Whisky Advent 2017 Day 3 – English Whisky Company Smoky

For the first time in 4 annual editions of the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar, we have an English whisky to present. Our Day 3 2017 offering is the English Whisky Company’s “Smokey”, from St. George’s Distillery in Roudham, Norfolk. When it was opened in December of 2006, St. George’s was the first whisky distillery to be built in England in over 120 years. Its first whisky, bottled in 2009, was the first English whisky produced in over a Century. Prince Charles officially opened the distillery in March of 2007.

St. George’s Distillery was founded in 2006 by father and son James and Andrew Nelstrop. The original plan was to build a tiny mico-distillery, but the smallest stills that British Customs and Excise would permit were 1800 liters, larger than those of many Scottish distilleries. Ian Henderson, who had only just retired from Laphroaig, agreed to help get the distillery and its new manager David Fitt (formerly of Greene King brewery) off on the right foot. He spent 4 months with the St. George’s team, passing on invaluable insight and experience.

Although the Nelstrop’s family’s distilling roots are quite shallow, the family has a long and deep history English agriculture. William Nelstrop was recorded to be farming in Yorkshire in 1335. In 1772 Joseph Nelstrop opened a mill in Ackworth, which was moved to Stockworth in 1820, where it is still run by the family. Another branch of the Nelstrop family, that in question in this post, moved to Linconshire where they have been farming since 1881.

James and Andrew decided to build their distillery in Norfolk, which is considered one of the best barley growing regions in Great Britain. The region is also blessed with abundant pure water. They produce both peated and unpeated single malts, maturing the spirit primarily in Ex-Bourbon Barrels, but also Sherry and some Rum and Madeira barrels. The distillery has filled well over 3000 casks since its inception, all of which mature on site. The whiskies are bottled at 43% without added colouring.

English Whisky Company Smokey – 43% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: bright orange, cigar ash and grassy malt; a touch green and youthful with some tart grapefruit, honey and vanilla. Palate: creamy with a firm base of clean smoke and chewy green malt; more vanilla and honey, white fruits and citrus: bright orange a touch of tart grapefruit; there is a flinty minerality to the spirit that also has clean oily body. Finish: medium, smooth and coating; the smoke quickly fades leaving the fruit, malt and vanilla. Comment: a lovely dram; I would prefer to see it bottled at 46%, I can’t help but think that would concentrate just a little more character; but having said that I love the distillery’s artisanal approach to making this spirit!” – $82