The documentary Independent Spirits: Another Whisky Film (2025) was recently published on YouTube and is drawing plenty of attention from whisky lovers around the world. The film dives deep into the craft of whisky-making and shines a light on the makers and distilleries operating beyond the traditional whisky industry.
Independent bottlers in the spotlight
Independent Spirits: Another Whisky Film takes a different angle on whisky. Rather than focusing on distilleries, this time the spotlight is on renowned independent bottlers and familiar faces from the whisky world. But what exactly is an independent bottler?
That question is put to several people, as you see at the beginning of the video. Whisky writer and expert Charles Maclean chuckles when asked:
'That’s a huge, huge question. How long have you got?'- Charles Maclean
From there, Trevor Jones’s film kicks off with scenes to make any whisky fan’s mouth water: warehouses, copper stills, and bottles being filled. It then moves on to various releases from well-known bottlers such as Duncan Taylor, Signatory, Murray McDavid, and Dràm Mòr.
Whisky as an art form
Over the course of its 1 hour and 50 minute runtime, the film explores the world of independent bottlers and what they truly do. It’s far more than simply buying casks and selling what’s inside under their own label after a finish or extra maturation.
Mark Littler, whisky broker and consultant, sums it up in a nutshell:
'You’ve got a factory that makes a product, the distillery. Then there’s a third party that wants that product and sells it under their own name, but also with the factory’s name on it. It’s a very odd concept and has been for a long time, even though it benefits both sides.'- Mark Littler
Naturally, the video doesn’t stop at that explanation. It goes much deeper into the subject. You’ll find the full film below.
A film for newcomers and aficionados alike
The film zooms in on the craft of making whisky and immediately shows just how important independent bottlers are to distilleries. Did you know, for example, that Cadenhead’s is one of the earliest independent bottlers ever? Or that bottlers have ensured whiskies from certain distilleries didn’t vanish solely into blends?
Through stories from the people behind the labels, you’ll discover all kinds of insights about the bottling world. The film highlights their philosophy, production methods, and the challenges involved in bringing whiskies to life.
The documentary not only emphasizes production but it puts the passion of these people front and center.
If you’ve got two hours to spare, grab some cheese, a bowl of chocolate, and a good dram. You can watch the film on YouTube.
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LATEST COMMENTS
- There is no distillery equipment there and also no licences to produce or sell alcohol.TRC19-12-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your response and for sharing the video. Unfortunately, the evidence you referred to consists only of two people talking about the whisky, without any explanation or identification. We have not spoken to the individuals in the video ourselves, nor can we verify who they are. We describe it as a Chinese whisky because it is released by a Chinese distillery. As you mentioned, the distillery has chosen to label the product as “pure malt” instead of “Chinese whisky.” Based on that, we do not believe they are doing anything illegal.M0nkey16-11-2025
- So - you have the proof......where's your write up?Yvonne16-11-2025
- You are absolutely right. Luckily that doesn't matter for the taste of the whisky. Have you tried it yet?M0nkey05-11-2025
- Guess what? Finland is not part of Scandinavia.Gray105-11-2025
- Throw in the towel? You mean restructure to compete and win in a challenging industry environment.WestwardFounder21-10-2025
- There is nothing legally to prevent the English whisky GI from coming into force, it complies with all the relevant laws and the single malt definition follows the precedent of Welsh whisky and US whiskyChefBear15-10-2025
- Three emails sent (two with videos, linked to a Google Drive Share). 1. The original video. 2. The video with subtitles as it was shared on YouTube 3. Screen grab of the YouTube channel where the video was blocked due to Pernod Ricard lobbying. The story was covered on Drinks Intel at the time - link here - https://drinks-intel.com/subscriber-news/pernod-ricards-the-chuan-pure-malt-whisky-not-sourced-solely-from-china-global-drinks-intel-exclusive/Yvonne10-10-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your interesting comment. Could you share your copy with us, so we can adjust our item accordingly? Mail us at [email protected]. Thank you in advance.M0nkey09-10-2025
- Let's keep this factually correct. Pernod Ricard DID NOT release a Chinese whisky. Their first output from The Chuan (the name of the distillery in Sichuan, China) wasn't fit for bottling. What they actually bottled was imported Scotch whisky. This is why the product is called "PURE MALT" and not "Chinese Whisky" - because Pure Malt is not a regulated term - this is not a secret. This was exposed about a week after they released it. There were even videos about their own staff on site admitting it was made from imported whisky - which Pernod Ricard got the lawyers onto to get the video pulled. I've got a copy if you want it.Yvonne09-10-2025
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