Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Masthouse Single Estate Vintage 2018

Official bottling
Single pot still - Kent
Golden

45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, honey, white grapes, cinnamon, wet stones, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, pear drops, green apples, lemon zest, wet stones, clay dust, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, pear drops, lemon zest, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Quite an unusual pot still whisky. That bristliness is still there by its overlaid with tart notes of green apples and lemon zest, and something earthy and flinty - clay dust and wet stones. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Distillery Exclusive

Masthouse Distillery Exclusive

Official bottling
Single malt - Kent
Orange amber
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, nori, black pepper, malted grains, rye bread, rubber bands, hints of new plastic. With water, new plastic, rye bread, hints of rubber bands. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, hot, evaporates quickly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cooked rice, black pepper, nori, rye bread, honey, hints of strawberry jam. With water, cooked rice, raisins, nori, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Cooked rice, honey, raisins, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

Quite a lot of rye-like spice, with a plasticky note. Might be my sample bottle (which would be a shame) but somehow I don’t think so. I’ve encountered the same note before in Masthouse whisky.  I must say I like the cereally starchy note that comes out when you add water.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Cask No 137

Masthouse Single Cask No 137

Official bottling
Single malt - Kent
Amber brown
56.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blueberries, bananas, raisins, mint, tarragon, black tea, toffee. With water, mint, coffee, raisins, toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, mint, tarragon, blueberries, cough syrup, malted grains, raisins, coffee. With water, malted grains, raisins, cough syrup, oats. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, raisins, toffee, hints of oats. 

Comments: 

Fruity and herbal, quite a heavy spirit. Tarragon and blueberries, two quite unusual tasting notes, appear, especially on the tongue. Water loosens it, bringing out the barley.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Pot and Column Distilled

Masthouse Pot and Column Distilled 

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kent
White wine
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon sweets, photocopy paper, white wine, kiwifruit, hints of pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Pear drops, kiwifruit, lemon sweets, rhubarb and custard sweets, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon sweets, malted grains, honey, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Estery, slightly thin stuff, but it’s nice on the tongue. There’s something that is reminiscent of Rosebank here, and it’s quite promising. Perhaps in a decade or so we’ll see what this distillery can truly do.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Grain Whisky

Masthouse Single Grain Whisky

Official bottling
Single grain - Kent
White wine
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, cream cheese, bananas, fresh cut grass, pear drops, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lemon zest, fresh cut grass, vanilla sponge, green apples, pear drops, hints of white wine. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, bananas, green apples, vanilla sponge, sultanas. 

Comments: 

Tart and lactic, not hugely complex. It’s too young to be what I enjoy, I think, and it’s been diluted a little too much. There’s a few promising hints of course, some green apple and vanilla notes might intensify as it gets older.

Verdict:

I like this.

Masthouse Single Malt

Masthouse Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kent
Pale gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, milk chocolate, vanilla sponge, custard, hints of cinnamon, hints of eggnog. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, warm, expands slightly, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, honey, milk chocolate, cinnamon, pears, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Honey, malted grains, autumn leaves, heather, pears. 

Comments: 

Floral, well-defined flavours, with a heavy dose of maltiness. It’s quite sweet, and according to the person who shared, only just old enough to be whisky. It’s quite promising for its age, and a few more years should turn it into something very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.