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Showing posts with label Heartwood. Show all posts

What Is Independently Bottled Whisky?

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What Is Independently Bottled Whisky?


The Internet is a wonderful tool for the whisky enthusiast. Discovering and acquiring whisky has never been easier, with a dizzying choice of both old and new whiskies just a few mouse clicks away. I often browse my favourite websites checking prices and availability, reading tasting notes and writing wish lists of my next whisky purchases. For example, I am currently holding out for the latest Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength and Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength expressions. Historically, both tend to arrive in Australia in very limited quantities and sell out quickly.

During these online browsing sessions, especially when I was first getting serious about whisky, I kept stumbling across odd whisky labels. These whiskies were not produced by a particular distillery, but rather were sourced from a variety of distilleries and bottled under a different branding such as Gordon & MacPhail, Signatory, Rest & Be Thankful and Heartwood. This process, I would eventually learn, was called independent bottling and it was a practice that had been going on for almost as long as whisky had been produced.

So what is independent bottling exactly?

To understand independent bottling, you must first understand the fundamentals of whisky production. Whisky is an alcoholic spirit made from distilling a fermented cereal and aging it in wooden barrels or casks (the terms ‘barrel’ and ‘cask’ are interchangeable). When the fermented cereal (usually malt, in the case of Scotch whisky) is first distilled, it is a clear liquid distillate referred to as new make. This new make is not whisky in a legal sense, although it will become whisky once it has been aged in wooden barrels for a minimum legal period or longer. During this aging process, the new make and wood undergo a variety of marvellous chemical reactions and tannins from the wood leach into the liquid imparting a more familiar whisky colour. Many factors affect the interaction between distillate and wood; such as how long it remains in the barrel, the type of wood used in the barrel, what the barrel held if anything prior to being filled, the thickness of the barrel staves, the amount of char inside the barrel, the size of the barrel and the average temperature, temperature variations and barometric pressure within the storehouse etc. That is a lot of very influential factors that occur after distillation.

The decisions about how to use these factors are the tools of the independent bottler. An independent bottler will source and provide their own barrel or barrels to a distillery, to be filled with a new make (or very young) spirit. This spirit may be the same used to make the distillery’s signature expressions, but that is where the similarities end. Whatever whisky is produced from that independent bottler’s cask will be unlike anything else the distillery makes and will quite often be unique to that particular cask or casks.

So now that you know independent bottling is more than just filling a barrel with someone else’s whisky, here’s an interview with ‘Caskologist’ George Koutsakis of Whisky Foundation, a new e-commerce venture specialising in independently bottled whiskies.

WD: Welcome George, what is a ‘Caskologist’ and what is your involvement with Whisky Foundation?

GK: We are a small, yet passionate, team here at Whisky Foundation and we all take on a variety of different roles. The term ‘Caskologist’ is an invented term which best describes the part I play in the organisation.

My job is basically to manage and stay on top of anything to do with the Whisky Foundation website. Working closely with our sales team, I add, research, and sample new products and observe the statistics to find which bottles are of greatest interest to our customers.

With my past expertise in whisky tasting and events, and my experience writing, I also manage the Whisky Foundation blog, and try to create the most educational and captivating content to keep our readers entertained. In order to do so I closely follow industry news and new releases.

WD: What do you look for when selecting a cask and do you already have a potential new make spirit fill in mind?

GK: This is a question better answered by the independent bottlers themselves. The wonderful Italian independent bottler Wilson & Morgan, who select the finest Scottish casks to join their collections, have produced a few exclusive bottles for Whisky Foundation. Their brand ambassador Luca Chichizola, who is co-responsible for selecting casks alongside chairman Fabio Rossi, had this to say:
It must be exciting to us. We have tasted more than 3000 malts in our lives so far. So it must be ‘different’, it must shine. It must not induce a yawn or an ‘OK, more of the same’ thought. Even if it's still immature and rough, it must have personality. About new make... not very interesting to us, if I may say so. We always buy whisky that is already 3 years old, so that it has lost its most undesirable traits of immaturity and it's easier to see where it will go. With rum on the other hand (Wilson & Morgan has a sister company called Rum Nation) we definitely buy new make either for bottling white rum or for maturation.
WD: Mass produced whisky is commonly chill-filtered and even non-chill filtered, non-cask strength whisky is usually allowed to rest to separate the less soluble particulate matter or ‘floc’ before bottling. What are your thoughts on whisky filtration and how does this affect Whisky Foundation bottlings?

GK: When it comes to whisky filtration, I am a firm believer in sampling the whisky in its most natural form. I find non-chill filtered whiskies provide a ‘fuller’ and ‘richer’ mouthfeel, due to the presence of fatty acids and proteins, which are removed throughout the process of chill-filtration.

Non-chill filtration gives drinkers a more natural and organic experience. That cloudiness should be welcomed. Most of the independent bottlings we have at Whisky Foundation come just like that, at cask-strength and non-chill filtered, giving the raw, intense, unique flavour I love most in my whisky.

WD: What are some of the things that independent bottlers could do that would not be possible or perhaps financially viable in a large distillery?

