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Whisky: What is behind "Independent Bottlers"?

5.12.2017

Translation: machine translated

In addition to the producers of whiskies, a wide variety of independent bottlers play an important role in the world of whisky. What exactly the bottlers do with the whiskies and what the difference is to the whisky from the original bottling is explained here.

Independent bottlers make an important article in the whisky market. These are independent bottlers, of which there are many international as well as national companies. They buy promising casks in order to bottle them themselves or have them bottled. At this point, you may be wondering what the added value is. The bottlers sometimes store the casks for longer than the distilleries do, or blend whiskies from different distilleries together. This results in different flavour nuances, which the distilleries do not want to achieve with their whiskies. They always want to offer customers the same quality and familiar flavour.

Independent bottlers bring drops to the market that the distillery would never have bottled. Distillers often colour or chill-filter their whiskies in order to sell them well - bottlers, on the other hand, prefer naturalness in order to remain authentic. This naturally means that the products tend not to be offered for sale on the mass market.

What makes a whisky from an independent bottler special?

When you drink a whisky from an independent bottler, you can taste a whisky that is different in age from that of the original bottler. You may also come across a single malt whisky from a distillery that otherwise only serves the blenders. You also have the chance to purchase a whisky from a distillery that has long since closed. Bottlings from independents are limited. They can therefore be an interesting object for a whisky collector.

Known independent bottlers

Gordon & MacPhail

In 1895, James Gordon and John MacPhail founded a general shop specialising in tea, wine and spirits. The shop is still in the same location in Elgin, Scotland, to this day. It was founded at a time when the industry in the Elgin area was on the upswing with the construction of distilleries. Over the years, the company's focus shifted to the whisky trade - initially specialising more in blends and later increasingly in malt whisky. G&M has very extensive stocks of malt whisky in casks and the reputation of being the most important independent bottler of malt whiskies.

Whisky

Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt from Macallan Distillery 2005

Single Malt, Scotch whisky, 1 x 70 cl

Whisky

Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore Cask Strength

Single Malt, 1 x 70 cl

Whisky

Gordon & MacPhail Clynelish Cask Strength

Single Malt, 1 x 70 cl

Chapter 7

The Swiss company Chapter 7 specialises in single malt Scotch whisky in single casks. Chapter 7 editions are bottled at cask strength and are not chill-filtered to ensure that all of the whisky's characteristics remain untouched. Depending on the cask type, each edition is limited. With a limited quantity, the independents want whiskies to be found in a few exclusive outlets or on the internet when looking for something special.

Whisky

Chapter 7 25 Years Glen Moray 1990

Single Malt, Scotch whisky, 1 x 70 cl

Whisky

Chapter 7 Irish Single Malt Whiskey 1999 - 16 Year Old - Rum Cask

Irish whiskey, 1 x 70 cl

Whisky

Chapter 7 Iceland's Batch No 1

Blended Malt Whisky, Scotch whisky, 1 x 70 cl

Zum gesamten Chapter7-Whisky

Adelphi Whisky

Founded in 1826, the distillery was considered one of the most modern and advanced distilleries in Scotland at the time. Archibald Walker bought the distillery in 1880 before production ceased 27 years later. Adelphi was then revitalised in 1993 by Archibald's great-grandson Jamie Walker, who, however, did not want to distil whisky himself, but was keen from the outset to produce rare malts, bottle them and bring them to the market. The independent bottler selects the finest and noblest casks that combine particularly well with the wood. The current owners Donald Houston and Keith Falconer as well as selected whisky professionals are responsible for the cask selection.