Malt is a whisky and spirits blog, committed to critical evaluation within a price-sensitive scoring framework. We are guided by the principles of Independence, Diversity, and Humility.
Independence
Malt operates without ad revenue or paid content. Why is this important? Our freedom from financial dependence on the spirits industry means that we’ll never pull punches or bestow an inflated score to please a third party.
Our web hosting and development costs are covered by our Patreon supporters. All our writers are unpaid volunteers, and the vast majority of what is reviewed here has been purchased by the person reviewing it. As consumers ourselves, we aim to be maximally useful to the consumer considering an out-of-pocket purchase using their own hard-earned funds.
Malt’s reviewers are free to accept samples and bottles from distillers, non-distiller producers, and others within the industry. We ask that any such samples are disclosed by our writers as part of the review. We also ask our reviewers to maintain objectivity, and to write notes and score as though they paid the suggested retail price for a full bottle.
All we have is our integrity, and we aim to safeguard it as best we can.
Diversity
Malt proudly showcases a diverse range of voices from all over the globe. We believe that spirits are bigger than whisky, and that whisky is bigger than a single country or region. Malt seeks to represent the global whisky and spirits community by offering a platform for those that share our values regardless of gender, race, color, national origin, or any other characteristic.
Humility
It’s just a beverage. A review is just one person’s opinion. We’re just trying to be helpful to someone deciding whether or not to buy a bottle of something. We’re not aspiring to be influencers, industry heavyweights, or experts. We’re a group of hobbyists sharing our thoughts and feelings as a labor of love.
If you disagree with a review or a score or a viewpoint, feel free to let us know in the comments. Remember that there’s a person behind the review, and please address that person with the kindness, civility, and respect with which you’d like to be addressed.
Scoring
Malt utilizes the full breadth of a 1-10 point scale. A more detailed discussion of our scoring can be found here.