How to Understand Independent Bottlers 

Man, that was helpful, Phil. Cleared up a lot of stuff for me. As a newbie it can be a bit confusing figuring out what's what. Cheers!

I am an independent bottler although I’ve just one bottling - my infinity bottle.

What a great video, I have been looking for all the info online but I wasn’t able to find any this video was so Crystal clear and great for starters as well, like me 👍👍👍👍 Greetings from the Netherlands!

Phil, your channel is fast becoming my favourite whisky channel on you tube. As so many comments have already stated, the quality of your videos is second to none and the topics you select to cover are exactly what us whisky geeks love watching. Of course, I love a good review but I really appreciate learning more about cask strength whiskies, first fill vs refill, barrel types, regions, whisky fails etc. I dof my cap sir... You're knocking it out of the park!

Phil I have been watching your content for a while but rarely comment. I have to comment on this one! Your content is always good, but this was exceptional. The amount of useful information you squeezed in is impressive and it was presented clearly. Your video artistry is as good as I've seen on all of RU-vid. Please keep up the good work! I'm definitely enjoying your work.

This is a vary vary vary informative vlog. I am from India, a true malt lover and was absolutely unaware about independent bottlers. It is very interesting and it gives you original cask strength taste, profile . I am a frequent visitor of UK and in my next visit I shall look for some bottles of independent bottlers. Would you suggest some interesting independent bottlers, smokey and non smokey both.

I was writing some trash but you hit in all the positive and negative aspects nicely. Gotta love the cask strength!!!! Ticking the boxes.

Dude, your content really is top notch. Love it. There's also something to be said about the amount of effort you put into editing, and your intro is the best one of any whisky channel I've seen so far (and I've seen quite a few of them). Keep up the good work!

Good stuff Phil - my favourite IB is North Star ⭐️ brilliant stuff and they have some very old vintage bottlings at a significant discount to the distillers (just to confuse it even more). The best cheap blend I’ve found is Compass Box’s Great King St, really delicious stuff and a good starter whisky 🥃 before having a more exxy dram. You should think 🤔 about a video discussing barrel finishes - it is getting bonkers now (check out Glenallachie!) and it’s a popular ploy with the distilleries. Cheers

Have you tried Port Askaig? They’re an independent bottling, sourced from an unknown Islay distillery (rumored to be Caol Ila)

Just ordered my first independent bottling, a Douglas Laing Old Particular Caol Ila. 10 year old rather than the 12 year old OB, but seems to offer a bit more in terms of presentation: higher ABV, NCF etc. By the way, great tip about those blender's glasses on one of your previous videos. Picked one up on Ebay and not disappointed. Works particularly well with lighter, Lowland style drams I have found.

A good explanation of what Independent bottlings are all about which I have not seen anywhere else. It may have been nice to have mentioned that historically, the Independent bottlers were the first to bottle Single Malt Whisky! They really created this product in its own right, separate from Blended Whisky. The first bottlers of Single Malts, only available in Scotland, were Gordon and McPhail of Elgin 1895, (who you briefly mention) but the one you really should have mentioned, considered the father of them all, Cadenhead's of Aberdeen 1842, (now of Campbeltown), which you neglected to mention for some reason. One oddity about your definition of Independent bottlings (which I wouldn't disagree with) , is that some Independent bottlers ALSO own their own distilleries. G&M own Benromach. Signatory own Edradour, Douglas Laing own Annandale, Hunter Laing own Ardnahoe.... (Mitchell who own Springbank/Glengyle own Cadenhead). So what happens (which has happened in the past) if G&M bottle a Benromach and Signatory bottle an Edradour. Are these official bottlings? By the way, FYI, Talisker is not the only distillery on the Isle of Skye. You have Torabhaig (pronounced Torah-veig) but you are 100% correct when you say that when it comes to any independent bottling from Skye, there is a 99.9% probability it comes from Talisker. Not so clear is when the independent bottler says that it comes from Orkney. It could be Highland Park or Scapa. As a general rule, if Bourbon cask, the chances are it comes from Scapa, if Sherry cask, Highland Park, although HP do mature in some Bourbon casks. Independent bottlings were almost entirely unavailable here in Israel until very recently. There is now an online store offering a few Cadenhead bottlings and another offering Signatory and Douglas Laing at, I must say, very reasonable prices. I am currently going through the Signatory Vintage range and really enjoying it.

