New Arrivals: Nikka 12 Year "Taketsuru" Pure Malt and Nikka 15 Year "Yoichi" Single Malt!

Hey all,

Finally got a counter part to the Yamazaki and Hibiki lines, which have been unavailable lately due to popularity. The similar Japanese whiskies we got in from Nikka were a real treat to try, elegant and supremely well crafted, definitely going to give Suntory a run for their money in the coming years. Nikka currently owns two distilleries: Yoichi and Miyagikyo. Here's what we got in:

-Taketsuru 12 Year Pure Malt: Made from an artisanal mingling of stocks from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. The single malt whiskies are vatted together, helping to marry the flavors, and bottled at an approachable 40% alcohol (80 proof). "Pure Malt" is some what of an invented term by Nikka, but it serves the purpose for what they mean. It's 100% malt whiskey, not containing the cheaper grain whiskies or neutral spirits that would warrant a "Blended Whiskey" title, but since it's from two distilleries instead of one they needed a designation other than single malt, hence the name pure malt. The overall flavors are really complex with just a hint of peat, some floral notes and a really lush caramely oak character.

-Yoichi 15 Year Single Malt: This single malt from the Yoichi Distillery is a little more delicate and refined than the 12 year Taketsuru. It's bottled at a more concentrated 45% alcohol (90 proof) yet has a cleaner flavor and is more soft and silky on the palate. It has engaging flavors of wild flower honey, white florals, cereal grain, brown sugar and nougat. A beautifully balanced whiskey that I'm glad to see is finally available stateside.

Give these a try if you get a chance. Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Talisker 25 Year Single Malt

Hey all,

Just got in a few bottles of my favorite Talisker release, the extremely limited 25 year. Not much of this made it to San Francisco and while they've done small releases like this the last few years, there's no guarantee they'll have enough to do a release next year or any time soon. Basically it's a get it while you can kind of thing. The 25 year has Talisker's signature brininess and intense peat with a beautifully lush balance of oak from the longer aging. I get flavors of seaweed, camp fire, black pepper, gravel, stoney minerals, browned butter and burnt caramel. Wildly complex and engaging yet approachable and creamy. Definitely a winner!

Nate

Christmas Hours

Christmas Eve 12/24 (Today) open till 10pm
Christmas Day 12/25 11am to 5pm
Wed. 12/26 10am to 10pm (back to normal)

Have a wonderful holiday everyone. Merry Christmas!

Nate

New Arrivals: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection!

Hey all,

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection just landed! Limit 1 bottle from the line per customer. Only got a few of these so they'll likely sell out fast, good luck. Here's what we got:

-George T. Stagg bourbon
-Sazerac 18yr rye
-Thomas Handy Sazerac rye
-William Larue Weller bourbon
-Eagle Rare 17yr bourbon

Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Pappy Van Winkle

Happy to announce the release of the Pappy Van Winkle line at Healthy Spirits. Please keep in mind that this release is super time sensitive and will likely sell out in 15 or 20 minutes. Beer and Bourbon Club members can call in and reserve (limit one per club member), everyone else bottles are behind the counter first come first serve. 

-Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr 107 proof bourbon

-Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yr Lot B bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 15yr Family Reserve bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 20yr Family Reserve bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 23yr Family Reserve bourbon

-Van Winkle Family Reserve 13yr rye 

Store phone: 415-255-0610

*SOLD OUT*

New Arrivals: Corsair Rasputin, Ryemageddon and Quinoa Whiskey!

Hey all,

Just got a shipment of aged whiskies from Corsair, the first time they've ever been available in the Bay Area! Corsair is a micro distillery in Kentucky that has a reputation for having unique products and doing a lot of experimentation. The quinoa whiskey definitely uses a grain I've never seen in whiskey before, and I was surprised how much I liked the finished product. They use red and white quinoa seeds and are able to extract flavors of roasted nuts, earth, vanilla, toffee and a hint of espresso. This is more than just an experiment, it's an overwhelming success.

