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.

London Distillery Co New Forms Ex Bourbon Cask

London Distillery Co New Forms Ex Bourbon Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Amber 
60.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, sandalwood, clay dust, pears, white pepper, aluminium foil, raspberry jam. With water, cherries, raspberry jam, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White pepper, peppermint, pears, malted grains, sea salt, raspberry jam. With water, peppermint, malted grains, black tea. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, malted grains, peppermint, raspberry jam. 

Comments: 

Cask 11190. Fragrant, quite raisiny with other dried fruit flavours despite the bourbon cask. Water brings out a mintiness, with some tannins and more malty sweetness. Again, a pleasant dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

London Distillery Co New Forms Moscatel Sherry Cask

London Distillery Co New Forms Moscatel Sherry Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Amber brown
61.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, foam shrimp, sandalwood, clay dust, magic marker, raspberry jam, hints of tamarind. With water, strawberries, plums, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, astringent, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Leather, plums, vanilla, honey, malted grains, magic marker, raspberry jam. With water, malted grains, plums, strawberries, honey. 
Finish: Long. Magic marker, plums, sandalwood, black pepper, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

Cask 9008. Very sweet and luscious, the cask influence overwhelmed the distillate. There’s some maltiness perhaps but it’s hard to tell if the whisky tastes of much else. Pleasant dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

London Distillery Co 10yo Ten Times Around the Sun Bourbon Cask

London Distillery Co 10yo Ten Times Around the Sun Bourbon Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Dark gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, marmalade, dunnage, raspberry jam, leather, malted grains, nectarines. With water, malted grains, gooseberries, marmalade, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White pepper, peaches, nectarines, white grapes, malted grains, gooseberries, marmalade, hints of cucumbers. With water, black tea, peaches, marmalade, nectarines. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, cucumbers, gooseberries, hints of raspberry jam. 

Comments: 

Very fruity, beautiful golden colour, should be stripped back and malty but is surprisingly sweet and complex. Water brings out jammy notes and some tannins. Not your usual bourbon cask!

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Debt Collector Moonshine Cask Aged 2yo

Debt Collector Moonshine Cask Aged 2yo

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Amber
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coconut cream, honey, malted grains, vanilla, golden syrup, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, malted grains, white pepper, golden syrup, raisins, hints of saffron. 
Finish: Medium. Golden syrup, vanilla, coconut cream, white pepper, hints of oak chips. 

Comments: 

More Ribena-like than its unaged cousin, quite coconutty too. Lots of sweeter flavours from the wood, even though it’s been in the cask a relatively short time. Starting to taste woody.

Verdict:

I like this.

Debt Collector Moonshine Unaged

Debt Collector Moonshine Unaged

Official bottling 
Single malt - London
Colourless
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemons, new plastic, sea salt, fresh baked bread, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, white pepper, sour cream, lemons, new plastic, hints of saffron. 
Finish: Medium. Lemons, sour cream, white pepper, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite malty, but plenty of citrusy notes, including a slightly prickly plasticky one. A little herbal too, there’s a touch of saffron on the tongue. A bit unbalanced.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Filey Bay Moscatel Sherry Cask

Official bottling 
Single malt - Yorkshire
Copper
47.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, black tea, malted grains, aluminium foil, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Marmalade, malted grains, nutmeg, black tea, orange peel, foam shrimp, lemon zest, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, sea salt, foam shrimp, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Quite saline but plenty of sweet jammy flavours, in particular marmalade. Something slightly flinty and bitter too, especially on the tongue. Really good distillate that matches the cask well.

Verdict:

I like this.

London Distillery Company Embarque

London Distillery Company Embarque

Official bottling
Single malt - London 
Amber brown 
57.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raspberry jam, malted grains, fresh baked bread, chocolate, hints of rye bread, hints of black pepper. With water, roast chicken, black pepper, hints of new plastic. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, rye bread, raspberry jam, golden syrup, black pepper, hints of new plastic. With water, malted grains, rye bread, hints of new plastic. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, dark chocolate, malted grains, rye bread, hints of new plastic. 

