Cotswolds whiskies

History

The project was driven by Daniel Szor, an American-born executive who lived in the area and decided to leave finance to create a distillery. He took advice from veteran Scotch whisky experts and set up the distillery on an old farm. While waiting for its first malt to mature, the house produced gin, which made its name. The first single malt was launched at the end of the 2010s, and since then the range has grown with versions in different casks and higher-strength editions. Cotswolds is today one of the most recognised distilleries in English whisky.

House style

Cotswolds’ style is fruity and spicy, with plenty of body for a young whisky. The house uses long fermentations and first-fill casks, including rejuvenated red wine casks, which bring red fruit and spice. The usual notes are orange, honey, biscuit, vanilla and nuts. It bottles without chill filtration, without colouring and at a good strength. With a few drops of water the red fruit and the wine cask’s spice open up.

Where to start

Cotswolds Single Malt is the benchmark expression and a good gateway to English whisky: young but rounded, fruity and full-bodied. It is interesting to compare with Scotch malts of the same age to see how a new distillery can achieve intensity with good wood. Drink it neat or with a few drops of water. If you like it, it’s worth following its editions in other casks.

• Cotswolds Single MaltSingle malt · 46% ABV