Dartmoor Distillery produces single malt English whisky and gin in Bovey Tracey, Devon, at the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The distillery was founded in 2017 and is guided by Master Distiller Frank McHardy, who brings more than 50 years of experience from Springbank and Bushmills to a whisky programme that is deeply rooted in its Devon landscape.
Every element of production draws on the local environment: barley grown and harvested in East Dartmoor, beer wash brewed by a nearby Devon cask ale maker to Frank McHardy's own recipe, and spirit cut with Dartmoor spring water drawn from a 200-foot deep borehole on the moor before bottling.
The Still: A Piece of Cognac History
Dartmoor's copper pot still is one of the most characterful in English whisky. Hand-beaten in France in 1966, it spent most of its working life producing spirit for Hennessy, Martell, and Rémy Martin before being decommissioned in 1994. Dartmoor rescued it, had it sandblasted and fully restored, and it now produces the distillery's new make spirit in Devon. The same still, in its 1890 sibling form, is used for the Dartmoor gin.
The alembic shape of the still is unusual for whisky in England and contributes to a distinctive distillery character: a smooth, sweet new make with orchard fruit and a soft, creamy texture that shows clearly in the matured expressions.
The Dartmoor Whisky Range
Dartmoor produces three core single malt expressions, each matured in a different cask type. All are single malt and single cask: each bottle comes from an individual barrel rather than a vatting. Individual expressions can sell out as casks are exhausted, so availability varies. The Dartmoor Whisky Discovery Set, a set of three 5cl miniatures covering all three core cask styles, is the most consistently available way to try the range.
| Expression | Strength | Cask Character | Tasting Notes | Perfect For |
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Bourbon Cask Matured
American White Oak ex-bourbon
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46% Alc. Non-chill filtered |
Matured solely in a single American White Oak ex-bourbon barrel. The lightest and most approachable of the three expressions; the cask adds vanilla and toffee without overwhelming the distillery's character. | Sparkling orchard fruit and warm biscuit on the nose. Vanilla, toffee, and a honeyed element on the palate. Delicate, refined, and well-balanced. A clear expression of the Dartmoor distillery character. | English whisky newcomers; those who prefer lighter, fruit-forward styles; everyday sipping |
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Sherry Cask Matured
Ex-Oloroso Sherry
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46% Alc. | Matured in a single ex-Oloroso Sherry cask from Spain. The standout expression in the Dartmoor range, with first-rate cask quality that adds considerable complexity without masking the distillery character beneath. | Dense, sweet, and rich. Sherry, hazelnut, marzipan, and sultanas on the palate; full and fruity on the nose. Long and satisfying. The most complex of the three core expressions. | Sherry cask lovers; special occasions; premium gift; those who want the most characterful Dartmoor expression |
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Ex-Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Matured
French Oak ex-Bordeaux red wine
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46% Alc. | Matured in a hand-selected French oak red wine cask from Bordeaux. A genuinely distinctive cask choice for English whisky, balancing delicate and rich aromas in a way that sets it apart from both the bourbon and sherry expressions. | Fruit-forward with intriguing wine-cask complexity. Dark fruit and subtle tannin from the Bordeaux oak, blending pleasantly with the sweet new make character. The most distinctive of the three. | Wine lovers curious about whisky; those who enjoy cask experimentation; collectors |
Dartmoor Gin 1890
Distilled in Dartmoor's 1890 ex-Cognac copper still, the Dartmoor Gin is a classic juniper-forward London Dry built on fifteen botanicals drawn from the Dartmoor landscape and beyond. Created by distillery founder Greg Millar and his daughter Abby, it is cut with the same Dartmoor spring water used in the whisky.
Key botanicals include rose petals, rosemary, elderflower, Dartmoor honey, lavender, gorse blossom, pink peppercorns, sandalwood, lemon peel, and orris root. The gin also carries a small proportion of Dartmoor's own whisky spirit. The recommended serve is with Franklin & Sons Rosemary & Black Olive tonic and a garnish of lime and fresh rosemary.
View the Dartmoor Gin 1890 here.
Alex's Dartmoor Recommendations
The Sherry Cask is the bottle to reach for first: critically it is the standout expression in the range and the Oloroso cask quality is genuinely impressive for a distillery still finding its feet in terms of maturation age. The Bourbon Cask is the right starting point if you prefer a lighter style. The Discovery Set is the smartest way to try all three cask expressions at once, and given that individual expressions can sell quickly, it is also the most reliable way to always have Dartmoor in the house. The gin is a serious, well-constructed London Dry that rewards a good tonic.
What Makes Dartmoor Different
Explore Dartmoor and the Wider Range
Frequently Asked Questions About Dartmoor Distillery
Dartmoor Distillery is based in the Old Town Hall in Bovey Tracey, Devon, on the southern edge of Dartmoor National Park. It is Devon's only single malt whisky producer. The distillery is open to visitors; check the distillery's website for current tour and tasting availability.
Frank McHardy is one of the most experienced whisky distillers in the British Isles, with more than 50 years in the industry. He worked for extended periods at Springbank and Bushmills, and was involved in the revival of Glengyle Distillery in Scotland. He came out of retirement to oversee production at Dartmoor, creating the beer wash recipe and guiding every stage of production. His presence at a small English distillery is genuinely unusual and speaks to the seriousness of the Dartmoor project.
Dartmoor's whisky still is a copper alembic pot still hand-beaten in France in 1966. It spent most of its working life producing Cognac for Hennessy, Martell, and Rémy Martin before being decommissioned in 1994. Dartmoor acquired and fully restored it. The alembic shape is unusual for whisky and contributes to a distinctively smooth, sweet, fruit-forward new make spirit that sets Dartmoor apart from distilleries using more conventional pot still shapes.
The Sherry Cask is the standout expression and the most critically acclaimed, but the Bourbon Cask is the most approachable entry point if you prefer a lighter, fruit-forward style. The Whisky Discovery Set contains 5cl miniatures of all three core cask expressions and is the best way to compare them side by side before committing to a full bottle.
The Bourbon Cask and Sherry Cask are Dartmoor's core releases and form the backbone of the range. The Bordeaux Cask is produced in smaller volumes and tends to be released periodically as individual casks are ready. The Discovery Set is the most reliable way to explore all three cask styles, as it is produced as a standing product rather than a single-cask release.
Dartmoor Gin 1890 is a juniper-forward London Dry gin distilled in Dartmoor's 1890 ex-Cognac copper still, the sibling to the whisky still. It uses fifteen botanicals drawn from the Dartmoor landscape, including Dartmoor honey, gorse blossom, rose petals, rosemary, and lavender, alongside classic gin botanicals such as juniper, coriander, and orris root. It also carries a small proportion of Dartmoor's own whisky spirit and is cut with Dartmoor spring water. View the Dartmoor Gin 1890 here.
New to Dartmoor? The Dartmoor Whisky Discovery Set is the ideal starting point, covering all three cask expressions in miniature format. Or explore the broader South West English Whisky range and all English Whisky on Digital Distiller.
