English single-malt

First English Peated Single-Malt Whisky Released

Filed under: Spirits

Scotland is the undisputed King of whisky in terms of the number of superior distilleries turning out the gold nectar. But there are great whiskies coming from everywhere: Japan, Wales, Scandanavia, as well as the traditional spots of Kentucky, and a bevy of micro-distilleries everywhere increasingly capturing the imaginations of whisky drinkers.

The latest is Scotland's nemesis to the South: England. It's hard to believe that England hasn't had a significant whisky distillery. Gin still comes from a few prominent stills. But perhaps the Scots and Irish have been so established, nobody bothered to challenge them.

Until now. The English Whisky Company's St. George's Distillery at Roudham has released its third whisky expression. The first was a limited run of Chapter 4, 18- month old Peated Malt Spirit that was so pale as to make me doubt it was actually whisky in my glass. The second was a non-peated single-malt, aged three years, which sells for £34.99, or $51.00. This month, the company released Chapter 9, a three-year old expression and hails it as England's first peated Single-Malt Whisky. Price, £39.99, or $57.00.

Managing director Andrew Nelstrop said: "The whole point behind Chapter 9 is to find a peated whisky that appeals to everyone, not just the real peat fanatics out there." The three-year-old spirit takes its peaty taste from drying barley over smoking peat, which then infuses into the grain.

Tags: Ardbeg, Chapter 6 whisky, Chapter 7 Whisky, English single-malt, English whisky, St. Georges Distillery, The English Whisky Company, whisky