The newly formed English Whisky Society will host the first festival dedicated to English whisky producers in an online format this month.
The English Whisky Society is a new organisation created with the aim of promoting and enjoying English whisky. The society will host the world’s first festival dedicated to whisky made in England on 16 and 17 October. There are now 26 distilleries making whisky in England, from Cumbria in the north to Kent in the south.
Richard Foster, founder of the English Whisky Society, which will be formally launched at the event, said: “This is a golden age for English whisky making, with distillers making a name for themselves around the globe.
“We may not be able to gather in person, but the Virtual English Whisky Festival will be the first-of-its-kind celebration of the best English whisky has to offer.
“It is a chance for everyone to see why the booming English whisky industry has Scotch lovers turning their attention south.”
The Virtual English Whisky Festival will offer tasting packs for consumers to drink at home while viewing five panel discussions from leading industry names. The event will feature more than 30 samples from 15 English distilleries, including festival-exclusive bottlings and new products.
Members of the panel include TV presenter Matthew Wright, Forbes whisky writer Felipe Schrieberg, Birmingham Whisky Club founder Amy Seton and Avallen Spirits co-founder and spirits expert Tim Etherington-Judge.
The festival will feature discussions on spirit production, cask influence and the ageing process. Panellists will also look at ‘The English Whisky Renaissance’ and ‘The Future of English Whisky’.
Fifteen distilleries will take part including: The English Whisky Company in Norfolk, Cotswolds Distillery in Oxfordshire, Cooper King Distillery in Yorkshire, The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria, and Bimber Distillery in London.
Andrew Nelstrop, founder of The English Whisky Company, said: “When we built England’s first registered whisky distillery for over a century, we could never have imagined that such a vibrant and expansive English whisky scene would emerge as quickly and successfully as it has done.
“The English Whisky Festival will be a true moment to champion the success stories so far – and contemplate a very exciting future for us and our fellow distilleries. We look forward to taking part in this first of a kind event.”
Tickets for the two-day event, including five samples paired with Two Keys mixers and snacks, are priced from £35.62 (S$45.70). To buy tickets for the festival, visit Eventbrite.
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Author: Nicola Carruthers