a wild mesh of sweet and savory aromas offering immediately fresh underbrush and herbs – sage, tarragon, deep barrel spice and hints of candied stone fruit. The powerful French oak and sweet wine nearly overpower the Caol Ila distillate at first, but as it opens the salty air, lanolin and hints of tarry rope become more evident. On the palate, it’s very sweet up front and the battle builds on the palate between the still very active French oak and the peaty spirit. We’ve got pillowing smoke at the back end pointed with tons more herbal character now. With a bit of water, it opens offering much more orchard fruit and lemon oil, but I love this right out of the bottle in all its idiosyncratic glory. This is an incredible value by any measure.

Price: $94.99

2007 Ardmore 17 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive Barrel #800201 Refill Oloroso Sherry Butt Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Peated Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 11-21-2024

This is such a ridiculous score I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price. We had a ton of fun selling a similar 17-year-old Ardmore from Gordon & Macphail back in 2022. It's reasonable to assume that a whisky of similar or better quality would cost MORE than that awesome product. And I got a deal on that one too or so they said. Now we're looking down the barrel of this big ol' butt of Ardmore that's a full $50 cheaper than one we sold 2 years ago. It's just unfathomable. But here we are. Will we get boring innocuous Ardmore or big fun and funky Ardmore. Let us dive in! The color is an inviting tawny (1.4) and exceptional robe considering a refill butt here. The nose is absolutely nuts. It's all at once motor oil, burning leaves, moss, old leather, tomato paste, licorice root, soot, and old dried herbs. It's not a very fruity one at all, but instead both industrial, herbal, forest floor and rich earth. On the palate a tense dark peat very much full of earthy burning embers framed with some cola, dark herbs, roasted oak. With water this thing cleans up some and maybe gets more classical perhaps, more Islay. It adds a dark salty character, more leather, some nutty dried fruits now but with salt on them. This is for the experts and those looking to challenge their senses, but I think most real Scotch people will see the beauty in this wild, weird style. I know that I often find myself craving a challenge, but never to the point of not being pleasurable and this is certainly very pleasurable if extremely eclectic.

Price: $89.99

2012 GlenAllachie 11 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive First Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 11-18-2024

There was a time not long ago that getting a sherry bomb like this would have been unthinkable. A single cask from a Billy Walker distillery that's dark like coffee and super high proof - in any other context we'd be happy to be selling this at twice the price. I'm sure we'll see others of similar quality in the future, at least I hope, but this barrel is truly a first for us. The last GlenAllachie we bought was also first fill sherry, but for many customers expecting the ultra-bomb that the distillery has made us accustomed to, it fell very flat. That's without mentioning that it was nearly $30 more expensive than this whisky. Of course, I loved the subtle nuance and soft dried fruit of the Hart Bros Glenallachie or we would have not bought it, but when people think 1st fill Billy Walker whisky they want to really feel it. So, let's do that. Let's start feeling. The color is just dumb, an unparalleled brown sherry (1.9). The nose is stunningly rich oloroso sherry. Full of rich roasted nuts, dense raisin syrup, cracked old leather, sweet Christmas cake and deep jammy fruit. On the palate, the expected alcohol hit is totally missing replaced with ultra-sweet fruit dense, almost PX like in its dried fruit character. The finish is long and full of dark chocolates, sweet Figgy pudding and big herbal spice. With water it becomes more chiseled somewhat offering pure red fruits, fresh sweet tobacco leaf, yet the dense sherry remains. This is an absolute slam dunk sherry bomb, that's sweet and rich enough to even win over the hardest core bourbon lover. An altogether unprecedented experience that's price of entry sits significantly below the value threshold.

Price: $79.99

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 10 Year Old "Sylvia's Mellow Mediation" K&L Exclusive Private Barrel #6653109 Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml ships as a 1.5L)

Review Date: 11-13-2024

Sylvia or Sylvia. Few individuals match Sylvia in any aspect of this business. She has been, for 3 years running, our fearless guide through the ricks of Heaven Hill. Sylvia knows where all the secrets lie. She knows where everybody is buried. She knows EVERY retailer and restaurant owner worth their salt. She tells us stories of wonderful and ridiculous moments she’s been through in those warehouses. Sometimes we just talk about garlic. We all love garlic. Our favorite stories are the ones about the guys who pick bad barrels. Not that there are many, but occasionally a real dud gets rolled out onto the floor. She can't stop them. Some people just don't get it. She's tasted likely thousands and thousands of barrels. And you know what, she's got damn good taste. I think I'm pretty good at this too. So, when we taste with Sylvia, we always name her favorite barrel after her and it's always our favorite too. This is the special one for the season. A mellow rich little bourbon full of sweet, candied nuts, honey syrup, caramel frosting, chocolate gnash, dense sweet oak, and dark red fruit. Big and rich with a sticky mid palate and decedent finish full of Christmas spice and vanilla. Another stunner and a true pleasure and honor to bottle with my dear friend’s name right on the front. I cannot forget to bring her a bottle!

Price: $69.99

2012 Cameronbridge 12 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive #268269 First Fill Bourbon Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 11-11-2024

I’m absolutely in love with this little pistol of a whisky. Distilled on the 4th of May 2012 and filled into a fresh first fill bourbon barrel, I honestly don’t remember if or when I’ve ever tried a single grain this age in a first fill barrel. And I’m sad. I’m sad cause I love this style, and I realize that we might not get to play with fun funky little grains like this in the future, at least not at this incredible price. It’s just CRAZY how affordable this is. And it’s true that for many drinkers who pick this up not realizing what they’re getting into, they might get a bit smacked around. Clocking in at a cool 125.8 proof, it’s simply to tense and wild to jump in without some knowledge of what it is. But, if you can take a step back and appreciate how lucky we are to have access to this interesting and unusual whiskies at less than $40, you’ll see why I love it so much. I think single grains need to have water added a bit more slowly than malt, so take your time with that too. Here it is. The color is an unbelievably pretty - deep gold (0.8). The heady abv is obvious off the bat but does not get in the way of the lovely, sweet cereal and toasted vanilla character. Hints of Walker’s Short Bread, muesli, cake frosting and cacao. On the palate, it’s somewhat juicy with subtle sweet and spicy grains, bold oak, and twang of cinnamon on the end. Adding water truly opens this one up in a huge way but do it slowly. Now the cacao is dark chocolate, and the stone fruits are coming up on the nose much more. Still beautiful, sweet, and spicy grains, but much more expressive now with a sense of wilderness – fields of grass on the edge of a damp wood. Hints of hay and geranium follow. On the palate the lack of heat adds sweetness, and the spicy finish is no more. Instead, it’s a bucket of cereals sweetened with honey syrup. It’s not bourbon, it’s not malt – it’s not as powerful or intense as either, but a lovely whisky, nonetheless. Now I’m using every Diageo malt I must try to recreate Johnnie Black with it. So much fun to blend at home.

Price: $39.99

2013 Auchentoshan 11 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive #5209 Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 11-11-2024

I've got to be completely honest here, Auchentoshan is a distillery I've had trouble with over the years. Many of the casks that make it out of the distillery's hands are simply odd. Off or weird bottles are only fun if the flavors really speak to you for some reason, otherwise it's sort of a one glass and move on type of buy. But when I stuck my nose reluctantly into this sample I was absolutely stunned. It was clean as a whistle and full of sweet malty character. Not an odd or unusual note to be seen, just good clean lowland fun. Now it's still a bit young and punchy and you'll be extremely well served to take it slow and lower the proof under 100, but once you do it really opens. Let's go! The color is a really appealing old gold (0.6). This is an indication of a nice active cask and a real surprise considering this is a second fill. The nose starts sweet aromas of caramel, melted brown sugar, vanilla beans, yellow fruits, and honey. It's not super open at first and begs for water, but a first sip is in order. Surprisingly creamy and oily on the palate with perfectly subtle white peach note and rich malted grain. Now with water a huge change offering beautiful aromas of honeysuckle, even more vanilla, sweet lemon oil, and cold Korean barley tea. The texture has lost no richness, and the slightly tamed alcohol leaves us wanting another sip immediately. Perhaps the only complaint is that this is a sunny day whisky so you might need to take it to the beach with you. Otherwise, this is a stupendous value and one of the best examples of this underappreciated distillers we've come across.

