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The oldest of today’s distilleries date from the 1700s. In the 1700s and early 1800s, production was small and irregular, and the notion of ‘brands’ or ‘trademarks’ was unknown in any industry. Whisky was sold by the cask to country grocers and wine merchants. Johnnie Walker was one such a shopkeeper, George Ballantine another whereas the Chivas brothers were partners in a shop. These merchants dealt with the lack of consistency or volume by creating their own house vattings, and these became brands.

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