Spirits Selections in a New York Minute
Greetings from Midtown Manhattan, where I’m proud to represent the third generation of my family to work in the New York wine and spirits trade. With decades behind the counter—and now a new chapter as a Spirits Buyer at K&L—I’ve pulled together ten bottles I genuinely believe deserve your attention this spring. As warm‑weather holidays stack up, these selections span mezcal, tequila, whisky, rum, gin, and bourbon, each chosen for character, craftsmanship, and sheer drinkability. These aren’t trend‑driven picks or flashy one‑offs—they’re bottles I reach for, recommend, and enjoy. If you’re looking for smart, celebratory spirits with real stories behind them, start here.
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St. Patrick’s Day Newsletter: Luck in Every Pour
At K&L, we love St. Patrick’s Day not for the kitsch, but for the craftsmanship—those meticulously made whiskeys, the world‑class stouts, the modern Irish spirits driving a new wave of cocktail culture. This guide is your passport to all of it: the bottles worth hoarding, the pours worth sharing, and the proper cocktails that prove Irish spirits can do far more than fuel a party.
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Shaking Up St. Patrick’s Day with Cocktails
Today, as Irish whiskey experiences a renaissance, modern bartenders are revisiting century‑old recipes and giving them new life—making St. Patrick’s Day the perfect moment to shake (or stir) something a bit more refined. Below, two historic Irish whiskey cocktails—the over‑100‑year‑old Tipperary and the 1917 Brainstorm—offer a classy, spirit‑forward way to toast the holiday without a drop of neon green in sight.
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A New Era for Irish Whiskey
Once the global capital of whiskey, Ireland had almost 90 licensed producers and provided 70% or more of the whiskey consumed worldwide around the end of the 18th century. This is the birthplace of uisce beatha, or water of life, after all. Due to socio-economic and political issues, however, that industry contracted to only three distilleries by the mid 1900s. Thankfully, they’re experiencing a renaissance today similar to that of American whiskey, and the quality of product keeps getting better.
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DIY Cocktail Kit Gift Basket
This holiday, give the gift of cocktail creation! From fun and fruity to rich and boozy, we have mixers to elevate your family function into a full-fledged cocktail hour.
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People Want Great Scotch at Great Prices!
For the holidays this year, we celebrate a newly minted whisky season with an impeccable lineup of 10 single casks of Scotch from our dear friends at Douglas Laing in Glasgow. The wonderful and historic bottler has never failed to bring exciting casks to market, but we’ve turned up the value this year—fighting rising costs and bureaucratic delay to offer a wide variety of unique casks at market beating prices. These are some of the most unique and delicious barrels we’ve ever sourced from the storied bottler, and the prices send a message to the market at large: PEOPLE WANT GREAT SCOTCH AT GREAT PRICES!
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Thanksgiving Buying Guide
As Thanksgiving approaches, our shelves are stocked with everything you need to make this year’s feast unforgettable. From the ultimate turkey pairing—rosé Champagne—to crowd-pleasing reds, elegant whites, and festive cocktails, our buyers have curated a collection to match every palate and plate. Whether you’re hosting, gifting, or simply savoring the season, this guide is your roadmap to a table filled with flavor, gratitude, and great wine.
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Savoring Every Drop: Festive Thanksgiving Cocktails
Distilled at an undisclosed-yet-beloved Lawrenceburg distillery and bottled at 107 proof, the new Every Drop is the perfect ABV to stand up in a festive holiday cocktail. Although we can’t say where it’s made, rest assured that for $49.99, you can have two turkeys on the table this year. Whether you enjoy your drinks strong and boozy or light and refreshing, Every Drop can satiate every palate at your Thanksgiving table.
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Into the Diving Bell: Ardbeg: The Abyss Surfaces at K&L—Auction Now Live!
Imagine strapping yourself into a Victorian diving suit, lowering into the inky Atlantic, and finding—rather than shipwrecks and squid—an old Ardbeg cask still breathing with smoke and sea. That’s the feel of Ardbeg: The Abyss, a 34-year-old Islay single malt Scotch surfacing this October at K&L’s spirits auction… with a $1 reserve. Yes, one dollar. Try not to hyperventilate through your regulator.
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The October Spirits Newsletter
October’s Spirits Newsletter is loaded: the long-awaited Every Drop 16-Year “Dawning Era” lands in stock, we welcome Josh Gelfand to the buying team, and we’ve lined up a showcase of exclusive barrel picks spanning bourbon and agave. Don’t miss Old Particular & Signatory standouts—from savvy daily drinkers to blue-chip rarities—and a preview of our Ardbeg Abyss auction with a $1 reserve.
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Pre-Arrival Scotch Highlights
We have so many amazing Scotch bottlings on their way to us. Here are some of the pre-arrival highlights you definitely should not miss:
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Meet Our New NorCal Spirits Buyer: Josh Gelfand
Any spirits lover can attest that our spirits selection runs as deep and as wonkish as you any out there. We’re thrilled to bring on a second Spirits Buyer, Josh Gelfand, who can help build on the wonderful work David Othenin-Girard has been doing. Josh is based in Northern California, so he’ll be a great counterpoint to David in SoCal. We’ve seen so much enthusiasm from our customers and growth in this category, and it’s extremely exciting to watch how it will continue to grow in the years to come.
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