Price: $59.99

2008 Port Dundas 15 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive Refill Oloroso Sherry Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Lowland Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 11-07-2024

First off, we'd never previously consider buying grain so young, but most grain is in 4th+ fill barrel and by 15 years it's so closed to new make it doesn't make any sense to drink for pleasure. But it turns out if you put the same whisky in a good 2nd fill sherry butt, a whole new world opens up. At this price for a distillery that is now demolished to never be distilled again, we had to give it a go. Thank god we did; this is one of the most exciting cross over whiskies to this category we've ever bottled. Let's have a go! The color is a shimmering deep gold (0.8). The nose starts rather bold for a grain with deep toffee and toasted vanilla dominating. There's coconut husk and lemon preserves with hints of greengage and sweet cereal grains. The sherry character isn't very forward at first, but hints of golden raisins and white fudges frosting are extremely pleasurable. Ripping intensity on the palate with green apple and zingy citrus with a spicy finish make me immediately grab the pipette for a splash of water. Now here we are. This takes more than a few drops of water perfectly. With a nice splash, the nose becomes this incredible bouquet of lemon oil, marsh mellow candy, cream custard, sweet green grapes, and Seville orange zest. The incredible benefits of water on the palate are shocking. Extremely rich and textural, which is unusual for a grain. Bright red fruits, cake frosting, vanilla cream, chocolate powder. It's so supple and drinkable now - dangerously so. This will be too much for the uninitiated without water, and while it maybe should have been bottled at 46% for accessibility's sake for all those who don't read this sentence, it can be an overt and delicious experience given some proper coaxing. I pray that most of you find this note and feel free to dump more than a little water in here because once you do the possibilities here are truly staggering and the amount of pleasure you will derive from giving this bottle a chance at this price is immense.

Price: $54.99

Blue Run "K&L Exclusive" Cask Strength Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 10-25-2024

We’ve long been fans of the Blue Run brand. In fact, I’m fairly confident that K&L was the first retailer to sell the product after their impressive DTC launch. They did a lot of stuff right and ultimately became the darling of the industry when it counted most. Now the brand is owned by Coors and we can offer this crazy deal due to their vast resources, but the heart and soul of Blue Run remains the same. Killer bourbon hand curated by our dear friend Jim Rutledge and bottled in the now iconic butterfly bottle. This single barrel has a stark white emblem emboldened on the bottle, contrasting the rich amber color of the bourbon. This barrel was picked out by the staff in Los Angeles from a large batch of casks while I was travelling in Kentucky and while we don’t have a lot of information beyond the mashbill, which is already mysterious, I love this style and I’m proud of their choice. Plus, with a $30 rebate with the QR code, this is a now brainer for any lover of cask strength bourbon. Let’s taste it! The color is a shimmering chestnut (1.2). I poured this and walked away for 25 minutes, but when I made it back the nose was full of superb fruit and fresh rich wood character. There’s some spicy nuance behind that, but mostly we’ve got tons of sweet, tinned peaches, vanilla fudge, candied apricots to balance the twinges of cinnamon. The palate offers a core of sweet caramel with a building baking spice character as the high proof builds on the palate. It’s not hot or overly spicy and the fresh vibrant fruit translates nicely on the palate. Hard to say where this is coming from, but likely this is some of the old Rutledge distilled Bardstown or Castle & Key stock. In any case, it’s a fabulous refreshing take on the American classic in a beautiful bottle. Superb selection from the LA team.

Price: $139.99

2005 Secret Orkney (Highland Park) 19 Year Old "Signatory" K&L Exclusive #DRU 17/A63 #28 First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Orkney Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-23-2024

It's barrels like this that make me so happy to be part of what the K&L Spirits Department does. But this barrel also represents one of the strangest dichotomies of this industry. We've always relied on our bottling partners to source great barrels and sell them at incredible prices. In fact, just a couple of decades ago, these bottlers were the only place you could get single casks at cask strength. Over the years, the brands themselves have taken such insane price increases that the independents found room to move up their prices, but when things got tough the brands are stuck. Our bottlers, however, don’t have such concerns and we've been able to negotiate incredible prices on some extremely special single casks during these unprecedented times. While the distillery last year sold us a cask one year younger of similar quality for $450 on the shelf, we're able to get an older (and I believe better) barrel of nearly identical first fill oloroso blue-chip single malt from Orkney at less than HALF the price. It's just insane to me that the people who distilled this couldn't find a use for it at somewhere in between $180 and $450. But, that's the magic of what we do at K&L. This barrel is so outrageously priced, I'm shocked that we still have any after the pre-arrival campaign. Heck we've been selling whiskies 7 years younger for nearly the same price! But I understand that even if on paper it looks good, you sometimes need to see it to believe it. SO, here we go. The color is a perfect tawny (1.4). The nose is absolute heaven but needs lots of air to fully express. Rich oloroso notes peppered with cooked yellow plums, extremely old antique leather, raspberry jam, roasted herbs, but as it opens it adds wild forest aromas of damp moss, old-growth pine, and citrus oil. On the palate the deep sherry character doesn't completely obliterate the rich smoky undertones that we love about Highland Park. Some IB barrels are completely devoid of the smoke element, but here is perfectly integrated to give that gorgeous ocean kiss and sweet burning heather. The finish is long spicy, but not tannic at all, with a building dark smoke in the very end. With a few drops of water, this turns into a whole different animal. The nose explodes—now vibrant dried stone fruit, deep roasted nuts and nougat, exotic spices too numerous to pinpoint. Now the palate is so rich and sweet yet the smoke stills lingers in the back. In many ways this is the perfect end of the night malt. There is no better way to spend an hour or two with an old friend than sipping this slowly after a long dinner. Should be about as perfect a cigar pair as you'll ever find if you're into that sort of thing, but in terms of value, we're in the upper echelons of what is possible in Scotch. A true triumph and honestly this crushes any previous Highland Park exclusives we've bottled. An exceptional malt by any measure, but give it time in the glass that it deserves.

Price: $179.99

Ardbeg 17 Year "Committee Release" Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

Review Date: 10-17-2024

I started my career in spirits almost 20 years ago. At that time, Ardbeg was still just a wee little distillery on Islay that only the most serious heads loved and understood. I grew up loving Laphroaig, but it wasn't until my first job in the industry that I was able to taste Ardbeg. It was this whisky that sent me over the Ardbeg edge into the Islay Abyss. Now two decades later they've released it without seemingly much fanfare, but this is a BIG deal. I love that they didn't bow to trends and bottled it at the original 80 proof. Yes, it might have been more intense and powerful at higher proof, but there's something just wonderful about this whisky at this proof. This Committee Release presumably is a precursor to a more regular edition, let's pray, and my only complaint is that they haven't recreated the label exactly, ‘cause I loved it. But it's close. Let's taste! HOLY $#!+ they nailed it. No gimmicks or glamour here, just pure Ardbeg in its singular, lemon-y, ashy smoke, sweet herbs, salted citrus, hints of mineral oils, floral extracts. Gorgeous and seamless, teasing out the most elegant and abundant side of Ardbeg without sacrificing its soul. On the palate, so balanced yet pointed. The texture is creamy and rich despite the lower proof and alongside the wispy wild peat we get a rich roast-y character with a near buttercream component. Dichotomy in a bottle and sincerely one of my favorite modern releases of Ardbeg. Maybe it's my old age showing, but I love this style focus on nuance and depth, while still somehow remaining exciting. Top marks for Dr. Bill on this new release.

Price: $179.99

2009 Ardmore (Peated) 13 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-10-2024

This is such a crazy store and honestly, it's a first for us. A lost barrel, left in a warehouse, but my ambition to buy Ardmore undeterred. When our order was being packed a quick simple email, "we're sending the other Ardmore we forgot to send last year!" What the?!? Oh well, that creates a total weird and wonderful situation of being able to taste identical whiskies right next to each other. And to be perfectly honest this whisky is so wild and weird it stands out like a sore thumb next to the classic, smoldering peated Highlander that is the 14 year. Let's have a go. The color is pale gold (.03). The nose is a huge bucket of weird herbs, fresh jalapeno, sweet sugar candies and odd green smoke. It's got so much chili it's just totally unusual. You're half expecting it to be spicy on the palate and there's still some wild jalapeno there, but the capsicum never shows up. Instead, its fennel, roasted lemons, dill, camphor and honey. A totally weird and wonderful whiskies that is completely enhanced by the side by side with the much more classically styled sister cask.

Price: $59.99

Foursquare Rum Distillery 16 Year Old "Mark XXVI - Magestrium" Ex-Bourbon & Ex-Sherry Cask Exceptional Cask Selection Single Blended Barbados Rum (750ml)

Review Date: 10-10-2024

The glorious rums coming out of Foursquare continue to impress, although certain releases have really pushed the limit of what the rum loving community is willing to pay, this awesome one takes a step back into the realm of reason in terms of price. Considering the time and effort that the distiller puts into each of these releases, there's no question that they're undervalued, and you don't have to look far to find examples of the market taking advantage of Foursquare's reasonable prices (flippers and gougers exist always). That said, I'm more interested in our customers drinking great products and I think when these become too dear, even if they're undervalued, it does discourage the idea of enjoying them on any weekend. That's why I was heartened to be able to offer this new release, a rather old and delicious one, for under $150. Let's taste it! A ridiculous mahogany color (1.6). The deep complex flavors hear are exactly what we sign up for when it comes to old Foursquare. The beautiful amalgam of deep pot still rum character and rich nutty sherry. Chocolate covered raisins, cherry candies, hazelnut spread, burnt orange peel. With some air we get bold dry tropical fruits, sweet oak, licorice root, and rich vanilla. The palate is rich with dark red fruit and citrus oils. Lots of coffee and toasted vanilla as well. The finish turns on the potty funk a wee bit and the nutty oloroso character balances out the sweet front end with a twinge of bitterness as the burnt orange and roast oak take over. Expect exactly what you want here. A true powerhouse expression of this master's idiosyncratic style.

