Independent Bottler Archives

Ninety-One & One / Ardbeg 19yo / Blend 40yo Living Souls

99&1 / Ardbeg 19yo / Blend 40yo Living Souls

11th June 202511th June 2025Coldorak

Living Souls is a new independent bottler that Calum Leslie, Jamie Williamson, and John Torrance founded. Together, they bring decades of experience in the whisky industry. They aim to take a different approach from other independent bottlers by focusing not on single casks but on delivering small batches, sometimes through a solera system. We will review three expressions from their batch #1 release: the Ninety-One & One, Secret Ardbeg 19-year-old, and Blended Scotch 40-year-old Living Souls.

Glasgow Distillery 1770 Tokaji, Marsala & Vin de Paille

Glasgow 1770 Tokaji/Marsala/Vin de Paille LeGus’t

30th May 202530th May 2025Coldorak

Until now we had only reviewed just one Glasgow Distillery whisky, and one that wasn’t official nor a single malt, but a single grain bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. But since its launch (or relaunch, as we’ll see below), the distillery has gained a deserved following and love from many whisky fans, as they continue releasing good and reasonably priced whisky, even a few years ago, moving to 50 cl to 70 cl bottles without changing the price. It’s time we take a closer look, with three single malts, two official bottlings and one indy, with the Glasgow 1770 Tokaji and Marsala cask finish, and a Vin de Paille cask bottled by Le Gus’t, who has not disappointed us so far.

Convalmore 1975 Gordon & Macphail

28th May 202527th May 2025Coldorak

Convalmore Distillery, established between 1893 and 1894 in Dufftown, Speyside, Scotland, is a now silent single malt Scotch whisky distillery renowned for its distinctive waxy and fruity character. Originally constructed during the late Victorian whisky boom, it was one of Dufftown’s famed seven distilleries and primarily contributed to blends such as Black & White and Lowrie’s. The distillery underwent various ownership changes, including acquisition by James Buchanan & Co. and later integration into the Distillers Company Limited (DCL), now part of Diageo. After modernisation efforts in the 1960s, Convalmore was mothballed in 1985, and its site was sold to William Grant & Sons, who repurposed the buildings for whisky maturation linked to Glenfiddich and Balvenie. Although distillation ceased decades ago, Diageo retains the rights to the Convalmore name, leaving open the possibility of other future releases under this historic name. Convalmore’s whisky does not seem to have been bottled officially as a single malt during its operational years, making official single malt releases rare and highly sought after today (a few were released by Diageo as part of the Rare Malts, Special Releases, Prima & Ultima and the Casks of Distinction series since the 2000s). However, today we are not reviewing an official bottling; instead, we are reviewing a Convalmore 1975 from Gordon & MacPhail, released in 2015.

Four Bruichladdich (OB/Cadenhead’s/Chorlton)

19th May 202518th May 2025Coldorak

We return to Bruichladdich to review four previous releases. These are not particularly old, although two of them date back about twelve years. The selection includes one official bottling and three independent ones, with ages ranging from eleven to twenty-two years. As we have already introduced Bruichladdich in a recent post, I will move straight on to these four Bruichladdich: one OB and three from Cadenhead’s and Chorlton Whisky.

Two Campbeltown Blended Malts (Swell/Chorlton)

14th May 202514th May 2025Coldorak

When an independent bottler releases a blended malt, it can mean one of two things. First, it might be a true blended malt-a carefully crafted combination of single malts sourced from different distilleries, skilfully married to create a unique flavour profile. Alternatively, it could be what’s known as a ’teaspooned’ single malt. In this scenario, and as we’ve already mentioned in the past, the original distillery, wishing to keep its name under wraps, adds a tiny amount – just a teaspoon – of another single malt to the cask. This minuscule addition is enough to legally classify the whisky as a blended malt, even though it has virtually no effect on the taste. In some cases, that ’teaspoon’ might be purely virtual – a symbolic gesture rather than a physical addition – used solely to navigate labelling regulations without altering the whisky itself.

Today on our tasting table, we have two intriguing Campbeltown Blended Malts: one from Swell de Spirits and another from Chorlton Whisky. Let’s dive in, savour each dram, and see if we can guess what’s really in the glass!

