I’ve had the rare privilege of following Hogshead Indie since before its very first release. From conversations over a dram in Nijmegen to tasting many of its bottlings over the years, this spotlight explores how Toon van Rooij built one of the Netherlands’ most distinctive independent whisky bottlers—one cask, and one philosophy, at a time.
Hogshead Inchmurrin 11 Year Old Review | DRAM1 Indie Awards 2026 The second whisky of a blind tasting often faces a different challenge from the first. By the time sample number two is poured, the panel already has a reference
This Hogshead Indie Tullibardine 10 Year Old is not a polite Highlander. Finished in a first fill Vin Santo octave, it delivers dark chocolate, espresso, sulphur, and savoury depth at a formidable 55.6% ABV. It’s a single cask whisky that challenges everything we expect from Tullibardine — bold, bitter-leaning, and unapologetically intense. Ambitious and fascinating, but with a €120 price tag that raises serious questions, even for seasoned independent bottling fans.
Hogshead Chain Pier 5 is a rare and powerful Lowland single malt from a closed experimental distillery in Edinburgh. Bottled by Hogshead Indie, this whisky delivers bold sweetness, spice, and intensity, blurring the line between Scotch and American whiskey styles. A distinctive, flavour-driven dram for adventurous whisky drinkers and collectors alike.
Yes you read that correctly in the title. This Hogshead Islay 13 is in fact an Ardbeg! How stunning is that, that this still young indie managed to get their hands on such a cask. I’m also partly flabbergasted that
This amazing Hogshead Aultmore 14 is an exclusive Hogshead Community bottling, and proves a very good reason to become a Hoggie yourself!
Who knew the beast of Dufftown was a hog? The full-bodied dram in my glass turned out to be this Hogshead Mortlach 9, and I have to admit… I did not see that one coming! This dram is so full
The funny thing when you do a blind tasting is that you go into the notes completely unbiased. And yet as soon as I tried this whisky I thought it was a Mortlach, and I kept finding those meaty notes
Glen Scotia with a teaspoon of Springbank. Or at least I’m told that’s what were finding in this new Hogshead Indie release! This 8 years old Hogshead Blended Campeltown aims to bring the magic of Campbeltown to your glass. But
Hogshead Indie is back with some amazing new bottlings and I was lucky enough to receive a sampleset with their entire new range. Including this Hogshead Lowland 9! I will be posting a review for each dram every single day
