A New $4,000 Limited Edition Shows Why English Whisky Has Come Of Age

English whisky remains a relatively unknown proposition in spirits retailing—stores tend to stock it in the rarely viewed, all-encompassing ‘other’ segment, eclipsed by the much better known, shelf-hogging Scotch, Irish, Japanese and, more recently, Indian categories.

England’s oldest registered whisky maker, The English Distillery (TED), is challenging—and changing—that perception, having kick-started a brand new category 18 years ago.

A limited edition of just 60 bottles called Cask 001 will debut on September 25, which has ignited interest among whisky connoisseurs. Retailing at £3,000 ($4,050), the long-awaited release was distilled in 2006 and the cask was the inaugural filling at the distillery and aged for 18 years, something no other English whisky can offer. This gives it a rare provenance and historical significance. The heavy decanter, hand-blown by Langham Glass, master glassblowers from Norfolk, adds to the collectors’ appeal.

Family-owned TED, based in Norfolk in the East of England, was founded—with no investors and no real roadmap—by the late James Nelstrop, a farmer at heart. The official opening in the summer of 2007 was led by King Charles III (then the Prince of Wales), creating England’s first operational whisky distillery since 1901. Nelstrop’s singular goal was to make a world-class single malt.

Despite being the oldest registered English whisky maker, the company—now led by James’s son, Andrew Nelstrop—has only just come of age at 18. It is also riding the wave of a big win at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards where it was voted the world’s best single malt for its English Sherry Cask, beating out stiff competition from Scotland and Japan.

In shaking up the status quo, TED has been active in the English Whisky Guild, founded in 2022, and which now counts 27 members who are pooling resources to fully build out the segment. Members that have developed, or are investigating, international footprints include Cotswold Distilleries, Fielden, and The Lakes Distillery.

Over $1 billion’s worth of English whisky

With 61 distilleries in operation today, and an estimated 50,000 maturing casks with a value of £1 billion ($1.35 billion), English whisky is looking at the global retail stage.

One of the guild’s achievements, this year, has been to define a Geographical Indication (GI); a major milestone in legally protecting English whisky production and preventing misuse of the term. The GI is currently in a public consultation phase, though there has been some pushback from Scotland. Undeterred, the guild is keeping the momentum going.

Meanwhile, The English Distillery’s Cask 001 will take its own portfolio and the English segment as a whole to another level. TED is doubling down this month: two weeks before Cask 001 makes its debut, the brand will also launch Founders’ Private Cellar 18 Year Old on September 11 as a toast to James Nelstrop. This will be the rarest and oldest edition yet of the brand’s annual Private Cellar range and will be limited to 174 bottles globally and priced at £395 ($530).

The Private Cellar collection features some of the oldest and rarest whiskies in The English Distillery’s stocks. Each year, a handful of special casks are selected for the collection and, when ready for drinking, they are returned to the distillery for bottling under the Private Cellar label.

The two September launches herald ambitious plans for The English Distillery’s retail growth—indicating a new air of confidence in its own brand and in the sector itself. Nelstrop describes Cask 001 as a “once in a generation” release, adding: “This isn’t just a remarkable spirit, it’s a historical artefact. My father built this distillery from a dream, and this cask is where it all began.”

English whisky finds favor in Asia

Export markets contribute about 30% of sales. Michael Fisher, sales director at TED, commented: “We try and maintain an equal balance across exports, the U.K., and contract sales. We’re doing very well in China, Taiwan, and other Asian markets because we are still in a development phase.” Nelstrop said that said that the equal split could change in favor of exports, given the high taxation levied by the U.K. on alcohol.

The English Distillery’s current export markets cover more than 30 countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, and Türkiye in Europe; Australia, China, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan in Asia-Pacific and Brazil, Canada, and Uruguay in the Americas. The strategy for the U.S. is to enter state by state. TED’s products are also stocked via The Whisky Exchange and shipped internationally.

English whisky is moving from niche curiosity to global contender, and The English Distillery expects to play a central role in this endeavor. Nelstrop says that TED’s approach is to make whiskies that are “approachable but never dumbed down.” He added: “We remain a family business with the aim of building a legacy, not an exit strategy. We are proud to have breathed new life into English whisky, and we will continue to set the standard for generations to come.”

So, rather than being ‘othered’ on retail shelves, Nelstrop believes there is now enough critical mass to bring the category to life. “With more than 60 distilleries, English whisky is worthy of its own space,” he said. “People are much more willing to try something that isn’t Scotch, and we’re here for them.”