ENGLISH WHISKY? YES, AND IT IS YUMMY.

In today's post Nick Ravenhall, Co Founder and MD of Woven, shares some thoughts on English Whisky ahead of the launch of Experience N.22 - the world's first 100% English blended Whisky. 

English whisky is yummy.

And it has been for quite some time.

The small but mighty Cooper King Distillery Team (Image from Cooper King)

The last quarter of a century has been a dynamic time in the whisky world where the whisky conversation has shifted from being a little less Scotch and a little more global. From the gold medal grabbing news headlines by the iconic whisky makers from Japan, Nikka and Suntory, to the emergence of Bill Lark inspired Tasmanian whisky making, the reestablishment of American rye and heritage corn by pioneering North American craft whisky makers, our friends in the North making their mark with their own uniquely Nordic whisky making thinking… everywhere you look… if whisky is loved it is now lovingly made.

And so it is over the border.

The building of Kilchoman on Islay in 2005 ushered in the New Wave of Scottish whisky makers, which now numbers 37 new distilleries producing across the country. During this same time frame, 45 English whisky makers were established, and now spirit is distilled and matured the length and breadth of England.

From the Cotswolds to inner city London, English whisky makers have set their roots down in communities in a manner quite unfamiliar with the Scottish story. The distilleries are, by and large, owner operated businesses, still run by a founder who in turn, is guiding/driving their whisky making enterprise in villages, towns and cities more accustomed to the local beverage manufacturer being an authentic ale brewer or a cider maker. Look under the hood of the business plans of these embryonic whisky ventures, and you’ll find the opportunities of converting the tourist dollar as a key choice in location or the founders' own deep personal connection with the place in which they choose to make. No evading the excise man here.

Fielden's Whisky Maker Chico in his natural habitat. (Image: Fielden)

It is with this in mind that discovering English whisky is pure whisky geekery joy. The diversity in whisky thinking is as diverse as the people who run them. I’ve enjoyed a dram in the spring sun with the legendary Rob Patchett chatting through the influence of Dr Jim Swan on the Cotswolds spirit style, taken inspiration from the late John McCarthy as he shared his musings on the role that brewery thinking can guide Adnam’s on their whisky making journey, stumbled into a White Peak tasting at the Milan Whisky Festival being hosted by none other than co-founder Max Vaughn.

Above (Chris from Cooper King) manually digs out a tiny mash tun - An English distillery borrowing methods and inspiration from whisky the Tasmanian Way. (image supplied by Cooper King) 

At every turn in English whisky you meet passionate people who are the foundation stones of this emerging whisky-making community. Relentlessly fronting up to Scotch whisky audiences both home and abroad and answering the doubting questions of quality with a proffered dram and a humble ‘Try this…’ and try this you must.

In Britain, English whisky makers have become a modern facing mirror to Scotland's traditional one. Unfettered by the rules that govern Scotch there is forward thinking adding to the global pool of whisky-making knowledge. Fielden’s examination on the role of heritage grains and sustainable farming. Cooper King operates on 100% renewable energy. White Peak focusing on long fermentations and brewing yeasts. These are modern whisky distilleries where the drive isn’t efficiency and yield but one for flavour and quality that is created in step with the founder’s personal values.

It is inevitable that English whisky makers are compared to legacy whisky makers in Scotland. However, igniting the old rivalry between the two nations is a trap for the unwary. There is a great deal of cooperation and connection between the whisky makers in the two nations, indeed, the proximity to Scotland is one of England’s great competitive advantages over other New World whisky-making nations. Access to hands-on practical knowledge for running a single malt distillery is a days drive away, and infrastructures for wood, grain and yeast supply are already built and optimised. One only needs to plug into the supply chain in the UK that already exists. The well of young distilling talent is full, with many graduates from Heriot-Watt choosing to lead distilling programs and build their careers in the South. While relationships with trend-setting whisky retailers and globally influential journalists are at a handshake level rather than via email. 

The net impact is that visionary English whisky making thinking is part of a whisky ecosystem built to create global success. This is an exciting time to be involved with the English whisky making community. One that is fast adding a fresh perspective to the world whisky making story.

(Above) Nick and the fantastic cohort of English Whisky Makers we were lucky enough to collaborate with in the making of Experience N.22. 

We just launched the World's first 100% English Whisky blend: Experience N.22 // Pastures New. Full details here: