- 2002 Bladnoch 11 Year Old K&L Exclusive Lightly Peated Single Barrel #303 Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($69.99)
Ladies and gentlemen, Bladnoch single malt whisky is finally here in the U.S.! That’s not to say you couldn’t get Bladnoch whisky in the past, but it had to come in from an independent bottler like Signatory or Chieftain’s (we did our own cask a few years back). But this particular Bladnoch doesn’t come via a third party. It’s distillery-direct, straight-from-the-source Bladnoch and our three casks mark the first time any American retailer has done business with the Armstrong family directly (we worked with them to design our own new labels specifically for the U.S. market). Formerly owned by Diageo, Bladnoch distillery was shut down in the mid-90s until two Irish brothers – Raymond and Colin Armstrong – purchased the site and lobbied to have it resurrected. By 2000, they were distilling whisky at Bladnoch once again. Located in the Scotland’s deep southern region, it’s one of three designated “Lowland” distilleries and i t’s by far the most interesting of the group. Our 11 year old cask is actually a lightly-peated formula that the Armstrongs began distilling at the beginning of their tenancy. It captures the soft fruitiness that Bladnoch has always been known for, but adds just a touch of phenolic complexity to the mix (think somewhere in between Talisker and Springbank). With a rich, almost jelly bean-like sweetness on the finish and that hint of peat adding the accent, the whisky pops perfectly with the 51.5% alcohol providing a balance against the fruit.
- 2009 Bladnoch “Young” K&L Exclusive Heavily Peated Single Barrel #57 Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($54.99)
Ladies and gentlemen, Bladnoch single malt whisky is finally here in the U.S.! That’s not to say you couldn’t get Bladnoch whisky in the past, but it had to come in from an independent bottler like Signatory or Chieftain’s (we did our own cask a few years back). But this particular Bladnoch doesn’t come via a third party. It’s distillery-direct, straight-from-the-source Bladnoch and our three casks mark the first time any American retailer has done business with the Armstrong family directly (we worked with them to design our own new labels specifically for the U.S. market). Formerly owned by Diageo, Bladnoch distillery was shut down in the mid-90s until two Irish brothers – Raymond and Colin Armstrong – purchased the site and lobbied to have it resurrected. By 2000, they were distilling whisky at Bladnoch once again. Located in the Scotland’s deep southern region, it’s one of three designated “Lowland” distilleries and i t’s by far the most interesting of the group. This three year old cask marks the first time the Armstrong’s heavily peated experiment has hit the states. Bright cinnamon Red Hot spice blisters the backend of this whisky, as the flavor builds slowly from the initial sip into a flurry of flavor in the finish. It’s very Kilchoman-like, but with more fruit. While some may hesitate with the youth of this whisky, you’d be doing your mouth a disservice. We pounced immediately on this cask during our visit and we think you’ll see why. It’s a Lowland explosion.
- 1996 Bowmore 16 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($105.99)
This year we were lucky enough to secure two different Bowmore Casks for the Faultline selection. As I’ve stated previously, Bowmore is absolutely one of the finest distilleries in Scotland and finding casks like this at reasonable prices is just not normal. This lovely whisky comes from a refill sherry butt. This is a lovely contrast to our other Bowmore, showing much softer aromas of candied fruit, densely wafting smoke, but with a subtleness that is not seen on the Hogshead cask from 1997. This barrel perhaps captures the current distillery profile more precisely because of the sherry influence (limited as it may be) and will make any Bowmore lover happy. It may also provides an opening for none Islay drinkers to appreciate a smoky whisky that is fully integrated and approachable without to much of the medicinal side. Similar casks are currently selling in Europe for upwards of $150, so don’t expect this to be around forever.
- 1980 Caol Ila 32 Year Old Sovereign K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($269.99)
We’ve teased the idea of three ultra-mature Islay casks since this past March, but we were never able to give any specifics. “Three ancient casks, reminiscent of what we used to see all the time back in 2007, from the same warehouse as our fantastic Port Ellen cask a few years back.” People were curious. If you ever hear anyone say, “There’s no more old whisky in Scotland,” they’re not completely off-base. At this point, it’s no longer about who will pay the most or who’s got the most coin–it’s only about access. Do you have the connections, the relationships, and do people actually want to do business with you? Luckily for us the past few years of hard work, loyalty, respect, and friendship have opened more doors for us. Three doors, actually. And what’s behind door number three? The sister cask to our former K&L exclusive, a 1980 Caol Ila now two years older than when we last visited her. While our former cask was rather light on its feet, its older sister comes in at a whopping 57.1% and brings all the earthy peat you can handle. It’s also classically Caol Ila with a rounder, fruiter palate from those famous, fat-necked pot stills. The price is in line as well with that offering. Our 30 year old cask sold for $199.99, so considering inflation, the increasingly-insane demand for whisky, and the extra few years, we think it’s pretty reasonable. If 150 people agree with us we’ll be sold out.
