I have the 1999 15yo from the same Independent Bottler (IB) and it is really nice.
I have almost as many bottles from IBs as I do from distillers and (knock on wood) have had really good results.
Since I prefer cask strength, IB is often the only way to get them.
I don’t think you need to fear the IBs too much. They buy up the casks that just don’t quite match the flavor profile a particular distiller is trying to achieve. After the distiller ages their whisky, they blend (yes even single malts) and dilute to get a consistent profile. Some barrels are deemed to be incompatible. Doesn’t mean they are bad. In fact, IMO, makes them unique and interesting.
Trout
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