The English Distillery: Where England’s Whisky Renaissance Began
A Quiet Corner of Norfolk That Changed Everything
In 2006, England wasn’t on anyone’s whisky map. Scotland was still king, Ireland was rising, and Japan had entered global consciousness. But England? Silent since 1901.
That changed in a small Norfolk village called Roudham, when James Nelstrop and his son Andrew fired up the stills at what would become The English Distillery. It was the first registered whisky distillery in England in over a century, and few could have guessed it would lead to a national revival.
Today, with over 60 English whisky distilleries in operation, The English Distillery is rightly seen as the birthplace of the modern English whisky movement - not by shouting about it, but by doing things properly.
Brewing Up a Legacy: How It All Started
James Nelstrop wasn’t a marketer. He was a lifelong farmer with a vision: to turn East Anglian barley, some of the best in the world, into a spirit England could be proud of.
That dream was sparked by a casual comment from James’s own father:
“It’s a shame all this barley has to go to Scotland to be turned into whisky.”
It stuck. Years later, after decades of experience in farming and grain, James returned to Norfolk and built a distillery from scratch using local barley, a chalk aquifer underfoot, and copper stills built by Forsyths of Rothes.
The English Whisky Co., as it was once called, was more than a project. It was a family commitment. James passed away in 2011, but the spirit of the distillery quite literally continues under Andrew’s leadership.
From St George to The English: A Name with a Story
Some whisky lovers still remember the name St. George’s Distillery. It wasn’t a brand strategy, just the name of the address. But confusion (and legal pressure from a certain California-based producer) meant it had to change.
Four letters from US lawyers later, the distillery officially became The English Distillery, a name that now reflects its pioneering role more accurately than ever.
Ironically, when Andrew first stepped into the business, he didn’t even like whisky. It took a bartender and a gently watered-down sample from a wine cask to open his mind. He never looked back.
Crafting English Whisky: Ingredients, Process, and Patience
The English Distillery isn't built for speed or scale. It’s built for quality using local ingredients, traditional methods, and an approach rooted in agriculture, not trends.
The Ingredients
- Barley: Sourced locally from Norfolk, Suffolk, and even the family’s Lincolnshire farm. Full traceability is non-negotiable.
- Water: Drawn from the Breckland Aquifer, rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium, adding texture and complexity during fermentation.
- Maltsters: Crisp Maltings, based in Fakenham, supply both peated and unpeated malt the latter smoked to 50–65 ppm.
The Equipment
- 1-tonne mash tun
- Fermentation: 96–104 hours with Fermentis SafSpirit™ M-1 yeast
- Two Forsyths copper pot stills:
- 2,750-litre wash still
- 1,800-litre spirit still
The Process
- Distilled to 72% ABV
- Oilier, weightier style due to still shape and descending lyne arms
- No shortcuts, no white-label spirits — whisky only
Quick Reference: English Distillery Production Details
| Step | Detail |
| Barley | Local Laureate (some peated to 65ppm) |
| Yeast | Fermentis M-1 |
| Fermentation Time | 96–104 hours |
| Water Source | Breckland Aquifer |
| Still Shape | Dumpy with descending lyne arms |
| New Make ABV | ~72% |
Maturing with Integrity: The Cask Philosophy
At any time, around 6,000 casks are ageing on-site. But here’s what makes it different: they’re not just filled and forgotten. Each one is chosen for full-term ageing, not gimmicky finishes.
Cask Types at The English Distillery
- Bourbon barrels (mostly ex-Jim Beam): shipped whole to preserve quality
- Sherry casks from Miguel Martin
- Madeira, Burgundy, and local wine barrels
- Rum casks - seasoned in-house with their own blend of Jamaican rum
Andrew doesn’t believe in “splash-in-and-dump” finishing. If they reuse a cask, it’s for serious secondary maturation. The goal is always balance, not novelty.
Cask Transparency Table
| Cask Type | Sourced From | Usage Style |
| Bourbon Barrels | Jim Beam (USA) | Full-term maturation |
| Sherry Casks | Miguel Martin (Spain) | Full-term or blending |
| Rum Casks | In-house seasoned | 10+ years seasoning |
| Wine Casks | Local & European | Selective maturation |
Sustainability That’s Built into the Ground
This distillery doesn’t just work hard - the land does too. Environmental care isn’t a marketing point here, it’s baked into the way they’ve always operated.
Green Practices
- Solar panels (ground-mounted): Power ~90% of production
- Closed-loop cooling system: Cuts water use by 94%
- Spent grain feeds local cows
- Liquid waste used as fertiliser
- 10-acre site planted with cricket bat willows (carbon capture + wildlife habitat)
The warehouses are evolving too, shifting from traditional upright storage to horizontal barrel racks for better airflow, access, and ageing consistency.
Tasting the Spirit: Three Standout Bottles
The English Chapter 18 – 18th Anniversary Release
- Age: Blend of 10, 12, 14, 16 & 18-year-old malts
- Casks: Bourbon, sherry, new oak
- Style: Mix of unpeated and lightly peated
- Released: 7 June (James’s 80th birthday)
Tasting Notes
| Nose | Palate | Finish |
| Pear drops, custard, bonfire smoke, dates | Fruitcake, marzipan, tropical fruits | Creamy, oaky, faint spice |
Founders Private Cellar 18-Year-Old – Rum Cask
- ABV: 55.4%
- Maturation: 6–8 years in early rum cask, 10–12 in in-house seasoned casks
- Release: 11 September
Taste Notes
| Nose | Palate | Finish |
| Guava, banana, caramel, cake batter | Rum & raisin, custard, nutmeg | Coconut, banana, clove, soft spice |
The English Cask 001 – The Original
- Distilled: 2006
- Age: ~17 years
- ABV: 54.1%
- Cask: First-fill bourbon, plus 1 year in PX/oloroso sherry hogshead
- Release: 25 September
- Price: £3,000
- Decanter: Hand-blown by Langham Glass
Tasting Notes
| Nose | Palate | Finish |
| Brandy snaps, rose, toffee, chocolate | Mocha, ginger, cherries, cake | Bonfire smoke, sticky toffee, oak char |
What Makes The English Distillery Special Today
In a world of fast launches, collectible drops, and Instagram hype, The English Distillery stands apart.
- No gimmicks
- No fancy investment schemes
- No churning out “limited edition” labels for the sake of it
Andrew Nelstrop is clear:
“We’re here to build a legacy - not an exit strategy.”
They even talk people out of buying private casks if they’re only in it to flip bottles for profit. That’s rare. But it shows you what this place stands for.
Key Takeaways
- The English Distillery was England’s first registered whisky distillery in over a century
- Everything is built on local ingredients, traditional process, and real patience
- Full transparency from grain to glass - including casks, yeast, water, and waste
- Sustainability isn’t a trend here - it’s practical, permanent, and deeply embedded
- Award-winning whisky that values flavour and integrity over collectibility
The Last Word from Norfolk
What started with one family’s dream and a single still in Norfolk has grown into something much bigger - not just a distillery, but a turning point in English whisky history. The English Distillery didn’t chase headlines or trends. They focused on the liquid, the land, and the legacy.
And because of that, they didn’t just bring English whisky back.
They gave it a future.
Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the category, visiting this distillery or tasting their whisky is more than just a trip or a dram — it's a reminder that doing things properly still matters.
If England’s whisky story is still being written, this is where the first chapter lives
Read also: Cocktail History Around the World: Stories, Styles and Signature Drinks