Three Indy Invergordon Aged Over 40

12th May 202511th May 2025Coldorak

Invergordon Distillery, established in 1959 and producing whisky since 1961, stands as a key Highland single grain whisky producer in the northernmost part of Scotland’s grain whisky region. It ranks among only six dedicated single grain distilleries in Scotland and supplies spirit crucial for blended whiskies, especially for Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio. The distillery crafts its whisky using a unique mash bill of maize, malted and unmalted barley, and Scottish wheat, combining this with pure water from Loch Glass and massive column stills that create a smooth, refined spirit. Because Invergordon primarily contributes to blends, official single grain bottlings remain rare and mostly appear through independent bottlers. Here, we review three indy Invergordon aged over 40 years: one from That Boutique-y Whisky Company and two from Scott’s Selection.

Six Indy Teenager Glen Moray

9th May 20258th May 2025Coldorak

Glen Moray may not always grab the spotlight in the crowded world of Speyside single malts, but it consistently offers a solid foundation for independent bottlers to showcase a range of intriguing expressions. Known for its bright, fruity character and willingness to experiment with various cask finishes, Glen Moray provides a versatile canvas that can reveal surprising depth and charm beyond its core range. In this review, we explore six independently bottled Glen Moray whiskies, each bringing its own unique twist-from ex-bourbon and sherry casks to more unusual finishes, like IPA and Vino de Naranja. While some expressions lean towards the classic Speyside profile of fresh fruits and gentle spice, others push aside the habits with richer, more complex layers. Whether you’re a seasoned Glen Moray fan or new to the distillery’s independent releases, this selection of six indy teenager Glen Moray offers a compelling glimpse into the distillery’s diverse potential.

Port Dundas 46 and 47yo Scott’s Selection

30th April 202530th April 2025Coldorak

Glasgow’s Port Dundas distillery, founded in 1811, was a pivotal yet often overlooked landmark in Scotland’s whisky industry. Initially a malt distillery, it soon shifted to grain whisky production with Coffey stills. In 1860, it merged with Cowlairs distillery, and in 1902 absorbed Dundashill, then the world’s largest pot still distillery. By 1885, Port Dundas was Scotland’s largest distillery, producing over two million gallons annually using American corn, barley, and rye. It was a founding member of the Distillers Company Limited (DCL) in 1877, supplying grain whisky for major blends like Johnnie Walker and Haig. Despite surviving fires and wartime closures, it modernized in the 1970s. However, in 2010, owner Diageo consolidated production at Cameronbridge, leading to Port Dundas’s closure and demolition in 2011. We review two independent bottlings from the now-defunct distillery: the Port Dundas 46 and 47yo Scott’s Selection.

Five Fèis Ìle Whiskies

28th April 202528th April 2025Coldorak

Fèis Ìle, also known as the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, is an annual celebration held on the Scottish island of Islay. This festival is a blend of traditional Scottish music, culture, and, most notably, Islay whisky. Each year, whisky enthusiasts from around the world gather to participate in a week-long event that features distillery open days, exclusive tastings, masterclasses, and lively ceilidhs (traditional Scottish social gatherings). Fèis Ìle offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich heritage of Islay, meet the people behind the iconic whiskies, and enjoy the warm hospitality of the local community.

A few months ago, I was due to participate in an online tasting hosted by The Attic Islay, a band of three friends. We have (in the order they give on their social media) Colin Stroud, from Attic Cabs, an Islay taxi company. Next we have David Brodie, the famous tour guide from Bunnahabhain, known for his view from the verandah and his helloooooo videos when walking his dogs on Islay. And last but not least, Katie Cairns, the Visitor Centre coordinator at Bunnahabhain. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend that online tasting but I thought the five Fèis Ìle whiskies they sent (also with the Ardnahoe Inaugural Release we already reviewed) would make a nice post, so here we are with five Fèis Ìle whiskies!

Vallein Tercinier Lot 96 and N.88 Cognac Sponge

18th April 202516th April 2025Coldorak

After the recently reviewed Vallein Tercinier bottled by Malternative Belgium, we compare two Fins Bois cognacs from this well-known merchant. We’ll review an official single cask against one selected by Cognac Sponge, the cognac branch of Whisky Sponge and Decadent Drinks. Specifically, we’ll review the Vallein Tercinier Lot 96 and N.88 Cognac Sponge, both single casks from the Fins Bois cru.