Norfolk Whisky

Discover whisky made in Norfolk – from approachable single malts to smoky expressions, sherry-cask releases and limited-edition whiskies matured here in the county.

Norfolk might not be the first place that comes to mind when somebody mentions whisky, but the county has played an important part in the revival of whisky making in England.

And when you look at what whisky needs – good barley, pure water, time and somewhere to mature – Norfolk suddenly makes a great deal of sense.

Is whisky really made in Norfolk?

Very much so.

The English Distillery at Roudham began distilling in 2006, becoming the first registered operational whisky distillery in England for more than a century and helping to re-establish English whisky as a serious category.

The whisky is distilled and matured here in Norfolk, with locally sourced barley and water drawn from the Breckland aquifer beneath the distillery.

So this isn't simply whisky bottled or branded in Norfolk. It's whisky with a genuine connection to the county in which it is made.

Why is Norfolk good for making whisky?

Whisky begins with surprisingly simple ingredients, and Norfolk happens to have an abundance of one of the most important: barley.

The county is one of Britain's great barley-growing regions, with a long association with malting and brewing.

Add water, yeast, distillation and years of maturation in carefully selected casks and something that began as grain can become an extraordinarily complex spirit.

Norfolk's relatively mild, dry climate also provides its own conditions for cask maturation.

What is Single Malt Whisky?

A Single Malt Whisky is made at a single distillery using malted barley.

“Single” doesn't mean that the whisky necessarily came from one individual barrel. A single malt can combine whisky from a number of casks, provided it was produced at the same distillery.

If a whisky comes from one particular cask, you'll usually see it described as a Single Cask release.

What does Norfolk Whisky taste like?

There's no single Norfolk whisky flavour.

Depending upon the spirit, cask and maturation, you might encounter flavours such as vanilla, caramel, orchard fruit, citrus, malt, nuts, dried fruit, spice, chocolate and oak.

Smoky expressions introduce another dimension, while the type of cask used for maturation can have a considerable influence on the finished whisky.

That's why exploring whisky isn't simply about deciding whether you “like whisky”. Different bottles from the same distillery can taste remarkably different.

What difference does the cask make?

A great deal.

Whisky spends years interacting with the wood around it, drawing colour, flavour and aroma from the cask as it matures.

An ex-bourbon cask might contribute vanilla, caramel and sweeter oak characteristics, while a sherry cask can introduce richer dried-fruit, nut and spice flavours.

Other casks can produce still more variations.

The spirit going into the barrel matters, but the years it subsequently spends in wood are a major part of what ultimately arrives in your glass.

Does smoky whisky mean it's from Scotland?

No.

Smoke is a characteristic created during whisky production rather than something that belongs exclusively to Scotch whisky.

Whisky made in Norfolk can therefore be smoky too.

If you enjoy the smoky or peated characteristics found in some Scotch whiskies, a smoky English whisky can provide a fascinating comparison. If you don't enjoy smoke, there are plenty of unpeated Norfolk whiskies to explore instead.

What's the difference between English Whisky and Scotch Whisky?

The most obvious difference is geographical.

Scotch Whisky must be made and matured in Scotland. English Whisky is made in England.

Beyond geography, individual distilleries make their own decisions about barley, water, fermentation, distillation, casks and maturation, all of which influence the resulting spirit.

Rather than thinking of English whisky as an attempt to reproduce Scotch, it's more interesting to approach it as another whisky-making tradition developing an identity of its own.

How should I drink Norfolk Whisky?

However you enjoy it.

Drinking whisky neat allows you to explore it without anything else interfering. Adding a few drops of water can sometimes open up different aromas and flavours, particularly with higher-strength whiskies.

There's nothing wrong with adding ice if that's how you prefer it, and whisky can also make an excellent base for classic cocktails.

The important thing isn't following somebody else's rules. It's discovering the whisky – and the way of drinking it – that you enjoy.

Whisky made in Norfolk

Our Norfolk Whisky collection showcases whisky produced here in the county, from accessible introductory bottles to different cask maturations, smoky expressions and occasional limited releases.

It's also part of a bigger story: the return of whisky distilling to England and the role a Norfolk distillery played in making that happen.

For anyone who assumes great British whisky has to come from north of the border, Norfolk might provide something of a surprise.

Explore our current selection of Norfolk whiskies below.