Comments: 

Quite jammy and sweet. The distillery character seems to be a peppery, spicy distillate with feinty mid palate notes. This expression has a long fragrant, slightly bitter finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

London Distillery Company Yesteryear 6yo (bottled 2025)

London Distillery Company Yesteryear 6yo (bottled 2025)

Official bottling
Single rye - London
Amber brown
52.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Blackcurrant cordial, dried apricots, dried pears, dried blueberries, raisins, black pepper, cloves, hints of farmyard. With water, strawberry jam, dried apricots, magic marker, hints of black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, mouth coating, volatile, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Blackcurrant cordial, dried pears, dried apricots, black pepper, brown paper, golden syrup, cloves, hints of orange juice. With water, pear drops, magic marker, black pepper, dried apricots. 
Finish: Medium. Dried pears, brown paper, golden syrup, orange juice, dried apricots. 

Comments: 

London rye whisky! The obligatory black pepper note is present but it’s overlaid with heaps of other things. Ribena, golden syrup, sweet dried fruit and even cloves. Water brings out estery chemical notes.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

West Midlands Inaugural Release - Oloroso Cask

West Midlands Inaugural Release - Oloroso Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Staffordshire 
Dark amber
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, fresh baked bread, cocoa nibs, maraschino cherries, black pepper, hints of rye bread. With water, vanilla sponge, raisins, hints of dried blueberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, volatile, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Maraschino cherries, cocoa nibs, cocoa butter, damson jam, magic marker, prunes, cloves. With water, cocoa butter, maraschino cherries, magic marker. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, damson jam, maraschino cherries, cocoa nibs, hints of rye bread. 

Comments: 

The pungent peppery nature of the distillate is tempered by the sherry cask, bringing out notes of maraschino cherries and prunes. Water brings out more dried fruit and some more estery flavours.

Verdict:

I like this.

West Midlands Inaugural Release Caribbean Rum Cask

West Midlands Inaugural Release Caribbean Rum Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Staffordshire 
Pale green
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: New plastic, raisins, orange peel, malted grains, molasses. With water, damson jam, plums, raisins, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, evaporates, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cooked rice, plums, damson jam, molasses, fresh baked bread, orange peel, white pepper. With water, new plastic, molasses, plums, hints of yoghurt. 
Finish: Short. Yoghurt, plums, damson jam, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Lots of sweet fruit but the slightly plasticky note that characterises rum casks is ever present. Water brings out a lactic tang, which offsets the bitter molasses and fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Filey Bay Porter Cask #2

Filey Bay Porter Cask #2

Official bottling
Single malt - Yorkshire 
Amber gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Marmalade, wet stones, fresh baked bread, vanilla sponge, orange peel. With water, white pepper, strawberry sweets, marmalade. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, astringent, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Marmalade, fresh baked bread, strawberry sweets, wet stones, pencil lead, hints of ginger. With water, marmalade, strawberry sweets, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Short. Ginger, marmalade, orange peel, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Laden with marmalade and strawberry notes. It’s got a deep sweetness that must come from the beer, not a lot of woody notes. Also quite minerally and flinty, which seems to be a characteristic of this distillery.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

West Midlands Inaugural Release - Bourbon Quarter Cask

West Midlands Inaugural Release - Bourbon Quarter Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Staffordshire
Amber gold
53.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rye bread, new plastic, black pepper, malted grains, ink, raisins, hints of cinnamon. With water, new plastic, cinnamon, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Rye bread, raisins, hoppy beer, malted grains, black pepper, ink, butter, hints of barley sugar. With water, fresh baked bread, black pepper, barley sugar.
Finish: Short. Barley sugar, ink, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic and chemical, which seems to be a character of this distillery. The cask imparts sweetness and some nice dried fruit, even raisiny notes. Water brings out more pepperiness and sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Foundry Clockface Three Grain Whiskey

The Foundry Clockface Three Grain Whiskey

Official bottling
Single blend - Kent
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanut butter, milk chocolate, molasses, vanilla, photocopy paper, black pepper, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanut butter, oak chips, black pepper, vanilla, icing sugar, molasses, hints of leather. 
Finish: Short. Molasses, vanilla, toffee, black pepper. 