The Ryemageddon is also quite unique. Most American rye whiskey is made with raw or unmalted rye grain which lend most of the spicy, floral and earthy notes. For the Ryemageddon Corsair uses malted rye and chocolate rye (heavily charred). While it lacks the typical rye spice it more than makes up for it with lush notes of dark chocolate, creme brulee, burnt caramel and bread pudding. Totally different take on a rye but man oh man is it good.

Lastly we have the barrel aged Rasputin, which is made from an imperial stout beer. My understanding is that when they're distilling it they allow the whiskey vapors to pass through a basket of hops, almost like botanicals in gin, making it a hop flavored imperial stout whiskey. Basically this whiskey is the "kitty's titties", if you'll excuse the workaholics reference. It's super floral and hoppy on the nose but wonderfully rich and chocolaty on the palate. The hop flavors are well integrated and the whiskey really tastes like a fantastic roasty-chocolaty stout. Well done guys, well done.

Pretty limited numbers on these people, I only got 6 bottles of each just FYI.

Nate

New Arrivals: Hooker's House Bourbon, Rye and 21 Year Bourbon

Hey all,

Got some new whiskies in from Hooker's House, a brand a lot of people have expressed interest in the last year. I was really impressed with what they had to offer. The rye is on the younger side, around 4 years old and is likely sourced from LDI. They finish it in Zinfandel barrels which I think adds a lot of depth, some musty grape notes and just a hint of spice. It's the first red wine finished rye I've ever seen.

Both of the bourbons are finished in Pinot Noir barrels and manage to take on even more red wine character than the rye. Their regular bourbon is a six year likely sourced from Heaven Hill. It tasted significantly older than six years to me, more like the depth and oak of a 10-12 year. The Pinot Noir flavors are incredible giving the bourbon a great minerality, notes of stone fruits, blackberries, earth, pencil shavings and charred oak.

The 21 year bourbon was something to behold. Although we weren't told the source my co-worker Dave thought it might be Stitzel-Weller. It reminded me a lot of the older Willett Family Estate bourbons I've tried. Regardless, one of the best bourbons I've ever had and very unique. It says cask strength on the bottle but what I've been told is they diluted the whiskey with water while it was still in the barrel, so even though its 47% alcohol no water was added to the whiskey after it came out of the barrel making it "barrel strength". What's interesting is when I first tried this bourbon it was so cloudy and murky the rep immediately told me they planned on filtering it before bottling. I told him it was great as is and that they should leave it unfiltered. Realizing that would save them a couple steps and a decent amount of time he agreed to release it that way (aaaahem, your welcome). I get an amazing amount of depth and oak on this with flavors of burnt caramel, port wine, concrete, gravel, eucalyptus, rye spice, dark chocolate and flint. My rep has already told me they aren't going to be getting any more barrels this old, so get it while you can!

Cheers

Nate

Thanksgiving Hours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

We will be open Thanksgiving for all you beer and whiskey needs! Hours for the next few days will be as follows:

Wednesday: 10am-10pm
Thursday (Thanksgiving): 10am-6pm
Friday: 10am-11pm (Black Friday Sale 10am-2pm)

Nate

New Arrivals: Aberlour 12 year, 16 year, and A'bunadh

Hey all,

Happy to announce the arrival of Aberlour, a Scotch that's been a personal favorite of mine for a while, and one many of you have been requesting. Aberlour whiskies are one of the more flavorful Highland single malts on the market. The combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry butts contributes a lot of complexity (versus just using one type of barrel), leading to layer upon layer of flavor. I get notes of toffee, milk chocolate, plums, black cherries, ginger and cinnamon. Their whiskies are really dense and lush on the palate, which would lead me to believe they primarily use first or second fill barrels, as the colors and textures are amazing. Here's what I got in:

-Aberlour 12 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
-Aberlour A'Bunadh Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered (Matured Exclusively in Oloroso Sherry Butts)

You want these!

