our story
Our whiskies weren’t born in a board room or a focus group. We believe that great whiskies are made by people who are passionate about every detail, building each distinctive yet approachable profile from the ground up. It’s the way we do things here, working hard so that you can unwind with friends over a great whisky.
Pioneers of english whisky
Our ambition was to build a legacy of exemplary English whisky with approachable world class spirits made the right way. Just 20 years ago, there was no such thing as English Whisky. Today there are over 50 distilleries in England. In 2024, the English Distillery won the coveted title of ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ in the 2024 World Whisky Awards, a pivotal moment in the world of English Whisky.
The Distillery
In 2005, our co-founder James Nelstrop decided to make a life-long dream a reality and submitted a planning application for England’s first whisky distillery in over 100 years. Iain Henderson, a noted distillery formerly of Laphroaig led the distillation of eth first whisky . Officially opened in the summer of 2007 by his Majesty King Charles III (formerly HRH The prince of Wales) – Now led by James’s son Andrew who is building a legacy of exemplary English whisky with approachable, world class spirits. Made the right way.
The English Distillery build – the distillery produces around *** litres of alcohol per year, and has warehouse capacity of *** the with capacity to grow.
Our Norfolk Home
Norfolk isn’t just the home of the distillery — it’s the heart of everything we do. Its rich soil, pure water, and fresh air have made our distillery dream a reality. For us, caring for the land isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about protecting the resources that shape our craft, our community, and our future.
This corner of England is renowned for growing some of the world’s finest malting barley. Norfolk’s unique combination of sandy, free-draining soil, gentle temperatures, abundant sunshine, and salty sea air creates the perfect conditions for cultivating exceptional world class grain.
Our Legacy
Beneath our distillery runs the Breckland Aquifer, the largest underground freshwater source in England. When our founders established the distillery in 2006, they chose this exact spot for its access to sweet, mineral-rich water. It’s the same water we’ve drawn from every day since, and it’s a defining ingredient in our whisky. Our roots run deep here, quite literally through the Norfolk soil and into the bedrock. Everything we create is a reflection of this landscape. Without Norfolk, our whisky wouldn’t be what it is. This place is more than our home, it’s our foundation.
We are creating a lasting legacy, building our business to sustain our people and our planet for generations to come. We not only set the original standard, we continue to raise the bar for the future of our distillery and the entire category.
Sustainability
Our water is drawn by borehole from the Breckland Aquifer, England's largest underground source of fresh water, which runs underneath the distillery. All of our cooling water is pumped from our aquifer at a stable 10 degrees and kept in a closed seal loop and returned to the ground after use. This reduces the use of ground water by around 94% and protects the source. This water is a key ingredient in our whiskies– another reason to keep it safe and pure!
Take a Tour
