It's time to break out the deed to your house or sell that old car you never use, that's right Diageo has finally released this year's Rare Single Malts. Not to be out done, Suntory also released the first ever 25 year Japanese Single Malt available in the US, Yamazaki 25 year! These are some of the most limited and sought after whiskies on the planet, well worth any personal loan or divorce proceedings you may have to go through. Here's information about each:
Lagavulin 37 Year Single Malt $2,999.99: The oldest bottling the Lagavulin distillery has ever produced! Lagavulin changed the Scotch industry as we know it by offering their epic 16 year single malt as an entry level. Seriously? A 16 year unbelievable, probably my favorite (and Ron Swanson's too), as their beginner/value single malt. Insanity. And if the cult following on the original wasn't enough, the 37 year has a global production of only 1,800 bottles, with only 6 making it to Northern California. If this isn't the holy grail, I don't know what is.
Tasting Notes: Elegant and assured, this outstanding Lagavulin has all the calm "less is more" confidence of a real maestro. The low-key nose is rich and complex with oily, scented smoke, honeyed toffee and spicy sandalwood. The palate is rounded and richly enjoyable at natural strength. Sweet-smoky tropical fruits and charcoal introduce growing wood smoke threaded with sweet waves of honey, pine and chestnut, while the drying finish yields more lingering, fragrant smoke.
Yamazaki 25 Year Single Malt $1,799.99: The most highly anticipated Japanese whisky release ever to hit the US! Aged in a combination of Spanish Sherry, white oak and the extremely rare and protected Japanese "Mizunara" oak. This has the color and depth like no other single malt I've ever seen. Even the packaging itself, a beautiful hand made wooden and leather box by world-renowned London based designer Bill Amberg, is one of a kind. If you're a fan of oakier Japanese whiskies, this is the crowning jewel, the real deal end all be all of excellence. You want this!
Tasting Notes: The color is a beautiful deep coffee brown with some red-amber hues. On the nose notes of raisin, strawberry jam, rosemary and tomato puree. On the palate notes of bitter chocolate, cocoa and almond with just a touch of balsamic acidity. The finish is long and complex with notes of dried fruits and sherry.
The Singleton 28 Year Single Malt $399.99: Our most affordable single malt of the day is certainly no push over when it comes to quality. This cask strength extremely limited gem of a single malt was first put into barrels in 1985. Singleton whisky has been very hard to come by the last few years as most of it is finding its way to the Asian markets instead of the US. Singleton has some beautiful briny-floral qualities that really set it apart, the regular 12 year is incredibly well priced at $30-$35, if you can find it that is.
Tasting Notes: The nose teases with soft apple and pear fruit, faint smoke and complex floral notes. The palate is rich and sweet, rather like honey-coated wholewheat cereal. The finish is warming and deliciously drying, with tingling echoes of pine and cedar and a lingering whisp of smoke.
There are certainly worse things you could cash in your 401K for. Get em while you can.
Available @ Castro (or at Clement by request)
Nate
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