Are You Ready?
September is almost upon us. Whisky Season 2012 is almost ready to officially begin, and I don't just mean the K&L exclusive stuff. The big guns of whisk(e)ydom are about to be unleashed, emails will be sent, bottles will fly, customers will revel (some will miss out and becoming filled with rage), and money will be spent - all in the name of great booze. Speaking of "big guns," our Glenfarclas and Glenlochy casks are going out on an email today to the gigantic, general K&L mailing list, so if you were on the fence about one of those you may have to decide today. As for the non-K&L bottles I mentioned, here's what we have confirmed so far:
(NOTE: if you're not on the insider email list we do here the odds of getting a bottle at K&L are slim to none. Make sure you email us at [email protected] to get yourself added)
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2012 Release $64.99 - Here is the 2012 release of Laphroaig's ever popular "friendship" malt. It takes the vatting from last year, an array of casks ranging from 11 to 19 years old, and adds in some cask strength quarter cask material. Powerful, heady, lovely, Laphroaig, it is indeed. Jump on it, we got a big allocation, but it's still basically non existent.
Smooth Ambler Very Old Scout 14 Year Bourbon $65.99 - The Very Old Scout is likely to be the best mature Bourbon you'll taste this year. It might not be the best Bourbon of 2012, but unlike other limited edition items that sellout in seconds, you'll actually be able to get one. The days of seeing Pappy Van Winkle on the shelf are over. We get hundreds of requests every week for bottles we don't have and cannot get. Bourbon is the hottest ticket in town and sadly the mature stocks were gobbled up faster than producers could replenish them. We're stuck in a drought and there's no end in sight because it takes time to age new whiskey. That's where John Little comes in. His West Virginia distillery purchased the last mature stocks of Bourbon from LDI distillery some time back and he's been secretly crafting them into a special cuvee - 40% 14 year, 40% 15 year, 15% 17 year, and 5% 19 year, bottled at 100 proof for a bold and spicy flavor. The result is a knockout. The sweetness from the charred oak permeates deep into the whiskey, baking spices dance on the palate, cinnamon and vanilla come big on the finish. While there isn't much of this whiskey (about 3000 bottles total), we jumped on it fast and secured a fifth of it. If you know someone who loves Bourbon, you need to act now. We're not expecting more, not for the holidays, not for Xmas - nothing on the horizon. Again, this is the best deal we're going to see for Bourbon this year, or perhaps next year as well. A fantastic deal while it lasts.
Four Roses Limited Edition 2012 Small Batch Bourbon $85-ish - If you go back a few weeks and read my piece about Jim Rutledge's visit, you'll see he calls the forthcoming release his favorite of all time. He also mentions some older 17 year old casks that found their way into this batch. Yum. Can't wait.
Ardbeg Galileo Single Malt Whisky $95-ish - The new 12 year old, cask strength release finished in Marsala wine casks is due to arrive shortly. Keep your eyes peeled!
Compass Box Flaming Heart Blended Single Malt Whisky $115-ish - John Glaser's mix of Caol Ila, Tobermorey, and Clynelish is not to be missed. The last release is still my favorite whisky I have at home, and one that I doll out sparingly. I can now rest easy knowing that there will be another to replace it!
Jefferson's Ocean Aged Bourbon $TBA - I heard other larger retailers got about six to nine bottles total. I'm expecting we'll get two. Which should make the 1,000 people that have asked me about it over the last three weeks very happy. I mean, extremely disappointed. The best part is it will be all my fault. Can't wait!!
That's what I know for now! Make sure you get on the email list if you're interested in these whiskies.
-David Driscoll