What are Independent Bottlers in Scotch Whisky?

Independent bottlers represent an increasingly dynamic sector of the whisky world. But what exactly are they, and how do they work? In short, independent bottlers seek out the best casks on the market – either from those being brokered or from contacts with distillery owners – which they purchase to then make – and age – their own bottlings. Independent bottlers don’t have the luxury of being able to choose the best casks from thousands in their own inventory. But they do have the advantage of being able to bottle a diverse array of whiskies under their own brand. And, of course, to keep that brand from falling from favour, they need to bottle the best casks they can find, and at the right price, so that discerning whisky lovers will buy them. The most skilled operators do this very well indeed.

One of the best companies in the UK at managing this equation is Elixir Distillers. Based in London under the same ownership as Whisky Exchange, it has a secret weapon by the name of Oliver Chilton. Chilton has many years’ experience in finding and tasting casks from all over the world and, with his exceptional palate, he finds the best ones. We selected six bottles from Elixir’s range and sent them to the renowned whisky taster, Charles MacLean, to see what he thought…