St George's Distillery (The English Whisky Co.)

England had a long whisky distilling tradition before the 20th century, but by the early 2000s no dedicated English single malt distillery remained in operation. James and Andrew Nelstrop set out to change that when they registered St George's Distillery in 2006. Building their operation in rural Norfolk, they sourced local barley from Norfolk farms, drew water from the local aquifer, and installed a pair of copper pot stills with 1,800-litre capacity.

The distillery was officially opened by Prince Charles in March 2007. Early releases appeared under a "Chapters" series, numbered sequential batches that built anticipation as the whisky matured. A 2010 fire at the distillery threatened the stock but caused no injuries and did not halt production for long.

In 2016, the Nelstrops rebranded the range as "The English" — Original, Smokey, and Sherry Cask — moving away from the Chapter structure to a cleaner, more consistent consumer-facing identity. Marks & Spencer had already begun stocking an own-label English whisky from the distillery from October 2013, giving it broad retail exposure. Current annual production exceeds 80,000 litres.

The 2024 World Whiskies Award — World's Best Single Malt for the Sherry Cask expression — represented the culmination of nearly two decades of patient craft: vindication for the English whisky category that St George's pioneered. The distillery also won "World's Best Small Batch Single Malt" in 2026 and holds multiple Great Taste Awards across the range.

The distillery operates two copper pot stills with a combined capacity producing in excess of 80,000 litres annually. Barley is sourced from Norfolk farms close to the distillery, emphasising local provenance. Water comes from the local aquifer beneath the Norfolk countryside. All whisky is bottled at natural colour, non-chill-filtered, typically at 46% ABV, in line with craft single malt conventions that preserve full flavour integrity. Cask types include ex-bourbon American oak (for The English Original), peated malt (for The English Smokey), and Oloroso sherry casks (for The English Sherry Cask).

The English Whisky Co. produces three distinct styles reflecting different maturation approaches:

The English Original (unpeated, ex-bourbon): Light and approachable with orchard fruit, vanilla, and gentle spice. The Norfolk barley gives a clean, slightly sweet character distinct from Scottish single malts.

The English Smokey (peated): Layers of coastal smoke over the fruity Norfolk base. The peat level is moderate, making this accessible to those new to peated whisky.

The English Sherry Cask (Oloroso-matured): The award-winning expression. Rich dried fruit, dark cherry, Christmas spice, and a warming sweetness that won World's Best Single Malt in 2024. Complex and polished.

The distillery welcomes visitors at its rural Norfolk site. Tours cover the full production process, including the still house and maturation warehouses. The Grain Kitchen restaurant on site serves food, and the distillery is available for meetings and private hire. Book via englishwhisky.co.uk. Address: Harling Road, Roudham, Norfolk, NR16 2QW.