The Syndicate is a mysterious collection of Islay-based private individuals operating as an occasional independent bottler since the late 1980s. The Syndicate’s bottlings are irregular and infrequent, but include some exceptionally rare and desirable whiskies. The group is generally thought to have been created by Sir John MacTaggart, the former Bruichladdich chairman and a prominent businessman and landowner on Islay, and is believed to be made up of some members of his family alongside a handful of locals with good connections to the whisky industry.

The most significant of The Syndicate’s releases have been a remarkable trove of Lagavulin casks from the 1979 vintage. The first of these appeared around 1990, with the oldest to date a 40-year-old released in 2019, and the series includes some truly phenomenal casks. The Syndicate has also bottled single casks from Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Laphroaig and Macallan, all of exceptional quality.