Why independently bottled whisky is worth your investment

Whisky lovers will attest that independent bottlers (IB) are regarded as the hidden backbone of the industry, offering diversity and individuality beyond the distilleries’ official bottlings.

In the earlier days of Scotch, when whisky was primarily produced for blends, independent bottlers like Cadenhead’s and Gordon & MacPhail were selectively buying up casks to mature further and release them as single malts. 

These bottlers, in their quest for diversity and individuality, have not only preserved some of history’s rarest spirits but also paved the way for the modern whisky market. A market where scarcity and provenance are celebrated, and ultra-aged bottlings can command stratospheric sums at auction.

Independent bottlers don’t just immortalise rare spirits; sometimes they can even resurrect the dead. The legendary Port Ellen, a former workhorse distillery which closed unceremoniously in 1983, was revived by Diageo in 2024 when the beverage giant realised the sky-high sums the independent releases were commanding among collectors. 

The distillery recently celebrated its 200th anniversary with the launch of its oldest release yet — the 46-year-old Port Ellen Prism, encased in a glass sculpture created by award-winning artist Wilfried Grootens, which fetched £375,000 ($640,000) at The Distillers One of One Auction with Sotheby’s on October 10.

“When it comes to whisky, a world without independent bottlers is not possible anymore,” declares Diego Araud, managing director of La Maison du Whisky Asia-Pacific. “The market has become more sophisticated; there are more connoisseurs and people are looking for something special.” 

A striking example of what independent bottlers can produce is Gordon & MacPhail’s Generations 85 Years Old from Glenlivet Distillery. This exclusive expression will make its Singapore debut at this month’s Whisky Live Singapore, an annual festival dedicated to whisky and other artisanal spirits. 

Distilled in 1940 and matured for 85 years, it eclipses Glenlivet’s own oldest official bottling – a 55-year-old single malt released in 2024 — in both age and rarity. Singapore is expected to receive two to three of the only 125 bottles available worldwide, thanks to La Maison du Whisky’s long-standing partnership with Gordon & MacPhail.

This exclusivity is what makes independent bottlings a genuinely unique and memorable experience for whisky enthusiasts.

In Singapore, few have done more to champion the work of independent bottlers than La Maison du Whisky. As one of the region’s foremost curators of rare and collectable spirits, the French-headquartered distributor has long positioned independent bottlings at the heart of its identity. It’s also the organiser of Whisky Live, now in its 14th edition.

“Some of the best whiskies on the market are in IB,” notes Araud, “but I don’t think people realise the bargain they’re getting. Compared to a big distillery, where a 30-year-old whisky comes with a hefty markup, with an IB, you get premium quality without paying for the name.” 

He points to the Speymalt from the Macallan range, bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, to illustrate his point. A longstanding partnership between the independent bottler and the distillery, Speymalt releases offer exceptionally rare access to the Macallan spirit matured entirely in Gordon & MacPhail’s carefully selected casks.

On the strength of consumer demand for independently bottled spirits in Singapore, the Frenchman observes: “Singapore is a mature market, and demand remains exceptionally strong. The allocation of IB expressions is sometimes quite scarce (for example, Transcontinental Rum Line’s Marie Galant only yielded 68 bottles globally), and many IBs often sell out within minutes.” 

He adds: “Over the past two years, we’ve also seen rising interest in personalised casks from both individuals and corporates such as Grand Hyatt, Shangri-La, and even F1’s Twenty3 lounge. While we can’t share exact figures, demand for IBs and private casks has grown steadily year on year.” 

“Trust the vision of the players who’ve been here for a long time,” he explains. “The Macallan’s official older expressions, say over 20 years, are costly. With Speymalt from Macallan, you’re getting a liquid that’s curated and aged by Gordon & MacPhail, bottled at cask strength, at a decent price.”

This is because independent bottlers have lower overheads and bottle and market on a smaller scale than official bottlers; the price of the bottle often reflects the liquid itself rather than label prestige. Moreover, distilleries often sell barrels that don’t fit their official range at reasonable prices.