Nate

New Arrivals: Old Pulteney 12 Year Single Malt Scotch

Hey all,

Finally brought in the Old Pulteney 12 Year, a Scotch that's considered the "Classic Maritime Malt", from the fisherman's village of Wick. Here's a little about the distillery from the website:

"The Pulteney Distillery was established in 1826 in the heart of 'Pulteneytown', the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s herring boom. The most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland, it has an absorbing history, passing through the hands of various owners. However, through the years the quality of the whisky has endured."

Old Pulteney is one of the definitive coastal distilleries. The flavors are saturated with notes of sea air, seaweed and brininess. If anyone has any interest in the older vintages feel free to let me know and I'll happily bring them in. I know the 21 year Old Pulteney won best whiskey of the year in Jim Murray's 2012 Whiskey Bible. Cheers

Nate

November Bourbon Club Ready For Pick Up!

Hey Guys,

I just released Bourbon Club for November yesterday. All cards have been charged and your bottle of American Prairie Reserve is happily awaiting you at the shop. 10 % of the profits from this bottling go to the American Prairie Reserve in Montana, making each sip even more sweet as you know your helping out with a good cause. If your looking to be a member or would like to sign someone else up as a gift, check out the information on the left side of this page. Also feel free to email or call into the shop if you have any questions. Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Michter's 20 year and 10 year single barrel bourbons!!

Hey all,

Holy cow am I excited about today's new arrivals. It feels like Christmas mourning around here, but instead of snow it's raining heavenly bourbon! I could make a case for this being the best release of the year. But wait a minute you say? What about Pappy Van Winkle? Well as many of you may know Stitzel-Weller barrels (a distillery Julian Van Winkle was involved with until it closed in 1992) are getting harder and harder to come by since none have been produced in 20 years. Stitzel-Weller bourbon is the main component of Pappy Van Winkle 15, 20 and 23 year, and it use to be used in the 10 and 12 year bottlings as well, which are now being made by Buffalo Trace. I have a feeling Michter's 20 year bourbon, which is probably closer to 23 or 24 years old , may be a single barrel from Stitzel-Weller. Really no way to know for sure as the company is very tight liped about revealing their sources, but my palate usually doesn't steer me wrong. Regardless it's one of the best bourbons I've ever had.

I was also able to secure a decent amount of the Michter's 10 year bourbon. Michter's has this notion that they can and should exceed your wildest expectations for a given age statement. While the 20 year is closer to a 23 or 24 year, the 10 year is likely in the 15 to 16 year range. Basically they want their 10 year to be better than any other 10 year on the market, so how do they do that? By putting out a 16 year and calling it a 10 year, kind of clever in a way. The last bottling of 10 year Michter's bourbon is rumored to have been a Stitzel-Weller bottling as well, and after opening the current one I have to say, it tastes surprisingly similar. But again no way to confirm that notion. Even if they're not Stitzel-Weller products these two bourbons have an incredible amount of depth and oak (they are seriously much older then their age statement), are elegant, refined and some of the best sauce going right now. Don't sleep on these, they definitely won't be around for long!

Nate

New Arrivals: Cragganmore 12 year, Cragganmore Distiller's Edition, Cragganmore Cask Strength 21 year!

Hey all,

Just got a few new Cragganmore single malt Scotches in. Look out for Distiller's Editions and other limited Scotch releases over the next few weeks. Cragganmore is on the short list of distilleries in Diageo's "Classic Malts", making it the definitive Speyside single malt. New in:

-Cragganmore 12 year 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 1997 Distiller's Edition (port finished) 40% (80 proof)
-Cragganmore 21 year Cask Strength Non-Chill Filtered 56% (112 proof)

The Cragganmore Distiller's Edition is arguably my favorite port finished scotch, soft and creamy with some beautiful strawberry, raspberry and red fruit undertones. What really surprised me though was the 21 year old cask strength. Pretty sure it's a one time release, I've never seen that vintage before anyway. It's unbelievably complex with incredible notes of wildflower honey, heather, lavender, sea water, stoney minerals and the tiniest hint of peat. Gorgeous stuff, I highly recommend trying it if you get a chance, I was able to get six bottles for the shop. You want these!

