Independent Scotch Bottlings Explained for Beginners PLUS Do Big Changes Mean These Won't Last?

[@williambyington4864]

I have seen several IB offerings lately. I finally got a Linkwood that I wanted, and I will soon acquire several others that have cropped up.

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Great informative video Tim, thanks for this. I've heard that with G&M, we'd still have stock for the next 40-50 years so I think we'll be fine :) Also I do foresee some closures, more after the Mackmyra news so these IBs could snatch these places up as well who knows. Cheers!

[@whiskywhereabouts]

That's a good point. Certainly seems like we may be at an inflection point. We'll see ... Cheers!

[@jaylat4578]

Also Aldelphi shifted to Ardnamurchan...I think there will still be a place for independents. Unless Diageo and the other big corps are all of a sudden going to go craft and bottle everything themselves, there will still be extra liquid to supply. Just might be more streamlined

[@whiskywhereabouts]

Another good example ...

[@TheReal_DeanD]

For me what I’ve seen in my area is that G&M, Signatory Cadenhead and Adelphi offerings sit on shelves for years. At least 3 years in the big stores and over 8 years in small stores. I can see why they’re pairing back on offerings. What I find funny is that G&M just got in real big with retailer Total Wine. Benromach and some fancy G&M offerings have landed at Total wine with prominent shelf placement. I hope it works out.

[@whiskywhereabouts]

No doubt, that's a big platform here in the US. Time will tell ...

[@kellywellington7122]

Interesting. Thanks. Tell me about Scarabus. I think it is a Douglas Laing venture and it IS a peated Islay, but the distillery has always been a secret. Yes, it too has been suspected to be Caol Isla and denied. I suspected it might be early Ardnahoe, but that was denied, as well. So, if Laing has a contract to deliever a certain amount of Caol Isla under another label, is that contract part of this constriction of their sales to 'independent bottlers'? I've tried the Caol Isla 10 and was NOT impressed. I have been impressed with the Scarabus, trying in addition their 10 and CS, and preferring the original NAS.

[@whiskywhereabouts]

Great question. This potential change is just rumored so far as I've heard, so any nuance is unknown to us (like, if they intend to cut back selling spirit to independent bottlers for small batches and casks, but intend to continue to provide spirit at scale for Hunter Laing to make Scarabus, or for Port Askaig, assuming those are in fact Caol Ila - they may not consider that "independent bottling"). And, we don't know the details of any contract Diageo has, if any, with these producers, since they're not even allowed to tell us what the spirit in these bottlings is. We may have to deduce what's happening based on what does and does not continue to show up on the market.

[@GOTAisMe]

The is clearly some irony in the idea that Independent Bottlers stress craft presentation with Gordon & McPhail owning Benromach. Benromach 10 year, 15 year and even the 21 year are all 43%. It does say natural color on the boxes but are the non-chill filtered? It doesn't say but at 43% it probably is. I really enjoy Benromach but why make sure that the distillate you buy from others is at least 46% non-chill filtered and natural color but then don't do the same with your own?

[@kellywellington7122]

I'd say that keeping the spirit at 43% is a bit of a marketing safety valve to keep a superior flavored spirit from being 'Springbanked'. It creates enough disdain from enough of the market to keep the demand from outstripping the limited supply they produce. Plus, if you want 'integrity' Benromach, then just buy the Contrasts: series items and quicherbitchin about the tasty 43% stuff... You don't want to buy that stuff.

[@whiskywhereabouts]

However they got there, even at 43% it still impresses. They seem to know what they want to put out there.