Price: $139.99

Sutherland Bottled By Thompson Bros. 5 Year Old Limited 2024 Release Blended Highland Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-10-2024

Full disclosure, I haven't actually tasted this batch. But I did taste the previous batch. If you know anything about me, it's that I honestly believe the Dornoch Distillery to be the most exciting and significant new distillery in Scotland in modern history. While it's currently too small to make a splash commercially, they're on their way to building what I have no doubt will be considered one of the top five distilleries ANYWHERE in the world by decades end. This will be the Chichibu of Scotland and there's never been another release in this country that features their incredible malt. The boys up in Dornoch are proud of their home and the three wonderful distilleries that are currently operating. This blend features significant amounts of their special malt, older expressions of the wonderful Clynelish distillery and a splash of very old Brora. If this is anywhere close to the last release, and good word is that its equal or greater, it's a wonderful expression of the highland style. The last one was deep and round with gorgeous waxy fruit and a pungent wild aromatic character. It's easily one of my favorite drinks right now and should resonate with any old school scotch lover, while peaking senses for even the most discrete spirits nerd. A truly special product that makes me so proud of what we do at K&L.

Price: $99.99

2005 Undisclosed Jamaica 17 Year Old "Golden Devil" K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Jamaican Rum (700ml)

Review Date: 10-08-2024

There may be some controversy around this batch of rum, namely that our bottler cannot divulge anything about the source or character of the rum. Since there's almost NO rum that was produced at Hampden during this period, it's very difficult to get an idea of the style that was made there during the short transitional period. Some feel this tastes a lot like Worthy Park, but I simply can't understand why they would not be able to sell it with the blender's marque. That makes no sense. Even when the distillery name wasn't included in the sale the blenders marque would have certainly been. Then there's of course the flavor, which exhibits some of the telltale signs of the tropically aged ester driven rum, which is what we are after anyway. So, wherever it's from, it's really special stuff. Let's have a taste. The color is a shimmering auburn (1.5). A sign of a nice long tropical aging before being sent to Europe. Super integrated and complex, but without the hardcore kippers and aggressive industrial character of the c<>h continental aged stuff we've been getting. Instead, we're getting deep, rich roasted fruit aromas — tropical and citrus — paired with dense exotic wood, toasted spice (cinnamon and black pepper), cinchona bark, the finest Italian espresso beans, rich leather, sweet oak, toasted vanilla and behind all that an ancient machine shop with some pipe tobacco soot strewn about an old wooden desk. With air it just keeps building and building. On the palate, it's hugely spicy with dense dried raisin syrup, roasted pineapple, licorice stick, camphor, dried mint and caramel candies. It's absolutely enormous and long with this exquisite tension between the deep roasted fruit, the savory wood and the powerful spice. It really delivers on the tropical aged medium ester promise. An absolutely exceptional rum, the source of which honestly doesn't matter at all. IF anyone can recreate it again, they'll be lucky.

Price: $129.99

Jack Daniel's "K&L Exclusive" Single Barrel #24-04539 Cask Strength Tennessee Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 10-03-2024

There's something super wild and kind of weird about visiting Jack Daniel's and honestly, it's made me love the brand so much. It's the interesting dichotomy of the hyper polished and well thought out distillery tour contrasted with massive undertaking that is creating the world's most popular American whisky brand. When you get there, you're greeted by the friendliest staff who quickly get you situated and ask which type of JD slushy you'd prefer, "lemonade or Coke!" Obviously, Jack and Coke is the right answer. Then you're ushered to the charcoal creation area, a process that's much more time consuming and precise than I could have ever imagined. As you work your way down the hill, the true historic nature of the property becomes clear, passing the incredible and significant water source and finally walking into the distillery. It's an incredible operation, which culminated in a meeting with Master Distiller Chris Fletcher to pick our barrels. Chris is the most endearing and open representative possible for the distillery, especially considering the size and scope of his role. Always a blast to taste with the guy who really knows the deal. So, we found four top-notch barrels, but what was most exciting was he then took us up to the new distillery (JD2), which operates concurrently to the original distillery, but with little fanfare. On the way you pass old stills and scattered distilling equipment. This is the real deal. It's an incredible property and the experience made me fall back in love with this brand. The only thing more exciting than being at the property is tasting these barrels now that they're here. Some real lights-out whisky. Here we go. A rich tawny color (1.4). The nose is absolutely blasting with dark red fruit - cherry compote, strawberry jam, cassis. Those fruits are cooked in a huge pot of roasted oak, fresh spices, and exotic woods - sandalwood, nutmeg, mahogany, sarsaparilla, chocolate mint. Dense caramel syrup is being lathered on top. On the palate it's full bodied with sweet maple syrup, toasted cinnamon, roasted nuts, chocolate powder and sweet toasted brioche. This cask is so dang good. It’s not super old or outrageously high proof, but for those who trust me and take the plunge, I know you’ll absolutely love this wild cask.

Price: $64.99

2008 Dailuaine 15 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive First Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-03-2024

Dailuaine is a distillery we've been preaching about for some time now, but without Diageo's help it seems no one seemed to notice until recently. Nowadays we have people regularly asking for Dailuaine despite the lack of distillery bottlings. That's thanks to the string of excellent and affordable Dailies we've put out of the years. They just absolutely deliver almost every time. This first-fill sherry butt is no different and it represents one of the better, cleaner sherry values we've been able to put together in many years. It's so drinkable and delicious with a characterful sherry influence, yet still has the pristine distillery character in spades. Let's have at it. The color is burnished (1.1). The nose is perfect with exceptional dried stone fruit and roasted nuts just jumping out of the glass. Behind that a multilayered bevy of aromas push through the rich character of the sherry. Expect tense fresh exotic wood (sandalwood & cedar), hints of smoky frankincense, dried mint, almond butter, burnt orange peel and heather. On the palate the sweetness is surprising considering the complex woody savory notes on the nose, but the herbal earthy character stands up well to it. Apricot candies, roasted nuts, caramel candies, bitter barks, sweetened black tea, old leather and chocolate covered golden raisins. This is absolutely delicious. It's clean yet super complex sherry. Truly over delivering here and approachable enough that nearly any drinker will appreciate its quality, but not run-of-the-mill in any way. The Dailey always delivers. No exceptions here.

Price: $99.99

2009 Ardmore (Peated) 14 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-02-2024

I'm just so happy no one seems to know or care about Ardmore. That means we get to bring in awesome casks and the suppliers have no incentive to overcharge. The style can be all over the map as we've seen with last year’s old unpeated 25 year and the sherried signatory coming, but there's something so satisfying about a gorgeous clean refill bourbon barrel in this middle-aged range. Let's have a taste. The color is pale gold (0.3). The nose is just lovely with equal parts fruit and subtle smoldering peat. There's still notes of cereal - crispy malt - but it doesn't feel at all youthful, instead it's refreshing and open on the nose offering yellow flowers, lemon oil, earthy smoke, and slight white pepper character. On the palate the snappy peat is there but restrained coupled with beautiful medium bodied texture and a sweet malty core. Twinges of orchard fruit, toasted vanilla, cracked pepper and barrel spice add length and with water the fruit (especially citrus) builds. A killer drinker at a great price, that's not all in your face with the smoke but doesn't forget who it is either. Very much giving me that old school highlands vibe.

Price: $79.99

2006 Mortlach 17 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-02-2024

Pretty tough to find older Mortlachs these day especially older stocks. So many people want these in sherry, but I find it incredible refreshing and informative to see a bit of a naked version of famous distilleries at this more mature age range. The beast of Dufftown in all its malty complexity on full display. Let's go! The color is pale gold (0.3). It's a total sleep on the nose, not unusual for this distillery, and absolutely needs time in the glass before getting into there. With 10-20 minutes to open the depth because much more obvious. Big clean malt coupled with subtle heather and wildflower honey. With more time in the glass even still, we're starting to offer unusual notes of ripe persimmon, almond skin, verbena, and barley tea. On the palate, the richness becomes clearer, and the oily texture is absolutely lovely - there's a very solid Johnnie Walker Blue comparison on the front palate which is full of sweet malt and earthy spice before relenting toward darker fudgy notes and a big cinnamon character on the back. With water everything is heightened, and the littlest drop is ideal here. This is a beautiful version of Mortlach that furthers our understanding of this special distillery. It might not be funky or flashy exactly, but with time in the glass and a bit of water its awesome pedigree is on full display at its core with no wine or wood in the way.

