English single malt

English single malt is a single malt whisky produced in England and distilled at a single distillery.^[1]

Example of English whisky single malt cask

There are currently 5 notable whisky brands that produce English single malt including Cotswolds, Foundry, Lakes, The English and Wire Works^[2][3]

There are currently 60 distilleries producing English whisky with a bulk of the production being English single malt.^[4]

History

English single malt was first produced in England in 1636 with the establishment of the Worshipful Company of Distillers.^[5]

English single malt production ceased in 1900’s due to competition from Scotch whisky and a shift towards gin production,^[6] though it was later revived in 2006 by the English Whisky Distillery.^[7]

In 2022 the English Whisky Guild submitted a geographical indication to legally define and protect the term English single malt.^[8]

Definition

Currently English single malt is defined by EU Regulation (2019/787)^[9] and the British Standards Institute guidance (BS 8636)^[10]

GI Application

Main article: English whisky GI

To be defined as a English single malt a whisky must comply with the criteria below:

• Ingredients: made with cereal grain and malted barley from the U.K, along with English water
• Wash: (milled and fermented in England)
• Distillation: batch distilled in copper pots at a single distillery in England to a strength of less than 94.8% ABV
• Maturation: in wooden casks of no more than 700 litres for a minimum of three years in England^[a]
• Bottled: at a minimum of 40% abv

• Additives/Sweeteners: no additional sweeteners or additives except for E150a caramel colouring^[11]

If the application is successful this will become the legal definition for English single malt.^[12][13]

Dispute

Opposition

As of February 21, 2025 there has been an ongoing dispute in reference to the term English single malt, with multiple objections from different organisations including the First Minister of Scotland John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon and the Director of Strategy and Communications at the Scotch Whisky Association Graham Littlejohn who released a statement opposing the definition of English single malt.^[14]

Support

The English whisky Guild has opposed the Scotch Whisky Associations statement explaining that ensuring quality, innovation and legal protection is at the heart of what they we do and further explaining that the English single malt definition allows distilleries to cooperate with breweries to create more innovative whiskies.^[15]

Achievements

On September 8 2022 White Peaks Distillery sold its Wire Works Single malt whisky at auction for £15,000 (US$17,238), with this being the highest priced English single malt to be sold at auction.^[16]

On July 14 2025 The English Whisky Co released its Cask 1 (18 year old) single malt this being the oldest English single malt to be sold.^[17]

Further reading

Murray, Jim (December 11, 2020). Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020. Dram Good Books Ltd. ISBN 9781838320713.

See also

Wiki

• List of independent English whisky bottlers

External

English whisky GI (1)(2)