Just a few quick notes for the weekend.
-I've been drying out a bit recently hence the lack of everyday posts. Don't forget to let your body recover from time to time. I came into this business thinking that if everyone around me drank everyday it must be OK. For me, it isn't OK and it's good to listen to your own body when it's telling you to back off. Some of the best palates to ever have tasted whisky are no longer with us and that fact isn't unrelated to their lifestyle.
-Amrut Indian single malts should be in next week! This is a very big deal. The Fusion was rated the 3rd best whisky in the world this year by the Whisky Bible and I can see why. I just tasted it again yesterday and it was amazing. I really like it. Look for that and the rest of the line up to be in stock by next weekend.
-Don't forget the Old World Spirits tasting tonight.
-We've got 3 new Murray McDavid whiskies at great prices:
1997 Mortlach 12 Year Old Chateau d' Yquem Cask Murray McDavid Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml $59.99- Yet another masterful manipulation of Speyside underdog Mortlach by Bruichladdich's Jim McEwan. The last batch of Mortlach we had saw syrah casks on the finish and went down as one of the all time K&L greats (we still get calls every now and then from a desperate customer hoping to get one last bottle). This time around the red fruits are replaced with honey and stonefruit, with white wine aromatics blending into the luscious richness from the Sauternes influence. The malted barley comes out on the midpalate and the mouthfeel is nowhere near as viscous as you would expect. The sweetness is almost imperceptable until the finish comes roaring in with loads of caramel, honey, and Yquem's amazing buttery texture. A fantastic value that ranks among Murray McDavid's finest achievements.
1999 Bowmore 10 year old E. Guigal Cote Rotie Cask Murray McDavid Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml (elsewhere $70) $49.99 - Before whisky legend Jim McEwan set off to lead the way at Bruichladdich, he was the master distiller at Bowmore for over twenty years - bringing the reputation of the distillery to the top of the single malt world. Now that he's bottling casks independently with the Murray McDavid project, he finally got the chance to get his hands on some of his old creation and manipulate it to his liking. Taking high quality syrah barrels from the magical appelation of Cote Rotie, Mr. McEwan seasons this solid 10 year Bowmore into something exception and unique. The moderate peat and refreshing brininess of the Bowmore plays wonders against the spice, peppar, and dark berry fruit of the Cote Rotie barrels. An intoxicating crimson hue is the first striking quality of this wonderful malt. The plummy richness of the Cote Rotie is not lost in the salt air and spice of the Bowmore. An exceptional example and a fabulous value.
1995 Macallan 14 Year Old, Petrus Cask Murray McDavid Single Malt Whisky 750ml $89.99 - What happens when you combine the most successful and beloved of all Speyside malts with the legendary wine of Bordeaux's Petrus and the mastery of Bruichladdich's Jim McEwan? You get elegance, intruigue, and succulence in an amazing bottle of whisky. The mellow and mild mannered sherry wood aged Macallan sees an amazing enhancement of red fruit highlights with a juicier mouthfeel without ever negating its finest attribute which has always been balance. The most tradtional and conservative of Scotland's whiskies, this transformation was obviously done with kid gloves so as not to adulterate the flavor, but rather to make it better. The sweetness is just a bit brighter and the supple textures are just a bit smoother. Jim McEwan continues to show us that no one understands the relationship of barrels to whisky better than he does.
Take care,
-David Driscoll
