Independent Bottler Archives - More Drams, Less Drama

Ardmore 2009 Whisky Agency / 40yo Whiskyland

16th September 202615th September 2026Coldorak

Today, I’m looking at two independently bottled Ardmores from very different points in the distillery’s history. The first is a 2009 vintage bottled by The Whisky Agency in 2026 after 16 years in a Port cask, while the second is a 40-year-old 1985 Ardmore from Whiskyland / Decadent Drinks, drawn from a marriage of two refill hogsheads and bottled in 2025. On paper, it looks like an uneven contest: a relatively young, wine-cask-driven Ardmore against a much older whisky shaped by comparatively gentle refill wood. Age alone, however, rarely decides the outcome. The question is whether the younger bottling’s energy and cask influence can match the depth and maturity of the 40-year-old.

Strathmill 14yo Le Gus’t / 38yo The Whisky Agency

14th September 202613th September 2026Coldorak

I could almost copy/paste last Wednesday’s intro for today’s review, as we’re exploring another distillery that wasn’t covered on More Drams until today: Strathmill. And to do that… we’ll rely on independent bottlers, as official releases are scarce. We’ll start with a 2009 Strathmill bottled by Le Gus’t, then a 1988 Strathmill, 38 years old, bottled by The Whisky Agency.

Two Secret Islay ‘A Dream Of Scotland’

11th September 202610th September 2026Coldorak

We explore a couple of secret Islay whiskies, both bottled by German bottler Brüler Whiskyhaus, in its ‘A Dream of Scotland’ range. Both feature what looks like a marking finish: one in a German red wine quarter cask, the other in a Cream sherry quarter cask. Let’s see how the German bottler handled these finishes and if there is something left of the secret Islay distilleries.

Craigellachie 13 / 17 / Boutique-y / Elixir

Craigellachie 13yo / 17 / Boutique-y / Elixir

9th September 20268th September 2026Coldorak

Six years into More Drams Less Drama, there are still plenty of distilleries we have encountered only in passing – through blends, comparisons, or a single isolated bottle – without ever properly putting them in the spotlight. Craigellachie is one of those omissions (we’ve only reviewed one bottling during an SMWS tasting), which feels particularly strange for a distillery with such a recognisable, idiosyncratic style and such an important place in the Dewar’s blending universe. So today, we are finally putting that right.

The line-up combines two official core-range releases with two independent bottlings, from That Boutique-y Whisky Company and Elixir Distillers. It is a compact way to approach Craigellachie from both sides: first through the distillery’s own carefully calibrated presentation, then through the more individual interpretations selected by independent bottlers. Four whiskies are not enough to settle every question about a distillery, of course, but they should be enough to establish a proper first chapter – and to see whether Craigellachie’s sturdy, distinctive personality translates consistently across different ages, casks and bottling philosophies.

Glen Grant 28-year-old Whisky Botker and 30-year-old Signatory Vintage

Glen Grant 28-Year-Old Whisky Broker / 30yo Signatory

7th September 20266th September 2026Coldorak

Back in February, I reviewed a very enjoyable pair of Glen Grant bottlings (especially the Whisky Agency one), so it is time to return to the distillery with another duo of mature independent releases. This time, the lineup brings together a 28-year-old Glen Grant distilled in 1991 and bottled by Whisky Broker at 52.7% ABV, alongside a 30-year-old 1995 from Signatory Vintage’s Symington’s Choice series.

Seven Ben Nevis 1996

4th September 20264th September 2026Coldorak

After Monday’s and Wednesday’s reviews, we are staying with Ben Nevis for one final deep dive – and this time the focus narrows to a single, particularly compelling vintage: 1996. Seven whiskies are on the table, including one official bottling and six independent interpretations from Celtic Whisky Distillerie for Le Comptoir Irlandais, Hunter Laing, Caora, Thompson Bros., The Whisky Jury and Milroy’s.

A shared distillation year does not mean seven identical whiskies. Quite the opposite: this is a chance to see how different casks, bottling dates and independent selection philosophies have shaped the same Ben Nevis spirit over time. With official and independent bottlings side by side, the line-up should offer a useful snapshot of why 1996 Ben Nevis has become such a sought-after vintage – and just how many different directions this muscular, idiosyncratic Highland malt can take when left in the hands of different bottlers. We’ll go from the lowest to the highest ABV.

Four Ben Nevis Dràm Mòr / Elixir / SMWS / Spirits Shop

Ben Nevis Dràm Mòr / SMWS / Elixir / Spirit Shop

2nd September 20262nd September 2026Coldorak

After Monday’s five Ben Nevis review, the week devoted to this distillery continues with four more independent bottlings. The lineup includes two young 2012 Ben Nevis releases from Dràm Mòr and Elixir Distillers, a slightly older 2009 from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and a 1997 from Spirits Shop, taking us closer to the much-discussed 1996 vintage that will be the focus on Friday.

Ben Nevis 2010 Whiskybase And More

31st August 202631st August 2026Coldorak

Time for a Ben Nevis session, beginning with the recent 2010 single cask bottled by Whiskybase to mark the 270,000th bottle recorded in its database. It is a 15-year-old release bottled at 54.2% ABV. It will be joined by a small selection of other Ben Nevis bottlings: an official 10-year-old from 2000; two further official 10-year-olds bottled in 2018, including the cask-strength Batch 1; and a 27-year-old release from Le Gus’t, also bottled in 2018.

Four Macallan 12 yo and a 20 yo Speymalt

12th August 202611th August 2026Coldorak

Macallan has so far been something of a blind spot on More Drams Less Drama. We have only reviewed a pair of secret Macallans – both bottled by Le Gus’t – and they were, frankly, stunning. This time, however, there is no need for concealment: we are heading directly into one of Speyside’s most recognisable names, through four versions of the Macallan 12-Year-Old Sherry Oak Cask and a mature 2000 Speymalt from Gordon & MacPhail.

The four 12-year-olds should make for a particularly useful exercise in comparison. A whisky with such a fixed identity on paper can still evolve through changing cask sourcing, batch composition, bottling eras and the inevitable small adjustments of a long-lived official range. Adding Gordon & MacPhail’s 20-year-old Speymalt 2000 offers a different perspective altogether: a longer-aged, independently bottled Macallan, selected and presented beyond the official Sherry Oak framework. Together, they should tell us something about consistency, evolution, and the many ways Macallan’s sherried spirit can be interpreted.

Two Bowmore 2005 The Whisky Agency

10th August 202610th August 2026Coldorak

Back in February we were stunned by a few magnificent official Bowmore, so this time I’m turning to two independent bottlings. Rather fittingly, they are sister casks released by the same bottler and retailer, The Whisky Agency: both were distilled in 2005, matured in the same type of cask and bottled in 2026. The question, then, is whether these two Bowmore prove closely aligned in character or reveal meaningful differences between casks.