The Independent American Whiskey Bottler Arises In The United States
The Independent American Whiskey Bottler Arises In The United States
In the world of whisky, Independent Bottlers (“IBs” or “indies”) have been part of the consumer landscape for more than a few decades. Going back further, the Scotch whisky industry was built upon a 19th century middle layer of merchants and traders who were the commercial tier between the Highland distillers and the Lowland blenders, the oldest among them being the venerable Cadenhead’s in Aberdeen followed by the Gordon and MacPhail Company of Elgin, Scotland. Their peers in Ireland were W&A Gilbey’s (bottlers of the original Redbreast), JJ Corry and Wm. Cowan. All started their enterprises as importers and negociants of wine, ports and brandy as they moved into whisk(e)y.