English whisky

Last updated
English Whisky
Whisky Glass (Cotswolds Whisky).jpeg
Type Distilled beverage
Country of origin  England
IntroducedFirst introduced/ Reintroduced

1800s / 2003

(Active: 21 years)
Discontinued1900s
Alcohol by volume  40% [1] - 67.9% [2]
(46% avg alc vol %)
Colour• Caramel • Yellow
Flavour• sweet • savoury
• spicy • smoky [3]
Ingredients Malt, Cereal Grains, Water
Variants Single Malt, Triple Malt, Blended Whisky, Single Cask, Small Batch
Related products
Website English Whisky Guild [4]

English whisky (whiskey [lower-alpha 1] ) is a liquor made from cereal grains, malt and water. [6] [7] There are currently two types of English whiskies produced malt whisky and grain whisky. [8] [9]

Contents

Although England is not well known for whisky production, distillers operated in London, Liverpool and Bristol until the late 19th century, after which production of English single malt whisky ceased until 2003. [10] Since then, English whisky has experienced a resurgence in production. [11]

History

Origins and discontinuation

England, like Scotland, has a history of producing single malt whisky. However, the production of English single malt whisky ceased around 1905 with the closure of Lea Valley Distillery, in Stratford, London, by the Distillers Company Limited, one of the forerunners of Diageo. [12]

In the 1887 book The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom by Alfred Barnard, the following English distilleries were listed: [13]

Re-establishment

In 2005, The English Whisky Co. Ltd got permission to build the first registered whisky distillery in England for over a century. Its first release of single malt was in 2009. This was the only English Whisky to have been bottled and released for over 100 years. In 2013 The London Distillery Company began production of the first single malt whisky in London since Lea Valley Distillery closed in 1903. Three other English distilleries, also producing whisky by 2014, were The Cotswolds Distillery, Ludlow Distillery and The Lakes Distillery. [14]

Definition

Current Definition

There is currently no specific definition of English Whisky, however there is process being made on creating a statutory definition. English whisky producers currently follow EU Regulation (2019/787)) that define whisky alongside the British Standards institutes whisky guidelines. [15] [lower-alpha 2]

Definition guidance

On 12 September 2023 the British Standards Institute published its first guidelines on how English, Scotch Welsh and Irish whisky should be produced and packaged. These guidelines state that whisky must:

  • be caramel in colour
  • be matured for at least three years in wooden caskets
  • not be sweetened or have additives
  • ABV should be a minimum of 40%
  • distillation should be conducted at less than 94.8% volume. [17]

Definition changes

On 14 February 2022, the English Whisky Guild applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) in order to establish a legal definition for English Whisky, [16] with suggestions being submitted for what should be included in the GI, such as specifying that:

  • whisky is washed in England
  • whisky is distilled in England
  • whisky casks are matured in England
  • grain is from United Kingdom [18] [19]

Distilleries

There are currently 55 English distilleries across 9 regions in England, [20] [21] 26 independent distilleries and 24 distilleries that are members of the English Whisky Guild. [22]

The English whisky distilleries are all at various stages of development with the oldest St George’s Distillery brewing whisky for nearly 20 years [23] and The Cotswolds distillery is the largest producer of whisky in England. [24]

Distributors

NoDistilleryDistributorStart dateArea ServedCite
1.The Oxford Artisan DistillerySip and SavourOctober 20, 2020UK [25]
2.Gullivers WhiskyBBC SpiritsMarch 1, 2021 Europe [26]
3.The English Whisky CoMangroveMarch 18, 2021 UK [27] [28]
East London Liquor ComoanyNovember 1, 2022
4.The Lakes DistilleryMonarq GroupMay 15, 2023 Caribbean, Latin America, US [29]
5.Cotswolds DistilleryIllva SaronnoDecember 11, 2023UK, Benelux [lower-alpha 3] [30] [31]

Brands

As of 2024 there are currently 18 brands of whisky in England.

