An Orkney 11yo SMOS Parcel 11
Single Malts of Scotland 2012 -2023 | 48% ABV
Fantastic butts and where to find them
When discussing and reviewing whisky on a site like Dramface, or any other platform for that matter, how relevant is it to talk about and discuss independent bottlings?
Not as a category in their own right, because I feel that’s not where the possible issue lies, but specific expressions from specific bottlers. There are exceptions, such as small batch release like Rock island or Orchard House, but almost by definition, availability will always prove to be a factor to consider. Distribution of official releases can be a peculiar and fickle thing in its own right, as some brands can be very prominent and easy to find in one country, region or area, only to be completely unobtanium in another.
In general terms, a smaller outturn of bottles - intrinsically the case with indie release as they are limited releases to begin with – will often mean that whatever is available near you, will depend strongly on the network and the connections of the company producing it in the first place.
Diageo and Pernod Ricard, to name the obvious two, rely on a global distribution network, catering to both supermarkets and specialist stores the world over. The scale of these operations can be hard to fathom, as it’s an industry in its own right, with tens of thousands of cases being shipped and distributed every week. The chances of whoever is in charge of distributing Johnnie Walker to supermarkets in, say, the greater Bogota area actually knowing the person who signs for his shipping papers, are next to zero. Just another signature on another document.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are people like Kenny and Viktorija MacDonald from Dràm Mòr , of whom I’m confident that they’re very much on a first name basis with each and every one of their distributing partners. Being a small scale operation implies a lot of DIY and getting your bottles on shelves pretty much anywhere – be it on the other side of the globe or at the grocer down the street – is no exception.
Luckily, today’s indie bottler, Single Malts of Scotland, lies ‘somewhere in between’. Owned by Sukhinder and Rajbir Sing (formerly of The Whisky Exchange fame, currently of Tormore and soon-to-be Portintruan fame), Elixir Distillers own Port Askaig, Elements of Islay and Single Malts of Scotland independent brands. They’ve been going strong since the early 2000’s and have become a household name in the world of indie bottlers. They currently export to more than twenty international markets, making sure that a lot of what they release is available to a lot of people in a lot of different places.
And while official releases make up the vast majority of what we review here on Dramface, in the course of two years we did manage to review close to 300 indie releases too. Not to blow our own trumpets here, but one perk of committing to publishing reviews on a near daily basis, is that it allows plenty of room to pay attention to bottles which otherwise might not always get their due attention. Apart from Serge and Angus at Whiskyfun and also the Whiskybase database, there just aren’t that many other platforms out there giving indie releases due attention. That’s not me boasting on Dramface’s behalf, I’m merely pointing out that it can sometimes be quite difficult for indies to get the attention they so often deserve, particularly for the small companies with very limited outturns of often just single casks.
Regardless of ‘size’ or ‘outturn’, writing about these releases has merit and meaning. If, like me, you’re not actually living in Scotland, the chances of a raved about indie being unavailable to you are far larger than them sitting on the shelf of your go to liquor store. Yet, frustrating as it understandably is, it surely doesn’t hurt to have them on your radar either, for good or for bad.
Because when you’re already here, reading reviews on Dramface, I’m betting there’s a distinct possibility that you’ll at least have some sort of mental note of stuff you’d like to try when given the opportunity. Now obviously I’m not suggesting you should ever take one man’s word as gospel and run with it, especially when talking about something as subjective and personal as tastes and preferences, but if there’s enough noise being made about what we, as a community, feel is ‘the good stuff’, hopefully it may prove useful when you find yourself in a position where some of those ‘wish list whiskies’ do become within reach.
Be it in a store, visiting a dedicated pub or bar or, best case scenario, when you take that pilgrimage to Scotland.
Review
An Orkney 11yo, 2012 - 2023, Single Malts of Scotland, Parcel 11, oloroso sherry butt matured, 48% ABV
£58 paid, still some availability @ £63
Another reason why we should talk about indies regardless of availability, is because in the case of some distilleries, it tends to be the indies that bring the more interesting and engaging stuff. I feel today’s bottle is a prime example of this.
These days, there is little in the way of interesting official releases coming from either of the Orkney distilleries. I don’t want to go into depth about whatever it is Scapa has been up to as of late, as a lot of it is either underwhelming or seriously overpriced. Adding insult to injury, it is often both.
Highland Park is hardly doing any better. Potential greatness from the affordable 10 and 12 yo is neutered by minimal ABV and chill filtering, and while the re-introduced 15 and 18 yo are presented at a slightly more interesting ABV, the price tags attached to these will likely drain much of any excitement or enjoyment remaining. The same applies for their recent NAS cask strength expressions, which sadly hover dangerously close to a triple-digit price tag in my neck of the woods. Going through my own whisky archives, the last official bottle of Highland park I purchased was the Valknut, which already dates back to 2018.
The bottom line is that, much as is the case with, say, Glenrothes or Ardmore, when I find myself in the mood for some Highland Park, I tend to look towards indie releases first and foremost. Because, let there be no misunderstanding here, this Orkney distillery is capable of producing absolutely fabulous whisky. But rather than walking around with Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology in hand when trying to find my way through whatever Viking Gods Highland Park chose to name their latest expressions after, I‘ll often be on the lookout for that ‘Secret’ ,or ‘Unnamed’ Orkney’ or ‘Whitlaw’ (another ‘nom-de-plume’ for Highland Park, often used by indie bottlers) instead.
Nose
A lot of C’s: coffee and chocolate, cherries, cola cubes and hints of clove. Subtle, almost suggested smoke in the form of old, dried out wood and a died out fireplace. Rich oranges, almost going into Jaffa cakes provide a pleasant fruity lightness to things.
Palate
Gentle spice notes of clove and cardamom and wet wood going into an earthy note, with coffee and bitter chocolate. Again, the smoke is there, but very, very subtle. The mouthfeel is quite viscous, but also slightly thin before going into a long finish, lingering on coffee, warming spices and subtle smoke.
The Dregs
A very accessible, rich and flavourful expression, this. Strangely, I didn’t really pick up much of that Highland Park signature heathery note. Also, with a bit more depth or complexity this would have cruised its way towards an even higher score, I’m sure. Minor details in the end, as this is overall an absolutely lovely and moreish whisky.
Now, on paper, £60 or there about for an 11 year expression seems as if it may struggle to deliver value for money, especially when put head to head with the official 12yo, but that’s actually not the case. Value, after all, isn’t the same as cheap.
In fact, I‘ll go on record and state that I’ll happily pay the extra tenner for this and get something in return that ticks a lot of my boxes, rather than thinking pure economics and paying less for a watered down, chill filtered bottle, only to be left wanting.
And that’s a good enough take away on why it’s important for us to continue to review indies, even if the outturns are limited.
Score: 7/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. EA