Independent Bottler Archives - More drams, less drama

Old Rhosdhu 1990 Les Grands Alambics (2020)

17th August 202317th August 2023Coldorak

Following the Secret Speyside 1994, another bottling from Les Grands Alambics found its way to our glass – an Old Rhosdhu 1990. Back in the ’70s through the ’90s, Old Rhosdhu was distilled using their straight-neck pot stills (for further insights, refer to our review of a Croftengea, also bottled by LGA). It’s worth noting that Rhosdhu presently denotes their single grain whisky range, a departure from its historical identity. However, for now, let’s return to the 1990s with this Old Rhosdhu 1990.

Secret Speyside 1994 Les Grands Alambics

12th August 202312th August 2023Coldorak

We’ve previously reviewed just a single whisky from the French off-licence and independent bottler, Les Grands Alambics – a delightful Croftengea. It seems fitting to rectify that by exploring more of their offerings. Operating from Chambéry in Savoie, France (situated to the east of Lyon and south of Geneva), their independent bottlings fall into two prominent lines: one inspired by jazz, and another themed around birds. In today’s review, we delve into a 1994 Secret Speyside that Les Grands Alambics bottled as part of their bird series back in 2020.

SMWS May 2023 Virtual Festival

21st June 202320th June 2023Coldorak

The month of May brings with it a vibrant whisky festival season, and the SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) takes advantage of this occasion by releasing special small batches specifically crafted for these festivals. These unique releases feature larger quantities compared to their usual single casks. To ensure that a multitude of whisky enthusiasts can savour these expressions, the SMWS organises a virtual whisky tasting event. They offer a festival pack containing five samples, which participants can enjoy alongside SMWS ambassadors during an online session. Now, let’s explore the selection of five drams that the SMWS has chosen for their May 2023 Virtual Festival.

Aberlour 2011 Cadenhead & A’Bunadh #65

8th March 202320th March 2023Coldorak

We’ve already reviewed a few Aberlour on these pages. Aberlour is a distillery with a strong presence in France, which is not surprising as it is owned, through Chivas Brothers, by Pernod Ricard. Aberlour’s range is kind of separated in two parts. The first part is the ‘supermarket range’, with age statements but low 40% ABV and quite affordable prices, and the second part is more like the ‘off-licence range’, with higher ABVs up to cask strength and single casks, but mostly non-age statement expressions, like the famous A’Bunadh. We’re reviewing today a recent (but not the latest) batch of A’Bunadh, the #65, and put it against a single cask Aberlour 2011 bottled by Cadenhead’s.

Springbank 1969 Signatory Vintage Rare Reserve

Springbank 30yo & 1969 Signatory

20th February 202320th February 2023Coldorak

Recently, I celebrated my birthday and decided to indulge in some excellent whisky. To start my evening, I savoured my cherished Balblair 1979 OB before moving on to Springbank. Since I plan to visit Springbank for a few days in July, I want to be adequately prepared. Surprisingly, I haven’t yet reviewed any Springbank whisky on More Drams. Therefore, let’s begin with a bang: the 2022 release of the yearly Springbank 30-year-old. I will also compare it to a Springbank 1969 bottled by Signatory Vintage, which I could taste last year and fill a sample.

The Easy Sipper, Brig O’Perth & Pintail

5th February 20235th February 2023Coldorak

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to participate to a Tweet Tasting, thanks to Brexit and the pain it is to ship whisky, even samples, from the UK to Europe, especially France. More paperwork, duties, taxes… many distilleries don’t include European tasters any more in their Tweet Tastings. Sometimes just French ones, because it’s even more of a pain here, thanks to Customs and our taxes agency. No thank you to all those responsible! But Keith Bonnington, The Whisky Cellar founder, that we now know very well here, wanted me to be able to participate anyway, so he had the same tasting pack (and tee-shirt) sent to me as the other tasters. Thanks again Keith! No Whisky Cellar release this time, but five drams, four whiskies and one rum, from his other brands: The Easy Sipper, Brig O’ Perth and Pintail.

Nantou Batch 2 TBWC

29th January 202328th January 2023Coldorak

Back in September, my friend Dave Worthington, That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s brand ambassador, gave me a mountain of samples, and I’m still working my way through them. Hard work, I know. This time I’m trying something from a Taiwanese distillery I have never tried anything before: Nantou. Nantou Distillery was founded in 2008, becoming Taiwan’s second whisky distillery. In 2015, Puli Pan, the distillery manager since 2012, releases a first whisky called Omar. This core range will become known as Yushan Signature and will be joined by Yushan Blended Malt. Since then, they also released whisky under the Nantou name. For now, only two independent bottlers released whisky from Nantou apart from the official bottlings, and we try Nantou batch 2 from That Boutique-y Whisky Company (TBWC).

Two Speyside 1988 Le Gus’t

29th December 202229th December 2022Coldorak

Last year in December, we briefly mentioned Le Gus’t when we reviewed a Tomatin they bottled for La Confrérie du Whisky. Le Gus’t / Cave Conseil is a French off-licence and independent bottler located in the south-east of France, in Manosque first, but they also have a few shops around Marseille. They became an independent bottler in 2013 when their team went to Scotland to taste and select casks, and they started with a 1999, 12-year-old Bowmore very well received. We’re trying today two undisclosed Speyside 1988 from Le Gus’t, Selection XVIII and XXVI, as each of their bottling is numbered. Rumour has it that they both may be secret Mac***…

Old Perth 1996

25th December 2022Coldorak

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers (MSWD) is a family-owned business which sees them having several roles in the whisky industry. At the same time, they are grocers, brokers, blenders, bottlers and distillers. They were previously known as Morrison & Mackay, but they rebranded in 2020. You’ll probably know their independent bottling brand, Càrn Mòr, but they also bottle undisclosed Islay whisky with another brand, Mac-Talla. They also have a distillery in Perthshire, in the Lowlands, called Aberargie. I must admit I’ve never tried anything from this distillery. And finally, they have a couple of brands about blending, and the one that interests us is Old Perth. And more specifically, their Old Perth 1996 from the Vintage Collection.

Balcones 2017 Archives

18th December 202217th December 2022Coldorak

Balcones is a Texas based whisky distillery, doing all sorts of whiskies: Bourbon, Single Malt, Rye, Corn… They don’t take themselves seriously and don’t bother with regularity about ABV, taste or whatever. They do what they want, how they want, whenever they want. Let’s hope that now that Diageo bought Balcones, they won’t castrate the spirit (pun intended) and let them continue going free. In the mean time, Archives, the indy bottler branch of the famous whisky database and online shop Whiskybase, bought a few casks from 2017 and bottled them in their Venomous Snakes series, so let’s try one of those three Balcones 2017 from Archives.