Cheers

Nate

E. H. Taylor Barrel Proof, Tornado Surviving Warehouse, and Bottled in Bond Single Barrel

Hey all,

Just wanted to keep everyone in the loop on the captivating E.H. Taylor bourbons I currently have. Buffalo Trace started bottling the E. H. Taylor line a little over a year ago and is consistently selecting some of the best barrels in their inventory. E. H. Taylor was one of the original owners of the Buffalo Trace Distillery in the mid 1800's. He was revered for his unprecedented quality control and innovations, some of which are still used to this day. To date the collection has included a Single Barrel bourbon (my favorite single barrel from buffalo trace) and the Tornado Surviving Warehouse bourbon (so this tornado totally hit one of their warehouses, then they like bottled some of those barrels). Both are excellent and bottled in bond, meaning they're 50% alcohol (100 proof), giving them beautifully concentrated flavors and long lingering finishes. I just recently got in the "Barrel Proof" release, which is a cask strength unfiltered version of the already stellar Single Barrel. Bottled at 67.25% alcohol (134.5 proof) this is seriously as robust and flavorful as they come, pretty close to George T. Stagg territory. All three are on the shelf now, and I'm told a super limited E. H. Taylor rye may be available soon. Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Healthy Spirits Four Roses Private Selection "Dave's Barrel"

Hey all,

Just got in Dave's hand selected barrel from our Four Roses private selection program, my "Nate's Barrel" sold out in a matter of days and I wouldn't be surprised if this one did to. Jim Rutledge hand selected these samples for us, fortunately we've developed a strong relationship with Jim over the years, and he knows exactly what warehouse locations best suit our tastes. Dave and myself heavily scrutinized both barrels we ended up picking, rating them on various criteria including nose/aroma, flavors and taste, and mouthfeel/finish. Dave's pick ended up being from one of the highest tiers in their warehouses, giving it the beautiful color you see in the picture and causing it to gain in proof (63.4% alcohol). The higher tiers are one of the few spots in the warehouses where the barrels gain strength instead of losing it giving it a robust oaky mouthfeel and layer upon layer of depth. The recipe choosen was OESV, the higher corn content recipe which gives the finished bourbon a beautiful creaminess and flavors of bananas foster and delicate berry fruit. Again this will probably sell out fast, beer and bourbon club members may call in to reserve .

Nate

Hey all,

Isle of Jura distillery has long been one of my favorite Scotch producers. The island lies just north east of Islay and has a lot of the same coastal sea air influences and large supply of local peat. Their unpeated single malts remind me a lot of Tobermory and are certainly more complex than your average Highland or Speyside single malts. The offerings most requested though, single malts I simply had to bring into the shop (over flowing shelves be damned), are the incredible Superstition and Prophecy. Superstition is Jura's lightly peated whisky, a great entry level scotch for anyone who's looking to cross over into the smokey-peaty side of things. Has a mild yet intrinsic smokiness, beautiful sea weed and ocean brininess, and finishes with a nice honey sweetness. Prophecy is their big peat monster, peated to a level close to Ardbeg or Laphroaig. Intense flavors of smoke, peat tar, tobacco, stoney minerals and sea salt with a touch of caramel and sherry. Both expressions are dynamic and worth trying. Cheers

Nate

New Arrival: Larceny Wheated Bourbon

Hey all,

Just landed Heaven Hill's newest offering, Larceny wheated bourbon, an off shoot brand from their Fitzgerald line. While I'm told Larceny is in the 6-8 year range I must say I was impressed with the oakiness and depth of flavor I got on this. Definitely tastes a little older, reminiscent of the Old Fitzgerald 12 year, but with the body of something like the Woodford Double Oaked. At under $30 bucks it's a steal for sure. This might just be my new every day bourbon.

Nate

High West American Prairie Reserve!

Hey all,

Just got in the new High West American Prairie Reserve, it comes in at a very reasonable price compared to their other releases and 10% of sales go towards the American Prairie Reserve in northeastern Montana, one of the largest wildlife reserves in the country. Prairie Reserve is a blend of two straight bourbons. The first is a 6 year from the old Seagrams distillery LDI with a mashbill of 75% Corn, 20% rye, 5% barley. The second is a 10 year from Four Roses with a high rye content mashbill of 60% Corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley.

