Some products advertised as small batch whiskeys have actually been manufactured by contract at a large distillery serving many different brand owners.

Midwest Grain Products makes whiskey that is bottled by more than 50 brand owners: same products in different bottles advertised under different brand names.  There may be some differences in blending and barrel aging, but the basic distilled spirit is the same.  This practice hurts the true craft distillers and weakens consumer confidence in splurging on higher priced artisan products.  Know how to distinguish real craft spirits? Look on the label and see if it is produced by the brand owner or just bottled by the brand owner.  That is a key distinction that can be a clue.