Price: $109.99

2014 Arran (Peated) 9 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single 2nd Fill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Isle of Arran Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-02-2024

These young Arran's from Old Particular over the last two seasons are two of the most interesting and exciting malts we've put out. Last year's unpeated leaky bourbon barrel was one of the most exotic and well-loved casks we've had in ages and this peated versions represents a style from the distillery that will no longer be produced now that the new LAGG distillery is providing the peated malt for the rural island. Let try it now! The color is old pale gold (0.3). OH MY OH MY OH MY I love this nose. The 2nd fill bourbon barrel is perfect vessel for this special malt. The crispy almost alpine smokiness is super satisfying and couple with the soft rich oak of the not too active bourbon barrel it makes for a perfect frame. Immediately we get gorgeous aromas of roasting pine needles, cured meats, fresh rubber, sweet lemon meringue, ocean spray and stuck rock. The peat is very forward on the palate, and we get a strong Islay character up front followed by a bit of lanolin, Myer lemon and a huge bouquet of bitter herbs and alpine flowers - thistle, wormwood, gentian etc. Its numbing and bold. With water the salty character comes forward, but the beautiful alpine notes do note subside nor the sweet citrus fruit. This is some sort of mountain elixir distilled on an Island. A totally wonderful expression not for the novice, but anyone with have a love of peated malt will absolutely tear through this bottle.

Price: $69.99

2010 Tormore 13 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-02-2024

Absolutely no one is paying attention to this Tormore. Refill bourbon barrel from a relatively mid-tier distillery at a relatively young age at a weirdly low abv at cask strength. The only thing that's giving anyone any pause is the outrageously good price. That said, the few lucky customers who been near enough to nose this whisky when it's in my glass have been astonished. I happen to have it in my glass for research purposes VERY often because it delivers on a level that nothing else in this price point can match. I'll taste it here for you, but honestly you should keep this one to yourself. Everyone who sits on this without tasting, will be back asking for more. I guarantee it. This is your chance to bunker the appropriate amount. Do not say you were not warned. The color is pale gold (0.3). The nose is exquisite right out of the bottle offer intense orchard fruit, deep sweet malt, Seville orange peel, tangy crushed kumquat, graphite, fresh cement, and honey. On the palate it’s so sweet and fruity, you'd have thought you'd accidentally poured yourself a cocktail - huge peach, apricot character coupled with notes of menthol, wildflower honey, caramel candies, and ginseng. It's crazy how much character this has. It doesn't need a drop of water. It's perfect just the way it is. This maybe the perfect young modern highlander. If they could do this every day, Tormore would be the world's greatest distillery. A triumph honestly, the best young Tormore I can remember.

Price: $69.99

2009 Craigellachie 15 Year Old "Old Malt Cask" K&L Exclusive Refill Sherry Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 09-27-2024

This is easily the sneakiest whisky of the season. I tried my little sample nearly 6 months ago and remember thinking, "huh, this is delicious," before promptly finishing the glass and moving on. When time came to order the details presented did not register as odd whatsoever, but I did remember being excited. A delicious refill hogshead of Craigellachie. No sulfur or any off notes. What a gem? What I didn't realize from that tiny sample was that this delicious whisky was in just about the most active refill sherry hogshead I've ever seen. So, while it's labelled simply as "refill hogshead" there are very few first fill sherry whiskies that match its depth and intensity in the store. How is that possible? It's one of the quirks of refill casks, sometimes the second fill ones can be even more intense and complex. Whether that's a result of the quality of the older wood or the previous malt unlocking new flavors in the wood, we might never know. All I can say is that this is one of the darkest malts in the shop right now. More proof that you can't judge a malt by its label. Here we go! It's a distinctive mahogany color (1.6). The nose is seamless -full of dark dried fruit, rich dark cocoa, creamy fudge, and ginger snap cookies. There's a sweetness that is very complimentary to the rich malt and slightly funky base note that Craigellachie often puts off. That may be why less clean sherry builds often builds into strong sulfur with Craigellachie, but this one is super clean, and the spirit instead provides the depth to the rich fruity sherry. With air we're getting fresh and dried purple plums, raspberry jam, caramel syrup, and fresh ginger root. ON the palate its strongly redolent of baked apples in syrup, dried plums, old oak, hints of medium roast, maple cookies and a hint of exotic spice. With water it shuts down a bit at first - but the palate sweetens up considerably removing the spice and adding more sweet fruit. Now with some air the nose opens with more savory character - subtle leather, machine shop, and roasted nuts. I prefer this at full strength, but it's just so outrageously opulent. I can't believe they didn't bother to put the word sherry on the label. Hilarious and delicious!

Price: $99.99

2002 Girvan 21 Year Old "Old Particular" K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 09-27-2024

This wonderfully priced Girvan straddles the line on the age front - is it young or old? The wild Girvan facility is one of the few plants in Scotland I've never been invited in, but the facility is legendary. Getting a taste for single grain whisky is just a matter of finding a good one and for many people I think this extremely inviting Girvan is the ticket. Usually with refill hoggy we expect something the color of white wine, but not in this case it shows a beautiful deep gold hue (0.8). The nose is much more active and vibrant than many other single grains at this age offering a huge coconut note, hints of almond husk, tangerine peel, and sweet tart candies. On the palate its full bodied and surprisingly complex with gorgeous yellow fruit (persimmon and yellow plum), perfect earthy mid-palate spice and long creamy finish. It's much rounder and sweeter than most grain whiskies and has a beautiful integrated oak. While this doesn't scratch the malt or the bourbon itch, you'll find this one might impart a completely new thing to scratch. A lovely cask that defies the marketplace in terms of price and quality in every regard.

Price: $69.99

2007 Glengoyne 16 Year Old "Old Malt Cask" K&L Exclusive Single Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 09-18-2024

We've only bottled a handful of Glengoynes over the last 15 years and all but one have been 2nd or 3rd fill hogsheads. The last one we did was about the most controversial whisky we've ever bottled, a PX butt bottled by Old Particular. That whisky was so weird and wine-y, customers either loved it uncontrollably or were completely revolted by it. There was no in-between. This whisky, on the other hand, will almost certainly result in consensus across the board. This beautiful butt, which I assumed was first fill albeit not very dark due to its complexity and flavor, is so creamy and friendly. There may not be another more drinkable malt in the store. Let's see! The color is a splendid burnished (1.1). Immediately on the nose we get roasted almonds, dried Seville orange peel, fresh mango with the skins, rich toffee syrup, exotic wood and a rich dried barley note. With air the sweetness and the toffee come forward, but it doesn't forget about the fruit. The palate has tons of sweet chocolate, beeswax, sandalwood, dried apricots, and a building spice -ginger root and cinnamon. The finish is very long with a big tingly spice that pushes the sweetness of the nose and front palate out of mind until the next sip. A tiny splash of water brings out the nuts and the fruit. Now there's tons of citrus and a strong almond butter character. The palate too has added tons of fruit, and the ginger is a lingering afterthought. This is just so good. Mostly when I'm wanting to drink scotch it's something like this, tons of complexity, but not overpowered by any one element. The perfectly balanced whisky especially with a dash of fresh spring water. Hard to argue that this isn't one of the best casks of the whisky season, especially for the seasoned sipper who craves balance and depth over power and intensity.

Price: $109.99

Hotalings 16 Year Old "Old Potrero" Bottled In Bond Single Malt Rye Whiskey (700ml)

Review Date: 09-12-2024

There's no question that Hotalings/Old Potrero is one of the quintessential American whiskies. In fact, I had lunch the other day with the illustrious T.A. Breaux, who single handedly relaunch the absinthe category worldwide, and we got to talking about pre-prohibition rye. Thru his travels and exploits analyzing old absinthe for recreation, he's been lucky enough to try numerous American Ryes from the 1800s and his contention was that they're absolutely nothing like modern whiskies. There are so many specific reasons for that -malted rye, three chamber stills, farm production, fermentation, barrel toasts, etc.- but he mentioned that the only American whiskey that tastes anything like the old style was Fritz Maytag's famous 100% single malted rye, now sold by the Hotalings company. And this barrel is the perfect example of old bottled in bond style that would have been served up during that period. Let's have a go. The color is a beautiful pale gold. The nose is extremely pretty and complex. Huge fresh mint and sweet orange oil. Its almost brandy like in its aromatic profile. Behind that an array of rich spice, rare barks, and aromatic oils - lanolin, hyssop, geranium, cinchona, sandalwood, sweet dill, white pepper. Balancing that gorgeous pungency is a sweet apricot note and a creamy fudge. The palate is punch and bright with so much freshness and zingy citrus it almost feels like Highland Scotch. Then the bold spice takes over and you're smack down back in old school rye land - medium body but an oily texture. This is one of the truly great American craft whiskies and we typically be prohibited from buying more the 6 bottles at a time. But someone forgot to click that button so we snagged the entire stock. At this age, rarity, and quality range it's easily worth twice the price, but right now we're able to offer it to you for an unbelievably reasonable price. There's no question that all spirits lovers should take account of this extremely unusual offer.

