{"title":"Norfrolk Whisky","description":"\u003ch1\u003eNorfolk Whisky\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiscover whisky made in Norfolk – from approachable single malts to smoky expressions, sherry-cask releases and limited-edition whiskies matured here in the county.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorfolk 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd when you look at what whisky needs – \u003cstrong\u003egood barley, pure water, time and somewhere to mature\u003c\/strong\u003e – Norfolk suddenly makes a great deal of sense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs whisky really made in Norfolk?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery much so.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe whisky is distilled and matured here in Norfolk, with locally sourced barley and water drawn from the Breckland aquifer beneath the distillery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy is Norfolk good for making whisky?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhisky begins with surprisingly simple ingredients, and Norfolk happens to have an abundance of one of the most important: \u003cstrong\u003ebarley\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe county is one of Britain's great barley-growing regions, with a long association with malting and brewing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdd water, yeast, distillation and years of maturation in carefully selected casks and something that began as grain can become an extraordinarily complex spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNorfolk's relatively mild, dry climate also provides its own conditions for cask maturation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is Single Malt Whisky?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA \u003cstrong\u003eSingle Malt Whisky\u003c\/strong\u003e is made at a single distillery using malted barley.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf a whisky comes from one particular cask, you'll usually see it described as a \u003cstrong\u003eSingle Cask\u003c\/strong\u003e release.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat does Norfolk Whisky taste like?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere's no single Norfolk whisky flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDepending upon the spirit, cask and maturation, you might encounter flavours such as \u003cstrong\u003evanilla, caramel, orchard fruit, citrus, malt, nuts, dried fruit, spice, chocolate and oak\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmoky expressions introduce another dimension, while the type of cask used for maturation can have a considerable influence on the finished whisky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat's why exploring whisky isn't simply about deciding whether you “like whisky”. Different bottles from the same distillery can taste remarkably different.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat difference does the cask make?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA great deal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhisky spends years interacting with the wood around it, drawing colour, flavour and aroma from the cask as it matures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn \u003cstrong\u003eex-bourbon cask\u003c\/strong\u003e might contribute vanilla, caramel and sweeter oak characteristics, while a \u003cstrong\u003esherry cask\u003c\/strong\u003e can introduce richer dried-fruit, nut and spice flavours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther casks can produce still more variations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes smoky whisky mean it's from Scotland?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmoke is a characteristic created during whisky production rather than something that belongs exclusively to Scotch whisky.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhisky made in Norfolk can therefore be smoky too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's the difference between English Whisky and Scotch Whisky?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most obvious difference is geographical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScotch Whisky must be made and matured in Scotland. English Whisky is made in England.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond geography, individual distilleries make their own decisions about barley, water, fermentation, distillation, casks and maturation, all of which influence the resulting spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow should I drink Norfolk Whisky?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever you enjoy it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrinking whisky \u003cstrong\u003eneat\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere's nothing wrong with adding ice if that's how you prefer it, and whisky can also make an excellent base for classic cocktails.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe important thing isn't following somebody else's rules. It's discovering the whisky – and the way of drinking it – that you enjoy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhisky made in Norfolk\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Norfolk Whisky collection showcases whisky produced here in the county, from accessible introductory bottles to different cask maturations, smoky expressions and occasional limited releases.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt'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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor anyone who assumes great British whisky has to come from north of the border, Norfolk might provide something of a surprise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore our current selection of Norfolk whiskies below.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/5870\/9434\/collections\/the-english-whisky-english-original-english-whisky-co-2974500.jpg?v=1790088900","url":"https:\/\/norfolk-deli.co.uk\/collections\/norfrolk-whisky.oembed","provider":"Norfolk Deli","version":"1.0","type":"link"}