Why independent bottlings make great gifts ...or The cheat’s guide to impressing your whisky friends

Independent bottlers may not be as well-known as official distillery releases, but they’ve been a part of Scotch whisky since the industry’s early days. Indeed, if you look at long-established independent bottlers such as Gordon & MacPhail, they were as close as you could get to an official distillery bottling in the decades before many distillery owners saw the benefit of selling single malts themselves.

What is an independent bottler?

The common thread is that they all bottle spirits made by someone else. It’s a broad term, covering firms over a century old as well as businesses that have only recently been founded. This may not be all they do – indeed, many independent bottlers also run distilleries. These bottlings are unofficial in the sense that they weren’t released by the distillery itself, not that the whisky was made somewhere else.

So, what do independent bottlers do?

Firstly, given that alcohol is very tightly regulated, you can trust an independent bottler’s label when it tells you which distillery the spirit comes from. There are a few instances where the bottle doesn’t state which distillery it comes from, just a region or other vague hint, but this is usually due to the terms of the agreement between distillery and bottler, not a sign of dodgy dealings or sub-par spirit.

Some will buy new spirit from the distillery and take full responsibility for where, how and in what casks it will mature. Some source mature spirit that excites them and simply get it out to aficionados in as close to that original condition as possible. Between those two poles, an independent bottler may obtain spirit that’s ready to sell, but see potential for letting it mature further or finishing it in an interesting cask.

Of course, independent bottlers don’t have to release single malts or the equivalent – some of the best blended whiskies available today also come from independent outfits.

What are the advantages to an independent bottling?

The simplest answer to this is choice. A distillery’s own bottlings are a great way to discover how it sees its spirit, but independent bottlers can show you aspects that those official releases don’t explore.

Maybe you want to try a Tamdhu without the rich sherry cask influence of the official bottlings. An independent bottling from a refill hogshead will let the character of the spirit come through. Or perhaps you’re buying a gift for a fan of Bunnahabhain and want to surprise them with a peated expression? There are plenty of independent bottlings that will help you out there.

When it comes to Scotch whisky, though very few distilleries entirely lack an official release these days, places like Clynelish, Linkwood or Blair Athol still see the vast majority of their output go to use in blends. If you want to find out more from these hidden giants, independent bottlings are a great way to do so.

Or perhaps you’re fascinated by a lost distillery, perhaps a rum from Trinidad’s Caroni or a Lowland Scotch from St Magdalene? Independent bottlings are a great way to experience a taste of the past before it disappears. When it comes to independent bottlings, what was unusual is far more accessible.

For those dipping a toe in

Whether you’re exploring yourself – or looking to buy a gift for someone who is – the easiest way to start is with what you already know and then dig a little deeper. It doesn’t have to be a specific distillery; it could be a region or style. To make life even easier, there’s an ‘Independent Bottling’ tag in The Whisky Exchange’s filtering options for Scotch whisky – you can simply put official distillery expressions to one side while you explore. Independent bottlings can be intimidating by virtue of the sheer breadth of choice. Start in a familiar corner and work your way out

Say that you know you’re buying for someone who enjoys big, sherried Speysides like Macallan or Glenfarclas? Look out for bottles matured or finished in oloroso or Pedro Ximénez, two of the richest commonly-used type of sherry cask and you’ll see a wealth of options. The Scorpio bottling of a certain unidentified famous Speyside distillery known for its sherried whisky, from our very own Zodiac series jumps out. Or if you’re exploring other ways that big Speyside character can manifest, a hefty, meaty 10-year-old Mortlach bottled by the excellent Signatory after finishing it in a first-fill Pedro Ximénez butt is a great way to experience a slightly different angle on ‘the beast of Dufftown’.

For the connoisseurs

If you already know your Kildalton from your Burnside, then this is where independent expressions can really allow you to dig in and get to the roots of your favourite distilleries, or to aim straight at the heart of a new area of interest. While established bottlers like Gordon & MacPhail, Berry Bros & Rudd or Cadenhead’s have a vast trove of fascinating bottlings, the newer wave of independents are always worth investigating. Decadent, Thompson Bros and Watt Whisky are just a few of this cohort and they bring a deep love of the spirit allied to a nimble release schedule. One week might see a well-aged peated Jura that’s proudly old-fashioned in its approach. The next, a reinterpretation of the Arran 10 Year Old  that’s all game, smoke and leather notes, reconfiguring your expectations entirely.

Gift an indie, impress a connoisseur

What can hold people back from dipping into the world of independent bottlings is that by their very nature they’re unofficial. All we can say is – take the plunge! There is so much to explore, and such a huge variety of flavours to discover that you won’t regret it.