Post #724246 by AdOrAdam on Wed, Jul 30, 2014 6:32 AM

I heard something about this a while ago when I was first buying whiskeys & noticed that 'new brands' came up from no where. There was a massive 'super premium bourbon' & 'rye is hot right now' theme in everything I read, the 'bulk whiskey' buying & blending probably expanded from that to meet demand.

I think that non age statement whiskey produced this way has nothing wrong with it (eg Bulleit). If I was purchasing a high 'age statement' whiskey I would want it to be from a distillery with a 'real history'.

I kinda think that what I think of as the those distilleries with 'real history' (Jim Beam, Four Roses, Makers Mark, Heaven Hill, etc) probably do not buy 'bulk whiskey' but I'm sure they would when they do run short on supplies. Or maybe they would sell excess stock they had?

Remember Makers Mark took the decision to dilute their product to meet supply then reversed the decision? I would imagine they bulk bought stock to beef up their own produce (but not so much to have to declare it?).

I think it's interesting that ghost rye whiskeys have been produced (eg Jack Daniels, Jim Beams Jacobs Ghost) where distilleries have decided to keep a little integrity & make the products themselves even tho the fruits of their labour won't be seen for a while.

This practice is also common to rum:

• Navy style of rum is based on this idea - originally imported & bottled in London docks.
• DDL sell rums to make demerara based rums Lemon Hart, Pussers, etc
• Wray & Nephew reportedly buy up smaller Jamaican distillers new make rums which they add to their white overproof.
• Plantation / Berry Bros etc etc do finishing of various rums in different casks.
• Angostura have been bulk rum sellers for years.
• Brands like Five Islands appear from near no where.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on bits of this!

Can anyone think of other rums that are either made without distilleries or distilleries that sell rum stock for whatever usage?