England isn’t usually our first choice to find whisky. Unlike our cousins in Scotland and Ireland or even America, it’s a tipple we’ve long enjoyed but little made. We stick to brewing ciders and craft beers mostly. But what if we told you that there are over 40 distilleries in the country currently making English whisky?
The English Whisky Festival will once again celebrate this burgeoning scene later this month. On Saturday, November 18, several English distilleries – from all over the country – will descend on Birmingham to celebrate the country’s finest whiskies. After two years of celebrating online – having started in 2020 – The English Whisky Festival held its first in-person event last year. This year, at a new location of The Bond, you’ll have the chance to once again sample whiskies from up and down the land under one roof.
Visitors to the festival can expect to sample amazing English whiskies and spirits from the likes of our city’s very own, Spirit of Birmingham, and Circumstance Distillery in Bristol. On top, you can join masterclasses that delve deeper into the themes of English whisky – and what makes it such a unique, rapidly growing scene. There’ll also be an onsite bar and whisky shop, to take some of your favourite bottles home.
Building on the success of its debut last year, the 2nd Edition of the English Whisky Festival promises to be bigger and better with 32 English whisky distilleries participating. distilleries: Abingdon Distillery, Ad Gefrin, Adnams, Bankhall, Bimber, Circumstance, Cooper King, Copper Rivet, Cotswolds, East London, Ellers Farm, Elsham Wold, English Whisky Co, Forest, Gullivers 47, Henstone, Lakes, Ludlow, Mercia, Pleasant Land Distillery, Retribution, Rosemullion, Sacred, Spirit of Birmingham, Spirit of Manchester, Ten Hides, The Oxford Artisan Distillery, Weetwood, West Midlands Distillery, Wireworks (White Peak), Whittakers, Witchmark (Wiltshire Distilling).
The festival will feature two masterclass rooms, providing attendees with in-depth sessions hosted by the distilleries themselves. These masterclasses will cover a wide range of topics, from first releases (Cooper King, Yorkshire) to portfolio explorations (The English Whisky Company / Copper Rivet), offering a unique insight into the world of English whisky.
You don’t have to be a whisky expert to attend, but it might help if you can palette the taste.
Even if you don’t know your Suntory from Glenmorangie, or can tell the difference between a single-malt and a blended whisky. Everyone will discover and learn something new about this exciting, up-and-coming market.
Masterclasses at the English Whisky Festival:
- 12.15 – 13.15 – The English Whisky Company “Seminal Sips”
- 13:00 – 14:00 – Retribution “New Makes & Somerset Peat”
- 13:45 – 14:45 – East London Liquor Co. “TBC”
- 14:30 – 15:30 – Cooper King “1st Whisky – the journey”
- 15:15 – 16-15 – Copper Rivet “TBC”
- 16:00 – 17:00 – TBC
- 16:45 – 17:45 – “A Year of The Lakes” 2023 release review
The English Whisky Festival is hosted by Exploring English Whisky. Tickets for the event are £40, with add-on prices for the masterclasses, which you can purchase here.