The expansion of English whisky over the previous decade has been fairly the power to be reckoned with. We now have 49 distilleries, with 45 presently up and operating; the class is prospering.
All of us keep in mind when The Lakes Distillery received Greatest Single Malt within the World for Whiskymaker’s #4 in 2022. Extra just lately, with The English Whisky Distillery Sherry Cask being named World’s Greatest Single Malt on the World Whiskies Awards in 2024, the palate for English whiskies is clearly very robust.
However what’s the path that English whisky has to forge? The class has much less restrictive laws than scotch whisky, and subsequently the flexibility to experiment. Will this chance for experimentation make for a chaotic, unregulated part of the market? Or is it a time for whisky to open up the books on what could be achieved with looser laws?
What Are The Guidelines Round English Whisky?
Nicely, presently there is no such thing as a algorithm defining what English whisky is. Nonetheless, all producers comply with EU tips that outline what a whisky could be, together with customary whisky tips.
These tips are under and apply to all whisky presently made in Scotland, Wales, England, and Eire.
- Matured for 3 years in picket caskets
- Not be sweetened or have components (except E150a)
- 40% ABV minimal
- Distillation performed at lower than 94.8% ABV
As of February 14th, 2022, the English Whisky Guild (EWG) submitted to the Division for Surroundings food & Rural Affairs an utility for a geographical identification (GI) to determine a authorized definition of English whisky. That is nonetheless awaiting authorized approval. These phrases had been:
- The whisky should be washed (milled and fermented) in England.
- The whisky should be distilled in England.
- The whisky should be matured in England.
- The grains are from the UK.
On account of this GI going ahead, the Circumstance Distillery dropped out of the EWG because it believed this could put a barrier in place and would discourage innovation, which is what numerous smaller English distilleries have constructed such a profitable basis on. The Circumstance Distillery, specifically, has been led by a “flavour first” strategy with multi-grain mashbills. A few of that grain will not be essentially being grown within the UK, and so they produce every thing however single malt, as a result of as everyone knows the world is way greater than single malt whisky.
Notable English Whisky Producers
producers that do make basic single malt and blended whisky, how has this impacted them? Let’s check out the 2 distilleries talked about within the first paragraph, The Lakes Distillery and The English Whisky Distillery.
Now we have two basic kinds of single malt, largely double distilled with the occasional triple distilled run (English Whisky Distillery), aged in wooden for at the very least three years and bottled above 40% ABV. This basic fashion has served them properly for the reason that starting, because it has for The Cotswolds Distillery, Bimber, Henstone, Adnams, and the entire internationally lauded ‘founders’ of the EWG.
Let’s Speak About Stills
The one factor we haven’t talked about is stills. Now, most are double distilling by means of pot stills, the identical as practically each Scottish single malt you’ll come throughout. Some distilleries, nevertheless, are doing issues slightly in a different way.
Right here is the place we get to speak about The Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery and their enjoyable and experimental product, Filey Bay. This distillery does every thing the GI units out in its goal. They’re a field-to-bottle distillery on the coastal aspect of Yorkshire with a robust historical past of brewing previous to being a spirit producer. However the attention-grabbing half is that they have two of the most important copper pot stills outdoors of Scotland, produced by the well-known Forsyth’s.
Hooked up to their spirit stills is a four-plate copper column, giving Filey Bay its distinctive recent really feel, and the labeling of ‘Yorkshire Single Malt’ on the bottle. A really distinctive fashion of whisky that also matches throughout the guidelines, nonetheless permitting itself to face out amongst an ever-growing crowd.
So whether or not you select to make use of pot stills or column stills, ‘English Whisky’, and certainly using ‘Single Malt’ remains to be one thing you possibly can put in your bottle.
The Invicta Whisky Constitution & The English Whisky Guild
Nonetheless, if you wish to go full guidelines and laws then I’ve hooked up two photos of The Invicta Whisky Constitution from The Copper Rivet Distillery who produce Masthouse whisky. These of us have been so clear and sincere with their tips that I believe the SWA may truthfully be taught a factor or two from it. They’re additionally one of many founding members of the EWG.
Total, I’m a fan of centralization because it helps to create a greater customary of product that inherently makes different elements of an trade extra various, whether or not that be casks, fermentation instances, and many others.
Governing our bodies can generally be seen as bullies quite than protectors. Nonetheless, I believe not being part of the EWG received’t negatively influence distilleries like Circumstance, if something they only get to maintain pushing boundaries that they wish to break by means of. If the liquid is objectively good, they’ll by no means have any points.
English Whisky Tourism
As a counterpoint, being a member means sourcing regionally to the UK, which given the present political minefields of the world is a higher direct profit to our big farming neighborhood with regards to native assets. Allow us to not neglect in any manner the tourism from the booming English whisky commerce. From as far down south because the tip of Cornwall with Pocket Full of Stones Distillery, all the best way as much as the Ad Gefrin Distillery on the very borders of England and Scotland, the attraction of English whisky to fundamental lovers has been excellent, and now that two distilleries have received what you would say is the most important accolade in whisky, those that have by no means heard of English whisky will now have the ability to see
this medals within the press and maybe guide a tour on the distillery after which benefit from the native cities, villages, and cities.
Onwards & Upwards
Total it’s protected to say that English whisky is in an excellent house. I just lately learn in Drinks Retailing Journal that “A handful of shops talked about English whisky as an space with robust potential”. Along with this, distilleries similar to The Lakes, The Cheshire Distillery, Bimber, Adnams, and The Spirit of Yorkshire, plus many others have seen constant progress and gross sales in a presently financially troubled world.
So it is a message to the one that remains to be but to attempt something from an English producer. Get your self on-line, or guide a ticket to the English Whisky Festival and go and see what all of that is about.
The 2 liquids which have taken the most important awards had been largely sherry and purple wine matured, a basic taste profile in Scottish whisky. When you choose bourbon-driven flavours then Filey Bay has obtained your again with a splendidly caramel and citrus-driven home fashion.
Blended whisky followers, The Lakes once more have each conceivable cask end you would need on The One releases, and Hellstone blended whisky from Pocket Filled with Stones is an absolute cut price in comparison with some craft Scottish stuff.
Even with the GI presumably going by means of, the flexibility to innovate remains to be there, and that kind of freedom will permit English whisky to pursue what the buyer is after.