Comments: 

A well constructed whisky, lots of peanut butter and chocolate despite the virgin oak cask. It’s also bitter, mostly burnt sugar and molasses. The finish is short but intense, as might be expected for such a young whiskey.

Verdict:

I like this.

West Midlands Inaugural Release - First Fill Bourbon

West Midlands Inaugural Release - First Fill Bourbon

Official bottling
Single malt - Staffordshire
Pale dusty gold
52.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, gooseberries, nail varnish, lemon zest, sour cream, hints of yoghurt, hints of rye bread. With water, nail varnish, gooseberries, white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Black pepper, rye bread, nail varnish, sour cream, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, hints of apricots. With water, nail varnish, black pepper, white grapes, hints of sultanas. 
Finish: Medium. Nail varnish, fresh baked bread, black pepper, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Quite peppery with a big heap of cereal notes, alongside citrus and a bit of stone fruit. Quite stripped back, definitely tasting the distillate here. Water brings out more esters and pepperiness.

Verdict:

I like this.

West Midlands Inaugural Release - The Matriarch

West Midlands Inaugural Release - The Matriarch

Official bottling
Single malt - Staffordshire 
Dark gold
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black pepper, rye bread, malted grains, sour cream, nail varnish, magic marker, hints of lemon juice. With water, nail varnish, raisins, lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, camphor, lemon juice, nail varnish, black pepper, oat bran. With water, malted grains, nail varnish, lemon juice. 
Finish: Long. Nail varnish, magic marker, lemon zest, oat bran, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Tart, lemony and a bit lactic. It’s definitely an inaugural release, with cereal notes and some pepperiness as well. Water also brings out more estery flavours as well as more lemon.

Verdict:

I like this.

The Cheshire Single Malt

The Cheshire Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Cheshire
Amber

46% ABV

Dram

Nose: Hoppy beer, malted grains, cream, shredded wheat, white pepper, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Hoppy beer, shredded wheat, raisins, white pepper, orange peel, hints of gentian, hints of nectarines. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, malted grains, orange peel, nectarines. 

Comments: 

Beery and loaded with stone fruit. There’s plenty of malty goodness with a pinch of white pepper. Still rather bitter with mountainous herbs. This might take some water well, although I didn’t try.

Verdict:

I like this.

Old Bakery Small Batch for Gerry’s of Soho

Old Bakery Small Batch for Gerry’s of Soho

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Dark gold
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, white grapes, white chocolate, vanilla, magic marker, nail varnish. With water, vanilla, cooked rice, pear drops. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Lemon zest, white grapes, magic marker, white pepper, fresh cut grass, hints of dried apricots. With water, vanilla, cooked rice, pear drops, fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, white pepper, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Quite a light whisky, lots of estery notes, which must also come from the rum cask finish. It’s quite cereally under all that sweetness. Water brings out more esters and more cereal, although it becomes less sweet.

Verdict:

I like this.

East London Liquor Co Radikon Merlot

East London Liquor Co Radikon Merlot

Official bottling
Single malt - London
Orange brown 
47.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, malted grains, vanilla, honey, plums, strawberry jam, hints of cinnamon. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, orange juice, lemon zest, damson jam, strawberry jam, cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, malted grains, barley sugar, orange juice. 

Comments: 

Cask 485. Orangey and sweet sour, there are some clear hints of the wine cask finish. Lots of damson jam notes especially on the tongue and the finish. On the nose it’s plums.

Verdict:

I like this.

The English Heavily Smoked Cask Fusion

The English Heavily Smoked Cask Fusion

Official bottling
Single malt - East Anglia
Amber gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, smoke, raisins, honey, lemon sweets, hints of coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, tingly, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Lemon sweets, raisins, coffee, autumn leaves, smoke, germolene, peat. 
Finish: Long. Autumn leaves, smoke, peat, germolene. 

Comments: 

Smoky and peaty, some medicinal antiseptic notes. There’s also an earthiness that is quite prominent in the tongue. Plenty of salty lemon sweets, a bit like some Caol Ilas.

Verdict:

I like this.