A case for blended Scotch and independent bottlers over whisky snobbery

A Guardian food column urges drinkers to set aside Scotch snobbery and embrace blended whiskies and independent bottlers, noting the contrast with the ceremonial appreciation shown on Burns Night for Robert Burns’s poem about haggis. The piece argues single malts have become a near-luxury brand, citing the way some distilleries and labels have leaned into premium markets and fashion collaborations, with inflated prices and increased snobbery.

It quotes the Highlands writer Neil Gunn’s description of single malt as "as noble a product of Scotland as any burgundy or champagne is of France," and suggests some of the original convivial spirit has been lost. As a counter-trend, the column recommends seeking out independent bottlers — operators who buy casks and age them in their own warehouses — and reminds readers that blends were long the most revered whiskies.

It highlights John Glaser’s Compass Box as having helped revive interest in blends, notes Compass Box’s release called This Is Not a Luxury Whisky and that the brand published its full recipe online, which "incurred the wrath of the Scotch Whisky Association." The piece also suggests enjoying Scotch informally, including in cocktails or mixed with coconut water.

Key Topics

Culture, Scotch Whisky, Independent Bottlers, Blended Whisky, Compass Box, Scotch Whisky Association