Comments on: Whisky Round Table

By: Whisky Round Table #12 | Whiskey Glass

Whisky Round Table #12 | Whiskey Glass — Sat, 07 May 2011 23:53:44 +0000

[...] For nearly a year, Nonjatta has been taking part in the “Whisky Round Table,” a discussion forum that is hosted every month at one of 12 participating blogs on a topic chosen by that month’s host or hostess. There have been some fascinating questions and really stimulating discussions (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11). [...]

By: Whisky Round Table | WhiskyNotes

Whisky Round Table | WhiskyNotes — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 08:22:10 +0000

[...] a new edition of the monthly Whisky Round Table. Head over to Keith’s Whisky Emporium for our answers to this question: I know that officially [...]

By: Loch Chaim Macallan 18yr Single Cask - The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society - Scotch Whisky, Bourbon and Whiskey reviews

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:21:32 +0000

[...] Well, Ruben of Whiskynotes.be recently brought up a great question about Independent bottlers (you can find it here as well as our answers to his question) and Loch Chaim, as I am finding is one of these great indy bottlers we all [...]

By: Ruben

Ruben — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:22:22 +0000

By saying that OB are better, I wasn’t expressing my own opinion of course. Nonetheless I did notice that beginners are often hesitating and seem to think OB bottlings will offer better value for money. Personally I think it’s true that IB’s are a higher risk, but they can be better or worse…

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:28:47 +0000

Michael,
I do for sure prefer maturation on Islay.
I forgot to say last time that I think the original question is a bit strange, or rather the view that OB are by definition better. On the other hand – I am glad some people don’t buy the IB, that increases the chance for me to find some good IB at a reasonable price. Special bottlings by the OB are often ridiculously expensive.
Long live the independents bottlers and independent distillers!

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:58:40 +0000

Gunnar,

There is still almost 50% of Lagavulin whisky matured on the Islay. There is more Lagavulin matured in Caol Ila warehouses than Caol Ila itself, by the way. I do like simplicity and consistency of Lagavulin.

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:45:13 +0000

Ruben & Michael,
There are various “IBs” of Lagavullin, but you won’t find the name Lagavullin on them … Glenmorangie (at least used to) sell casks with 95% Glenmorangie and 5% something else (Grain or other Malt), preventing it from being sold as Glenmorangie, but you could still make a blend with Glenmorangie.
Lagavullins consistency can be challenged since they (from what I have heard) have moved the maturation away from Islay.

By: Whisky Roundtable – Indpendent Bottlers | Whisky Party

Whisky Roundtable – Indpendent Bottlers | Whisky Party — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:46:44 +0000

[...] in Business of Scotch, Independent Bottlings on Sep 05, 2010 The latest edition of the Whisky Roundtable is live! This month we’re hosted by Ruben and his excellent site, Whisky Notes. The topic this month [...]

By: MARS

MARS — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 09:09:15 +0000

I must say that I prefer by far the IB’s Bottling.
The OB’s bottling are more than often too consensual.

And if you look at some(if not most)of distillery single cask bottling the prices are often ridiculous(I have the manager’s choice serie in mind but they are other bottling)

By: Gal

Gal — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:58:30 +0000

Great post guys.

Compass box did come up a few times. either they have amazing whiskies, or they are doing excellent Marketing.
anyways, Chris and Gregg. you rock guys.

By: Steffen Bräuner

Steffen Bräuner — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:41:20 +0000

Great reading as usual. I’m also a huge fan of IB’s, make’s my world richer. It was very confusing when I started my malt adventure, but hey, the trip has been fun

Steffen

By: Glasgow's Whisky (And Ale) » Blog Archive » September’s Whisky Round Table Now Online - Glasgow, whisky and beer. And sometimes other stuff from other places…

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 13:05:38 +0000

[...] http://www.whiskynotes.be/2010/whisky-news/whisky-round-table-2/ [...]

By: Mark Harris

Mark Harris — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:54:05 +0000

Dear All

A very refreshing view on Independent Bottlers, of which Harris Whisky is a small yet I would like to think quality driven bottler. There are so many whisky gurus in the world that think IBs confuse the consumer, however for all the very positive reasons given above IBs certainly have a place in the market.

Very often IBs can bring a cask to the market that a distillery would not. Bottling quirky casks makes no sense to the giants.

Great round table discussion and I look forward to reading more.

Regards

Mark harris

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:25:16 +0000

Hi Ruben,

Very interesting examples of successful vattings by independent bottlers. I think that apart from lg botllings by Speciality Drinks and a few more by other smaller independent bottlers, I do not see much, as far as Lagavulin goes. It may be the reason that Lagavulin 16YO is still considered to be a classic. I think that Lagavulin’s strength is consistency and simplicity.

By: Ruben

Ruben — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:13:55 +0000

Hi Michael
Recently I’ve tasted a Highland Park 13yo 1996 by Douglas Laing which was simply liquid wine gums. You will never see this as a distillery bottling.
Or think of the Duncan Taylor 70th Anniversary vatting of two 1967 casks (Glenfarclas and Highland Park). We would never have known that they go wonderfully well together if we didn’t have independent bottlers.
Douglas Laing has brought us rum finished Ardbeg. Not sure if that’s a good thing, but still
I can’t think of similar examples for Lagavulin but that’s also because they hardly sell casks to independent bottlers (like Glenmorangie or Glengoyne).

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:11:01 +0000

Hi Ruben,
I do follow your testing quite closely and learned about many good independent bottlings from your Web site.
I do admit though that I am not sure about the following thought, you have expressed:
” For me, independent bottlings are the only way to really understand a distillery and get whisky that may be outside of the profile that the distillery wants to achieve.”.

I do buy Karuizawa Vintage and the independent bottlings are of course the only way to go. On the other hand, I am not sure how independent bottlers would contribute to my better understanding of:

Lagavulin, Highland Park, Arbeg (current profile – not older expressions) or even to some extend Port Ellen from 70s (although there are many excellent independent bottlings of PE).

Thank you,

Michael

By: dg blackburn

dg blackburn — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:20:53 +0000

excellent Q&A
i agree completely
thanks for all the interesting reading and making the whisky world that much brighter

By: Whisky Roundtable #4 « THE CASKS

Whisky Roundtable #4 « THE CASKS — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:13:16 +0000

[...] You can check out our responses here, at Whisky Notes. [...]

By: The Knights of the Whisky Round Table reconvene… - The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society - Scotch Whisky, Bourbon and Whiskey reviews

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:23:51 +0000

[...] Follow this link for the twelve answers to this great question. [...]

By: Tim F

Tim F — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:24:04 +0000

Interesting discussion, as always, gentlemen – and humble thanks for the kind words about our range. Keep up the good work.