Hope all is well Phil.

Glencadam is the best. I love the 13YO & 10YO independent bottle from Carn Mor 👌 I also got a single cask strength bottling from Glencadam

Nice content braduh! You are exactly right with everything you said. Some of my qualms about IB's is that some are NAS and it's a bit of gamble when they release a new expression. You will never know if it's good or bad unless you live in Scotland where you have great access to whisky retailers. And that Glencadam 10 again is so heavenly. Reminds me of my first time tasting the Glengoyne 10. I wasn't expecting a mind-blowing experience since it's a TEN but little did I know. those 2 are way better than some of the mainstream 15's out there .

Excellent, informative video. Cheers Phil.

Commenting with you on whisky in the 6. You have done a great job with your channel.

Great presentation!Thank you! Cheers from Russia!

I was just considering IB and you made this video. Thank you.

Was really looking forward to the video Phil! And it didn’t disappoint and compass box is a great shout, if anyone wants to try a blended whisky that will change their minds about blended whisky they must try a compass box - currently into a bottle of Spice Tree 🥃 it’s fantastic

Great video yet again Phil. See you mentioned Gordon and McPhail in there. Any opinion on their bottlings? Do you think they're good value for money? Thanks.

Interesting vid. Bought a Berry Bros & Rudd for myself last year. 21 year old blend perspective series. Really nice and as a blend the youngest would be the 21 so something I would probably not be able to get my hands on. Have been looking at independent ones since and will be expanding my choices. And as a P.S.....Berry Bros have been blending since 1698 and are still in the same shop. I figured they must have an idea by now what they're doing so had a try.

Mate, if you can get your hands on that Blair Athol 12 release I cannot reccomend it highly enough! top 5 regular priced scotch for me and the best looking flora and fauna label there is. (its an otter, whose gonna argue with that)

Solid video bud! I’m a huge fan of indie bottlings. I’m super into those weird one off expressions of something Im usually familiar with. Plus I’m a huge fan of anything cask strength! 🥃🥃

I've just joined craft whisky club in the UK.

Diageo release a Blair Athol 12 under their Flora and Fauna range. Is Compass Box and Independent Bottler? Love their, No Name

Good video, excellently explained. The thing with IB’s is that one gets a different angle of what a distillery has got to offer and probably get a more of a natural product, but I have noticed that IB’s are getting a bit pricey now.Cheers Phil.

Another great video Phil, always been a bit confused regarding indie bottlers. There is, however, a new distillery on the Isle of Skye - Torabhaig. Talisker recently updated the label to 'The oldest distillery on the Isle of Skye' or something to that effect. Keep the content coming, big fan!

Couldn't find anywhere, so here it is, looking for a professional advise. I totally understand not storing bottles horizontally, coz cork will disintegrate. But will 2-3 weeks in horizontal position kill it? Or it takes months to notice any effect? In general for how long it's safe to keep bottle horizontally?

Great video on a very hot topic.. As you mentioned these botlings enables us to try some things at natural presentation when the producer usually doesn't and also get great deals because you may not get the branding overprice. I have some here but one that was a great success was Finlaggan (which is a caskstrenght young non disclosed Islay - Lagavulin most probably in the streets opinion) very cheap. Cheers!

Have you had anything from Compass Box? I’ve been eager to try them but haven’t dove in yet. Having only started about a year ago on my whiskey journey I’ve run into running out of a bottle I really enjoyed and Now I cannot find it again which is pretty disappointing. Independent bottlers sounds interesting for sure.

Cool video. I'm here to tell you that there are now Two distillerys on the Isle of Skye. Torabaigh. Check it out. PS you were probably aware of this but now

Toronto!!

Nice informative video mate. Would mind sharing the name of the whiskey club you joined in Auckland?

Hey Phil, I’m based in Auckland which club are you in? I’m really interested in whisky and thank you for your videos

On point video. 10x m8 Btw : right hand, small finger, what happened? Doesn't stay str8.... 😎

*raises pitchfork* Another video! Its been a week! >:-( lol

Non chill filtered and no added colour....why buy anything else, vote with your dollar people :) great Vid

I don't remember... Once you go black you never go back? Ah no, Once you go IB you never go back. Only

The whisky may be unusual but the price is too expensive for ordinary buyers of scotch

Buy what you want. Not what anyone else suggests. It's your collection, think about that.