What's the cheapest non-chill filtered, non-coloured whisky?

[Alexppp]

... What it says on the title! I'd like to get a totally 'natural' bottle because I don't think I have one. And as a side question - would all single malts that have their natural colour state it clearly (like the Macallan does e.g.) or would there be some cases where it wouldn't say? And is it more likely for non-chill-filtered whiskies to be uncoloured?

[Tom W]

Hi Alex,

Well you can get non-chill filtered whiskies in major supermarkets for 25 - 35 pounds such as Ardmore Traditional Cask, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Glenmorange with the different finishes but In most cases I'm not sure whether they are natural colours - particularly the Ardmore where you can taste the caramel strangling the natural peat!

The cheapest whisky I can think of is First Cask (Independent Bottlings by Laithwaites Wines) and these are 46% ABV non-chill filtered and guaranteed no added colouring. They are 50 pounds a bottle from various distillieries and are realeased every 3 months to subscribed members however you can buy any spare bottles online:

http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/LW/jsp/templates/ourwines/feature.jsp?categoryId=cat1950015

Dalmore and Ardmore 1990 are both excellent.

If you dont want to take the risk on an indepent bottle then I suggest maybe phoning up the distilleries and asking whether the cheapes non-chill filtered are also non-coloured and why they do not label it so!

Some would also say that the most 'natural' bottles are Cask Strength but then you are starting to get pricey!

good luck in your hunt!

[Alastair]

Laphroaig likes to give their whisky an artifical tan also even the non chill filtered Quarter Cask. They give the fact away on the tube just below the barcode, it says "mit Farbstoff Farven Justeret Med Karamel" which i think is Danish so there must be a rule in Denmark saying you must declare it if you add colouring, i think they also have a similar rule in Germany.

[Archer]

Alex you should take a look at Independent bottlings which are often bottlled with no added colouring and are often non chill filtered. There is a list of the main independent bottlers here:
www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/independentbottlers.htm

I would say stick to a distillery you already know and like. The Whisky Exchange has a big choice of whiskies from the independents. The independent bottlings i probably drink most is bottlings from Douglas Laing, Compass Box, Gordon & MacPhail, Adelphi and Duncan Taylor.

[JAB]

[Alexppp]

Thanks Tom and Alastair - I actually have a collection of Glenmorangie wood finish miniatures, which as you said are non-chill filtered but they don't say anything about colouring so I'm assuming they do have something artificial. Not too fussed about whether it's single cask yet, just after an affordable natural colour, non-chill filtered one.

[Alexppp]

Also thanks Archer for the recommendations - had started typing the previous message before yours appeared.

[Tom W]

[Andy M]

Alex you will find that most of the main whisky brands dont declare whether they have added colouring or not. Personally i am in 2 minds whether it makes a great difference or not but on the other hand there is simply no need to add it at all. I believe chill filtration and lowering the abv effects the flavour more.

[JAB]

so how often do bottle come out?

and what was the latest one you received Tom?

[Tom W]

every 3 months, 50/bottle + 6.95 P&P but you get a free bottle of glenlivet spring water.

Last one was highland Park 1989 18 years old, dont know the next cos ive lost the paper! Its called the First Cask Malt Whisky Circle. You don't get to choose but in the 9 bottles ive had only HP has been used twice so you get a nice range. Most tend to be in the 18 - 24 year old range. My uncle has been in it for 12 years and he used to get 30 year old + malts from Macallan, Laphroaig and other big names so it goes to show how much single malt has changed in value!

[SkyeIslay]

Some very good suggestions about independent bottlings here but people have missed some obvious ones: the new Bunnahabhain 12 for example, is 46.3% ABV and without chill-filtration or colour. It's excellent, a clear improvement over the old 12 year-old, and at the moment is only around £28 at The Whisky Exchange. A bit more expensive but still well within your budget (am assuming you wouldn't want to spend more than £40-£50) is the Tomintoul 14, which is the pick of the Tomintoul core range. I'd still recommend the Bunnahabhain if I were to choose between the two though.

And of course there's always the Glenlivet Nadurra.

[Charlie]

The new Bunnahabhain 12 is a great example of how much a whisky can improve with the removal of the caramel colouring and filtering and then bottling at a bit higher strength. I must say i enjoy the Bunna 12 now were before it is not a bottle i would have picked up much. I have had some decent Bunna independent bottlings in the past which have been bottled naturally. Cant wait to try there 18 and 25 year olds as they plan to bottle them without colouring or filtering when current stocks have depleted. So the future looks good for me as i already like the 18 year old and they are going to improve it

[JAB]

Does any one have any of the following first cask bottles?
Just looking at them but they dont give alot of info on the website http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/LW/jsp/templates/otherpages/offer.jsp?noTabs=True&categoryId=cat1200044&cid=email%7Cint%7C28MAY%7CLW%7COZREDSNZWHITE

First Cask Glenkinchie 1987
First Cask Imperial 1982
First Cask Miltonduff 1983
First Cask Macduff 1984
First Cask Ben Nevis 1990
First Cask Dalmore 1990
First Cask Ardmore 1990

£40 a bottle currently!

[Innes]

I was looking at them also but cant really find any feedback on the first cask bottlings so i dont know if they are rated highly or not. There is also a Dutch independent bottler usiing the First Cask name so a bit confusing.