Lifestyles
A Rich Pour - No. 15: Spirits of Independents
Cigar Weekly Managing Editor Doug Kuebler (jazznut) examines the valuable role of independent bottling companies within the single malt Scotch whisky industry.
December 1st, 2008
Anyone relatively new to the single malt scene may find it hard to believe that the concept of an official distillery release represented, once upon a time, little more than a pipe dream. Long before Glenfiddich and Glenlivet broke new ground, Scotland’s whisky producing sites existed almost exclusively to supply fodder for the blending houses. Try imagining an era when it was practically unheard of to encounter a bottle of single malt from the licensed distributor of, let alone directly from, a distillery. What was a lover of the fine spirit born of barley to do?
Fortunately, a small number of unaffiliated companies made it their business to cater to the single malt enthusiast. These firms purchased young whiskies, then transferred the full casks to their own premises (or else had the distilleries store them), finally bottling the mature liquors years later under their own proprietary labels. It’s safe to say that the flame of the true spirit of Scotland was kept burning essentially through the foresight and efforts of these independent enterprises.
Today, of course, most operational malt whisky distilleries opt to bring their products to the consumer in a more direct manner. Little wonder given the growth of this premium segment of the market and the commensurate potential for profit. Yet independent bottlers, far from being sidelined by this reality, continue to flourish. And they offer a unique take on the Lowland, Highland, Campbeltown and island spirits of Scotland. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these independent enterprises, and some of their single malts.
Gordon & MacPhail
Known around the globe for its vast and varied stocks of maturing single malt Scotch, Gordon & MacPhail first opened its doors in 1895 as a purveyor of groceries. Located in the Morayshire town of Elgin, the firm gained renown for popularizing the whiskies of Glen Grant and Smith’s Glenlivet, amongst others.
For over a century, home to a wealth of whiskies
Gordon & MacPhail, owing to its considerable holdings of spirits from numerous distilleries, is able to blend together multiple casks of single malts in order to achieve greater consistency. In this regard, the company perhaps knows no rival. It also tends to utilize a fair quantity of Sherry casks, and this fact is often reflected in the style of the whiskies. The line of offerings includes the famous Connoisseurs Choice range as well as the Cask Strength, Rare Vintage, Rare Old and regional vatted malt series.
In 1993, Gordon & MacPhail realized a long-held dream by purchasing the Benromach Distillery in Forres.
Two single malts closely associated with Gordon & MacPhail down through the years
A 1981 Ardmore, bottled in 1997 at 40% alcohol by volume, reminds me of fruits and honey being gently smoked over a wood fire. It’s definitely one made to ward off the chill of the night. A softly fulfilling, autumnal sort of single malt.
A 1978 Benrinnes, bottled in 1995 (hence the ‘Centenary Reserve’ notation on the label) at 40% alcohol by volume, sits in the glass with a multilayered yet not at all heavy demeanour, and dries nicely at the close. A little reticent, perhaps, despite the complexity.
A 1983 Connoisseurs Choice Glenglassaugh, bottled in 1997 at 40% alcohol by volume, dances lightly on the palate before diving deeper into a subtly dry and spicy smokiness.
A 1992 cask-strength Glen Scotia, matured in Sherry wood and bottled at 62.1% alcohol by volume, proves to be an untamed, flame-throwing youngster that unfortunately lacks the complexity for which the distillery’s make is known. Bold, pure and simple, yet certainly an attention grabber.
A 1979 Glentauchers, bottled in 1997 at 40% alcohol by volume, provides an elegant, focused and satisfying progression of flavours with an almost Chivas-like persona.
A 1979 Imperial, bottled in 1997 at 40% alcohol by volume, offers a fine interplay of flavours, even showing a hint of Highland smokiness. Though good for its age, this one does seem to flatten a tad at the finish.
From the northernmost coast of Speyside to its heartland
A 15-year old Linkwood, bottled at 40% alcohol by volume, begins with real Highland vigour, but soon settles into a smoother oak and smoke mode. There is a wonderful balance between richness and litheness here, with a deft touch of syrupy sweetness emerging on the finish.
A 1980 Connoisseurs Choice Port Ellen, bottled in 1997 at 40% alcohol by volume, melds a nicely weighted mouth feel with flickering notions of Sherry, peat moss, licorice and pepper oil. Alluring.