Tasting Notes:
-On the nose I get aromas of peppercorns, rye bread, ginger snaps, peanut butter cookies, mangos, yellow cake, sugar cookies and fennel. Super engaging aromas that are a perfect balance between rye spice and fresh baked cookies. On the palate I get flavors of candy corn, toffee, sweet corn, wild flower honey, milk chocolate and tiramisu. Overall it's incredibly lush and approachable with just the right amount of peppery-earthiness in the finish. You want this.

Cheers

Nate

New arrival from Ardbeg. From the back of the bottle:
"SPACE 1999. Ardbeg has always been right up there, having been voted Best Scotch Whisky in the Worls three times on the bounce. But in October 2011 Ardbeg-crafted molecules went one gi...

ant leap further...out of this world and into orbit. On Earth we created Ardbeg Galileo-a celebration of Ardbeg's first ever experiment in space."
Description:

Aroma:Spicy toffee, tropical fruits and a puff of soot.

Taste: Salty, yet sweet with cream and a burst of smoking apricots.

Finish: Long, lingering and serene.

New Arrivals: Bunnahabhain Toiteach (Heavily Peated Single Malt)

Hey all,

We just landed the first ever peated release from Bunnahabhain called Toiteach! This heavily peated monster of a single malt is extremely limited, only 20 cases for San Francisco, barely a drop in the bucket for the largest whiskey consuming city in the country. What I like about Bunnahabhain these days is their single malts are non-chill filtered and have no added coloring. Couple that with Toiteach's robust proofing at 46% and you have a smoky-peaty-sea weedy beauty of a single malt. You want this!

Nate

New Arrivals: Moylan's American Rye and Bourbon Whisky!

Hey all,

Well isn't that just perfect, one of our favorite breweries is now making whisky. Moylan's brewery, makers of several well crafted beers and our first bourbon barrel aged release, have started working with Stillwater Spirits in Petaluma CA and are now making bourbon and rye whisky. As if we needed even more of a connection between our two favorite things, beer and bourbon enthusiasts can now rejoice!

Moylan's Cask Strength Bourbon Whisky 60.8% Alcohol (121.6 proof)
-I've been told this is in the 2-3 year age range. What I think is clever right off the bat is the decision to leave it cask strength. Younger bourbons can be amazing, but don't necessarily have the depth to maintain their flavor profile when watered down to bottling strength. On the nose I get notes of caramel, vanilla and a touch of toasted coconut. On the palate I get notes of butterscotch, creme brulee, vanilla and white florals. Really delicate-soft flavors even at cask strength, and perilously drinkable!

Moylan's American Rye Whisky 49.5% Alcohol (99 proof)
-Also in the 2-3 year age range. Back of the bottle says: "Before now, an immpeccably constructed rye whisky was impossible to find". Probably a little bit of a stretch but hey, good rye whisky isn't exactly growing on trees these days. This is a great example of a perfectly proofed whisky. Its not cask strength, but you can tell from the concentration of flavors and balance that this was well thought out and tested before bottling. There is a fair bit of spice on the nose: aromas of peppercorns, allspice, roasted nuts, cinnamon and marzipan. As it washes over the palate I get flavors of: aged fruitcake, ginger snaps, cardamom, nutmeg, dates, earth and toasted oak. Super complex and exceedingly well rounded!

Both the rye and bourbon are local, micro distilled and well...... awesome. You want these!

Nate

July Bourbon Club ready for pick up!

Hey all,

July Bourbon Club has finally arrived! This month I'm featuring the first ever exclusive barrel from Balcones Texas based micro distillery, True Blue Cask Strength Corn Whisky. Super excited about this release, head distiller Chip Tate was kind enough to sit down for an interview. Don't miss out on the whisky or the incredibly detailed story Chip tells. Cheers

Nate

June Bourbon Club Ready For Pick Up!