Price: $179.99

Baron de Lustrac 25 Year Old Brut de Fût Bas Armagnac (750ml)

Review Date: 09-09-2024

Baron de Lustrac is a well respected small producer that has estates both in the Tenereze as well as Bas-Armagnac. They're generally focused on single varietal offerings, but it was the 25 year old XO that struck me as their most exceptional brandy for the price. These are old Armagnacs of at least 25 years old without the addition of water or coloring whatsoever and bottled right out of the cask. The result is of a purity and intensity not scene in the rest of the line up and at this price it could easily be a contender for best value in the whole region. The style is not ultra estery with tons of floral, fruit and spice aromas. Very balanced and very well put together.

Price: $59.99

VN: 97

Benrinnes 12 Year Old "Cane & Grain" (Mahler-Besse) Single Cask Plantation Rum Barrel Aged Cask Strength Non Chillfiltred Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 08-26-2024

This barrel marks the beginning of a new relationship with one of our oldest partners. The incredible Mahler-Besse cellars have some of the world's rarest and most sought-after wines but hidden in the depths of their warehouses is a tiny little piece of Scotland. There's no question Mahler-Besse has relationships that date back centuries and whisky has always been a business about who you know. So, it's no surprise that these guys are getting top notch juice and to tie it all up pretty in a bow, they're filling them into extremely high-quality barrels and selling them at extremely palatable prices. Perhaps some might argue that we've seen medium age work horse Diageo malt in the states for far less, but those are almost always in old thirds and fourth fill hogsheads and yes, they can be very fun especially if they're very affordable but getting A whisky in A casks usually means a huge premium. Here they've done it here without the premium. This Benrinnes is totally delicious aged in an old Plantation Rum barrel. Let's have a taste. A lovely vibrant yellow gold (0.5). The nose is just full of intense orchard fruit. It's so crispy and clean, these must have been pretty barrels of rum. Zingy and bordering on tropical, there's plenty of zesty citrus oil and sweet malt to balance. The palate is uniquely textural with the Benrinnes worm tubs seemingly on full display with this rich unctuous texture. Purity of fruit is really the hallmark here with an undeniable freshness. That's enhanced by multiples with a healthy splash of water which adds a chiseled minerality to the texture and broadens the nose toward the stone fruits. This is exceptional whisky at a great price and one of the few malts we've ever been able to sell with a long maturation in high quality rum barrels. They don't add any sickly-sweet character or Jamaican funk but instead frame the lovely malt that Benrinnes has potential to make perfectly.

Price: $79.99

Rebel 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml)

Review Date: 08-22-2024

Wheated bourbon is still all the rage and when you dive into the category you realize that all of it goes back to one place, Stitzel-Weller. The most interesting thing about wheat is this misconception that because the whisky is lacking in rye spice, maybe it's better young. Theoretically the less intense spirit would mean maturation takes less time, but after many years of tasting all sorts of wheated bourbons at various ages, I think the opposite is true. It's counterintuitive, but the less robust spirit, lacking in the intense rye character, actually soaks up the oak more readily and needs more time to soften up to offer the full spectrum that its capable of. Don't tell them that at Maker's Mark, they have a different perspective. I love older wheated bourbons and so did the founders of the Stitzel-Weller distillery as we know they were marketing primarily 8-12 year old bourbons and bottling many old expressions as well. Here we have a modern analogous to those great bourbons bottled at greater age "Exclusively for Connoisseurs of Fine Bourbon" as the Old Fitz label used to read. Bottled as a single barrel no less. Let's have a taste. The color is an attractive tawny (1.3). The nose is sweet and maple driven with flecks of whole cinnamon stick, sweet black cherry, caramel sauce and gorgeous old wood. On the palate, the oak and spice pick up in a big way and the rich texture is apparent. There's a lovely dusty old wood note that reminds me of the old style of Old Fitz in the best way. The finish moves back toward the dark red and black fruits and lingers with a smoldering cinnamon. This is top tier wheated stuff that easily plays with the big boys. The fact that we have enough to open and taste right now does not reflect an opening of the market on this product, but instead just a lucky circumstance of corporate innerworkings. Mostly a right place right time situation. Once we're through with this stock we'll be back to getting it doled out 6 bottles at a time a few times a year.

Price: $89.99

John E. Fitzgerald Larceny "B524" Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 08-08-2024

With all the hubbub and hoopla of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs, the lovely Larceny Cask Strength Small Batch release kind of flies under the radar. People on the Elijah side are debating the merits of 13 year old vs 11 year, while Larceny barrel proof has consistently gotten better and better without much fanfare, yet Weller Full Proof still commands extremely inflated prices. Here we have a perfectly aged 7ish year old wheater at full cask strength for just $60. If you know wheated whisky, you'll know that the lack of rye spice means the barrel is going to take over on the flavor profile. Contradicting logic these actually need an extra few years to soften up as compared to rye bourbon and after about 6 years they really start to take on depth and complexity. This is Heaven Hills quintessential wheated bourbon, a similar recipe the rest of the category, and simply delivers some of the best drinking you can get for your money. Let's have it. The color is russet muscat (1.3). The nose is extremely pleasurable immediately. Dark caramel syrup, rich roasted oak, medium roast, sugar roasted pecans dusted in nutmeg and cinnamon. A big oaky sweet nose for those who really like sweet oak and caramel, this will be a dream, yet the spice component -all of the baking vs the cooking varietal-keep it lifted. The palate is sweet up front with dark dried fruit almost black berry jam, which quickly moves toward more cinnamon and roasted oak on the midpalate. A beautiful dusty warehouse notes keeps it lively and adds a subtle old school vibe. Hard to find a better price and more delicious wheater in stock. IF they made it harder to get every store would charge you triple the entry fee. Thank the bourbon gods they're making a descent amount and we don't have the pressure of other high proof wheaters in the age range on supply.

Price: $59.99

Laphroaig 10 Year "Càirdeas Bottled 2024" Triple Wood & PX Aged Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 08-02-2024

Bottled to commemorate 30 years of Friends of Laphroaig, this is the first Cairdeas I can remember caring and aged statement and they've done aware with the iconic tube in favor of a smart looking cardboard box. Every year the Cairdeas comes out and the real heads jump on it immediately, but the rest of the Laphroaig guys sit back to see what style we'll end up with. I can unequivocally say that this one is for all the lovers of dark oaky wine-y Laphroaig. If you loved the 2021 PX release and always wondered what an older version with a healthy dollop of ex-bourbon American oak might feel like, you've finally arrived. Let's taste it! Holy DARK Laphroaig! This is teetering on 1.6/1.7 (mahogany/burn umber). The nose is absolutely massive powerful dried fruit, exotic wood (sandalwood and teak), the finest Cuban cigars, roasting herbs, licorice root, hints of eucalyptus and camphor. The peat here is truly the frame and doesn't push through on the nose like most laphroaigs, but is integrated nicely behind sweet ultra dense fruit, powerful wood aromas, and savory herbs and meats. On the palate though the singular dense kernel of peat stays smoldering on the center of the palate while the rest of the whisky expands into a bevy of wild flavors -0ld leather, whole mace, flinty cracked stones, dried leaves, more exotic woods dominated by candlewood. It's all at once extremely intense and very drinkable. Adding water somehow heightens the spice, but softens the wood tannin. Only the tiniest drop needed here. I say this is going to one that many people will fall in love with. If you want racy sharp angry Laphroaig this isn't for you. If you want contemplative, rich and deep Laphroaig, you're going to absolutely love this. I love both styles, so it goes in the bunker this one.