GK: A large distillery needs to focus on consistency. Several flagship releases take up most of the distillery’s production capabilities, which, sadly, can restrict distillers and make it hard for them to create unique, one-off releases.

Independent bottlers, however, only create unique, one-off releases, which means their sole purpose is to experiment, observe, and release whiskies that have matured for the right amount of time, providing balance above all else.

The fact that these organizations hold so many different casks from different distilleries means that they can choose exactly how they treat the whisky. They can create unique blends, and use unique methods to age and bottle a whisky. Two casks of the same Scotch can be aged in different kinds of oak, for a different duration, and at different temperatures. Experimentation takes the front seat when it comes to independent bottling.

WD: A lot of whisky drinkers enjoy the familiarity and availability of a large distillery’s flagship whisky. How do you convince these people to buy an independently bottled whisky that is often much more expensive and likely to never be repeated?

GK: Firstly, people’s preconceptions need to be challenged. I look at large distilleries and independent bottlers as two completely different entities, in the same way I might look at a hotel and a villa. We need both, and both provide us with an amazing, yet very different service.

A large distillery will give you your favourite dram over and over again, whenever you need it for years, even decades. An independent bottler will give you something different every single time, challenging you to explore, learn, and delve deeper into the world of whisky.

It all comes down to education. Whisky tastings, promotions, and a whole lot of information can make all the difference. Step by step, we simply need to introduce people to independent bottling and show them what makes the experience so special and satisfying.

With a little knowledge about independent bottling and a willingness to explore, it’s possible to find a wealth of under-recognised whisky gems.

WD: Thanks for your time, George, and for sharing your thoughts on independently bottled whisky.

GK: Thank you for having me, it’s been a pleasure.

If you consider yourself a whisky enthusiast, you shouldn’t ignore independently bottled whisky. Independently bottled whisky present an opportunity to try unique expressions sourced from your favourite distilleries. A lot of thought goes into the cask selection process yet even with years of experience the results can be anything but predictable. This dramatic and often unpredictable effect that ageing whisky in wood has, is one of the things I love about whisky. It is comforting to know that no matter where the whisky was distilled, I can always be surprised.
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Destination Cellars Whisky Tasting Events - Nov 2016

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Destination Cellars Whisky Tasting Events - Nov 2016



Last month I attended the final two Destination Cellars whisky tasting events for the year.

Westland American Single Malts, Benromach Organic & Port Askaig 100 Proof

Our host for the first evening was Ian McKinlay, Managing Director of Alba Whisky. Ian began with a product that demonstrates some of the things I love about whisky, it has an interesting story and takes considerable effort to produce. When the Benromach Organic was launched in 2006, it was the first single malt whisky in the world to be certified organic. Gaining official organic certification is no easy task and in the case of Benromach, the Speyside distillery had to meet the requirements of the UK Soil Association. Certifying the ingredients and distilling process was relatively straight forward but when the auditors asked what happens after the spirit is distilled, they were not too pleased with the answer. As is normal practice, the spirit would be aged in used barrels, previously filled with either (non-organically certified) bourbon or sherry and constructed from oak of uncertified origin. To overcome this, Benromach had to use virgin (unused) American oak barrels, made of timber sourced from a free-growth forest in Missouri, USA. The result I am glad to say, was worth the effort. The Benromach Organic was a pale amber in colour, having been aged for five years in the custom-made sustainable virgin oak barrels. The nose was delightfully fresh and creamy with a hint of spice. It was smooth on the palate and tasted of sweet malt and pepper. The finish was medium length with fading spices. I really enjoyed this one.

Next up was three American single malt whiskies from the Seattle-based Westland Distillery in the north-west corner of the USA. First up was the flagship Westland American Oak. I actually purchased a bottle of this whiskey, so I will save the notes for my full impressions. Next was the Westland Sherry Wood single malt, aged only 2.5 years in ex-sherry casks. All three Westland single malts are aged 2.5 years and would not be able to be called ‘Whisky’ if produced in Scotland, which has a minimum age requirement of 3 years. But many factors contribute to how quickly whisky matures such as barrel size, average temperature, humidity, fluctuations in barometric pressure and agitation. The Westland distillery can be found in Seattle, however, their bond store (where the barrels of whisky are taken to age) is located in the port city of Hoquiam, some 100km to the south-west. Hoquiam has lower average temperatures to Seattle, but less snowfall and twice the annual rain levels.

The Westland Sherry Wood single malt was dark gold in colour, belying its young age. The nose was subtle and hard for me to pick up much with the small sample I had. The palate was pleasant but unremarkable, once again hindered by only having a small sample; I would have liked to have spent some more time with this one. The finish was what really gave away the whisky’s age, it was very short, with slight spices on the tongue fading away quickly once swallowed.

Last from Westland was their peated expression. The Westland Peated single malt poured light golden straw in colour, much lighter than the Sherry Wood. The nose was only slightly smoky, which given its age suggest it was not peated a great deal. Westland uses a combination of five different malts and only one of those is peated for this expression with peat sourced from Inverness, Scotland. There are plans in place to use locally sourced peat in the future. On tasting it was difficult to identify any dominant flavours and like the Sherry Wood, the finish was quite short.