Hey all,

I just released Bourbon Club earlier in the week, all members feel free to come in at your leisure and pick up your bottle. This month I'm featuring Benjamin Prichard's Double Barreled bourbon, made at Prichard's micro distillery in Kelso, Tennessee. Known more as a rum producer, Prichard's has been coming on strong with the whiskies lately. A great example of this is their newest release which just landed at the shop: Prichard's Rye. The rye has a sublte fruitiness to it, flavors of maraschino cherries and apricots with some solid spicy-floral notes, think rose petals. Definitely a winner in my book and a welcome addition to the fastest growing catagory in whiskey.

Cheers!

Nate

New Scotches in Stock: Ardbeg Day, Highland Park 12 and 15 year, Glenmorangie Taster 4 Pack

Hey all,

Got some new phenomenal Scotches in today:

-Glenmorangie Taster 4 Packs (100ml samples of the orginal Glen Mo, Lasanta 12 year sherry cask, Quinta Ruban 12 year port cask, and the Nectar D'or 12 year sauternes cask)
-Ardbeg Day Single Malt (the latest cask strength one off from one of our favorite producers, extemely limited, once it's gone it's gone)
-Highland Park 12 Year Single Malt (from the Isle of Orkney, island off the north coast of Highland and Speyside)
-Highland Park 15 Year Single Malt

Come and get it!

Nate



New Arrivals: Balcones Single Malt, True Blue and Brimstone Whisky!

Newest editions to the shop:

-Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky: Batch-SM12-2, Bottled: 2/13/2012, Finished Barrel: Yard Aged American Oak Ex-Bourbon, Alcohol: 53%(106 proof)
-Balcones Brimstone Texas Scrub Oak Smoked Blue Corn Whisky: Batch-BRM11-12, Bottled: 11/28/2011, Alcohol: 53%9106 proof)
-Balcones True Blue Cask Strength Texas Blue Corn Whisky: Batch-TB11-11, Bottled: 11/18/2011, Alcohol: 62.9%(125.8 proof)

As you probably know, I like me some whiskey. But I literally can't remember the last time I was this excited about a product. What President and Head Distiller Chip Tate is doing at Balcones micro distillery is nothing short of transcendent. His epicurean take on making craft spirits seems at this point peerless. Strong words indeed, but the level of unsurpassed quality coupled with the striking uniqueness puts these whiskys over the top for me.

For starters the Texas Single Malt is everything I never knew a single malt could be. It combines the elegance and grace of a single malt Scotch with the heavy char and oakiness of an American bourbon or rye. It's left at a higher proof, so the flavors are concentrated and well defined. Oh yeah and when they entered it in last year's New York World Wine & Spirits Competition it only won: Double Gold, Best Single Malt, Best Whiskey and Best Brown Spirit In Show! I kind of wonder if there has ever been a whiskey that dominated a competition as completely as Balcones Single Malt did.

Next we have the Brimstone Texas Scrub Oak Smoked Whisky and talk about a unique product! I'm not aware of anyone else making a product like this because the distiller actually smokes the whiskey right off the still, instead of smoking the grain before fermentation. The smoking process is a closely guarded secret, and with the amazing results their able to acheive I can understand why. I get flavors of smoked meats (like brisket), buttery corn bread, pipe tobacco and fresh cracked pepper with subtle hints of caramel and toffee that really balance out the experience.

Lastly we have the True Blue Cask Strength Blue Corn Whisky, this one was so good I'm actively working on trying to get a barrel bottled for our shop. Both the Brimstone and True Blue are made with roasted artisanal Hopi blue corn which is a distinction I think adds an incredible bouquet of flavors. I get notes of dark salted caramel, espresso, cinnamon, cracked pepper, dried chilies and orange blossom. The flavors are complex and lingering, more flavorful than I ever thought corn whisky could be.

Do yourself a favor and try these whiskies! I can't wait to see what Balcones does next.

Nate

Buffalo Trace Experimental Oat and Rice Experiment!

