Independent bottlers are entrepreneurs who buy whisky from existing distilleries and then bottle or blend it themselves. They are not involved in the actual production process, but they take care of the further development of the whisky. This means they select the casks themselves and decide how long the whisky matures, in order to create a unique final product.
Some whiskies are sold exclusively to independent bottlers and are not used for the original distillery's range. Examples of such bottlers include Signatory, Douglas Laing, and Cadenhead's.
There are also 'secret bottlings', where the bottler does not reveal which distillery the casks come from.
Independent bottlings are usually single casks. They are often not coloured, are usually non-chill filtered and very limited in availability, which only makes the product more unique. This constitutes a delightful change from regular whiskies, you could say.
Signatory
Andrew Symington's grandfather worked for the well-known Scotch blend VAT 69. However, it was poas in the 1980s that Andrew himself discovered the passion for single cask whisky. In 1988, he founded Signatory as an independent bottler. The name was chosen because the first bottles bore the signature of a celebrity. This could not be sustained so this custom was discontinued. Signatory's very first bottling was a 1968 Glenlivet from a sherry cask. In 2002, Symington also acquired the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry. That's when Signatory also moved from Edinburgh to there.
Signatory is now well established and the epitome of a modern independent bottler. They bottle single cask whiskies at cask strength, as well as at 46% and 43%. Small batch bottlings are also part of the range, giving them a fantastic range for whisky lovers in all price ranges. Both those looking for an everyday budget-friendly whisky and those seeking an exclusive rarity will find their fill at Signatory. In this way, the brand name has become a quality label.
View all Signatory bottlings here >
Thompson Brothers
Phil and Simon Thompson were long the driving forces behind one of the world's most renowned whisky bars, the Dornoch Castle Hotel. However, the brothers wanted more, and started their own distillery (Dornoch Distillery) producing gin and whisky. That was established in 2016 with the help of a very successful crowdfunding campaign. Phil and Simon also started their own label as independent bottlers. They invariably choose not only to select whiskies (and rums and other drinks) of very high quality, but also to present them very prominently.
Their bottle labels are invariably very colourful and eye-catching and often carry a dose of humour. They bottle in small runs and their bottles are highly sought after, which makes it not easy to get hold of bottles from their range. Lottery systems have even been set up for the most coveted bottlings, favouring customers who actually open their bottles. At the end of the story, you can rest assured that a bottling from The Thompson Brothers will always guarantee quality.
Browse all Thompson Brothers bottlings >
Wemyss
Wemyss Malts was founded in 2005 by William Wemyss. They are an independent bottler and blender of whiskies and still a family business. They are distinguished from their peers by a precise approach, passion for quality and a creative spirit. It is William's sister, Isabella, who selects the whiskies that end up on shop shelves under their label, and with her sense of detail she has since assembled an impressive portfolio of whiskies.
Wemyss does not only bottle single cask and small batch whiskies. They have also created their own range of blended malts that are enjoyed worldwide. Each of these expressions (e.g. The Hive, Peat Chimney and Spice King) exemplifies the whisky style of a particular Scottish region and thus is ideal for the novice whisky drinker to get their bearings in the whisky landscape that is so varied (without losing the complexity sought by the experienced taster). Recently, Wemyss also started its own distillery; Kingsbarns produces high-quality single malt with its own character.
Meet the bottlings of Wemyss >
The Single Malts Of Scotland
Elixir Distillers is an independent bottler of whisky, rum and other drinks. They source the best casks in Scotland and around the world and market them under their own label. Besides bottling drinks, they are also a creator and blender. Elixir Distillers is the brainchild of Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh. Their parents were the first Asians to get a liquor licence in the UK in 1971 and they turned their London liquor shop into an award-winning venue. Sukhinder and Rajbir learnt the basics of the trade here and founded The Whisky Exchange in 1999, which has since grown into one of the world's leading drinks distributors.
They market drinks under several brand names. Single Malts of Scotland was the first. Back in 2002, Sukhinder bottled its first cask of whisky and it was under this brand name. More than 20 years later, the list of bottled whiskies reads like an overview of the best Scottish distilleries have to offer. Within Single Malts of Scotland, you will find separate series with the Reserve Casks (a range of budget-friendly malts), the Marriage of Casks (more mature whiskies) and the Director's Special Series, handpicked by Sukhinder himself.
Enrich yourself with bottlings from Single Malts of Scotland >
The Nectar - Daily Dram
The Nectar was established in 2006 as an independent importer of spirits in Belgium. They always search for the very best spirits to bring them to professionals and the general public. When they started, whisky was the main focus, but since then the range has expanded to include rum, armagnac, cognac, gin, grappa, mezcal, tequila,... You'll find just about everything you can imagine from the spirits world in The Nectar's range.
Daily Dram is The Nectar's house brand of independent bottlings. Under this label, you will find an exquisite selection of whiskies and rums, both single cask and small batch bottled. Often released at cask strength, they never compromise on quality. Everything bottled under this label reaches a high standard.