Bimber, The Lakes and Cotswolds are the biggest brands of whisky in England by production. [32]

Regions

England has 49 distilleries in total across 9 different regions. [33]

Numbers of distilleries by region
RegionNumber
North East 3
Yorkshire and the Humber 5
East Midlands 2
East of England 2
London 4
South East 9
South West 11
West Midlands 6
North West 7

Economic valuation

In March to April 2023 the English Whisky Guild conducted a survey of English distilleries. The survey found that there are currently 38,000 casks of English whisky maturing in distillery warehouses, and an estimated 50,000 casks expected to be laid down by distilleries by the end of 2024. The total value of the maturing stock estimated to exceed 1bn[ £?? ] during this period. [34]

English whisky distilleries have created 443 jobs across England, and the product is sold internationally in 32 countries around the world, including: Japan, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Canada, Singapore and the United States. [34] [35]

Whisky types and styles

Whisky types
Malt whisky Produced using malt barley, distilled in copper pots twice and matured in wooden casks of at least 700 litres for a minimum of three years. [36]
Grain whisky Produced at least partly from grains other than barley, such as maize, wheat and rye. [37]
Rye whiskyProduced using rye grain and known to be peppery and spicy.
Whisky styles
Single Malt Produced using 100% single malt barley within a single distillery.
Triple MaltAged in three types of casks, but not blended.
Blended whisky A combination of malt and grain whisky within a single whisky. These are often smoother and cheaper than single malt whisky.
Single Cask Bottled from a single cask or barrel without blending the whisky.
Small Batch Produced by mixing the contents of a relatively small number of premium selected barrels. [38]
Peated Produced using malt barley that has been dried over a fire; this gives the whisky a smokey flavour. [39]
Cask strengthBottled from the barrel without any additional water.

Sub divisional whisky types

Flavour variations

English Whisky has 4 different flavour variations:

Achievements

Auctions

Name of distilleryName of whiskyDateTotalCite
Lakes Distillery [lower-alpha 4] Genesis Single Malt WhiskyJuly 12, 2018£7,900 [42]
White Peaks DistilleryWire Works Single Malt WhiskySeptember 8, 2022£9,900
($11,337)		 [43]

Oldest whisky in England

On 30 November 2023 the English Whisky Co released their 16 year old port cask whisky, the oldest whisky in England. [44]

Net zero whisky distillation

On 6 November 2023 the Cooper King Distillery released a whisky distilled using only net zero energy. [45]

English - Scottish blended whisky

On 22 June 2018 the Lakes Distillery created an English - Scottish blended whisky. [46] [47]

Partnership agreements

On 01 December 2021 Gullivers & Co signed a partnership agreements with England Rugby to produce rugby themed whisky which would become the official whisky of the English Rugby Union. [48]

As of 2023 the partnership agreement between Gullivers and England Ruby is still active with England’s No. 6 Single Malt Whisky becoming the latest English rugby themed whisky to be produced [49]

Stores

Gauntleys Whiskies

On April 4, 2020 Gauntleys Whiskies began selling English whiskies from a range of distilleries including from the English Whisky Co, Filey Bay and Henstone Distillery. [50]

International awards

AwardName of distilleryDateName of WhiskyAwarding organisationLocationCite
World’s Best Single MaltLakes Distillery [lower-alpha 5] March 24, 2022


The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4World Whisky Awards Merchant Taylors Hall [51] [52]
English Whisky Co22 March 2024Sherry cask single malt whisky
Gold MedalCotswolds Distillery


29 March 2019


2024


(1) Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky


Harvest Series (2) Flaxen Vale Single Malt Whisky

 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2024) (1) ADI 2024 International Spirits Competition Awards (2) [53] [54]
Circumstance DistilleryApril 30, 2024(1) Single Grain Estate Whisky [55]

Events

Birmingham

On November 18, 2023 Birmingham hosted its second English Whisky Festival with 32 distilleries participating in the event. The event consisted of two whisky master classes, one by the Cooper King Distillery and one by The English Whisky Co as well as whisky tasting and other activities. [56]

London

On November 28, 2023 16 whisky produces attended the English whisky showcase at the U.K Parliament in Westminster Hall to promote and bring awareness to the growing English whisky sector in England. [57]

Whisky Trails

On August 28, 2018 the Wine and Spirit Trade Association launched an English - Welsh Whisky Trail. [58]

English distilleries that are on the trail include:

  1. Adnams Cooper House Distillery
  2. Bimber Distillery
  3. Chase Distillery
  4. Copper King Distillery
  5. Copper Rivet Distillery
  6. Cotswolds Distillery
  7. Dartmoor Distillery
  8. Durhams Distillery
  9. East London Liquor Company
  10. The English Whisky Co
  11. Hicks and Healey Distillery
  12. Isle of Wight Distillery
  13. The Lakes Distillery
  14. The London Distillery Co (Closed) [59]