Just landed the newest Buffalo Trace Experimental release! For this batch they decided to experiment with oats and rice, even using those grains both are still technically considered bourbons which makes me wonder why no one else is trying this. The oat release is a mash of corn, barley and oats. The rice release is similar with a mash of corn, barley and rice. Gotta say these look pretty awesome guys, I only got six bottles of each so don't wait to long if your interested. Cheers

Nate

Four Roses Limited Edition 2012 Single Barrel

Hey all,

I just put some Four Roses Limited Edition 2012 Single Barrel on the shelf. This year Jim Rutledge selected a 12 year bourbon with the OESK recipe. OESK signifies the higher corn mashbill (75% corn, 20% rye and 5% barley) and the yeast strain which produces a rich spiciness with flavors of mint and earth. Interestingly enough there were only 5,178 bottles produced, which I would guesstimate required about 25-30 barrels. Since each was bottled as a single barrel there will definitely be some variance barrel to barrel. I happened to get two different barrels, one that's 54.7% alcohol and one that's 52.2% alcohol. Hmmmm, I wonder which one is better? Only one way to find out........

Nate

May Bourbon Club Ready For Pick Up!

Hey all,

I just released May Bourbon Club yesterday. This month we're featuring Smooth Ambler Old Scout! Head Distiller John Little of Smooth Ambler was kind enough to answer some questions for the club. I put the entire interview in the tasting notes. If your not a member feel free to stop by and pick up a bottle as I have plenty on the shelf as well. Cheers

Nate

New Micro Distilled Whiskeys!

Hey all,

Got some brand spanking new product today, both from Micro Distilleries. First we have the Dancing Pines exceptional new bourbon from their small distillery in Colorado. The mash bill is corn, rye and barley, it's aged just a hair under four years and is offered at 44% alcohol (88 proof). Second is a limited run of McCarthy's Single Malt from Clear Creek distillery in Oregon. They use 100% peated barley from Scotland which is then fermented for them by the Widmer Brothers Brewery. After that they take the distillers beer and pot distill it, putting the freshly made spirit into uncharred oak barrels where it ages for three years.

Both whiskeys are excelent and a tribute to how innovative and special the micro distilled spirits can be. Enjoy!

Nate

April Bourbon Club ready for pick up!

Hey all,

I just released April Bourbon Club over the weekend. This month we're featuring one of the newest bourbons on the market, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. For this release the distiller takes the regular Woodford Reserve bourbon and finishes it up to one year in heavily toasted new charred oak barrels. It still has the great softness and approachability the regular release is known for but with an incredible depth of flavor including notes of toasted oak, roasted hazelnuts, earth, buttery scones and a touch of smoke. I have plenty of this on the shelf as well so if your not in the club feel free to come in and pick up a bottle. Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Pappy Van Winkle!

Hey all,

Happy to annouce the arrival of the full line of Van Winkle products. As you read this keep in mind this is an extremely time sensitive release. There will be a one bottle limit per customer and we anticipate selling out in the next few hours. In Stock:

-Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 90 proof bourbon

-Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year 107 proof bourbon

-Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 15 year bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon

-Pappy Van Winkle 23 year bourbon

-Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 year rye

Good luck everyone!

Nate

*Update* - The Van Winkle line is now completely sold out, thanks everyone for your interest.

Shhhhhhhhhhh! Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Shhhhhhhhh

So let's all keep this on the hush hush. After two years of being told the Fee Brothers American whiskey barrel aged bitters were allocated to bars and restaurants only I think they got tired of me asking and decided to give us six bottles. Don't know if we'll ever get these again but I guess persistence does pay off. Anyway they are behind the counter so make sure to ask if you want them. Cheers

Nate

New Scotches!

Hey guys,

So I happily grabbed a few off the beaten path Scotches to add to our collection. Check these out:

-Gordon & MacPhail "Glenturret" 11 Year Highland Single Malt (arguably my favorite unpeated Scotch in the store right now, beautiful oak tannins make for an engaging texture and it has this really unique lemon zest flavor in the finish.)