Price: $104.99

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof "Batch B524" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 07-19-2024

As Heaven Hill's competitors continue to increase the prices of even younger casks strength stocks, Elijah Craigs full bore explosiveness and everyday consistency offers an respite from madness elsewhere in the category. And while the taters and flippers might skip this batch because it doesn't show the big age statement, the rest of us proper drinkers will be quietly enjoying another excellent batch of ECBP. It's difficult to point to a better bourbon on the shelf under $70 from any producer and as long as you're initiated into the cask strength club, there's little risk of not liking this one. Let's have a taste. The color is a typical deep auburn (1.5). The nose is extremely approachable right off the neck pour but absolutely loves air. Dense caramel sauce, brown sugar syrup, deep roasted oak spice, candied almonds, toasted vanilla bean. Keeps opening and giving with air and time. This is some of the bourboniest bourbon I've bourboned in some time. Behind the sweet sugar and oak, flecks of cinnamon, ancient furniture, varnish and stewed plums. On the palate, it's got surprising lift and gorgeous fruitiness up front. The supple texture is the hallmark here and the dark woody character of the nose does not translate into bitterness or harsh tannin. That said a beautiful building spice takes over after the surprisingly refreshing front and warms the entire body perfectly. This is just really solid in every way. It doesn't color outside the lines, but honestly we never asked it. It's an absolute joy to drink and although it's completely familiar in everyway it's still exciting from the first nosing to the long lingering finish. Anyone who poopoos this batch for not being 13 years old hasn't given it a fair shake.

Price: $69.99

Nikka Coffey Still Japanese Malt Whisky (750ml)

Review Date: 07-04-2024

When people ask me to describe Japanese Whisky in the shop, I typically go on a long winding history about Nikka's founder Taketsuru-san. His vision nearly 100 years ago is largely responsible for the high-quality Japanese Whisky we see today. Of course, in a more simplistic version, Japanese Whisky is basically made exactly like Scotch. Yes, there are subtle differences in technique and style, but the image that Taketsuru-san brought back from Scotland in the 1920s has remained largely unchanged. That's why it's difficult to describe Japanese Whisky without explaining Scotch to someone. But this little whisky is something so uniquely Japanese it stands apart from the rest of the category. The Scottish have certainly tried to distill Malted Whisky on a column still (over the course of the last 150+ years) but almost certainly abandoned the exercise due to the incredible costs as compared to standard grain whisky production. In this case, they've taken the same wort that would go into their Single Malt and run it through the column still. Further more it's aged in high quality recharred and refilled American oak rather than tired old 4th fill hogshead. In a lot of ways this whisky is the most distinctly Japanese product on the shelf (with the exception of the malted rice whiskies like Ohishi and Fukano). The result of experimentation that began with redistilling Ben Nevis Malt Spirit on the old Coffey stills at Nikka. The result is ultra refined and subtle but filled with character. Usually, the term smooth is the most meaningless in the business, but this one definitely qualifies. Easy, but with an edgy earthiness almost savory note and sweet stone fruit to balance. Certainly not high on the intensity meter, but extremely well put together and appealing style. Great cross over from American and Irish Whiskey lovers.

Price: $59.99

WE: 90

Woodford Reserve 2024 Batch Proof 121.2 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (700ml) (ships in a magnum box)

Review Date: 05-06-2024

It's a weird time to love bourbon. All the stuff we used to love seems incredibly difficult to get, while somethings we could never get are finally available. Case in point, the new release of Woodford Batch Proof. Previous releases were coveted by the distributor like some mystical treasure. We thought we were pretty hot when we received 20 bottles of last year’s release! But for whatever reason they didn't block the sale of this product so we've swooped in and grabbed as much as we could. Now lots of people seem skeptical of this product, not understanding exactly what's the bottle, but this ticks every nerd bourbon box save for a high age statement. That doesn't mean there isn't some dang old bourbon in here. Woodford has done an amazing job of getting the name out there, but most people still don't realize that most the whisky in these bottles is actually distilled at Old Forester near Louisville. For me that's a HUGE selling point, as cask strength old forester is next to impossible to get and finding anything with more than 4-5 years on it or at cask strength is pretty much impossible (Old Forester Birthday Bourbon or King of Kentucky). This is simply the closest you'll ever get to either of those super sought-after products without shelling out multiples over retail. Yet here we are selling this ultra rare whisky for $50 less than the average price. Ultimately, all that doesn't matter in the slightest. All that matters is how it tastes. LET'S GO! The color is DARK - Burnt Umber (1.7). The nose starts with deep roasted caramels, sweet vanilla bean, dried cherries, and dense baking spices. It's very robust and feels quite mature and Old Forester-y - even with a hint of the banana note we've come to love. With air the spice comes forward as does a savory character, roasted oak, and old leather. It's extremely BOURBON-Y bourbon. On the palate, its rich and chewy, offering further evidence that there might be some old bourbon in here. Dark cherry, big spice, sweet oak, sweet on the entry and balancing clove-y finish. I don't usually add water to cask strength bourbon, but a tiny drop really opens this up, pulling the spice and oak back and offering more sweet fruit and tropical character. The key that keeps this all together is the richness on the palate. It's not at all something unusual or distinctive beyond being just really good cask strength bourbon that may include some older and very hard to get components. Either way, it's extremely satisfying and delicious if you take all the pretense out of it. I think those who skip it for whatever reason will regret the opportunity to access these rare bourbons in this format without the hunt.

Price: $129.99

El Tesoro "K&L Exclusive" Single Barrel #B066-L323 Reposado Tequila (750ml)

Review Date: 04-30-2024

There simply isn't any bad El Tesoro, but these single barrels take it to a whole new level. We're constantly trying to get more of these barrels and thank god we've loaded them up because the owners of the brand, Beam/Suntory, have just announced further price increases! Luckily these barrels snuck in just in time. The B066 is so classically styled and actually very unusual. We typically do not get access to younger barrels, but if you're an agave head like me, you'll probably be intrigued by this unique little barrel. Most single barrels are AT LEAST 9 months, if not closer to 12, but this one sits right at 6 months old. The result perhaps of a slightly more active barrel that was deemed to be ready before the typical time frame. So let's give it a taste. Color is pale straw (.2). The nose is vibrant with rich with citrus rind, roasted agave, hints of pink peppercorn and tiny bits of sweet oak. Medium bodied and full of zesty citrus on the palate. This is just excellent tequila with an agave driven style. Can't beat it.

Price: $64.99

Corazon "K&L Exclusive - Barrel #229" W.L. Weller Barrel Aged Anejo Tequila (750ml)

Review Date: 04-10-2024

It's incredible how different these two barrels are. The fab Weller Cask that we sent to Mexico is still one of the best we've ever bottled. Let's try it. Color is white wine (.1). It so round and rich on the nose with powerful vanilla, sweet roasted agave and caramel. Here the color completely belies the completeness of the character on the nose, offering a deep enthralling experience that is exactly what we're looking for in a single barrel. On the palate, the texture is rich and creamy with hints of lemon zest, dark baking spice and sweet roast agave. The barrel is much more prevalent than on the Stagg and gives us a bold vanilla and rich complexity. If you're looking for something that really translates the feeling of the previous spirit and is less classically tequila in flavor, this is the barrel to grab.

Price: Hidden

Corazon "K&L Exclusive - Barrel #029" Stagg Bourbon Barrel Aged Anejo Tequila (750ml)

Review Date: 04-10-2024

These Corazon barrels often arrive all at the same time so it gets difficult to decide which is the right one to grab. Let's have a taste. The color is white wine (.1) indicating little influence from the barrel. The nose is light and easy going, not at all like you might expect a Stagg barrel to be - it's the burliest of the Buff Trace line up of course. Instead it's soft and round with apple and hints of baking spice. Super easy drinking and approachable without a big tannin or intense oaky character. Pretty and round it offers and ease of experience that's hard to achieve at this price point.

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Alambique Serrano "Comerciante" K&L Exclusive Single Cask #13 Oaxacan Rum (750ml)

Review Date: 03-26-2024

This new brand from the creator of 5 Sentidos Mezcal is truly a new chapter in craft rum. The fact is, this isn't some new distillery putting out experimental batches, this is the new work of a long standing rum distilling family in the highland of Oaxaca. They've produced cane spirit here for many many years and now they're expanding their efforts to new styles with the vision and drive of Jason Cox behind them. The resulting rums are completely original and offer an experience that should entice any lover of spirits to investigate the potential. I fell completely in love with many of their rums, but this barrel stood out from the pack by delivering an incredible balance between the raw ingredients, the mountainous aging environment and the high quality new French oak. Shall we? The color is a twinkly burnished (1.1). The nose immediately jumps out of the glass and lingers in the room. Its zesty and fresh with wild aromas of citrus oil, tea tree, kumquat, wormwood, fenugreek, fresh pine needles, new leather, stewed olives and maple cookies. On the palate it very textural and offers a creamy almost roasted corn note, sweet smoke, pasilla pepper, peppermint candy, licorice bark and wild herbs. It's very drinkable and surprisingly easy despite the high proof and unusual flavor profile. There's simply nothing out there anything like this. Even among the lovely and diverse rums coming from the Krassel's wonderful distillery in Santa Maria Tlalixtac, this one is a truly special one.