A 1991 Connoisseurs Choice Strathmill, bottled in 2001 at 40% alcohol by volume, combines crisp malt and spiced fruit with nuances of field grass. It dries nicely, too.
William Cadenhead
This venerable Kintyre Peninsula enterprise, established way back in 1842 (originally located in Aberdeen), has for many decades represented Gordon & MacPhail’s chief competitor in the independent Scotch bottling sweepstakes. The firm was taken over by its Campbeltown distilling neighbour, J. & A. Mitchell & Co. Ltd., in 1972.
Cadenhead prides itself in totally eschewing the use of chill filtering or added colouring agents, and the undiluted whiskies in its Authentic Collection are justly prized. Beyond this premium range, the single malts in the Original Collection have only water added in order to lower their alcohol levels to a more reasonable drinking strength.
In contrast to Gordon & MacPhail, William Cadenhead tends to accentuate the bottling of limited cask issues, and more emphasis is therefore placed on the individuality of each edition. The repertoire of oak utilized for maturation encompasses second or third-fill casks as well as first-fill Sherry, ex-Bourbon and other sorts of wood vessels. An extensive bottling operation is shared with the sister firm of Springbank Distillery.
The 'spirit' of a notable pair of closed distilleries lives on in bottled form.
A 1976 cask-strength Glen Mhor, bottled in 1997 at 57.9% alcohol by volume, calmly wins one over with its grace and complexity.
A 1978 cask-strength Glenugie, bottled in 1997 at 58.3% alcohol by volume, seems somewhat moody and wood-smoke oriented, yet still manages to bring fleeting sweetness to the proceedings. Intriguing.
A 1989 cask-strength Rosebank, bottled in 1997 at 57.9% alcohol by volume, is complex, beguiling and explosive, its dry vibrancy perfectly pitched against sweet grains and the high alcohol. A classic Rosebank.
Lowland magnificence and Islay robustness
Douglas Laing
The offerings of this reputable Glasgow-based company include the Provenance Series, the Old Malt Cask Series, the Platinum Series and the cask-strength Old and Rare Series. Single malt whiskies in the Old Malt Cask range are bottled at sage strength of 50-percent alcohol by volume. The firm was founded in 1950.
A 1990 Ardbeg, bottled in 2001 at 50% alcohol by volume, appears a little less nuanced and more linear in flavour delivery than the standard 10-year old distillery issue, tending to go straight for the gullet. Nonetheless, it’s still a wonderful apéritif.
A 25-year old Ardbeg, distilled in October of 1975 and bottled in October of 2000 at 50% alcohol by volume, represents a true Islay dessert for the senses. This acknowledged masterpiece tastes at once luxuriant and limber, soothing and scintillating, The peat, though seemingly delicate, is everywhere, and offers a thoroughly convincing argument for restoring the famous (unfortunately closed) on-site maltings.
One to remember and one to savour
A 1981 Brora, matured in a Sherry cask and bottled in 2000 at 50% alcohol by volume, is a solid incarnation of the spirit from this much missed distillery site. After a very short interval, brine and smoke cascade all over the initial sweetness.
A 1977 Glendronach, bottled in 2000 at 50% alcohol by volume, tastes enlivening, fresh and crisp despite its years in oak, and remains well delineated right through to the finish. Unlike many of the heavily Sherry influenced official releases of recent times, it clearly reveals what this distillery’s make is all about.
A 1995 Glen Grant, finished in a red Rhône wine cask and bottled in 2007 at 50% alcohol by volume, offers a remarkably exciting yet seamless juxtaposition of plum fruit, dense barley malt, nuts and peppery spice wrapped in a warm underlying earthiness.
Signatory Scotch Whisky
Part of the Symington Group of wine and spirit concerns, Signatory sprang into existence in 1988. This well-known company offers a wide variety of single malts, including those bottled under the 86-Proof, Un-Chillfiltered and Cask Strength Collections. Signatory has owned the tiny Edradour Distillery in Perthshire since 2002.
A 1989 Caol Ila, bottled in 1998 at 43% alcohol by volume, tornado-twists on the palate from sweet malt to oily, peppery warmth.
A cask-strength 1980 Caol Ila, bottled in 1996 at 55.4% alcohol by volume, is both elegant and forcefully elemental. Imbibed undiluted, its pepper oil fruitiness intensifies dramatically. Both this and the standard-strength 1989 (described above) might come as something of a shock to anyone familiar solely with the 12 and 18-year old official distillery releases.
