Worth the Wait

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that David and I had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This crazy Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the 60s, carved out a wine cellar in the side of a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of pinot noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself; selecting his own sherry butts to insure only the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away last year from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry's most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has taken up the realms after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave this past Spring, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and we are so happy we did. We simply asked for a peated version of the incredible "Overaged" sherry expression and the result is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It's a lush, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There's a bit of peat on the finish, but it's more like Highland Park peat than Islay smoke. I think it's absolutely divine and I'll definitely be drinking it all weekend long.

What exactly it is composed of will remain forever a mystery. That's alright with me, though. I'm just happy to have been a part of it. This is masterfully crafted whisky that truly showcases what's possible with intelligent blending.

Click here to see our visit to Beaune this past Spring. It's pretty amazing. Click below to get a bottle.

Michel Couvreur K&L Exclusive Overaged Peated Malt Whisky $89.99

-David Driscoll