The English Whisky Map

THERE ARE NOW 49 DISTILLERIES ON THE ENGLISH WHISKY MAP 

The English whisky map has been growing! Now on its 5th addition, the map highlights all the distillers in England with mature whisky. 

The English Whisky map was created in 2016 and has been updated 5 times since then, on or around St George’s Day, with the vast growth in distilleries making mature whisky, the map is designed to promote the thriving English whisky scene. 

We appear as number 29 on the map being one of only 11 English whisky producers in the southwest. 

What is English Whisky 

It is important to note that the regulations for this category do not currently encompass any specific English guidelines. At present, the only governing rules are the EU whisky laws. These laws pertain to the distillation of grain or cereal-based mash, the addition of yeast for fermentation, one or more distillations at an alcohol content below 94.8%, maturation in wooden casks for a minimum of 3 years, and the limited use of additives, with caramel colouring being the exception. Additionally, the final product must have an alcohol content above 40%. 

While these may appear to be numerous regulations, they pale in comparison to the extensive guidelines followed by Scotch producers in the north.  These rules (or lack-of) are in part responsible for the wide variety of styles of whisky produced in England, from single malts (indistinguishable from Scotch), to rye, corn and many mash bills in between – even before production processes & casks are taken into account.

Crafting Exceptional Whisky: The Unwavering Ambition of English Distillers

What binds English distiller’s together is a determination from the distillers to craft an exceptional whisky, renowned for its high quality and rich flavours. Meticulously curated with the finest ingredients and employing the artistry of traditional craft production methods, they strive to deliver an unparalleled experience. 

Some distillers explore higher purposes such as sustainable methods, organic certification, or the revival of heritage grains. However, the core ambitions of most distillers is to put England on the World Whisky Map with consistently crafting amazing products that win awards, turn heads and have built a loyal following. 

 What are English distillers doing to achieve this goal: 

• High quality ingredients – Where possible this will be a locally grown grain. Personally, Dartmoor whisky distillery use locally grown barley from Preston farm, located just up the road from our distillery. 

• Long fermentation period – Since Tuckers Maltings in Newton Abbot sadly closed its doors, our barley is now malted at Warminster Maltings in Somerset. Warminster are Britain’s oldest working maltings and malt barley using the traditional techniques of germination floors and good old-fashioned manpower, turning the barley with a malt shovel daily. Our spirit is then transferred into our carefully-sourced barrels for the maturation process to begin. 

• Bespoke / craft stills that allow for the unique interaction with copper & carefully managed cut points & smaller cuts – our stills have a long history behind them, Master Distiller Miguel D’Anjou is the third generation distilling fine Cognac from his farm near Pons, and the still was commissioned by his grandfather in 1966. When the family installed two larger stills in 1994, the still was decommissioned and had laid dormant since.  When it first arrived in England, the still was black and covered in a rusty mould layer – but our team saw the potential it had and began restoration. To its original beauty, the still was sandblasted and polished until the copper shone again. Now fully refurbished, when you visit our distillery, you can see our stunning still trickling with the finest new make spirit, or what we call the ‘water of life.’ 

• High-qualityarrels– our spirits are stored in carefully sourced barrels for the maturing process to begin. Here at Dartmoor whisky, we have three barrels we use: American oak bourbon barrels, French oak wine barrels and Spanish sherry barrels. 

• Higher ABVs than standard supermarket products to deliver greater flavour and appeal to the discerning whisky drinkers who are used to higher ABV products from independent bottlers and other craft distilleries globally. 

Ultimately, what makes English whisky “English whisky” is a spirit, passion, and collaboration. 

No two English distilleries are the same, and maybe that is what stands this scene apart from others. There is not just one approach, production method or end product that ties these products together. They are, in essence, a representation of their own locality and the ambitions of their founders & distillers to create their county’s best whisky.  

Our Dartmoor Whisky – English Single Malt Whisky Distillery 

We use local barley and natural ingredients to craft our single malt whisky, cut with pure spring water from Dartmoor National Park. Defined by both the region and our maturation process, the flavour profile of our whisky is influenced by the granite geology and unique climate of our rural surroundings. As a result, our whisky has an unrivalled quality that captures the true spirit of Dartmoor. 

Our Master Distiller Frank McHardy is recognised for his expertise and contribution to the whisky industry, including the revival of the Glengyle Distillery in Scotland. With 50 years of experience as a master distiller, working at both Springbank and Bushmills Distilleries, Frank guides each stage of our process to ensure Dartmoor Whisky Distillery produces beautiful single malt whisky every time. 

Our three main whisky expressions are Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Bordeaux, and Ex-Sherry. After being distilled in our Alembic copper still, our whisky is aged in these unique casks to influence the flavour of the final spirits.  

• Our Ex-Bourbon whisky is aged in an American barrel, providing its light golden colour. The bourbon cask results in notes of vanilla, toffee, and subdued flavours of aged oak. 
• Hand-selected from one of the best wine regions in France, our red wine cask from Bordeaux balances delicate and rich aromas. When aged in this cask, the single malt whisky finishes with a distinctive sweet and floral complexity. 
• Aged in a single Oloroso Sherry Cask, this was the first ever expression from Dartmoor Whisky Distillery. With distinctive sherry aromas and rich, fruity notes, the high strength and full body of an Oloroso provides its characteristic roundness and sweet flavours. 

Click here to shop our range of English whisky!