Strong competition

It’s the twin pillars of quality and accessibility that encourage whisky exploration in the IB space — a sentiment echoed by Brendan Pillai, co-owner of The Single Cask (TSC) Singapore.

The independent bottler and bar, founded by Ben Curtis in 2010, is beloved by the local whisky community for its extraordinary collection of over 400 single cask expressions, including the 14 Year Old TSC Linkwood 2010 and the TSC Glasgow 2018 6 Year Old Heavily Peated. 

“Being able to provide whiskies at different ages, alcohol strengths, and price points provides consumers with the opportunity to discover releases from various distilleries,” explains the 37-year-old. “It’s about education and engagement — aspects IB brands have championed over the last decade.” 

But for all their romance and reverence, independent bottlers today face mounting challenges, not least among them being oversupply. “The truth is that the IB market has been saturated for years, with many players competing for an increasingly crowded space,” says Pillai. 

Roaring demand, partly fuelled by post-pandemic optimism, signalled opportunity, and the industry responded by building new distilleries and increasing production, even as sales began to decline.

“Consumers are flooded with whiskies,” concurs LMDW’s Araud. “And therein lies the challenge — other than price competition, how can independent bottlers distinguish themselves from each other, in terms of DNA, vision, and what they bring to the market.” 

Deep discovery

For Pillai, the answer lies in communication: “Transparency has always been a big part of the IB movement. Sometimes, it pays to return to basics and offer consumers expressions that can stand on their own, telling a story through the spirit type, the casks used in maturation, or insights into how it was crafted. This approach adds authenticity to the process and allows the brand to engage meaningfully with its audience.”

The Artisanal Spirits Company, which owns renowned independent bottler and whisky club Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), is leaning on product innovation to rise above the crowd. It unveiled Artisan Casks, a luxury private cask programme, at Raffles Sentosa in July. 

Designed to give private individuals access to carefully curated aged Scotch whisky casks for immediate bottling or additional guided maturation, it’s led by private client director James Mackay, the former global private client director and head of rare and exceptional spirits for Diageo.

“Over the past 40 years, SMWS has played an incredible role in helping to democratise single cask, single malts and allowing whisky aficionados to more easily explore their palate and discover the breadth of flavour that exists within whisky,” notes Mackay.

Artisan Casks builds on this legacy, offering a more bespoke, ownership-style approach that goes beyond the typical IB release. 

“The experience of being an Artisan Cask owner is a crucial part of the programme. To be a part of an exclusive community of like-minded individuals and to witness up close the technical artistry involved in whisky maturation and consult with the whisky makers about when best to bottle without any arbitrary limits is something our private clients value strongly.” 

What high-end collectors want

Singapore is a key market for Artisan Casks, Mackay explains. “I spent a lot of time listening to what collectors in Singapore, specifically, want from a cask programme and tailored our offering to suit them. 

In many respects, the high-end whisky collector in Singapore has much in common with the global community of rare whisky collectors. Gifting and entertaining with rare whisky has become a key part of their social and business lives and is generally the primary motivation for the purchase of luxury private casks.”

Some of the prestigious casks handpicked for release this year include the Mortlach 1991 Artisan Cask No. #304589 and the Caol Ila 1992 Artisan Cask No. #180965.

The Single Cask also has its own cask ownership programme, which allows owners to actively shape the maturation and ultimate bottling of their casks, with expert guidance on sampling, regauging, reracking, and ongoing care, while providing secure storage and complete control over their whisky’s development. 

Pillai notes: “Both The Borders and Holyrood distilleries have offered similar programmes, allowing clients to customise their whiskies by selecting yeast strains, distillation cut points, and cask types for maturation. While we don’t have the same resources as distilleries, in 2019, we piloted a project that allowed customers to purchase bottles from a maturing Ben Nevis cask to gauge demand in Singapore. While it proved viable, we remain mindful of shifting market preferences and may consider similar smaller-scale projects in the future.” 

In the meantime, the team is turning its attention to its new bottlings, including The Single Cask’s most expensive release to date — the Bowmore 1996 29 Year Old, bottled to commemorate the brand’s 15th anniversary. Slated for November, he adds, “This will be our oldest Islay release to date in terms of age statement.”