Whisky Producers and Bottlers

In the beginnings of whisky production in Scotland whisky making was very much a family or communal activity. Many operated illegal distilleries and then some went on to operate legal farm distilleries once the laws on distillation had been changed. Some family business set up as wine and spirit merchants and blenders.

Over the years many of the family distilleries have been swallowed up by larger drinks companies and most of the whisky distilling and production side of the industry is run by a small number of large drinks corporations. This is not evident in the wine and bottling side of the industry where many wine and spirit merchants of the past went on to become independent bottlers and blenders of Scotch whisky. There are a large number of small firms, many of which still are a family concern.