Rum is so broad and complex, we have so much left to explore. When was the last time you found out about a new category of whisky that you’d never heard about? Uncharted territory is exciting. You never know quite what you might find. Occasionally you stumble upon hidden treasure, left off the map perhaps intentionally. To find the gems you must be open and ready to receive them. Like last year’s discovery of the incredible Paranubes Aguardiente de Cana from Sierra Mazateca.
Read MoreIn the 12+ years that I’ve been a retail spirits buyer, one sliver of marketing speak sticks out. Not because it rang true, but because it's so wildly flawed. I remember when I first started, a Hawaiian shirt clad sales person bringing this no age statement dark as night sugary slop into my office to talk about all the Gold Medals it had won. “This is made just like they used to do in Cuba,” he babbled. It had a big number that corresponded to absolutely nothing relevant and some combination of the letters’ “V O P X R or S” slapped on the front to imply that it was REALLY old. Add a big meaningless numeral and gold stopper, who could say no?
Read MoreMarc Darroze has spent the last 20 years perfecting the art of aging and blending Armagnac in the house of Darroze, which father Jean had nearly 5 decades earlier. Jean was a restaurateur and enamored with the complexities and diversity of the tiny domaines of Gascogne. Likewise, Marc has taken that endless curiosity and epicurean ideal out to the rest of the world. His line of specially selected spirits from all over France and the rest of the world is called Bapt & Clem.
Read MoreWe're open today (until 6pm at all 3 locations) if you need anything last minute for your own celebrations! Here in Redwood City we're having a "Major BBQ Event" for the staff. Jimmy has some chicken thighs in the smoker and Gary and Cindy are prepping for burgers. The weather is perfect and it's going to be a great day. Traditionally in Redwood City, we throw a BBQ lunch party and enjoy a glass of rose on the 4th of July. We are proud to uphold this tradition yet again this year! Our celebration features some classics from BBQ's past: the
Read MoreThere's nothing worse than pointless marketing hooey designed just to confuse or obfuscate a product's quality or provenance. With that in mind, I was ultra skeptical when I first heard about this project from Glenlivet. But having gone through the process, tasting the excellent whisky that they've put in this surprisingly cool looking bottle, I'm totally sold. So grab your bottle and login to use your senses to break the code. We only got a few bottles and the speculators are already driving the price up, so crack the cipher before it's too late.
Read MoreYou may have noticed a lot of changes here including a few new voices. We’ve asked our dear friend Sku to help out with some interesting and informative pieces. Our new NorCal Spirits Buyer Andrew Whiteley has already been making waves, launching the new wonderful Woodinville whiskies (NorCal Exclusive), as well as securing loads of the elusive Hakushu 12 year for our customers. He’s been Driscoll’s right hand man in Redwood City for years, so he knows what’s up. And while a lot has and will continue to change around here, some things will stay the same.
Read MoreDistillery disasters are nothing new, fires being the biggest threat given all of that flammable alcohol and fumes. In recent years, the expansion in craft distilling has increased the number of explosions at small distilling outfits. Here are just a few of the major disasters that have befallen American distilleries through the years.
Read MoreOver the years we’ve worked closely with nearly every Scottish Independent bottler. Often times we are the first retailor in the US to feature a particular brand, but it’s not often that we’re able to secure truly exclusive sale. We’re not an importer and have no particular rights or claims to any brand. Instead, we build relationships through positive interaction and responsible stewardship. We’ve brought many brands to the US that our importers would otherwise not have the opportunity to sell and likewise we’ve secured exclusive rights with certain international brands in California.
Read MoreLast night I found myself in the enviable position of "needing" to taste three great whiskies all at once. You know, for a proper apples-to-apples comparison. The Kaiyo Peated Mizunara oak bottling just arrived a couple of days before some Yamazaki 12 and Hakushu 12 became available. I was volunteered as tribute to be the poor guinea pig to conduct the research and find out how the three compared.
Read MoreWhat makes a champion whiskey? People don’t want sourced whiskey with dubious label claims about a 200 year history. They want an authentic product, made well, and a company with the patience to turn it into great whiskey before trying to sell it. Woodinville founders Brett and Orlin heard the message loud and clear. When they opened in 2010, Woodinville worked hard and delivered.
Read MoreThis man and legendary drinker is one the most integral influences in the dramatic opening of American culture to the wide wide world of food over the last two decades. Always fighting for the underdog and attacking many of the most powerful elements in his industry and others, one thing he proved was that speaking truth to power could be meaningful. His biting style -intelligent, irreverent, sardonic, yet undeniably just- will remain a timeless source of power for the underdog in this industry. The revelation that life can be about sensual experience, hedonism over egoism, without diminishing one's commitment to what's right and good in the world will be the legacy that I cling to always.
Read MoreSince the beginning of their brandy program back in 2012, K&L has brought in a lot of French brandy, much of which is hard to find anywhere else in the U.S. David Othenin-Gerard just got back from France, so hopefully there will be more to come. I thought it might be handy to list out some of the domaines I've really enjoyed from the
Read MoreA bit late is better than never. I guess we should have expected it from these goddamned hippies in Scotland. Luckily, the good vibes are endlessly mellowing at Ardbeg and all is forgiven after one sip of the new release from that special little distillery at the end of the road on Islay's south shore. We got a decent chunk and no we do not have the Committee Release any longer, sorry. This guy is pretty dang tasty, so quit harshing the vibe and get with the Grooves...
Read MoreAfter spending time in Gascogne, falling in love with the people and products made here, I imagine that this would be the ultimate destination for any foodie craving an authentic experience. It’s certainly not an easy place to get to, and, beyond the Chemin de St-Jacques that meanders its way through the region, there’s very little tourism. I discussed the reasons for that with my friends Bernard and Vero in Montréal-du-Gers on Sunday.
Read MoreLast week we discussed bourbon myths, but there are rules for more than just bourbon. Here are a few you might not know
Read MoreWell the title says it all. Some sort of SNAFU at the NorCal distributor means we won't have the new Grooves and its trippy box in time for Ardbeg Day. Instead we will give you another absolutely unobtainable peater. This whisky was recently subject of a country wide manhunt thanks to a massive media blitz about its imminent disappearance. Honestly it’s always been my favorite of the “affordable” Suntory line and I think it does a lot that the Yama 12 does not.
Read MoreThe new release of Balvenie's Peat Week is upon us. Perfectly timed with the release of another extremely smoky whisky tomorrow (you Ardbeg heads know what I'm talking about), the Balvenie is unique in the Highlands for continuing to hand malted barley in their production process. The standard whiskies do include a tiny amount of peated malt as its subtle influence is key to the ultimate complexity of the Balvenie, but every year for exactly seven days, the distillery reverts to the old ways of doing things. At one point in history is was not possible to get Scotch without some peaty element included in the distillation.
Read MoreThere is still plenty of bourbon misinformation out there though. I read something incorrect about bourbon on an almost daily basis. Given that the bourbon regulations are written out in the United States Code of Federal Regulations, which are published on-line, you would think that there wouldn't be so much confusion about the rules, but some of these just seem to endure. So here are some of the most persistent bourbon myths.
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