Price: $64.99

Castle & Key Restoration Rye "Down For Whatever" K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #3583 Barrel Proof Straight Kentucky Rye Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 03-26-2024

Skeptics will hem and haw about the merits of a 4 year old rye whisky from the lovely old distillery overlooking Glenn's Creek. C&K have taken their sweet time getting dialed in and trying to do things the right way. They're waiting and building stocks and making sure the whisky is really ready to roll before dumping anything. It's clear that the restoration rye is turning on in a big way after the four year mark and certain barrels we've tasted have been absolutely excellent. Only a handful were released for this market and we think we got the best one, but it doesn't drink quite like any other rye on the market. Maybe that's the quality of the spirit, the warehouses or the high malt content -there's simply no way to account for all the variables from where we stand, but what we can say with certainty is that it tastes wonderful. Here goes! A shimering tawny color in the glass (1.4). The nose is equal parts sweet stewed peaches and crunchy rye spice. With air it morphs into more complex notes of oolong tea, earthy underbrush, salted caramel, medium roast and honey. ON the palate, its extremely lifted and rich, dense peppery spice and a gorgeous sappy sweetness. What really stands out here is the ridiculously oily texture. As you sip the rye starts to stick its head out from the sweet core and the malt-y base note also reverberates nicely, but it never feels malt forward at all. So if you like a big spicy bourbon and not looking for a Christmas tree in a glass (no big menthol or evergreen notes here) this is the rye barrel for you.

Price: Hidden

2003 Domaine du Cardinat 19 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Cask #131 Bas-Armagnac (750ml)

Review Date: 03-26-2024

Continuing the Cardinat tradition of offering insane values and big oaky style armagnacs, this barrel of 2003 was selected in early Spring of 2023. Due to a bit of a clerical mix up the barrels were not bottled and shipped until early 2024, so we've got the old prices locked in here. I liked this barrel so much I snagged the entire thing. This is truly the bourbon drinkers brandy here and will convert any brown spirits lover to a diehard Armagnac fan given the chance. Not a big risk here, 2 decades in a barrel and still only $75. Let's taste it. The color is a deep old oak (1.8). The nose is big and woody, but not plank-y or sawdust at all. Instead it's hyper developed old wood, exotic and varnished cuts. It reminds me immediately of some of the 70s and 80s bourbons we wished were still made - looking at you National Distillers! Now with some air some gorgeous caramelized fruit, sweet maple candies, dried peach and cherry jam. On the palate its absolutely stunning offering a thick coating mouth feel and a big oaky sweetness up front. Tangy red fruit candies, rich roasted vanilla, dark espresso bean and a hints of licorice and hazelnut. Its juicy and wild, but so balanced you'd have thought they added sugar to balance the gripe of the powerful oak. They didn't. It's just so splendid and delicious, I've been fighting their price increases, but after tasting this I think we might just need to accept that Cardinat is the most undervalued brown spirit on the market today. Hard to ask them to charge less when its this good, but I'll keep trying to keep these at this price point for as long as possible.

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Tom's Foolery 8 Year Old "Single Barrel #420" Bottled In Bond Ohio Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 02-29-2024

I started buying Tom's Foolery after a family trip back to Cleveland, Ohio. My wife's grand parents lived in the gorgeous little town of Chagrin Falls and over a glass of my grand-mother in law's home made Bailey's (they don't really drink but made an exception for me!), someone mentioned a little distillery down the way. We took a little detour on our way out of town to find the Herbruck's home and they were gracious enough to welcome us unannounced. What I found absolutely astonishing. In the barn behind the house, Tom was using a famous old still to make some of the best craft whisky I'd ever tasted. The quality back then was astonishing, but one thing I always said to myself was, "I can't wait to see how this stuff ages out." Well here we are, more than a decade later and the whiskies are absolutely incredible. This cask is quintessential Tom's Foolery boasting their classic high malted rye mashbill (70% rye, 30% malted rye). In its youth this stuff is an absolute menthol bomb, but 8+ years under its belt, we've reach a new level. Let's have a go! The color is a vibrant auburn. The nose, like all these whiskies, starts extremely closed, but with obviously tons of stuffing. Big pumpernickel and barrel spice at first. After 30 min in the glass we start to see the true nature of this gorgeous whisky. Perfect dark toasty rye spice, dense cherry and wild berry fruit, wild oak varnish-y wood and an endless bouquet of sweet fresh and roasted herbs. With further aeration a lovely bitter orange oil, cracked pepper and pungent peppermint aroma begins to waft, but never over takes the other gorgeous aromatics. On the palate, an upfront sweetness with tons of roasted nuts (pecan pie?) which builds towards a tense clove spice through the mid-palate. There adds along side the spice sweet caramel candies and a warming rye spice on the backend. We've got tons of pepper, salted licorice, bitter herbs and exotic wood. There's almost a Tea Tree note, perhaps the logical end to the youthful mint flavors we had in previous bottlings, but it doesn't edge into much bitterness at all. This hits all the geeks rye notes, while at the same time being more overt and pleasurable than any other craft rye on the market. This whisky leaves me undeterred in my belief that Tom's Foolery is the most exciting and delicious truly craft whisky on the market today - NOT an easy feat by any measure. Add to that an incredibly reasonable price and you've got one of the best values on the shelf of any kind.

Price: Hidden

Angel's Envy "K&L Exclusive" Cask #231050 Private Select Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml)

Review Date: 02-13-2024

These Angel's casks have varied wildly in their character, but I'm usually going for the ones that are less Port-y and more bourbon forward because I find the heavily wine driven ones often offer power over balance and sometimes have subtle off notes that detract from the experience. This barrel, however, turns the Port character up to 11 without masking the bourbon or throwing any stinky or sulfur stuff. It's a real powerhouse and will continue to change in the bottle for the better, but the neck pour is stupendous already. Let's dig in. The color is damned dark, old oak (1.8). The nose explodes from the glass on dark red cherry fruit first then heaps cinnamon cookies, turbinado sugar, toasted vanilla, and old vintage furniture. There isn't an ounce of funk or savory harshness on the nose at all. On the palate it completely belies the high proof, offering sweet candied red fruit, cinnamon candies, caramel sauce, and a big baking spice note. Very sweet up front with a building spice on the back end which builds toward that old wood, subtle French oak spice on the end. It's spicy and sweet at the same time, but it's still clean as a whistle. This is easily the best Angel's cask I've picked that still shows plenty of Port character. An absolutely fab little casks that loves air. We'll be lucky to get more like this in the future.

Price: $89.99

Wathen’s Private Barrel "K&L Exclusive" Single Barrel #4498 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 02-08-2024

This gorgeous barrel is easily my favorite Wathen's in some time. While they don't publish the dates of distillation or bottling, Sam thought that barrel was 7-8 years old when we tasted it and it definitely shows some great maturity. Let's taste it. The color is bright chestnut. The nose starts tight and definitely needs air. Don't you dare judge this bottle on the neck pour. Anyway, with a few minutes in the glass it starts to untangle. Now gorgeous sweet tea, vanilla bean, creamsicle, wild flower honey, hints of red fruit and cloves. On the palate it's got a great menthol front end, fresh grass, greengage, honey syrup and a lovely old woody barrel spice on the finish. It's just a super unique and lovely little bourbon that doesn't quite fit into any of the boxes you might expect it to.

Price: Hidden

Dornoch Distillery Redacted (Thompson) Bros 8 Year Old "SRV5" Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-18-2023

You all probably know I'm a redacted/thompson/dornoch fan boy of the highest order. It's not just that Phil and Simon are doing some of the coolest stuff in the industry, but that they are genuinely great guys, working their asses off for something that they believe in. So I was stoked when Phil was so excited about his new blended malt project. Apparently, he got hooked up with a few large vats of some of the hardest to get stuff in the industry, which cannot be named here, but is without a doubt one of my favorite distillers. This is mingled in vat with small amounts of an excellent malt from the north coast of Islay. The result is a gorgeous product of that delivers a class and old school character that few in the point can match. Let's taste it! Starting very tight and malty, but with just a little bit of air this wild waxy fruit comes through - pear, persimmon, lemon oil and almond shells. On the palate a burst of savory salt character balanced perfectly with malty fruit. Now here is where it gets interesting. ADD a tiny splash of water. An absolute revelation!!! Gorgeous peach and nectarine now. Waxy Asian pear, lanolin, prosciutto, tobacco leaf, more lemon oil and mint. On the palate it's ocean-y still but the forward smoke has tempered and the salt remains. I find this to be ridiculously pleasurable and moreish. Very few, if any, more drinkable and overtly appealing malts out there anywhere close to this price point.

