Independent Bottlers |
Page Updated 12/10/14
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Gordon & MacPhail's massive warehouse complex in Elgin is the basis of the largest independent bottling operation in Scotland, and more details are shown on their page under Whisky Shops. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) are also a prolific independent bottler, but operate rather differently from most - more details on the SMWS page.
There are plenty of other independents who have tried their hand at bottling single malt scotch whisky, and this page is devoted to listing as many as possible, and giving links to further information about them where that is available.
Of course because independent bottlers are usually bottling single casks or small batches of casks at a time, each bottling is very limited, and "when it's gone it's gone". There are some real gems out there, but equally there are some that really should never have been bottled, that could much more happily for bottler and consumer been hidden in a blend somewhere. A number of independents have acquired their own distilleries, or are planning to build a new distillery - others are owned by the same company as a distillery or distilleries.
Aberko - www.aberko.com - Deerstalker
AD Rattray - www.adrattray.com/ (formerly Dewar Rattray) - have a shop in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire and have plans for a Glasgow Distillery
Adelphi - www.adelphidistillery.com/ have now built the new Ardnamurchan Distillery
Berry Brothers & Rudd - www.bbr.com/whiskies-and-spirits now own the Glenrothes brand - but not the distillery
Blackadder - www.blackadder.com/
Bladnoch Forum - www.bladnoch.co.uk - Bladnoch distillery (in liquidation)
Cadenhead - www.wmcadenhead.com/ - owned by the same company who own Springbank and Glengyle (Kilkerran) distilleries
Clydesdale - www.originalscotch.com/
Compass Box - www.compassboxwhisky.com - don't bottle single malt, but create blended malts, blended grain and blended whisky
Creative Whisky Company - www.creativewhisky.co.uk/
Dormant Distillery Company - label used by Royal Mile Whiskies
Douglas Laing - www.douglaslaing.com/
Duncan Taylor - www.duncantaylor.com/ - have announced plans for a new distillery in Huntly
Elements of Islay - label used by the Whisky Exchange
Glenkeir Treasures - http://www.whiskyshop.com/Shop/GlenkeirTreasures.aspx - label used by the Whisky Shop
Gordon & MacPhail - www.gordonandmacphail.com/ - own Benromach Distillery
Hart Brothers - www.hartbrothers.co.uk/
Hunter Laing - hunterlaing.com - split from Douglas Laing in 2013
Ian MacLeod - www.ianmacleod.com - own Glengoyne and Tamdhu distilleries
Lombard - www.lombardscotchwhisky.com/
MacKIllop's Choice - owned by Angus Dundee, who also own Glencadam and Tomintoul distilleries
Murray McDavid - www.murray-mcdavid.com/ - re-directs to Aceo based at the former Coleburn Distillery
Port Askaig - label used by the Whisky Exchange
Private Cellar - www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/tasting.php?cat=private - Speyside Distillery (in liquidation)
Scotch Malt Whisky Society - www.smws.com/
Scott's Selection - www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/tasting.php?cat=scotts - Speyside Distillery (in liquidation)
Signatory - owned by Andrew Symington, who also owns Edradour Distillery
Single Malts of Scotland - www.thewhiskyexchange.com/
Square Barrel - www.squarebarrelwhisky.com/
Wemyss Malts - www.wemyssmalts.com/ building Kingsbarns Distillery
Whisky Broker (Martin Armstrong) - http://www.whiskybroker.co.uk/ also sells casks
Whiskies of Scotland - www.whiskiesofscotland.com/
The Whisky Society - www.thewhiskysociety.com
Wilson & Morgan - www.wilsonandmorgan.com/en/
There are plenty of other independents who have tried their hand at bottling single malt scotch whisky, and this page is devoted to listing as many as possible, and giving links to further information about them where that is available.
Of course because independent bottlers are usually bottling single casks or small batches of casks at a time, each bottling is very limited, and "when it's gone it's gone". There are some real gems out there, but equally there are some that really should never have been bottled, that could much more happily for bottler and consumer been hidden in a blend somewhere. A number of independents have acquired their own distilleries, or are planning to build a new distillery - others are owned by the same company as a distillery or distilleries.
Aberko - www.aberko.com - Deerstalker
AD Rattray - www.adrattray.com/ (formerly Dewar Rattray) - have a shop in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire and have plans for a Glasgow Distillery
Adelphi - www.adelphidistillery.com/ have now built the new Ardnamurchan Distillery
Berry Brothers & Rudd - www.bbr.com/whiskies-and-spirits now own the Glenrothes brand - but not the distillery
Blackadder - www.blackadder.com/
Bladnoch Forum - www.bladnoch.co.uk - Bladnoch distillery (in liquidation)
Cadenhead - www.wmcadenhead.com/ - owned by the same company who own Springbank and Glengyle (Kilkerran) distilleries
Clydesdale - www.originalscotch.com/
Compass Box - www.compassboxwhisky.com - don't bottle single malt, but create blended malts, blended grain and blended whisky
Creative Whisky Company - www.creativewhisky.co.uk/
Dormant Distillery Company - label used by Royal Mile Whiskies
Douglas Laing - www.douglaslaing.com/
Duncan Taylor - www.duncantaylor.com/ - have announced plans for a new distillery in Huntly
Elements of Islay - label used by the Whisky Exchange
Glenkeir Treasures - http://www.whiskyshop.com/Shop/GlenkeirTreasures.aspx - label used by the Whisky Shop
Gordon & MacPhail - www.gordonandmacphail.com/ - own Benromach Distillery
Hart Brothers - www.hartbrothers.co.uk/
Hunter Laing - hunterlaing.com - split from Douglas Laing in 2013
Ian MacLeod - www.ianmacleod.com - own Glengoyne and Tamdhu distilleries
Lombard - www.lombardscotchwhisky.com/
MacKIllop's Choice - owned by Angus Dundee, who also own Glencadam and Tomintoul distilleries
Murray McDavid - www.murray-mcdavid.com/ - re-directs to Aceo based at the former Coleburn Distillery
Port Askaig - label used by the Whisky Exchange
Private Cellar - www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/tasting.php?cat=private - Speyside Distillery (in liquidation)
Scotch Malt Whisky Society - www.smws.com/
Scott's Selection - www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/tasting.php?cat=scotts - Speyside Distillery (in liquidation)
Signatory - owned by Andrew Symington, who also owns Edradour Distillery
Single Malts of Scotland - www.thewhiskyexchange.com/
Square Barrel - www.squarebarrelwhisky.com/
Wemyss Malts - www.wemyssmalts.com/ building Kingsbarns Distillery
Whisky Broker (Martin Armstrong) - http://www.whiskybroker.co.uk/ also sells casks
Whiskies of Scotland - www.whiskiesofscotland.com/
The Whisky Society - www.thewhiskysociety.com
Wilson & Morgan - www.wilsonandmorgan.com/en/