English whisky

History

In the 19th century there were whisky distilleries in cities such as London, Liverpool and Bristol, but they gradually closed and, at the beginning of the 20th century, the country stopped producing it. In 2006 the Nelstrop family opened St George’s, in Norfolk, presented as England’s first whisky distillery in more than a century, with the brand The English Whisky Co. Many others followed, such as Adnams, The Lakes, Bimber and Cotswolds, opened in 2014 in the Gloucestershire countryside. Today there are dozens of whisky distilleries in England, and most are less than fifteen years old.

Style and flavour

English whisky has no fixed style and each distillery looks for its own, often with English barley grown nearby. St George’s produces fruity, smooth malts, with some smoky versions; Cotswolds, a rich and spicy single malt matured in bourbon and red wine casks. Many new distilleries experiment with casks, yeasts and grains, and the freedom of having no tradition to follow is part of their appeal. The result is young whiskies with character.

Where to start

The English Original is a light, fruity single malt, a good way to get to know the Norfolk pioneers. Cotswolds Single Malt, richer and spicier, shows how far the new generation has come in a few years. Both are easy to compare with a classic Speyside Scotch single malt.

• The English OriginalSingle malt · 43% ABV
• Cotswolds Single MaltSingle malt · 46% ABV