Whisky Pioneer is a new whisky subscription service. For £7.95 a month they’ll send you a minimum of 50ml of whisky a month.
What’s their unique selling point?
Well a couple of things.. first they have teamed up with Prevented Ocean Plastic to create 100% recycled plastic bottles. They’ll also be sharing mainly single malt whiskies, some new releases, and have confirmed none of their releases will be the usual supermarket offerings. Bonus if you send them 10 bottles back they’ll provide you a free dram.
So what do we think of Whisky Pioneer?
Communication with the team at Whisky Pioneer was good, delivery was was quick with durable packaging, and the bottle fitted easily through our letterbox. They include an insert with details on the bottle they’ve sent, but also put even more detailed information about the whisky they are sharing on their site. This is handy if you’re unfamiliar with the months release. Really we can’t fault Whisky Pioneer at all and if this sounds like something you’d be interested in get yourself over to:
To find out more. Oh, and if you do sign up use code WP50 to save 50% off your first month.
Thanks to Whisky Pioneer for the sample. Onto the whisky:
Whisky: Masthouse Column Malt Whisky
Region: England
ABV: 45.0%
Price: £7.95 for a 60ml sample.
From Whisky Pioneers site: Masthouse Column Malt Whisky uses Belgravia barley from a single harvest from a single Kentish field (40 Acre Field), less than 15 miles from Copper Rivet Distillery, where Masthouse Whisky is created.
Fermented for seven days before the wash is distilled slowly in a pot still and then for a second time in a unique 10m tall, 40 plate column still, designed and made by the Copper Rivet team. The whisky is aged in ex-Bourbon casks from bourbon distilleries selected by founders Matthew and Abhi after visits to cooperages to find the one whose craft ethos most closely matched theirs.
Nose
Juniper, lemon peel, orange segments, soft leather, banana chips, honey and cream. Some new make spirit notes in the background. Alcohol is quite apparent.
Palate
Light bourbon cask notes, vanilla and cashew nuts some tropical fruits like mango and cream soda. finish is actually quite long, with lingering vanilla sweetness. Spirit itself is a bit thin on the palate, but with a touch of white pepper spice.
Nose (with water)
Even more tropical fruits, freshly sliced pineapple, a confectioners shop, milk bottle sweeties, with a butteriness in the background.
Palate (with water)
Foam banana sweets, and wet oak leaves. This has actually became a little herbal with some dried mint, clove and thyme. Finish is dry. Careful with how much water you add, you could almost turn it into sweetened water by accident.
Conclusion
Sits middle of the table in the list of new wave distilleries. It’s not standout-ish in comparison with the likes of Ardnamurchan, but it’s far from bottom of the barrel. It’ll be interesting to see how the spirit develops over the next 5 - 10 years. We wouldn’t buy a bottle quite yet, but would have another dram. At £45, not bad.
Score: 7/10
- 10 - Perfection. A whisky that we’ll remember forever.
- 9 - Amazing. We’d pay through the nose for a bottle.
- 8 - Great. Pick this up at RRP.
- 7 - Good. Happy to have a dram or two but wouldn’t buy a bottle.
- 6 - Passable. Would accept a dram, but wouldn’t seek it out.
- 5 - Poor. Would drink if it was the only option.
- 4 - Bad. Maybe it can be saved by ginger beer?
- 3 - Awful. It can't be saved by ginger beer.
- 2 - Pour it out
- 1 - We’ve never tried a whisky rated this low and hopefully never will.
Have you tried Masthouse Column Malt? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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