One roughs it up while another sweetly seduces.
A 1991 Glenallachie, matured in a Sherry butt and bottled in 2001 at 43% alcohol by volume, bites and sooths all at once. This delicately delineated and charming whisky brings beautiful balance and persistence to the palate.
A 1988 Linkwood, matured in a Sherry butt and bottled in 1998 at 43% alcohol by volume, swerves from momentary sweetness imbued with notions of nuts and chocolate toward greater dryness and spiciness.
A 1990 single cask Littlemill, bottled in 2000 at 43% alcohol by volume, possesses a slippery texture and definite sweetness, but fades quickly at the finish line. Could this be the cream soda of single malts?
A 1988 Mortlach, matured in a Sherry butt and bottled in 1998 at 43% alcohol by volume, flows gracefully from sensations of orange marmalade through ginger spice to an earthy graininess. The finish evokes warm embers. Effortless elegance and first-fill wine cask richness exemplified.
A 1989 Rosebank, bottled in 1998 at 43% alcohol by volume, seems exceptionally multifaceted and perfumed, riding the palate in piquant fashion just a razor’s edge to the dry side of the flavour spectrum.
Looking for Highland Sherry cask luxuriousness or Islay bargain hunting?
You're covered either way.
William Maxwell
Located in Edinburgh, William Maxwell is affiliated with Ian Macleod Distillers (of Lang’s Blended Scotch fame), established 1933. Its increasingly popular whiskies, marketed under the Dun Bheagan banner, include those bottled in the 8-year old Regional Malt Collection as well as others offered in the Unchill-filtered and Rare Vintage Single Malts series.
The 8-year old Dun Bheagan Islay, though admittedly not a complex heavyweight in the manner of some of its more venerable Islay cousins, still offers healthy doses of brine and peat infused malt. It’s a good value pour, to be sure.
Hart Brothers
This Glasgow firm, incorporated in 1964, boasts a fairly broad selection of single malt Scotches.
A 17-year old Dailuaine, distilled in 1980 and bottled at 43% alcohol by volume, transitions appropriately enough from sweet malt to drying oak, but seems a tad expensive given the taste experience.
A 16-year old Linkwood, distilled in 1981 and bottled at 43% alcohol by volume, shows its Sherry cask roots and finishes with soft warmth.
A 23-year old Macallan, distilled in 1974 and bottled at 43% alcohol by volume, starts off with sweet, floral lushness before gently veering to soft, lingering spiciness. This represents an attractive enough spirit that only suffers in comparison to the distillery releases.
A 30-year old Springbank, distilled in 1965 and bottled at 43% alcohol by volume, is all sweet coconut and creamy butter prior to a late note of saltiness appearing. Horribly expensive, however.
The choices seem almost limitless.
The Vintage Malt Whisky
Founded in 1992 and located in Glasgow, this company is principally known for its Tantallan Speyside Single Malt Whisky and its Cooper’s Choice range of single cask offerings.
A 1980 Tantallan, bottled in 1994 at 43% alcohol by volume, offers up a goodly amount of malt-derived fruit sitting atop a pleasantly demure peat aspect, but lacks a dynamic edge to elevate the proceedings beyond the inoffensive.
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Some other independent single malt Scotch whisky bottlers of note include Adelphi, Dewar Rattray, Duncan Taylor and Murray McDavid.
One worrying phenomenon that does seem to be emerging lately centers around a widely spread reluctance amongst Scotland's whisky sites to release allotments of their single malts to non-affiliated companies. Though partially driven by temporary production shortages as related to a currently increased consumer demand in this premium segment of the spirits market, this trend also reflects a long-held 'love-hate' relationship between the distilleries and the independent bottlers.
If variety is indeed the spice of life, single malt enthusiasts can only hope that all parties concerned reach some form of reasonable compromise. Beyond the limitations of the official distillery releases, you see, there are so many more pleasures waiting to be discovered!
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Doug Kuebler (Jazznut) is an inveterate aficionado and collector
of wines and whiskies from around the world. Doug has organized
wine and food seminars, written extensively on wines and liquors,
and also gained something of a reputation for his detailed analyses
of cigars. His latest book set, The Tumbler's Guide to Single Malt
Scotch Whisky: Desk Reference and Field Guide, is available from
Topeda Hill Publishing.