Dramfool - Our History
Dramfool started in 2015 and now celebrating a decade in business and some remarkable bottlings it is exciting to look back on these early days. Having bottled a few casks with a private syndicate of friends Bruce had the dream to set up officially and do what he loves, bottling whisky that he likes.
Dramfool was born and the mantra ‘only bottling whisky I like’ (now changed to ‘we’ with the ever opinionated Colin on board!) was created and never veered from.
These early days casks were not easy to find but pulling on friends in the industry an enviable contact list on Islay helped put some phenomenal whisky into bottles in those early days.
Having a love of Islay and its wonderful Feis Ile (Islay Whsiky Festival) Dramfool’s routes were cemented in whisky from this fabled place.
From these small beginnings a following was made. Exhibiting at festivals and showcasing the ever carefully curated whiskies this reputation was earned and built on. These early days were rather stop start with the quest to find the next cask as much a challenge as bottling and selling. Keeping interest and quality high was key.
The mantra was important then as it is now and having the confidence to stand in front of a customer, new or old, and put whisky in a glass truthfully saying it’s a good one has won us many friends the world over.
Bruce’s whisky journey has seen him take part in festivals across the UK, Netherlands, Sweden hosting tastings as far flung as Japan. Meeting like minded whisky fans, enjoying, discussing and learning from each other is a big part of the core of Dramfool. Whisky is for enjoying, sharing and that’s better with friends!
2020 saw a meteoric opportunity which cemented the years of hard work, showing the care and attention had paid off. A once in a lifetime – and that’s no exaggeration – opportunity to buy the finest casks imaginable with the finest provenance. The complete private cask collection of industry LEGEND Jim McEwan.
To have a collection of casks curated from the distillation of the spirit to the choice of cask by the ‘Cask Whisperer’ himself was just to much not to grab with two hands. To bottle Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore from the man who made them. Words still fail us both.
This launch to the wider world was a genuine honour and the response was amazing. Selling worldwide to Jims army of fans brought us attention and exposure we couldn’t image. As commented by Dave Broom on Jim McEwan’s retirement, his output was an ‘innovative and thought provoking portfolio of single malts that challenged previous perceptions in the category’ and all of a sudden we were part of the story!
While all that we have done (with one exception) has been single cask it has by no means been all Islay or indeed all single malt. We have bottled closed grain distilleries, decades of grain a category proving ever popular. We have had single malts from the furthest reaches of the North to the Lowlands including some classic names such as Bowmore, Macallan (but we couldn’t tell you which), Ardbeg and Wolfburn.
The variety is part of the fun and the differences between the real education. All bottlings we have done have been bottled un-chill filtered, with no added colour and at natural cask strength (Jim would have it no other way!), the truest expression of each release.
We have enjoyed the first ten years, look forward to the next and who comes on the journey with us.
