All of our bottles are made from Prevented Ocean Plastic – a recycled plastic collected from coastal areas at risk of ocean plastic pollution. Not only that, we encourage our members to keep hold of their bottles and send them back to us to re-use – and as a reward you’ll receive a bonus dram for every 10 bottles returned.
We’ll be exploring the world of whisky, finding the very best examples from all four corners of the world. Our drams will introduce hidden gems you may not have come across from distilleries and bottlers new and old.
Stork club Straight Rye Whiskey 45% ABV.
Stork Club distillery is located 60km south of Berlin in the middle of a nature reserve, from where they source their water to add to the rye that is grown locally, in this instance 100% unmalted rye.
Whisky Pioneer
Appearance
I’d say it’s a little darker than mid gold with a bronze feel to the colour, and the medium thick swirl line beads up immediately into very slow dropping medium legs and teardrops that seem to hang just below the swirl line.
Nose
As kind of expected the nose is quite full on. Initially I’d say it’s quite botanical, with aromatic wood, a touch of perfume, seaweed, black pepper, heavily toasted tea cakes, and in the background teasing me are tropical and stoned fruits.
With more time I’m going to add hot steaming recently mashed potatoes too, with wood varnish, and a cap gun cap aroma.
Palate
Well that’s some punch for a 45% ABV whiskey. It surged at me as soon as my taste buds and brain could register anything, then it fell back to settle in a place where it isn’t overwhelming.
Initially the palate is giving me nuts, charcoal, spitting fat on bbq coals, it’s also coming across as faintly Smokey too.
Interestingly with more time I’m getting blood oranges, pomegranate, dark chocolate orange, cranberries, black pepper, anise and aniseed. The cap gun caps thing is here too like the nose, but it isn’t strong enough to be off putting, it’s actually a bit of a dirty dram.
Late on it sweetens a little and the tropical/stoned fruits gently push through, and the mouthfeel thickens as time goes by, and it brings with it an oily flavour, perhaps linseed.
Finish
The finish is medium long in the main, though the spices do linger longer, and we’re into espresso, ginger root, cinnamon and rather wonderfully for me I’d say candy floss or marshmallow sweetness.
My thoughts
Knowing this is made with unmalted Rye i was very keen to find out what i’d find in it, and to be honest i rather like it. After looking up the differences flavour wise between whiskies made with malted or unmalted Rye i can see why initially it’s a tsunami of spices that soon settled down a little.
I have to say this Whiskey certainly doesn’t lack on the aroma or flavour front, and personally i’m one for something new whisk(e)y wise, i certainly enjoyed the sample, and would enjoy a whole bottle.
Signal Hill Canadian whisky 40% ABV.
Column and pot distilled from the highest quality corn and barley and then aged in 3 different casks, Canadian Whisky, New American Oak and 1st use Bourbon, Signal Hill is finally blended with the pristine water of Newfoundland, Canada and non-chill filtered.
Whisky Pioneer
Appearance
This whisky is mix of amber and quite deep gold in colour, the swirl line is medium thick and drops medium to thick legs.
Nose
For 40% ABV it noses higher, it’s coming across quite spicy. I’m getting quite a lot of orange zest, it’s got dusty too, there is a slight cherryade sweetness, liquorice, and wood varnish.
This one is definitely becoming sweeter with more time, apricot and cinnamon pastries, ginger nut biscuits. A vegetal note slowly pokes its head up too, but the sweetness keeps control.
Palate
The mouthfeel is good for a 40% ABV dram, and the spices that came through early on the nose flood the palate initially. Lots of cinnamon, ginger root, cardamom, traditional fisherman’s friends throat sweets, it certainly warms up the inside of the cheeks. That spiciness goes on and on, it’s a spice bomb that’s for sure. Going by the palate I’d have said it was 46-48% ABV.
With more time sweetness comes through, it’s still lovely and spicy but that’s joined by stoned and tropical fruits and vanilla custard, in fact I’d say cherry/red berry strudel and custard.
Finish
The finish is long side of medium, and I’m getting dates and figs, the juicy sweetness that give, and closes with cola.
My thoughts
This is a blend, and it’s an impressive one to be honest. I could not have guessed the fact, and the overall i think the whisky is very good. I know some might balk at the 40% ABV, but I’d say give it a go, it offers more than most I’ve tasted at that strength too. The owner of Whisky Pioneer was telling me that he’s seen this bottle for sale as low as £23, £23!, yep it’s a 40% ABV blended whiskey, but for me you get a lot for the money, and i’d definitely have a bottle, a great sipper, a great mixer too i’d imagine.
You can find the Whisky Pioneer website here, and you can follow them and us on Twitter using the buttons below, thank you.
Follow @WhiskyPioneer Follow @thewhiskeychaps