Bibliography

Name of BookAuthorISBNsCite
Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020/2021Jim Murray(2020) ISBN   9781838320713 , 1838320717
(2021) ISBN   9781838320706 , 1838320709 		[60] [61]
The Whisky DictionaryIan Wisniewski ISBN   9781784726393 , 1784726397 [62]
The Science and Commerce of WhiskyIan Buxton, Paul S Hughes ISBN   1788017102 , 9781788017107 [63]
The New Single Malt WhiskeyCarlo DeVito ISBN   9781604336474 , 1604336471 [64]
English Whisky Co.jpeg
Cotswolds Whisky.jpeg

See also

Economic

Liquors

Whisky

Wine

English Whisky Geographical Indication (GI)

Organisations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch whisky</span> Malt or grain whisky distilled in Scotland

Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky, made in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whisky</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single malt Scotch</span> Type of whisky made in Scotland

Single malt Scotch refers to single malt whisky made in Scotland. To qualify for this category, a whisky must have been distilled at a single distillery using a pot still distillation process and made from a mash of malted barley. Therefore, a single malt means that the whisky has not been blended elsewhere with whisky from other distilleries. As with any Scotch whisky, a single malt Scotch must be distilled in Scotland and matured in oak casks in Scotland for at least three years, although most single malts are matured longer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single malt whisky</span> Malt whisky from a single distillery

Single malt whisky is malt whisky from a single distillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Brackla distillery</span>

Royal Brackla distillery is a Highland Scotch whisky distillery on the Cawdor Estate, near Nairn in Scotland. The distillery is operated by John Dewar & Sons Ltd for Bacardi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Glenlivet distillery</span> Distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky

The Glenlivet distillery is a distillery near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland, that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is the oldest legal distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talisker distillery</span> Island Single Malt Scotch whisky

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenmorangie distillery</span> Whisky distillery in Tain, Scotland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grant's</span> Scotch whisky

Grant's is a blended Scotch whisky, produced by the company William Grant & Sons in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Grant & Sons</span> Scottish alcohol distillery

William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.

A master blender is an individual who develops specific blended spirits using a combination of spirits with different characteristics. For example, in the Scotch whisky industry, master blenders choose which single malts and grain whiskies to combine to make particular brands of blended whisky. A master blender is not the same thing as a master distiller, although one person may do both jobs at small craft distilleries. As the name suggests, the blender creates blends using spirits from different casks and is responsible for making sure the product remains consistent across different batches, while the distiller is either directly responsible for the mashing and distilling of spirits or simply holds the title as the administrative and marketing figurehead of the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh whisky</span> Whisky distilled in Wales

Welsh whisky is liquor made from malt, grain and water that is produced in Wales. There are currently two types of Welsh whisky Malt Whisky and Grain Whisky

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian whisky</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in India

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamnavulin distillery</span> Scotch whisky distillery

Tamnavulin distillery is a producer of single malt Scotch whisky that was founded in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian whisky</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in Australia

Australian Whisky is whisky produced in Australia. As of December 2021, there were 333 registered distilleries in operation within Australia, of which approximately 50 have a whisky on the market. The industry has shown steady growth since the early 90s especially in the boutique craft distilling scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotswolds Distillery</span> British distillery

The Cotswolds Distillery was established in 2014, and is one of the few distilleries producing both English whisky and gin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of whisky</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to whisky:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English Whisky Guild</span>

The English Whisky Guild (EWG) is a trade body that promotes and protects English whisky.

