News & Notes

It's another busy day in the K&L spirits department, but I'm back in Redwood City once again to give you the lowdown on the week's news. Here's what's happening:

- We sent out an email just a bit ago about the recent Pellehaut Armagnac arrivals, so if you were keeping an eye on those now is the time to act. The 1986 is winding down quickly, in particular. 

- I have yet to send a note out to our Bordeaux customers about the Helene Garcin dinner I'm putting on at the end of this month, but we've sold most of the tickets with just you spirits drinkers thus far! That's exciting news. I'm hoping some of you might catch the Bordeaux bug like I have.

- Speaking of Bordeaux, my colleague Jeff Garneau and I have pretty much kidnapped the On the Trail blog at this point and taken it hostage with Bordeaux articles. If you're looking to learn more about the genre, check out my recent Leoville-Barton article there that compares the wine to Weller 12. I'm using as many whiskey analogies as I can!

- I had a tasting appointment with Remy-Cointreau today and they were nice enough to bring me the entire Mount Gay lineup. I finally got to spend some time with the Mount Gay XO Anniversary Edition and it's quite glorious. I have to be honest here: while I'm a fan of Foursquare's Bajan rums and I'm excited that they're catching fire with whiskey drinkers, if I had to choose between Barbados producers it would be tough to go against Mount Gay. I get it: Foursquare is providing total transparency with age statements and cask types, all at full proof. That's like pornography for spirits fans. But I personally feel like the Mount Gay XO blends are a step up. The new XO cask strength anniversary edition, for example, is outrageous. It's not quite the bulldozer that the Criterion is, with its huge woody flavor and powerful potency. It's also outrageously expensive, so I can see again why people love the Foursquare. However, if you're willing to spend, you're getting a serious, serious product in the Mount Gay XO cask strength edition. Ditto with the 1703, a blend of rums between 10 and 30 years old.

- I'll be around the stores this week, but next week I'm off to Kentucky in search of more Bourbon so stay tuned to the blog for all the juicy details from the road. 

-David Driscoll