Be surprised by the wonderful bottlings of The Nectar of the Daily Dram >
Berry Bros
Berry Bros & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirits merchant. The original shop, which started in London in 1698, is still open for business. Meanwhile, the company also has offices in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong and one of its own Wine School. Originally trading mainly in wine, it expanded into spirits in the mid-19th century. Meanwhile, they have a vastly expanded range of spirits of all types. The basic question Berry Bros & Rudd always asks themselves when deciding whether to include a spirit in the range is 'Does it taste good to drink?'. You'll find the answer to that in the bottles that bear their name.
Their own selection offers you a great look at all the major base styles and flavours of spirits out there. From blended malt to single malts from the major whiskyy regions to examples of the relevant rum styles and French spirits, all the classics are there. Berry Bros & Rudd further also bottles single cask whiskies in all price ranges, with or without mention of the original distillery. In this way, they offer a very complete range, both for the novice discoverer and the experienced taster.
You can find the Berry Bros & Rudd bottlings here >
The Whisky Agency
The Whisky Agency is an independent bottler from Germany. It grew out of a group of friends and avid spirits lovers who decided to bottle what they really liked themselves. This started, as the name suggests, with whisky, but in the meantime, forays into all kinds of spirits have already happened. The Whisky Agency is known in the whisky world as a quality label; you can rest assured that everything they release has passed their very strict quality standards.
You can buy The Whisky Agency's bottlings here >
Alistair Walker
Established in 2018, The Alistair Walker Whisky Company is headquartered in Grangemouth. At the time, Alistair Walker already had almost 20 years of experience in the whisky world (at Burn Stewart and Benriach, among others) and resolutely chose to go his own way as an independent bottler. Independent bottlers have been very important in the history of the Scotch whisky landscape. They buy casks of whisky and bottle it under their own name. Because they are not exclusively linked to distilleries, they are free to browse the entire range and create their own diverse portfolio.
Alistair Walker bottles his whisky under the brand name Infrequent Flyers. This immediately reflects his preference: lesser-known and less current distilleries that are often workhorses for big blend brands are given full opportunity to shine under the Infrequent Flyers label. You can often find real gems of whiskies at these distilleries, and this way they can still end up in your glass at an affordable price.
The Alistair Walker bottlings reveal their secrets here >
Compass Box
Compass Box is a bit of an outlier in the whisky world. They call themselves 'whisky makers', a term that goes broader than just the classic 'distillers' or 'blenders'.
Initially, John Glaser started in 2000 with a dream. At the time, he was still working for a large distillery and realised there was much more to explore than what he saw there. Compass Box's basic model was that of a blending house, a company that created its own whiskies by blending available casks with each other. The aim was to create new flavours by mixing existing things together. An additional foray was a sense of experimentation with maturing, marrying and branding casks. Through sometimes extreme interventions on the wood in which he laid his whiskies to rest, Glaser was able to create new flavours that had previously been little explored. A rigorous no-nonsense approach, eye-catching labels and a pervasive sense of transparency towards its customer base made Compass Box a name you can't beat in the whisky world.
Meanwhile, they have an extensive stock of casks that lie aging until ready to blend, two professional blending rooms in London and a team of 15 enthusiastic staff. Still underlying everything they do is a sense of experimentation and a search for the most interesting flavours possible. Blending is the platform they choose to blunt their creativity.
Bottlings from all corners of the world with our Compass Box selection >
Cadenhead's
Cadenhead's is Scotland's oldest independent bottler. They originally started in Aberdeen in 1842 and remained based there for 130 years. William Cadenhead himself did not acquire the business until 1858 when he took it over from his brother-in-law (and founder) George Duncan. Cadenhead gave the shop its name. he was not only a wine and spirits merchant, but also a poet of some repute. Cadenhead's came into the hands of J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd, the owners of Springbank distillery, in the early 1970s. They are still the owners of Cadenhead's to this day. That's also when the address moved to Campbeltown.
Cadenhead's is very strict when it comes to barrel selection - the first rule is always that what's in the bottle is the most important thing. They have thousands of casks maturing and their approach to selecting which ones to bottle and when is very careful and thorough. The interplay between age, cask type, base spirit is key here. But in the end, everything comes down to taste, which is why you will find in their range very diverse spirits in all styles, of all ages and from all corners of Scotland and the world.
Discover all Cadenhead bottlings >
Blackadder
Blackadder still does everything the way it used to and prides itself on the fact that the spirits released under their label are still old school. The basic philosophy is simple: cask is king, the cask is king. Each cask is unique and 60-70 % of the flavours you experience in your glass can be attributed to the complex process that takes place when spirits spend a long time in contact with wooden casks. Because they want to present those flavours as pure as possible, they will also never add colourings or cold filter.
