SPIRIT OF YORKSHIRE DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF IMPEX BEVERGES
AS THEIR EXCLUSIVE US IMPORTER
Filey Bay, named for the local beach, comes from the ambitious Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, and combines a passion for making amazing whisky with a progressive approach to the distillation process that is underpinned by quality and traceability. The Flagship bottling is a Single Malt whisky made with 100% homegrown barley from the distillery’s farm, matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks. The result is a light and fruity style whisky, with citrus, honey, caramel and vanilla notes, and a creamy mouthfeel.
Much of the unique character of Filey Bay comes from its field to bottle approach: all of the barley used in the distilling process is grown on co-founder Tom Mellor’s adjacent farm in Hunmanby on the Yorkshire Coast, making it one of the only genuinely field to bottle whisky distilleries in the UK. Chalk aquifers directly underneath the farm provide a consistent water supply that’s ideal for whisky distilling.
Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery began distilling and aging whisky in 2016, with operations headed up by co-founders Tom Mellor and David Thompson, who both have extensive expertise in barley farming in the local area. The farm, which has been in Mellor’s family since World War II, specializes in growing malting barley, and is also home to Mellor’s Wold Top Brewery, which opened in 2003.
Expertise into the whisky making process was provided by the world-renowned whisky expert, the late Dr. Jim Swan, who mentored Mellor and Thompson from the start. Two Forsyth pot stills and a four-plate rectifying column still are used in the distilling process to create two distinct styles of new make spirit, resulting in greater options for flavor in maturation and in the whisky making process. Combining a respect for tradition with a progressive approach to distillation, the result is a pair of complex and distinctive new make spirits that mature beautifully using a range of cask maturation techniques. After distilling, the whisky is matured predominantly in first fill ex-Bourbon casks which help to define the distillery’s light and fruity house style. Maturation also takes place in several types of Sherry barrels as well as STR casks – a hallmark of Dr. Jim Swan’s approach that stands for shaving, toasting and re-charring – giving it a complex and refined character.
Spirit of Yorkshire Co-founder David Thompson said,
“When entering a new market like the USA it’s essential that we find a partner who has the same passion as we do, and who fully understands the value of provenance in the making of Filey Bay Yorkshire Single Malt Whisky.
The team at ImpEx Beverages are experts at selecting interesting and exciting new whiskies to complement their portfolio. Filey Bay is made from 100% homegrown barley and handcrafted at every stage of production and maturation; ImpEx immediately recognized the value of this unique provenance.
Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery is excited to work with such a knowledgeable team at ImpEx. With them as our exclusive US Importer, Filey Bay has a fantastic opportunity to become a major Single Malt whisky in the USA. “
Sam Filmus, President and Managing Director of ImpEx Beverages, said of the partnership,
“We are extremely excited to launch Filey Bay here in the US. The people and the story behind Spirit of Yorkshire very much align with the ImpEx Beverages philosophies. We are confident that consumers will love and appreciate the quality and care that goes into each bottle and will look forward to finding these at specialty retailers across the nation.”
Filey Bay will make its debut in the US with three expressions. Their Flagship at 46% alc., an STR Finish, aged partly in former Rioja Barriques, which gives it a subtle, delicious red-fruit character botted at 48% alc.; and a US Exclusive Fino Single Cask offering lovely fruit and spice notes which recently won a Gold Medal and Consumers’ Choice Award from Whisky and Barrel Nite (WABCCA) bottled at Cask Strength.
For more information on Filey Bay or where to purchase this amazing Single Malt please email Office@ImpExBev.com.
About Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
Spirit of Yorkshire distillery was set up in 2016 by Tom Mellor and David Thompson in Hunmanby, North Yorkshire, UK. A sister operation to the Wold Top Brewery, it is located close to the owners’ arable farm, which specializes in growing malting barley, and uses progressive, sustainable farming practices and unique distillation methods in its range of Single Malt whiskies.
The distillery and its operations are underpinned by a long-standing passion for sustainable agriculture and careful environmental stewardship. The co-founders’ background in farming means low-impact techniques are used wherever possible, and issues like soil health and biodiversity are front-of-mind when it comes to the farm’s operations and protecting the soil for the next generation.
About ImpEx Beverages
In 2008, ImpEx Beverages was founded with the vision to import premium and rare Spirits from around the world, with a special emphasis on the best of what Scotland has to offer.
Today, ImpEx boasts an impressive portfolio, including some of the most notable small to medium sized distilleries and independent bottlers; importing Whisky, Gin, Rum, and Mezcal from Scotland, Belgium, Wales, Japan, Israel, Mexico, and England with future anticipated additions from unexpected destinations. ImpEx also features a fine line of Liqueurs and Cordials produced in the US.
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