FROM NORFOLK TO WORLD’S BEST: THE ENGLISH DISTILLERY CLAIMS SECOND GLOBAL WHISKY TITLE AT WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS

Norfolk distillery celebrates second major global win in three years as its Gently Smoked Sherry Hogshead expression claims top honours on the world stage

The win sees The English Distillery outperform Scotland, Ireland, Japan and the United States for a second time in three years

The English Distillery has strengthened England’s position on the global whisky stage once again after being crowned World’s Best Single Malt (Small Batch) at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards 2026.

The Norfolk-based distillery’s latest victory – awarded for its outstanding English Gently Smoked Sherry Hogshead – marks its second major world title in just three years, further cementing its position as England’s leading whisky producer – and placing it firmly alongside the world’s most established whisky nations.

The win follows the distillery’s extraordinary 2024 success, when it was honoured for producing the World’s Best Single Malt, for its English Sherry Cask expression – a defining moment that announced English whisky’s arrival on the global stage, and which led to the winning whisky selling out globally within hours, with a similar surge in demand now expected in 2026. 

A GLOBAL STANDARD-BEARER FOR ENGLISH WHISKY

Competing against hundreds of entries from the world’s most renowned whisky-producing nations, including Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and the United States, The English Distillery is now a serious contender on the world stage, with the latest award-winning expression praised for its balance, character, and exceptional craftsmanship.

Founded in 2006 as England’s first registered whisky distillery in over 100 years, The English Distillery has helped spearhead the revival of English whisky by consistently pushing boundaries and remaining rooted in traditional whisky-making principles.

Every stage of production, from milling locally grown barley to distillation in its iconic copper stills, through to maturation in premium oak casks and hand bottling, takes place at its Breckland-based site in Norfolk.

And this hands-on, grain-to-glass approach continues to define the distillery’s world-class credentials.

THE WINNING WHISKY: GENTLY SMOKED SHERRY HOGSHEAD

The English Gently Smoked Sherry Hogshead represents a masterful evolution of the distillery’s sherry cask expertise, combining delicate peat influence with rich, sherry-driven depth.

Carefully matured in high-quality sherry hogshead casks, the whisky delivers a beautifully layered and complex profile.

On the nose, enticing aromas of burned sugar mix with rich toffee and sweet smoke, whilst the addition of a drop of water adds apples unlocks an added layer of discovery for whisky lovers looking to unlock an even greater sensation.

On the mouth, a rich palate featuring smooth, pronounced notes of smoke, smoked apple, cinnamon, vanilla, dried fruits and orange peel leads to a satisfyingly long, sweet and smokey finish.

Bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour, the whisky exemplifies The English Distillery’s commitment to authenticity and quality without compromise.

STILL IN DISBELIEF: A FAMILY AT THE HEART OF SUCCESS

Led by husband and wife team Andrew Nelstrop, MD, and Marketing Director Katy Nelstrop, The English Distillery remains a family affair and is supported by some of the greatest talent in English and global whisky making.

Together, they continue the legacy of Andrew’s father, distillery founder James Nelstrop who, under the guidance of legendary Scotch whisky Master Distiller Ian Henderson, had an ambition to create world-class single malt whisky in England.

Andrew said: “We are genuinely still in disbelief. To win a World’s Best Whiskies title once was extraordinary. But to do it again, and in such a short space of time, is something neither we nor my father could have dared to dream of when he and Ian started this amazing journey 20 years ago. It’s an incredibly proud moment for our whole team and for English whisky as a whole.”

He added: “Winning World’s Best Single Malt in 2024 with our Sherry Cask was a milestone. To now follow that with World’s Best Single Malt (Small Batch) for our Gently Smoked Sherry Hogshead really shows that we are achieving the consistency and quality we strive for every single day.”

Fresh from celebrating the success with Andrew at the World Whiskies Awards at the Waldorf Hotel in London, Katy Nelstrop said: “It still hasn’t quite sunk in. The World Whiskies Awards represent the very pinnacle of global recognition, so to be honoured again is just incredible.”

She continued: “This whisky is such a special expression. It perfectly balances gentle smoke with the richness of sherry cask maturation. To see it recognised on the world stage is hugely rewarding for everyone involved.”

A CONTINUING LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

The English Distillery’s dual World Whiskies Awards triumphs in just three years underline not only its own success, but also the rapid evolution of English whisky as a globally respected category.

From its pioneering beginnings in 2006 to becoming a multi-award-winning distillery competing with the very best in the world, The English Distillery has played a defining role in shaping the modern English whisky movement.

Andrew added: “We are honoured that The English Distillery stands as a beacon for quality, innovation, and tradition. We continue flying the flag for England on the international stage.”

AVAILABILITY

The award-winning English Gently Smoked Sherry Hogshead is available now via The English Distillery’s online shop, RRP: £75 (70cl)

However, with global demand expected to surge following this latest accolade, availability may be limited.

The English Distillery is England’s oldest registered whisky distillery. Founded by the Nelstrop family in Norfolk in 2006, the distillery is still independent and creates multi-award-winning whisky from local barley.

The distillery has a unique place in history. In 1901 the last recorded whisky distillery in England swapped from whisky to gin production before being destroyed by fire. This saw the end of whisky distilleries in England until The English Whisky Co. Ltd was granted a license to distil whisky by HMRC. In 2006 it opened the first registered, operational whisky distillery in England for over 100 years.

Our founder James Nelstrop was the younger son of a Lincolnshire farmer. James spent his formative years farming in Lincolnshire before emigrating to Australia, where farms were bigger and opportunities were plentiful. James returned to England in 1976 and went to work the land in Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire. He also set up farming charities in Russia to improve the agricultural industry as the country emerged from 30 years of communist control before returning to Norfolk.

As James neared retirement, a lifetime’s dream to make whisky became a possibility. The dream had grown from a throwaway comment made by James’ father, who said it was a “shame all this barley has to go to Scotland to be turned into whisky.”

The decision to build the distillery in Norfolk was quick and with only one caveat: The distillery would produce only the very finest single malt whiskies, regardless of the time it took to get there. This mantra has become the foundation of everything that we do at The English Distillery.

The distillery is now led by James’ son Andrew, who continues to follow in his father’s footsteps.