- 1989 Cragganmore 23 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($109.99)
Finally, the return of Cragganmore to the Faultline line up. One of our first bottlings was a fabulous 20 year old Craggy, from a hogshead. That was three years ago and we haven’t seen another Cragganmore from any of our suppliers since, so when this one popped up as a potential Faultline candidate we jumped on it. We were surprised again by both the quality and the incredible price! Cragganmore is distilled from very lightly peated barley. Over the course of 23+ years in a refill sherry butt, that subtle smokiness has morphed into what can only be described as quintessentially Speyside. Imagine a highland shrub recently in bloom after months of dormancy during the long cold winter. Imagine the honey bee attracted to the tiny purple flowers, returns to her hive, which is situated precariously on the outstretched limb of knobby oak tree. The honey slowly drips out of the dense honeycomb on to the damp reeds below. This tiny florally flecked speck of honey trapped on a blade of grass flutters in the breeze to land on a damp stone on the banks of the river Spey. Droplets from the idly lapping river loosen the blade from its sticky perch on the wet stone, eventually releasing it into the meandering river as it twists toward the north sea. Now imagine yourself with a bottle of Cragganmore. You have a very good imagination…
- 1997 Glengoyne 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Sovereign” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($79.99)
Glengoyne is one of those distilleries that everybody loves, but never remembers. Located right on the border between Highland and Lowland -a line conveniently drawn right around the distillery- it’s definitely one of the up and coming malts these days. Despite being quite well regarded by many, we rarely see Glengoyne around and even less so as an independent bottling. This lovely cask came as a surprise when we first tasted it as it was not on our radar either. What we found was a splendidly idiosyncratic example of this little distillery. It feels like we’re a little more on the lowland side of the street here, with soft grassy aromas, subtle white pepper, and only moderate oak on the nose and palate. The oak spice builds on the finish, but it’s not a power house. Instead, a fresh and forward aperitif that should do well for you as the weather starts to heat up again.
- 2005 Glenrothes 8 Year Old K&L Exclusive “S overeign” Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($49.99)
We are so lucky to have such incredible suppliers. We built relationships with some of Scotland’s best bottlers and none more exciting than the Laing Brothers. Stewart Laing’s new company Hunter Laing is responsible for bottling our Sovereign line of single malts and when we told Stewart that we were looking for some affordable options to go with our three incredible old Islay casks, he was happy to oblige. You may know Glenrothes, the gorgeous little distillery outside of Aberlour, as one of Speyside’s finest. There are no questions that Glenrothes is a blue chip malt and finding it on the secondary market is rare. Finding first fill single barrel cask strength sherry butts for less than $50 is just silly. It’s like having our own A’bunadh. This unctuous little cask has everything you could want from a young sherry bomb. Despite the youth, we have powerfully aromas, shifting from Glenrothes’ classic earthy pepper notes to the dense dr ied raisin and baking spices. The high proof isn’t evident on the palate, but it swims really really well. A like this a lot with a few drops of water. We probably should have bought two of these. At this price it will be gone soon.
- 1992 Longmorn 21 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($115.99)
Oh Longmorn, you elusive lovely creature. Last year, we bottled a Longmorn from a fresh sherry butt that was arguably our most positively received whisky of 2012. All the whisky geeks went mad and snatched up every bottle moments after it arrived. This year we return with another Longmorn of a similar price and aged, but this time it’s coming from a second fill butt. It’s not the sweet up-front style of last year’s, but instead a powerful whisky filled with fresh vanilla, dark dense fruit, and aromas of toffee and spice. This is a fabulously complex whisky with a roundness that’s undeniably pleasurable. Again don’t expect a redux of last year’s cask, but a special whisky that stands tall on it’s own merit. All lovers of this splendid Speyside distillery, located just south of Elgin, should buy now before the price goes up. A very welcome addition to the Faultline family.
- 1982 Miltonduff 30 Year Old Faultlin e Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($159.99)
This baby will be the oldest single malt whisky we’ve ever bottled under the Faultline label. Miltonduff is certainly rare on the market right now, although we find casks regularly, the quality is highly irregular. This cask was just transcendent in my opinion. Aged for 30 years in a bourbon barrel, we really get to the essence of Miltonduff. Exhibiting exotic wood notes and powerfully aromatic qualities of incense, gentian, and spice on the nose give way to intense vibrancy and life on the palate. While this whisky is mature, it certainly shows no sign of slowing down, layering on the aromatic elements as the whisky finishes. Sandalwood, cardamom, bay leaf, and subtle honeyed sweetness soften the powerful masculine quality of this special whisky.
- 1987 Mortlach 25 Year Old Faultline Single Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($139.99)
Here is a fun whisky from the fabulous and sought-after distillery in Dufftown. We’ve already had great success this year with Mortlach from various bottlers, but this cask was just too good a value to pass up. What we have here is a total turnaround from the sherry monster that we bottled via Chieftain’s this year. Coming from a refill bourbon barrel, the savory quality of Mortlach is not framed by the sweet dried fruit of the sherry cask. Instead, the subtle influence of the bourbon barrels works to highlight the distilleries distinctive qualities. Just an all together stupendous value, if somewhat geared for the more expert drinker. The high proof will be a definite surprise for those not expecting it. I believe that many who liked our first Faultline – a Littlemill 21 yo – will enjoy this cask for its unflappable uniqueness and rich complexity. - 2008 Talisker “The Speakeasy” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask St rength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($59.99)
I cannot express how utterly unusual it is for this cask to be here right now. The incredible rarity of independently bottled Talisker is not a surprise. This little distillery on the Isle of Skye is one of the world’s best. It’s an integral part in many of the Johnnie Walker expressions and is therefore never traded. If, however, you were one of the lucky few to own a blending operation back when Talisker contracts were actually available, you potentially could be sitting on some decent stocks of this fine whisky. Needless to say, owning Talisker is not the same as bottling single cask Talisker, as the distillery’s owners are notorious for discouraging independent bottlings with the name divulged. I don’t know if that’s folklore, but I know when we first decided to take this cask, it was going to be under a different name. When the labels showed up, that policy had changed. Talisker it was indeed and everyone would know it. Luckily, this is the boring part of the story. The real story is in the barrel. Here, this whisky’s youth is an asset. It’s lost the leesy grappa notes that the distillate displays at an earlier stage, allowing the peat to push through to the foreground. The intensity the results is absolutely mind-bending. While we should/could be asking a lot more for this whisky for various reasons, we’ve made a commitment to providing great values for our customers and that means we’ve fought to get the price way down for you. Similar whisky sells for $120 in Europe.
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
