Award-Winning English Spirits
Whisky, gin, rum and liqueur that have proved themselves against blind-judged competition
| Spirit & Distillery | Category & Strength | Production & Award | Tasting Experience | Perfect For... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Filey Bay Flagship
Spirit of Yorkshire, farm to bottle in Filey
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Whisky 46% Alc. 70cl bottle Fruity single malt |
Ex-Bourbon Casks 100% Yorkshire Barley Non-Chill Filtered Gold, IWSC 2025 100% locally grown barley, matured in bourbon casks, natural colour. |
Nose: Honeycomb, vanilla and peachy orchard fruit Palate: Light and creamy, with soft orchard fruit Finish: Floral, with gingerbread and citrus peel |
Newcomers to English whisky, or anyone who likes a fruitier, easy-going malt |
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Cotswolds Signature
Cotswolds Distillery, the first single malt distilled in the Cotswolds
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Whisky 46% Alc. 70cl bottle Rich single malt |
Ex-Bourbon & Red Wine Casks Locally Grown Barley Gold, World Whisky Masters Barley grown locally in the Cotswolds, distilled in copper pot stills, matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and red wine casks. |
Nose: Honey, butterscotch and stone orchard fruit Palate: Marzipan, treacle and spiced marmalade Finish: Rich and warming |
Drinkers who enjoy a fuller, riper, red-wine-cask style of malt |
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The Lakes Classic Gin
The Lakes Distillery, Lake District National Park
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Gin 46% Alc. 70cl bottle London dry style |
Copper Pot Distilled Cumbrian Water Overnight-Steeped Botanicals Gold, World Gin Awards 2019 The only classic gin in its UK region to take gold that year; blended with water drawn from the distillery's Lake District home. |
Botanicals: Juniper, black pepper and orange peel Palate: Peppery citrus with orris root and liquorice Garnish: Orange peel or pink grapefruit |
Gin drinkers who want a smooth, citrus-forward London dry with a sense of place |
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White Peak Cask Aged Rum
White Peak Distillery, Derbyshire
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Rum 45% Alc. 50cl bottle Agricole-style rum |
30-Day Fermentation Three-Cask Vatting No Added Colour Gold, IWSC 2025 A vatting of ex-bourbon, virgin oak and ex-red wine (STR) casks; colour comes solely from the wood. |
Nose: Crème caramel and a wisp of smoke Palate: Funky, sweet and full-bodied Finish: Vanilla, long and warm |
Rum drinkers who want real depth; good neat or lengthened with ginger beer and lime |
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Ad Gefrin Flyte Cream Liqueur
Ad Gefrin Distillery, Northumberland
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Liqueur 17% Alc. 70cl bottle Whisky cream liqueur |
Made with Tácnbora Blended Whisky Double Cream Bronze, IWSC 2025 Marries Ad Gefrin's flagship blended whisky, Tácnbora, with rich double cream. |
Nose: Vanilla Palate: Cacao, toffee and salted caramel Finish: Smooth and lingering |
After-dinner sipping, or anyone who enjoys a dessert-style liqueur with real whisky behind it |
Alex's Selection Guide: If you're new to English spirits generally, Filey Bay Flagship is an easy, fruit-led place to start in whisky, and The Lakes Classic Gin is just as approachable in gin. Cotswolds Signature is the richer, red-wine-cask whisky for when you want more weight. White Peak's Cask Aged Rum is well worth trying if English rum is new to you; the three-cask vatting gives it real complexity. And Ad Gefrin's Flyte is one to keep for after dinner, built on their own award-winning whisky.What "award-winning" means across English spirits
Spirits awards are judged blind, so a medal reflects what's in the glass rather than the story on the label. The competitions behind the bottles on this page include the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), the World Whisky Masters, the World Gin Awards, the International Spirits Challenge and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, each judging English spirits against entries from every producing country.
Why English spirits are winning across categories
English distillers are not bound by the regional rules that shape Scotch or Caribbean rum, so there is more room to experiment: unusual cask finishes, grape-based gins, rye mash bills and farm-to-bottle barley. The medal count in whisky, gin, rum and liqueur alike suggests that experimentation is paying off, not just in one category.
How to choose an award-winning English spirit
New to English spirits
Filey Bay Flagship in whisky and The Lakes Classic Gin are both approachable first steps, and both carry a gold medal pedigree.
If whisky is your category
Cotswolds Signature is a richer, red-wine-cask alternative, and The Cheshire Single Malt (Silver, IWSC 2025) adds Sauternes and red wine cask finishing for extra depth. Browse the full English Whisky range, or stay within Award-Winning English Whisky for more medal winners.
If gin is your category
Alongside The Lakes Classic Gin, Shining Cliff Dry Gin (Silver, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2018) and Sing Gin (Silver, IWSC and The Gin Masters) show two different approaches, one vapour-distilled, one grape-based. See the wider English Gin collection for more.
If you want to try rum or a liqueur
White Peak's Cask Aged Rum is the standout English rum here, with genuine cask complexity for the price. Ad Gefrin's Flyte Cream Liqueur is a good way to try their award-winning whisky in a different form. Browse English Rum and English Liqueurs for the rest of the range.