Price: $54.99

Dornoch Distillery Redacted (Thompson) Bros 6 Year Old "TB/BSW" Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Review Date: 10-18-2023

This special batch of scotch is perhaps the most incredible value that we've seen from Scotland in sometime. Our friends, Phil and Simon Thompson have a way of getting the industry behind them. I'm not sure exactly how they do it, but it maybe thanks to them being two of the grooviest guys in the Highlands. Maybe it's years behind the bar at the Dornoch hotel getting to know the players in the industry on face to face basis. Either way, doors have seemingly opened for the dynamic duo and the TB/BSW is maybe the most rarified. On paper, it looks like a terrible value though. "6 year old blended scotch for more than $50, these men are PIRATES," I can hear my customers yelling. But since all of our customers are thoughtful and discerning they'll know immediately that it cannot be correct. And indeed it is not! 99.9% of this is single malt from the very highest high point of Highland sherry aged single malt. . A tiny dribble of 6 year old grain (supposedly a blending room error) and we've got one of the greatest scotch bottlings of the new era. Let's taste it! The color is lovely burnished/chestnut oloroso hue. Immediately the nose offers gorgeous sherry character full of dried plum, rich toffee, roasted espresso and baking spices. With air, it adds more Christmas cake, candied citrus, raisins and maple syrup. On the palate it's very rich and textured pushing forward with the deep dried fruit (fig and plums), gorgeous toasted spices, and deep roasted malt character. It loves a drop of water honestly, which add even more dense fruit and softens the spices slightly. But not more than a tiny drop in my opinion. Bottled at a perfect 92 proof without chillfiltration or coloring of course. This should be most sherry lovers table malt. You cannot afford not to have it around all the time.

Price: $54.99

Wild Turkey "Kentucky Spirit" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Review Date: 05-30-2023

The Kentucky Spirit hangs back in the shadow of the WT portfolio, eclipsed in prominence by the Russell's single barrel picks. One thing I love about the standard Kentucky Spirits releases is they include a lot more information than a standard bottle of Russell's. While our store picks include rick, warehouse and bottling info, the regular Russell's Single Barrel does not. So while people will go nuts for a single barrel of Russell's, I'm sitting here with a bottle of Kentucky Spirit and no one seems to be the wiser. Bottled at a lovely 101 proof, these single barrels should be on every taters list of must grabs. Here we go!!! A beautiful nose of mature Turkey nose of sweet roasted oak, charred herbs, and honey candies. With time and air this guy starts to get pretty darn complex, bringing in some charred peaches, fresh cinnamon sticks, aged tobacco. On the palate, it really open and surprisingly fresh, softer and way off the big kickin' cinnamon that some WT lovers want. Instead it's really candied and sweet only turning up the heat on the finish after a few sips. Then we're reminded it's Turkey after all. Just really damned good whisky. You can count on that.

Price: $59.99

Bardstown Bourbon Company 6 Year Old "Origin Series #1" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

Review Date: 05-20-2023

Everyone agrees that Bardstown Bourbon Co. is one of the most exciting new producers in Kentucky. They've done a huge amount of work to get to this point and now that there flagship own distilled bourbon is on the market, I think we can start to talk about them in the same breath as the other big boys. IN lots of ways, they've become the most important distiller in this Bardstown area - eclipsing the often forgotten Barton and the ultra rare Willett Family Estate, which only releases tiny amounts of age stated bourbon at very high prices. Bardstown on the other hand is offering 6 year old bourbon at $40 that hits every single note here. Many might look at the mashbill and think, oh it's going to be a big spicy rye bourbon, but Bardstown has managed to achieve extreme balance here, which is exactly why I keep reaching for it. Let's go! An absolutely gorgeous nose of sweet oak, honey, seville zest, yellow fruits - apricot, quince, yellow cherries, subtle fresh herbs (maybe a bit of mint, tarragon and dill), good sprinkle of baking spice. It's all at once super supple, open and quite complex, focused on corny sweetness and zesty citrus. It really balances the freshness with a sense of completeness. It doesn't feel at all young, but lifted and punchy. ON the palate, we've got a great texture at 96 proof with the stone fruit and citrus taking charge. It's by no means rye driven which is interesting, but hints of earthy spice and minty herbal character remind us it's 36% rye. If Bardstown keeps putting stuff out this good at 6 years old for $40, the big guys are going to have rethink all there plans I think. Every bourbon lover should be tasting this new benchmark from the excellent producer in Bardstown.

Price: $39.99

Nordés Atlantic Galician Gin (700ml)

Review Date: 05-02-2023

The era of SALTY gin is upon us and I'm so grateful. It started with kelp and now sea beans. I'm in love with sea beans as an ingredient and I love their crunch salty character, but when I found out these crazy Spaniards were dumping them into the gin I was giddy. But this stuff isn't some weird esoteric thing that only the most adventurous will appreciate. This is literally Spain's number one super premium gin. Now if you don't know yet, Spain has absolutely lost its collective mind for gin. They make us look way behind the curve on the gin thing. Gin Tonics, vermouth, Tapas, Salt, Oil - it's all part of the ethos and this guy fits right in. Let's taste! The nose is pungent and floral with deep spice elements. I think maybe the grape spirit base is heightening the floral and fruity aromas and that balances the herbal character nicely (lots of tea character as well). It's got lots of sweetness on the nose and definitely a pungent perfume-y character, but doesn't get to bogged down in the florals thanks to the sweet fruit and subtle herbal notes -sage, eucalyptus, lemon verbena. Behind that twinges maritime character -seaside grasses and ocean spray. On the palate it's well balanced with the strong floral character giving way to more of the spice and hints of salty and pine. It's got a great mouth feel thanks to the base of Albarino eau-de-vie. This is by no means a traditional dry gin, but also doesn't stray too far off. I think it would suite well a Hendrick's drinker as well as a Monkey 47 lover, although it's not the one to reach for when you want a linear juniper driven London Dry. It does do absolute wonders with Tonic and can be really appealing to play with in classic cocktails when you want to mix things up a bit. I'm not at all surprised that the Spanish love this gin so much. I'm right there with them.

Price: $34.99

WE: 92

Montagave "Heritage" Bordeaux Finished Blanco Tequila (750ml)

Review Date: 04-29-2023

People often ask me what my favorite tequila is. This is really an impossible question to answer, but there is unquestionably one distillery that I've been enamored with since visiting 4 years ago. The Cascahuin Distillery in El Arenal is easily the most traditional and characterful in the Valley of Tequila. Every single product coming out of this wonderful plant is full of depth and soul, making it the easiest way to get converted to authentic tequila. Of course, the whole industry is on fire and with the incredible focus on the category, we're seeing more and more people digging deeper into the truth behind how tequila is made. It doesn't take long to realize that only a handful of distillers are to be truly trusted blindly, and Cascahuin is in that distinguished bunch. With all of its commitment to production the old way, the distillers are not afraid of experimentation and this product is one of the most successful. The brand is the brainchild of husband and wife team, Lucie and John Melvin. They collaborated with the Rosales family to create Montagave. The idea was to take Cascahuin's extremely flavorful blanco and mature it in extremely high-quality Grand Cru French St Emilion barrels. This is a tricky balance because the fresh barrels need to be of the highest quality and the maturation needs to be monitored extremely closely to avoid degrading the inherent beauty of the spirit itself. The result is a tequila that has been barrel-aged, but under the legal limits to achieve the reposado classification. Subsequent batches are using first and second-fill barrels to add depth and character without overpowering again, and some of these used barrels will likely be featured in further aged releases. In any case, the Melvin's have truly achieved something special here, adding nuance and freshness to the already extremely complex lowland tequila. It is truly an impressive achievement. Let's taste it! The color is pale white wine with the tiniest hint of rose. On the nose, a huge smack of roast agave, vibrant citrus, hints of ripe cherry, and exotic spice. A big, gorgeous Tahitian vanilla bean base note hints at the ultra-high-quality French oak that seems to have simply kissed the spirit gently. Further aeration offers crushed rock, cubeb, grains of paradise, roast pumpkin seeds, and citrus oil. On the palate, it is extremely lifted and vibrant with a lovely texture and no tannins or hard edges at all. That doesn't mean it isn't full of rich spice, tart wild raspberry, lemon peel, savory spices, and subtle meaty earthiness, but the creamy texture and gorgeous fruit imparted by the subtle aging regime subdues the intensity of the spirit perfectly. For me, a purist of the highest order when it comes to agave spirits, this hits all the right notes. Some may look at this and ask why the blanco is so expensive (they don't even have a ceramic bottle?!?!), but in terms of the quality and experience offered, I think this product offers exceptional value. It's also a perfect crossover if you've been cutting your teeth on some of the sweeter style blancos or reposados and want to tiptoe into truly authentic, additive-free tequila. I'm confident you'll find something to love about this special product.

Price: $69.99

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