A decade before English whisky was widely known abroad, The English Distillery Co in Norfolk filled its first cask. This single cask, bottled by Stirk Brothers, is one of the rare survivors from the distillery's earliest years — a time when the whole English whisky project was still an experiment.
Expert's Description
The English Distillery Co 10 Year Old Stirk Brothers is a Single Malt English Whisky matured in an ex-bourbon cask and bottled at 50%.
The distillery — known today as The English Distillery Co, formerly St George's Distillery — opened in 2006 as the first newly built English whisky distillery in over a hundred years. This bottling comes from cask number 179, distilled in 2011 and later selected by independent bottler Stirk Brothers, who drew 254 bottles straight from the cask without mingling them with any other.
Stirk Brothers works on a small scale, hunting for casks with clear character rather than volume, which makes their selection a regular stop for collectors looking for alternatives to the big, familiar names.
Tasting Notes
Nose
The nose offers vanilla custard and toasted oak, backed by green apple and a touch of cereal.
Palate
On the palate the whisky turns rich, with caramel, honey biscuit and a light nutty sweetness, while the ex-bourbon cask lends a dry, woody undertone.
Finish
The finish is long and spiced, with black pepper and a faintly bitter edge of dark chocolate.
Specifications
Name: The English Distillery Co 10 Year Old Stirk Brothers
Distillery: The English Distillery Co
Bottler: Stirk Brothers
Region/Country: Norfolk, England
Type: Single Malt English Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Ex-bourbon cask, cask no. 179
Distilled: 2011
Number of bottles: 254
Flavour Profile
Fruity · Sweet · Spiced · Creamy
Investment Potential
Medium — this bottling comes from the distillery's earliest years, when The English Distillery Co truly kick-started the modern English whisky movement, and with only 254 bottles from a single cask, interest among collectors of early English releases is rising.
Did You Know?
The English Distillery Co was the first newly established distillery in England to distil single malt whisky in over a hundred years — the first spirit ran off the stills in December 2006.
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