Blackadder was founded in 1995 by Robin Tucek. He is still at the helm, along with his son Michael and daughter Hannah. Besides whisky, you will also find rum and gin in their range. Their main range is the Raw Cask, a range of whiskies that should make you feel as if you were tasting them in a pub in Scotland in the 19th century, tapped straight from the barrel. The Raw Cask whiskies are not filtered; evidence of this is that some barrel sediment can still be found in each bottle, floating around in the whisky.
Browse through Blackadder's bottlings >
Stalla Dhu
Stalla Dhu is Scots Gaelic for 'black cliff' and comprises a range of whiskies from Scotland. The range was created by Ron Morrison and Michell Orchant. You will find a number of single cask bottlings in the Stalla Dhu range (including Ben Nevis, Auchroisk, Benrinnes). You will also find some bottles with an interesting insert. Stalla Dhu Islay and Speyside are good examples of single malts from these regions, and each consists of a small batch bottling of a few casks. The Orchant Cigar Malt is perfect paired with a cigar. Saorsa is an outlier - it literally means 'freedom' and allows Stalla Dhu to bottle whisky without giving the distillery name or age. TruthBeTold is the name under which so-called 'textured' malts are bottled under, whose name the bottler cannot officially say, but can be discovered via hints in the label.
Meet the bottlings of Stalla Dhu >
Rest And Be Thankful
Rest And Be Thnakful is a spot along the A83 between Glasgow and the ferry jetty to Islay. It is named after a stone inscription by soldiers who built this road in 1753, at the spot where it was traditional to take a rest after the long and steep climb from Glen Croe. When the founders of the Rest & Be Thankful Whisky & Rum Company heard this, they knew it was the perfect name for their company. After all, it is not only the name of this resting spot along the A83 (and of a spot in Jamaica!), but also the basis of their philosophy: a sense of gratitude and joy at the end of a difficult task.
They are an independent bottler of whisky and rum. Their small batch and single cask bottlings are always free of additives and colourings and are not cold filtered. They always look for the casks that best reflect the individuality of their place of origin; that way, you should be able to taste the essence of Jamaica, the feel of Islay, in every bottle.
Thankful for the bottlings of Rest & Be Thankful >
Asta Morris
Asta Morris is the brainchild of Bert Bruyneel. Bert has a great track record in the Belgian whisky world. He was the founder of the Wee Dram Whisky society in 1999 and one of the original Malt Maniacs since 2006. In 2009, he then took the step of bottling whisky himself. In 2010, the first bottling was released, a 1977 Glenlivet. Bert kept bottling great casks steadily (including a series of unforgettable Benriachs) and also expanded his operations. He also started exporting to the Japanese market, started bottling rum, Armagnac, Cognac and gin, among others. Each time with the same eye for quality, sense of accessibility in terms of budget and a very clear own style.
Asta Morris is still the flagship, under which you will find its single cask whiskies. Rums are bottled under the brand name Rasta Morris and French spirits as Asta Maurice. Maman Brigitte, as an accessible rum, has since become a regular at home and in restaurant and cocktail bars, as has the Tipsy Turtle. The NOG!-gin (No Ordinary Gin) is a very qualitative and original gin that is barrel-aged in one of the barrels Bert bottled, and therefore differs from batch to batch. Any spirit, if it has an Asta Morris label on it, you can be sure it is quality!
The Asta Morris bottlings? If 't da mor is! >
Elements Of Islay
Elixir Distillers is an independent bottler of whisky, rum and other drinks. They source the best casks in Scotland and around the world and market them under their own label. Besides bottling drinks, they are also a creator and blender. Elixir Distillers is the brainchild of Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh. Their parents were the first Asians to get a liquor licence in the UK in 1971 and they turned their London liquor shop into an award-winning venue. Sukhinder and Rajbir learnt the basics of the trade here and founded The Whisky Exchange in 1999, which has since grown into one of the world's leading drinks distributors.
Elements of Islay is a distinct series of bottlings released under the wings of Elixir Distillers. Broadly speaking, it consists of 3 series: Cask Edit, Bourbon Cask and Sherry Cask. Cask Edit is always a composition of refill bourbon and sherry casks, usually combining the rich and smoky malts of the south coast of Islay with the fresher, fruity style of the north coast. The Bourbon Cask range features Islay spirits in their purest form, matured in first fill and refill bourbon casks. The Sherry Casks, in turn, are exclusively matured in sherry casks.
In addition to this base, there is also a range of single cask bottlings. With Elements of Islay, Elixir Distillers already achieved a whole series of awards at spirits competitions around the world, including the renowned IWSC.
The Elements of Islay bottlings can be found here >
Marketing • IT • Klantenservice
I've known Broekmans since I graduated in 2006 and thanks to Jan I've come to know the passion for spirits. I dedicate myself every day to the webshop, customer service and all the IT involved. In my spare time, besides whiskey, I can also really enjoy rum, but just as much as a gin tonic or a simple bellini. In the words of Martien Meiland, if there's no alcohol in it, don't call me!
