Little Brown Dog - the new independent bottler - Blog post by Mads Thorup

Post by Mads Thorup

If you cannot find the whisky you are hunting for at a specific distillery, there are countless independent bottlers with a large selection of lovely limited bottlings from some of the best distilleries in the world. Many of the bottlers we know, because they have been on the market a long time and we see them frequently at local retailers. Among them are names such as Adelphi, Signatory, Gordon & MacPhail, Wilson & Morgan and The Whisky Cellar, plus many more. But back in 2018 a new player arrived, namely "Little Brown Dog". The company was founded by the two Scots Chris and Andrew, and the brand is named after Andrew's dog, whose nickname was "the little brown dog".

Chris and Andrew try to create good, flavourful spirits, following the maturation of their casks closely in their own warehouse. They make sure every cask is easy to reach so they can taste them regularly and be ready to bottle the moment they think the whisky is where it should be. Besides being an independent bottler buying casks from other distilleries and releasing them under their own brand, they also have a very small spirit production of their own using a little 10-litre pot still. That is a very small annual output, though.

This time I have tasted a handful of Little Brown Dog's independent bottlings, and here are my notes. Overall these are really lovely whiskies that absolutely live up to the level of the other well-known independent bottlers.

Glen Elgin 2012, 1st fill oloroso: 58.2%
This whisky has a pale, golden yellow colour. You can smell sherry and plum compote with plenty of vanilla. It is a touch sharp on the nose because of the high strength, though that disappears with a drop of water. The palate brings a deep, intense flavour of ripe berries and vanilla custard, plus a thick plum finish with hints of lemon peel. The whisky gives a good warmth, which again can be toned down by adding water. Overall a very complex, intense whisky.

Glen Garioch 2014: 56.2%
In colour the whisky is almost transparent with a slight yellow tint. It smells of pear, a very mild leather, bubblegum and apple tart. The palate brings notes of citrus and melon, and it is very fruity with a classic bourbon sweetness. It dries out a little on the tongue at the end but keeps the pear flavour with hints of black pepper in the finish. Nowhere near as powerful as you would expect given the strength. The whisky becomes smoother and less intense with water added.

Dailuaine 2009, ex-Islay cask: 55.9%
Like the two previous whiskies, this one is also pale with a yellow tint. It smells of a mild peat with notes of citrus, forest floor and lemon balm, and salted caramel.
It tastes of a lovely moderate smoke, heading towards campfire, with a salty finish. The smoke lingers nicely without becoming dominant. An interesting, different whisky from Dailuaine, who do not usually make peated whisky. But this one has rested in a former Islay whisky cask, which is where the soft smoke comes from.

North British 1992: 44.2%
A 32 year old grain whisky, wow. The colour of this one is also pale, though with a more golden brown tint. It smells of a combination of citrus fruit and vanilla, with a mild hint of leather. A touch of tartness heading towards redcurrant. It tastes and feels almost rum-like with a touch of vanilla. Beyond that it feels rich on the tongue. Reminiscent of vanilla custard with a mild touch of salted caramel. The same notes carry into the finish and linger a little before they disappear. A really smooth whisky that absolutely suits anyone with a sweet tooth.

Strathclyde 1994, refill sherry butt: 43.2%
Thirty years of lovely whisky. This one is also pale with a very light golden brown shade. It smells very sweet with a rounded sherry aroma. Beyond that the nose holds notes of sea, salt, vanilla biscuits and a very, very mild oak. The whisky is also very sweet on the palate with notes of cane sugar, marshmallow perhaps, and like the nose it also tastes of vanilla biscuits. In the finish the sweetness lingers and there are notes of honey and salted nuts.

Relaterede produkter

Glen Garioch 10 Year Little Brown Dog bottle with golden dog silhouettes

Glen Garioch 10 Years Old Little Brown Dog Small Batch Single Malt Scotch Whisky 56,2%

EUR 120,00