WM Cadenhead

William Cadenhead started out as a wine and spirits merchant in Aberdeen in 1842, which makes the firm the oldest independent bottler in Scotland. In 1972 it was bought by J&A Mitchell, the family company behind Springbank, and its work moved to Campbeltown, where it still sits alongside the distillery.

Cadenhead's buys casks from distilleries across Scotland and beyond and bottles them under its own name. Its house approach is simple: no chill filtration, no added colouring, and in most ranges the whisky goes into the bottle at cask strength. Many releases are single casks, so two bottles from the same distillery and year can taste quite different.

The Authentic Collection is the classic Cadenhead's line of single casks at cask strength, from young malts to old grain whiskies such as Cameronbridge. Natural Strength releases are also bottled at full strength, including Campbeltown whiskies like Longrow from the sister distillery. Chairman's Stock is reserved for picks from the company's own stocks, and you will also meet releases labelled by cask type, such as sherry or wine casks.

In our catalogue Cadenhead's bottles whisky from Benrinnes, BenRiach, Glenfarclas, Knockdhu, Ardmore, Auchroisk, Isle of Jura and Ardnamurchan, among others. Because many casks are small outturns sold through its own shops and specialist retailers, prices and availability move quickly.