English Single Malt Whisky
The English Whisky Company from Norfolk was the first new English whisky distillery for over 100 years, when it opened its St George’s Distillery in 2006.
James Nelstrop was born into a Lincolnshire farming family, and during his life he has lived and worked in places including Russia, Australia… and Norfolk. When it came time for him to retire he opted to do something very different with his life and, with his son Andrew, decided he would open a whisky distillery.
The fact that there hadn’t been a new whisky distillery in England for about 120 years didn’t deter him, and in 2006 the two of them opened the St George’s Distillery in Roundham, just outside Norwich. After all, some of the best barley in England comes from Norfolk. After researching distilleries in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, they decided to go for it. They recruited Iain Henderson, who was about to retire from Laphroaig, and persuaded him to postpone his retirement.
In 2006 the English Whisky Company made its first 29 barrels of whisky and the following year they opened to the public with a visitor centre, a shop, and distillery tours. Today they’ve added to their original English single malt with a smokey version, a Norfolk grain whisky called Parched, and several liqueurs and creams including Norfolk Bramble and Norfolk Quince liqueurs
In addition to all these, they also continually experiment and have put out a series of small batch releases. They’ve created a Triple Distilled single batch whisky and a Heavily Smoked small batch release, among other things.
Tasting English Single Malt Whisky
It was the original English Single Malt Whisky that I was keen to try, though, as this is where it all started. The whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 43% ABV (86 proof).
It’s a lovely, rich golden-coppery colour, and on the nose it’s remarkably floral. It’s very fruity too, and incredibly smooth, more akin to a Scottish lowland whisky. There’s sweet vanilla, a hint of tropical fruits like banana, and just a dash of spice to balance things out.
On the palate it’s equally smooth, with a beautiful softness about it, with those fresh notes of flowers and fruit, that vanilla creaminess, and some almond and other nutty notes. This is a really enjoyable whisky to sip, and while I’m sure it will make great cocktails, I know that this is going to remain one of my go-to sipping whiskies. It’s the kind of whisky you could serve to friends who say ‘I don’t like whisky’, as it might just get them to change their minds. I’m not at all surprised that it’s picked up a lot of awards on the way.
Buying this English Single Malt Whisky
You can buy this English Single Malt Whisky direct from the English Whisky Company’s website. If you live in the UK you can also find it on Amazon. You’ll also find it at Master of Malt, who ship to many countries worldwide.
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