The final whisky for tasting on the night was the Port Askaig 100 Proof. Port Askaig is made with undisclosed Islay single malts and the 100 Proof expression is a NAS (no age statement) whisky, bottled at 57.1% ABV. The colour was extremely pale, close to clear in fact, meaning it was either very young and/or aged in very lightly charred or seasoned casks. The nose was smoky but there was something else there that smelt quite strange and I could not put my finger on it with the single sample. The whisky had a nice oily mouthfeel with a rush of spices. The finish lingered for a medium length and consisted of fading spice. A good, if not a little odd, peated single malt. Thanks to Ian McKinlay and his lovely wife Noreen for a very enjoyable evening.

Hyde Irish Whiskey

The last Destination Cellars tasting event for the year was hosted by Scott Farrow of Wonderland Drinks and covered five Irish whiskies from the Hyde portfolio. Hyde do not distill their own spirit (sourced from the Cooley Distillery) but rather operate as an Independent Bottler under their own label. Hyde age the spirit in first fill ex-bourbon casks before finishing the whiskey in either Oloroso sherry, dark Caribbean rum or Burgundy red wine casks in County Cork, Ireland. All Hyde whiskies are bottled at 46% ABV and are non-chill filtered.


The first whiskey of the evening was the Hyde No.5 The Aras Cask Irish Whiskey. This is a single grain Irish whiskey that has been matured for 6 years and finished in Burgundy red wine casks. It was light gold in colour and I found it to have a fresh, somewhat powdery nose that released sweet berry fruit notes with the addition of water. On tasting, it was light and sweet with flavours of grapes and berries. There was little to no spice or heat. The finish was short but sweet.

Next was the first of two dark Caribbean Rum finished whiskies. The Hyde No.4 President’s Cask Irish Whiskey is a single malt aged for 6 Years before being finished in ex-rum casks. Light gold in appearance, like the Hyde No.5, the whiskey smelt of sponge cake and banana bread, with notes of sweet raisins and sultanas. It tasted sweet with obvious rum flavours and a peppery spice building as it warmed in the mouth. The finish was medium length with fading spice concentrating on the end of the tongue.

The third whiskey for the evening was another single grain whiskey, this time, Hyde No.3 The Aras Cask Irish Whiskey which is aged for 6 years exclusively in ex-bourbon casks. The No.3 had a golden colour, slightly darker than the first two whiskies. The nose was subtle with hints of vanilla and nuts. The taste was anything but subtle however, with strong bourbon flavours, a result of using corn to make the spirit and maturing it in first fill ex-bourbon casks. As expected, it tasted sweet but with little spice. The addition of water cuts the spiciness ever further. The finish was medium length.

The fourth whiskey from Hyde was a special offering since it is now sold-out worldwide. The Hyde No.2 President’s Cask Irish Whiskey is finished in dark Caribbean rum casks like the No.4, but is aged for 10 years rather than six. This was my favourite Hyde whiskey on the night, purely because it was so different to any whisky I had tried before. Similar in colour to the No.3, the nose was of sweet tropical fruits, mostly pineapple. On tasting, it was lovely and smooth with hints of citrus and chocolate. The finish was medium to long in length with lingering spices tingling the tongue. Quite unique although almost impossible to find now.

The last Irish whiskey on offer was the Hyde No.1 President’s Cask Irish Whisky, aged for 10 years and finished in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Golden in colour like the No.3 and No.2, the nose was subtle with hints of citrus, dried fruits and chocolate. On tasting is was smooth with some of the dried fruits coming through with some sweet caramel. The finish was medium to long length with an initial burst of spice before fading.

Heartwood Dare to be Different

The last whisky on the night was a special thank you from Todd Morrison of Destination Cellars. Having convinced a friend of mine to buy his first bottle of the now sold-out Heartwood Dare to be Different, Todd saved his only other bottle to share with us on the night. Bottled at a whopping 65.5% ABV, the Dare to be Different is not for the faint-hearted but for the seasoned whisky drinker, it is amazing! This was only the second time I had tasted this expression and I wish I had bought that other bottle for myself. Heartwood is a Tasmanian independent bottler famous for very high ABV cask strength and very limited release bottlings. Aged in Heartwood owner Tim Duckett’s Kingston bond store with a few extra days ‘cooking’ in the hot room, Dare to be Different stretched to only 330 bottles and sold out very quickly. This is a huge whisky, bottled from a single ex-Oloroso sherry cask filled with peated spirit from Tasmania’s iconic Lark Distillery. Dark amber in colour, the nose was rich and creamy with notes of dried fruits, raisins, sultanas and apricot. It has a sumptuous, thick and oily mouthfeel, flooded with spiced Christmas cake and dark chocolate flavours. The finish is long with slowly fading spices concentrated along the centre of the tongue. Alas, I only got a single pour of this beauty but I do have a full bottle of Heartwood We are Cousins at home.

Thanks to Ian, Scott and Todd for another pair of great whisky tasting evenings. If you are ever in Hobart, be sure to track down Destination Cellars and have a chat to Todd while admiring his impressive whisky selection on offer.
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