English Whisky is having its time in the sun and is now being given the attention it deserves. The first English Whisky Week takes place from the 19th to the 27th of April and has St George’s Day at its heart. It is organised by the English Whisky Guild and builds on its mission to see English whisky recognised globally as a respected choice for whisky drinkers.
You can expect to hear from England’s distillers as they promote their distillery tours, whisky tastings, masterclasses, and more; as we celebrate the talent, craft, and the world-class spirits coming out of English stills. English Whisky Week aims to bring together distillers, whisky lovers, and newcomers alike to explore the bold, diverse flavours being crafted across England.
When we entered the world of handcrafted spirits, we knew we were in it for the long haul and decided to start laying down whisky. Our vision was that we would draw on our brewing heritage, and in conjunction with the brewery, produce quality spirits from ‘grain to glass’ on a single site. This was a proud first for a UK brewer and secured Adnams’ place in the English Whisky story.
There are now around 50 active distilleries in England and 26 are members of the English Whisky Guild. Adnams is one of the more longstanding producers and at the end of 2023, we reached the 12-year landmark, releasing our first ever 12-Year-Old Whisky. Although it’s not that unusual in Scotland or Ireland, an English 12-Year-Old Single Malt will remain a rarity for some time to come. Matured in ex-bourbon casks that we filled on 7th October 2011, during our first full year as distillers, it was bottled as part of the Distiller’s Choice range and this year it won a Silver Medal at the World Whiskies Awards, in the Single Malt category.
The whiskies in our range have won numerous awards, most notably Adnams Rye Malt Whisky, which recently claimed its fourth Gold Medal at the World Whiskies Awards. It would be remiss of us not to mention John McCarthy at this point, and we will be raising a dram in his honour. As Adnams head distiller, he was instrumental in the establishing the Copper House Distillery and was formative in the development of the Adnams Whisky range. He left us all too suddenly at the end of last year, but we will be enjoying his wonderful whiskies for many years to come.
Our core range includes Adnams Single Malt Whisky, Adnams Triple Malt Whisky, and the aforementioned Adnams Rye Malt Whisky and Distiller’s Choice 12-Year-Old Single Malt. Other whiskies released in the Distiller’s Choice range have included selected single cask whiskies of limited availability, for example a Sherry Cask and Port Cask whisky.
One of John’s wonderful whiskies was recently used by blenders, Woven, in the creation of the first ever English Whisky blend. In Experience No.22 // Pastures New, they have taken 40% of an Adnams tri-grain whisky and blended it with 16% of White Peak Distillery’s Wire Works, 16% Copper Rivet Distillery’s Living Cask Column Malt, 8% Cooper King Distillery’s Dark Fired Bourbon, 12% Fielden’s Rye and 8% Cotswolds Distillery STR Cask. Pastures New is a story of nature and industry—different grains, techniques, people and landscapes—united by one simple goal: to create a whisky worthy of the title ‘Made in England.’
The English Whisky Guild has now applied for English Whisky to be given GI status – the set of rules to protect a product and how it has to be made. Scottish Whisky obviously has it and Welsh and Northern Irish Whisky was given this status more recently. The application has now progressed to the consultation stage, and we keenly await the decision. We are in the enviable position of making our own distillery wash, so meeting any final GI requirements should pose us no problems.
Visiting an English Whisky distillery offers a chance to see these processes firsthand and taste the exceptional whiskies that are making waves internationally. Whether you’re a seasoned whisky lover or new to the scene, an English Whisky distillery promises an unforgettable experience.
At Adnams we offer Distillery Tours, but increasing interest in whisky means plans for a dedicated Whisky Tour have almost reached maturation. This in-depth exploration of Adnams whisky will soon be launching in Southwold and will include a guided tour through the Brewery, the Distillery, and the whisky Dunnage with an expert guide.
You will learn how the flavours and aromas in our finished whiskies are influenced by each stage of their production, including the selection of our grains and our casks, and the wealth of ingenuity and innovation employed in our sustainable processes.
Following the tour, you’ll head to our tasting bar for a 45-minute tasting of six world-class English whiskies, where the guide will teach you the art of tasting, and take you through our award-winning range.
Here’s to English Whisky Week!