Masthouse Whisky, coming to stores directly from Copper Rivet Distillery, is in Wish list of many out there.
Copper Rivet opened in 2016, it is owned by the Russell family in Chatham Docks. The team are mad at provenance and transparency so they have come up with their own version of the SWA rules called the Invicta charter. It’s quite long, you can read the whole thing here, but the main points are that grains have to come from within 50 miles of the distillery, all operations after malting but including fermentation must take place under one roof and it includes a system for labelling whisky that is clear to the consumer stating the grains and type of still used.
Co-founder Stephen Russell explained: “This is our declaration of the high standards we apply to make whisky so that our customers can trust and appreciate the spirit. Every bottle clearly details the grain variety we use, the name of the field in which the grain was grown and the barrel numbers from which the spirit was taken.”
The charter is not something the Copper Rivet team expects other people to sign up to though it does outline a possible future for regulating the English whisky. Russell explained, however, that he wanted to keep the flexibility enjoyed by this young industry: “Among the most significant differences between Scotch and English whisky is that England’s whisky distillers are not bound to using only certain types of casks and stills. So we have a big opportunity to be creative and innovative in the way we bring flavour through.” The distillery has produced a video featuring Banek explaining things further
Tasting note from the Chaps at Master of Malt
Nose: Apple and peachy fruit with cereal notes like malt and oats, with vanilla, cinnamon, marzipan, and a lift of lemon peel.
Palate: Creamy, with a full cereal texture, some peppery alcohol, you can feel the ABV. Smooth and round with porridge, chocolate digestive biscuits and that citrus peel note again.
Finish: Vanilla comes through strongly with oatcakes and custard.
Overall: Young but by no means raw or un-complex. It’s smooth as hell and packed with flavour.