English Whisky Week 2026: A Category Coming of Age?

From 18-26 April, whisky lovers are invited to explore a category that’s been gathering momentum in the second annual English Whisky Week. 

English whisky is exciting because it offers something different: a chance to see what happens when a category develops in real time, without being tied too tightly to tradition or regional style. It’s developing its own identity and that is fascinating to watch.  

It’s not about competing with more established whisky nations like Scotland and Ireland. Over the past two decades, a small but steadily growing number of English distilleries have been experimenting, refining their approaches and, in some cases, earning recognition on the global stage.  

We’ve been following this evolution closely and the latest update to the World Whiskies module in our Online Diploma in Single Malt Whisky, written by Dave Broom, now includes a dedicated section on English whisky. We love that there is space for everyone in growing world whiskies scene. 

Older Than You Might Think 

While the modern category feels recent, England’s connection to distillation goes back centuries. 

As Dave Broom notes in the Diploma: 

“The first mention of a cereal being used in distillation in English is in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (14thc) where ‘worts’ are mentioned… As the intent is satirical it’s not clear if beer was being distilled at this time.” 

By the 18th century, England had hundreds of distillers, producing large quantities of spirit, much of it destined for gin but some also making its way into whisky production. 

Then came a long pause. When the Lea Valley distillery in London closed in 1905, English whisky production effectively disappeared for nearly a century. 

It wasn’t until 2006 that modern English whisky returned, led by The English Whisky Co. Growth since then has been steady rather than sudden, with around 50 distilleries now operating across the country. 

Andrew Nelstrop, Founder & Managing Director of The English Whisky Co.

A New Whisky Landscape 

One of the most interesting aspects of English whisky is the absence of a single defining style. 

As Dave writes: “Like most ‘new’ whisky-producing countries, England is noted for the diversity of approaches from its producers. There is no single, or regional, ‘English style’.” 

That diversity is evident in how distilleries approach everything from raw materials to fermentation. 

At Fielden, for example, farming practices are central to flavour. The use of “maslin” planting, where multiple grains are grown and harvested together, draws on older agricultural methods while producing distinctive spirit. 

Meanwhile, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery reflects a different route, combining brewing expertise with a farm-to-bottle model. 

Tom Mellor & David Thompson, Co-Founders of Spirit of Yorkshire (Filey Bay Whisky)

Elsewhere, distilleries are working with heritage grains, speciality malts and collaborative brewing techniques. The result is a category that feels varied and still very much in development. 

Building a Category 

The English Whisky Guild was established to represent and support the sector and is beginning to play a key role in shaping the category’s future. This includes work around the proposed English Whisky Geographical Indication (GI), which sets out requirements for production such as the use of UK cereal grain and English water, distillation and maturation in England and a minimum ageing period of three years. 

Its work also reflects a broader ambition: to build recognition of English whisky both domestically and internationally. As CEO Morag Garden explains: “English Whisky is experiencing extraordinary momentum – driven by bold innovation, diverse flavour profiles and a deep commitment to excellence. At the English Whisky Guild, we’re building a supportive, connected community across our distillers and partners, creating space for shared ambition and sector-wide progress. It’s a pleasure to champion a category with such potential to shine on the global stage.” 

What Should You Taste? 

English Whisky Week is a good opportunity to explore the category first-hand, whether through distillery visits or tastings. See the programme of events here.  

For those looking for a starting point, Dave Broom highlights several producers in the Diploma for further study, including: 

• White Peak Distillery
• The Lakes Distillery
• Cotswolds Distillery 
• Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
• Bimber Distillery 
• Cooper King Distillery

Each offers a slightly different perspective on English whisky, reflecting the broader diversity within the category. 

English whisky may still be defining itself, but that’s part of what makes it interesting to follow. It has already moved way beyond being a curiosity… there is now enough variation to make it worth exploring on its own terms.  

For those who want to understand that development in more detail, English whisky now forms part of the World Whiskies module in our Online Diploma in Single Malt Whisky. Because what makes studying whisky today so exciting comes with recognising where change is happening and why.