Independent bottlers have always been a bit of an enigma to many. I recall my own first encounter with an Independent Bottling. It was in the U.K. and a friend had just made a trip to Edinburgh, returning with a bottle by Adelphi. I remember enjoying the bottle, but not knowing which distillery Adelphi was!
Much has changed since then, but the fact remains Independent bottlers, through no fault of their own, have a tendency to confuse. So in this exclusive piece on Italian bottler Silver Seal, SGwhisky looks closer into the world of Independent bottlers, and hopefully help everyone understand them that bit more!
Simply put, Independent bottlers are companies who buy whiskies by the casks from distilleries themselves or from brokers/traders who acquire casks from the distilleries and act as an intermediary between the two. Some independent bottlers in Scotland have the luxury of taking these casks and aging them in their own warehouses (like Gordon & Macphail), but for those who are based out of Scotland, the casks acquired stay with the distillery (or definitely within Scotland) till the time is right to bottle. Once the time is right (decided by the independent bottlers themselves), the whisky is bottled and sold. It is as simple as that, though there are smaller rules here and there.
So it is with this background that SGwhisky proudly introduces Silver Seal, an independent bottler of whiskies since its inception in 1979 (then under the name Sestante). Being based in Italy, it is one of the bottlers that has to leave their casks in Scotland and send their own bottles and labels over to Scotland for bottling (only whiskies matured and bottled in Scotland can be called Scotch by law). A premier bottler of whiskies who prides itself in the picking of only the best casks of whisky, Silver Seal has slowly gained a devoted following in
The Auld Alliance, where it is exclusively available via the bar's owner, Emmanuel Dron, who is the agent of Silver Seal in Singapore.
Massimo Righi (L) with Auld Alliance Owner Emmanuel Dron
(Credits Emmanuel Dron)
On 21st July, SGwhisky was invited to The Auld Alliance by Emmanuel for an exclusive Silver Seal Tasting hosted by Massimo Righi, the owner of Silver Seal. The tasting included a sampling of 3 whiskies and a rum (the review of the whiskies will come in a later post!) by Silver Seal and Massimo himself was on hand to lead the discussions and give his unique insight into independent bottlers. After a great tasting, SGwhisky sat down with Massimo to discuss Silver Seal, Independent Bottlers and the Singapore market.
So without further ado, SGwhisky presents to everyone an exclusive interview with Massimo Righi
SGwhisky presents: An Interview with Massimo Righi
Don't let the laid back demeanor of Massimo Righi, or Max as he likes to be called, fool you. Once you get him started on Whisky, this Italian is as passionate as they come. As soon as I asked my first question, Max is off with anecdotes and about a day in his life as head of Silver Seal. Max took over the reins of the company from the current owners, one of whom still stays on as a consultant. Today, Silver Seal has established itself as a premium independent bottler, found only in Michelin Star restaurants in Italy, and growing a huge following in the mature markets like Japan. But that doesn't detract from the task at hand, and that is to find the best casks of whisky to keep the good name of Silver Seal going.
Max shares that the life of an independent bottler is far from easy. As the owner, he oversees the purchasing of the cask, and often visits the distillers and traders in Scotland to sample casks. He usually tries each sample three times a day, once in the morning when the palate is freshest, once after lunch and once after dinner. The main reason for trying after meals is to see how the flavours are affected by various types of food. Max then compares notes with the previous owner of Silver Seal, and they will only purchase the cask if they are in agreement on the quality of the casks. So far, they have only differed in opinion once.
One astute member at the tasting quipped that one should not complain if his job is to try whiskies, but the truth is such a dedication to a craft is the hallmark of a passionate man. The fact that Max only selects an average of
1% of the casks he samples says something about the stringent policies in place at Silver Seal and an unquestionable dedication to quality.
So what does make this man tick? SGwhisky asked him a few questions about Silver Seal and himself!
What is the history of Silver Seal?
Silver Seal was founded in 1979 under the name Sestante by two gentlemen. Today I am the owner and one of the founders is a consultant with me. In 2001, we renamed our brand Silver Seal, but we have retained the name Sestante for some of our products as a special collection, mainly because the name Sestante is still very prestigious.
So what exactly is the difference between Silver Seal and Sestante?
Silver Seal is the new name of the company, and Sestante is the old one. As mentioned, we keep the old name as it is a popular brand name. We also have some expressions that have fantasy names like Pluscarden Valley, and these are for whiskies from distilleries that we cannot name.
We at Silver Seal take pride in our labeling and bottling. It is 10-12 Euros more expensive, but there is a quality look to the bottles. For us Italians, the look is really important, so we invest not only in quality whisky, but in quality bottling and labeling too.
What does Silver Seal firmly believe in as a company?
We believe in finding and choosing only the best casks. We only pick 1% of the whiskies we try. We also believe in understanding the whisky brand well, and finding hidden distilleries that people don't know about.
What do you feel about the Singapore Market?
All Asian markets are emerging and are important for whisky brands, except Japan which is a mature market. It is important for Asians to know the philosophy behind independent bottlers and Single Cask whiskies bottled at full proof.
Singapore is especially important as the Standard of Living here is high, and the people appreciate the good things in life, and that includes good whisky.
What do you hope will be Silver Seal's positioning in Singapore's whisky market?
Silver Seal is a top brand for independent bottles, just like Douglas Laing and Samaroli. Our production is low, with about 10,000-20,000 bottles a year, so we focus on only the best whiskies. In Singapore, we want to position ourselves as a new but high-end bottler, meant for people looking for the best. In Italy we provide whiskies to only the best restaurants, and we too want to focus on people looking for the best here in Singapore.
What is your favorite whisky?
Whisky is all about your own mood and liking. What you like to drink changes with your mood just like music. With food, some whiskies go with some types of food, like Islay Malts go with fish. So it really is up to your own liking. The important thing is that the whisky must be of good quality.
Silver Seal whiskies are available exclusively at
The Auld Alliance and its agent, Emmanuel Dron. For enquiries please contact Emmanuel at emmanuel@theauldalliance.sg.
SGwhisky would like to thank Emmanuel Dron, The Auld Alliance and Massimo Righi for the invitation to the tasting, and for taking time off to talk about whisky to us!