-Blackadder "Laphroaig" 13 Year Islay Single Malt Raw Cask (probably the best Laphroaig bottling I've ever tried. Offered at cask strength, non-chill filtered and non-sediment filtered. There are literally chunks of barrel floating around in this bottle, which makes it as concentrated and flavorful as possible)

-Gordon & MacPhail "Coal Ila" 14 Year Islay Single Malt Finished in Heritage Casks (Unbelievably soft and approachable Coal Ila offering finished in red wine barrels for 30 months. A subtle red fruit sweetness combines with notes of peat smoke, gravel and sea weed, making this a very well balanced Islay Scotch.)

-Benromach 10 Year Speyside Single Malt Finished in Burgundy Wine Casks (made at the smallest distillery in Speyside and finished an unheard of 7 years in Burgundy Pinot Noir barrels. This is one of the best red wine finished bottlings I've tried.)

All four of these are one off's, so once their gone their gone. Cheers

Nate

Buffalo Trace Experimental!

Hey all,

Got an extremely limited quantity of last years experimental collection in. These sold out fast when I first got them a year ago and definitely won't be made again. This is the re-discovered barrel series, bourbon they lost track of after they bought the old charter brand many years ago. We have the 17, 19 and 21 year expressions. Get em while you can.

Nate

New: Laphroaig 25 Year Cask Strength!

Hey all,

Got a pretty amazing new Scotch in today, Laphroaig 25yr cask strength! Not a lot of these floating around so don't sleep if your interested. Cheers

Nate

New Arrival: Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #3!

Hey all,

I'm unbelievably excited to announce the arrival of the Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #3. This is an extremely limited single malt from Balvenie with some of the oldest stock in their warehouses. For this offering they have vatted together 10 casks in all, 7 refilled bourbon barrels and 3 sherry butts. Most of the whisky was put in barrels in the 70's, the oldest cask coming from 1967 and the youngest some time in the 80's. Essentially they've married together 30-40 year old stocks of whisky in their large Tun 1401 vat, producing one of the best expressions ever to come out of the distillery. Just to put it in perspective, their regular 30 year bottling retails for $800-$1,000. We have the Tun 1401 for about 1/4 that price, which is a pretty ridiculous value. Only got a few bottles so get it while you can. Cheers

Nate

February Bourbon Club is ready for pick up!

Hey all,

February Bourbon Club has been run and is ready for pick up! This month I'm featuring Booker's barrel strength bourbon. Come and get it

Nate

Don't miss the Whiskies of the World Expo!

Hey all,

We worked out a nice little discount to the 13th Annual Whiskies of the World Expo & Artisanal Spirits Fest if you enter the code at the bottom of this page. Here's some info about the event:

“The Whiskies of the World Expo gathers the world’s most fascinating distilled spirits along with their makers and ambassadors to give its guests an opportunity to sample, learn and experience a night of delicious spirited fun. The 13th Expo will be back on the San Francisco Belle Yacht (docked) with its three ballroom-size tasting decks, and an open roof Whisky & Cigar Pairing deck. Come on March, 31th to enjoy a full buffet dinner, 100's of Whiskies, Masterclasses, a live Pipe and Drum Concert, whisky mixology; artisanal food pairings;  live jazz, cigars and more. Learn, celebrate, experience!”
Details: www.WhiskiesOfTheWorld.com

                  $10 Discount for Healthy Spirits Customers : HS10D

Don't miss out! Cheers

Nate

New Arrivals: Bowmore 18 year, 15 year, 12 year and Legend!

Holy Bowmore!

Happy New Year to one and all. We have quite the impressive spread of Bowmore single malt Scotch that just arrived in the shop:

-Bowmore Legend (8 year)
-Bowmore 12 year
-Bowmore 15 year (Darkest)
-Bowmore 18 year

Bowmore Scotch is peated to slightly lower levels than say Ardbeg or Laphroaig making it bold yet approachable with some amazing flavors of sea air, minerals, sea weed, peat and smoke. Definitely a must try for any Scotch enthusiasts.

Nate