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  9. ↑ "English whisky's Indie heroes". Barley. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
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  12. ↑ Editorial, CALIBRE (2019-03-13). "The English (Whisky) Renaissance". CALIBRE. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
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  14. ↑ "The English Whisky Map". Inside the Cask. 2020-05-18. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  15. ↑ "What is English whisky?". Exploring English Whisky. September 6, 2019.
  16. 1 2 Malczewski, Kate (February 25, 2022). "Producers seek legal definition for English whisky". The Spirits Business .
  17. ↑ Feilden, Eloise (September 12, 2023). "First UK standards on whisky production published". The Drinks Business .
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  24. ↑ Sheldon, Liberty (July 28, 2023). "The Cotswolds Distillery named the most popular whisky distillery in UK and Ireland". The Oxfordshire Live.
  25. ↑ "The Oxford Artisan Distillery partners exclusively with Sip and Savour to scale up UK distribution | Grocery Trader". 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  26. ↑ "BBC Spirits imports several leading British brands - Drinks International - The global choice for drinks buyers". m.drinksint.com. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  27. ↑ "Mangrove UK to distribute English Whisky Co. spirits". TheDrinksReport.com. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  28. ↑ "East London Liquor Co joins Mangrove Global portfolio - Drinks International - The global choice for drinks buyers". m.drinksint.com. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  29. ↑ Raizada, Ameesha (2023-05-15). "The Lakes Distillery partners with Monarq Group to expand global presence". Moodie Davitt Report. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  30. ↑ "The Cotswolds Distillery signs with Illva Saronno - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News". harpers.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
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  32. ↑ "Brands - Whiskybase - Ratings and reviews for whisky". www.whiskybase.com. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  33. ↑ CP (2023-04-28). "English whisky witnessing unprecedented growth with 49 active distilleries now across England". Conservative Post. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
  34. 1 2 Carruthers, Nicola (April 25, 2023). "English Whisky Guild hires CEO". The Spirits Business .
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  41. ↑ "The Definitive English Whisky Map". Exploring English Whisky. 2023.
  42. ↑ Evans, Matt (July 12, 2018). "First Lakes single malt sold for £7,900". Scotch Whisky.com.
  43. ↑ Brooker, Alice (September 8, 2022). "White Peak breaks record at auction". The Spirits Business .
  44. ↑ Wales, Bethany (November 30, 2023). "The English Distillery releases country's oldest whisky". Eastern Daily Press .
  45. ↑ Greenwood, Darren (2023-12-06). "Coopers King Distillery releases 'net zero' whisky". York Press . Retrieved 2023-12-10.
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  48. ↑ Malczewski, Kate (2021-12-01). "Samuel Gulliver named official English Rugby whisky". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  49. ↑ Collins, Georgie (2023-09-11). "Samuel Gulliver's celebrates England rugby". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  50. ↑ "By George! – English Whisky at Gauntleys". www.theexchange.uk.net. April 4, 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  51. ↑ "Whisky Magazine Awards 2022: Global winners revealed". TheDrinksReport.com. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  52. ↑ Japhe, Brad. "The World's Best Single Malt Whisky—According To The 2024 World Whiskies Awards". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  53. ↑ "ADI 2024 International Spirits Competition Awards". American Distilling Institute. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  54. ↑ "Cotswolds Founders Choice Takes Double Gold At SFWSC 2019". www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  55. ↑ Booth, Martin (April 30, 2024). "International Accolade for Bristol Whisky". Bristol 24/7.
  56. ↑ Case, Charlie (September 26, 2023). "An All English Whisky Festival Will Return To Birmingham This November". Secret Birmingham.
  57. ↑ White, Barrie (December 2, 2023). "Shropshire: Henstone Distillery promotes whisky at Parliament". Border Counties Advertiser.
  58. ↑ Bellwood, Owen (2018-08-28). "WSTA launches English and Welsh whisky trail". The Spirits Business. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  59. ↑ "English and Welsh Whisky Trail" (PDF). Wine and Spirit Trade Association .
  60. ↑ Murray, Jim (2020). Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2020. Dram Good Books Ltd. pp. 305–317. ISBN   9781838320713.
  61. ↑ Murry, Jim (26 November 2020). Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2021. Dram Good Books Ltd. pp. 297–330. ISBN   9781838320706.
  62. ↑ Wisniewski, Ian (2019). The Whisky Dictionary. Octopus. pp. 25–30. ISBN   9781784726393.
  63. ↑ Buxton, Ian; Hughes, Paul S. (2021). The science and commerce of whisky (2nd ed.). London: Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 307. ISBN   978-1-78801-710-7.
  64. ↑ The New Single Malt Whiskey: More Than 325 Bottles, From 197 Distilleries, in More Than 25 Countries. Simon and Schuster. 2016-10-25. pp. 191, 193–196, 199, 201 (citations throughout the book). ISBN   978-1-60433-647-4.

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Rowley, Tom (9 February 2014). "English distillers race to profit from the £4bn whisky boom". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 March 2014.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Hicks & Healey use the alternative spelling whiskey as well as the county name Cornish whisky [5]
  2. ↑ A submission has been made to obtain a Geographical Indication for the term “English Whisky” [16]
  3. ↑ Benelux is an economic union consisting of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg
  4. ↑ The Lakes Distillery Genesis Single Malt Whisky was the first to be sold at auction setting a record for English whisky
  5. ↑ The Lakes Distillery was the first to be awarded the title of world’s best single malt
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