The team at Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery is celebrating after filling the 1000th cask of what will become Yorkshire’s first single malt whisky in 2019.
In April 2016, the Hunmanby based distillery began making the spirit that has to mature for a minimum of three years before it can legally be called whisky. In the meantime, and in response to positive feedback to samples of the maturing malt that visitors enjoyed when touring the distillery, the second of four collectible spirits that offer a taste of the maturing casks, Distillery Projects 2, was launched last month.
The distillery team are naturally excited to have reached the 1000th cask milestone. Director and co-founder, David Thompson said: “We’re really pleased with the way that the spirit is maturing and the support that we’ve had from customers and visitors to the distillery.
“Several of the 1000 casks have been bought by people looking for a potential investment. We’re delighted that the cask offer has appealed to both whisky fans and families and groups of friends who buy in to our grain to glass uniqueness and who want to be a part of Spirit of Yorkshire as it makes history when its maturing malt matures to become Yorkshire’s first malt whisky next year.
“There’s still chance for people to buy into our cask offer as we have just released a limited number of first fill ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks.”
The 1000 casks filled to date are a combination of bourbon, oloroso sherry and re-conditioned red wine casks.
Distillery Project 002, 46% ABV, is limited to 2000 individually numbered 70cl bottles. The release is priced at £39.95 and is only available to buy through the website and from the distillery shop that is open seven days a week.
Spirit of Yorkshire was launched in 2016 and is a collaboration between farmer and brewer, Tom Mellor from Wold Top Brewery and business partner, David Thompson. The pair have invested significantly to follow their dream of creating a Yorkshire whisky that doesn’t simply replicate Scotch. The distillery is a true field to bottle setup and boasts some of the most impressive distilling equipment in the country, including two of the largest Forsyth pot stills operating in the UK outside of Scotland. It is thought to be the only distillery operating in the UK that grows all of its own barley.
In addition to distilling whisky and conducting guided tours, Spirit of Yorkshire is home to the Pot Still Coffee Shop that serves a variety of home cooked food and hosts regular events including fortnightly Jazz and Blues nights, monthly Distillery Sessions and special events. Forthcoming events include Distillery Sessions with Edwina Hayes on 25h May and the Mile Roses on 29th June and a ‘Pot Still Pop Up’ whisky-inspired three course meal from Birds on the Loose on 11th October.
