Independent Bottling Spotlight: Blackadder
Another amazing Independent bottler in our spotlight series is Blackadder. Independent bottlers buy casks of whisky from distilleries and add their own craftsmanship to release unique spirits. These releases offer distinct whiskies and spirits that whisky enthusiasts across the globe seek out. Blackadder International is a family-run independent bottler based in the UK that produces high-quality whiskies and rums.
Family Owned & Operated
Blackadder was established in 1995 by Robin Tucek who runs the family business with his daughter Hannah and son Michael. Blackadder International gets its name from fugitive 17th-century preacher, John Blackadder. He is famous for preaching against the evils of alcohol.
Hannah Tucek states that the Blackadder International company will always be family-run. Each of the three owner-operators bring something unique to the table. Founder Robin is famous in the whisky world as the co-author with John Lamond of one of the most respected books about malt whisky- The Malt Whisky File. Michael Tucek used to be a chef. He uses his familiarity with a wide range of aromas and flavors to write all tasting notes. Like Michael, Hannah grew up around whisky and has come to appreciate whisky at its pure state. Her father and brother joke that she is the one that’s really in charge.
The Cask is King
Blackadder’s philosophy is a simple one. They truly believe that the Cask is King and rely on the cask to add complex flavors to the whisky during the aging process. According to Hanna Tucek, they keep the process as natural as possible. They let the personalities of the whiskies shine through and never chill filter or color the whisky.
60% - 70% of flavors found in whisky come from the cask during the maturation process. They age their whiskies with the utmost respect and pride. Blackadder doesn't tamper with their whiskies to intentionally allow the organic flavor portfolio to fully mature. They bottle each Blackadder whisky once it achieves a fully rounded flavor.
All Blackadder whiskies are bottled as single cask (most at cask strength) and are non-chill-filtered and non-colored. What makes their raw cask whiskies unique is that they contain cask sediment which makes many whisky enthusiasts incredibly happy.
Their Whiskies
In 2000 Blackadder released its raw cask series which has been exceedingly popular among whisky enthusiasts across the globe. Each cask is unique in its flavor profile so much so that even if two casks come from the same distillery in the same year, they can have a completely different taste. Their raw cask whiskies are the key focus of their company and pay homage to the great flavors and techniques of Scottish whiskies.
Another incredibly popular brand of their whisky is Black Snake. It is made by “vatting” casks of single malt whisky and finishing them in Oloroso or PX Sherry casks. These unique blended whiskies offer incredibly complex flavors. They call each edition “venom” nodding to the poison in a snake’s bite. "First venom" is the name for the first bottling, second bottling the “second venom”, and so on. Red Snake is the sister to Black Snake whisky but comes from just one single cask.
In addition to their multiple unique brands, Blackadder also offers whiskies through their associate brands. These are all produced to the same high quality and bottled after extensive tastings. Some of their top associate brands include The Clydesdale Original, Aberdeen Distilleries, and Riverstown.
Specialty importers sell Blackadder spirits across the globe. You can also find them in whisky bars and upscale restaurants wanting to offer top-end single malts. Blackadder bottles most of their whiskies from single casks because they know every cask is unique with its own fingerprint. The Tucek family is incredibly passionate about keeping the authenticity of the whisky intact and plans to produce fine spirits for years to come.
Check out the Blackadder spirits available via Glass Revolution Imports.