Ready to Go!

Today is going to be a big day at K&L. The Signatory whiskies are hitting the shelves in all three stores, pre-arrivals will be ready for pick up in Los Angeles (finally!), and we'll get all the new tasting notes updated so you can peruse the new crop (remember: unless you've notified us in the past, pre-orders do not automatically get sent to the store for pick up—you have to let us know). We're still waiting on the Balmenach and the Dailuaine, but we can't let that little hold-up slow us down—we've got twenty new French brandies landing today as well!! Oh, and did I mention four new barrels of Four Roses Bourbon? And I forgot one last thing—a new cask of Germain-Robin California brandy. Shoot—and I also forgot the first batch of Bryan Davis's new Cuban-style 151 rum. One last thing—a new cask of Bunnahabhain 16 heavily peated from Chieftain's. OK—I think that's it.....for today.

So, yes, there are a few things going on today around K&L in the spirits department. If I don't answer your emails right away I hope you'll understand.

I'm super pumped about the reaction we're getting already concerning the Signatory whiskies. One of my best whisky customers told me earlier this week, "David, this entire crop is a home run. These whiskies taste like what I used to drink five years ago—the quality is there and the prices are more than fair." That was music to my ears. The Glenlivet 16 is so rich and supple. The Bowmore, so creamy and smoky. The Bruichladdich is ghostly, with hints of salt and seawater. The Benrinnes, a burst of vanilla and fruit when you add a drop of water. The Glen Elgin is floral and fruity, a fun summer time sipper. The Caol Ila, a masterpiece of three decades—oily, hypnotic, and complex with evolved peated tones. And, of course, the ancient 32 year old Glenlivet—a sherry hogshead that delivers all the goods.

If there's one thing we learned from last year's experience, it's that value can only take you so far. I thought a number of whiskies from 2013 represented a good bang for the buck. The feedback I got, however, is that a large, overwhelming majority of our single malt customers would rather have something great and pay a little more for it. That's what this crop of Signatory whiskies represents: the best whisky we could find—regardless of the price (although they're all pretty reasonable price-wise); not just what constituted value or a good bargain. I've learned from shopping with a number of fashion-conscious ladies that quality will always win out over price. Rest assured—there's nothing on the American market right now as good as any of these Signatory whiskies. If you've got $80 to spend, it will be best spent on the Glenlivet 16 or Bowmore 11 selections we've got currently. If you've got $300, then grab either the Glenlivet 32 or the Caol Ila 30—you won't regret it. All of our sales staff, from SF to LA, feel entirely confident that these Signatory casks are the best bottles we've got—and the best we've had in years.

There's a reason that 80% of this year's crop came from Signatory. They're sitting on the best stock of mature single malt in the world, as far as we're concerned. And we're only interested in the very best.

-David Driscoll