Whisky Distilleries of England

After near extinction in the 20th century, England’s revival began in the mid-2000s with the founding of St George’s (The English Distillery) in Norfolk in 2006. Its first mature bottling arrived in 2009, the first legal English single malt in more than a century.

Growth since then has been rapid, with around 45 active producers and over 60 registered distilleries. New projects continue to appear, and award wins such as The Lakes Distillery taking World’s Best Single Malt in 2022 and The English Distillery winning the same title in 2024 have boosted global recognition.

Producers, working through the English Whisky Guild formed in 2022, are collaborating with the UK government on a Geographical Indication to codify category standards. As of early 2025, the GI is in late consultation. A key debate is over the definition of “single malt” — whether mashing and fermentation must occur at the same distillery as distillation, as in Scotch.

While production laws follow the wider UK whisky framework (minimum three years in wood, maximum 94.8% ABV at distillation, minimum 40% ABV at bottling), English producers are notable for their experimentation with barley varieties, yeasts, fermentation times, and cask types.

The modern timeline began with St George’s in 2006, expanded through the 2010s with distilleries such as Cotswolds, The Lakes, Adnams, and Bimber, and reached new visibility in 2022–2024 with high-profile awards. With a GI close to finalisation, English whisky is moving from curiosity to established category, defined by diversity, innovation, and growing international appeal.