K&L Barrel Buying Advice

I was waiting for this question to start pouring in on the emails, and I'm glad that it did, because I will now address it here on the blog for everyone to read:

"David-

I want to buy a selection of K&L's exclusive Scotland barrels, but I have limited funds and I don't want to buy too many before I know what's going to be available later.  What should I do?"

Of course!  What if you buy all three of the currently available barrels below, you've spent your savings, but then we introduce a completely new batch of must have bottles and you're all tapped out!

My advice is this:

-If you're holding out for more peated, Islay barrels, don't hold out.  We didn't buy much peated whisky.  In fact, the main one we're working on is still uncertain, so we might come back without any if it doesn't pull through.

-If you're holding out for big names and big, obvious, must have labels, don't hold out.  It's not going to be a Diageo Classic malt fun fest by any means.  There's no Talisker, no Oban, no secret barrel of Ardbeg on the way. 

-If you're holding out for rare, hard-to-find, expensive, and delicious whisky from extinct, moth-balled distilleries, then, MAN, ARE YOU IN LUCK!  We've got three knockout, home run barrels on the way and they won't be cheap.  If you're holding out in hope that they'll be Port Ellen or Brora, then don't hold out.

-There will be some Clynelish.  There will be some Bruichladdich.  There will be other Diageo malts, but they won't be the obvious ones.  There will be some great deals from fun producers and there will be some new labels that you haven't seen before. 

-The Springbank and Glendronach barrels are three of the best.  They are in my top six or seven, if that helps.  But, then again, I love Springbank, so I'm very biased.

-These are some of the less expensive barrels, so it's not going to get significantly cheaper.  I think the lowest price we'll be able to offer on any of our barrels is about $65.99, so if you're waiting for some $40 to $50 deals, they're not coming unfortunately.  Single barrel cask strength whiskies are simply not happening down there.

-Any other questions?  Send them my way.  I wish I could just give you the list, but what fun would that be?  There needs to be a few surprises, right?

-David Driscoll

David Driscoll