When it comes to English whisky, these are the five standout pours according to experts

The Whisky Exchange has been celebrating English Whisky Week with a curated line-up that captures the rapid evolution of England’s whisky scene, a category now spanning more than 60 producers from London to the Yorkshire coast.

The selection reflects just how broad English whisky has become, from bourbon-led single malts to cask-forward rye and blended malts. For those keen to explore beyond Scotland and Ireland, it’s a timely reminder that England’s distillers are carving out an identity of their own.

The selection reflects just how broad English whisky has become, from bourbon-led single malts to cask-forward rye and blended malts…

White Peak Wire Works Bourbon Barrel, £54.50

White Peak Distillery leads the line-up with Wire Works Bourbon Barrel, bottled at 53.4% ABV. Produced in Derbyshire’s Peak District, this single malt was matured exclusively in premium ex-bourbon barrels sourced from Heaven Hill. The cask choice keeps the distillery’s spirit character front and centre, resulting in a bright, expressive whisky with notes of vanilla, cheesecake, white chocolate, lemon curd, candied ginger and peaches. Named The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky of the Year 2026, it’s a great example of what English malt can do with straightforward bourbon maturation.

East London Liquor Co Single Rye Whisky, £79.95

From East London Liquor Co comes a single rye whisky, bottled at a punchy 62.1% ABV. This exclusive bottling was fermented using Belgian saison beer yeast and matured in first-fill oloroso sherry casks, a choice that gives it notable depth and spice. The nose opens with oatmeal raisin cookies, dried cherries and red liquorice, before moving into intense cereal notes. On the palate, treacle toffee, raw sugarcane, dark chocolate, espresso, roasted nuts and umeboshi plums build into a long, malty finish with chocolate-dipped coffee beans.

Cotswolds Signature Single Malt, £49.95

Cotswolds Distillery continues to be a key reference point for the category, and its Signature Single Malt remains one of the most recognisable English expressions. Bottled at 46% ABV, it uses locally grown floor-malted barley and is matured in a combination of STR ex-red wine casks and ex-bourbon barrels. The result is sweet and fruit-led, with notes of honey, Seville orange, marmalade and dark red fruits, all of which linger neatly through the finish.

Filey Bay Flagship Single Malt, £55.75

Filey Bay contributes its Flagship Single Malt, at 46% ABV. Made entirely in Yorkshire from field to bottle, this single malt is matured in bourbon casks, producing a lighter, creamy style with notes of vanilla, peppery spice, apples, citrus zest and honey. Its coastal identity and easy-going fruit profile make it one of the most approachable whiskies in the selection.

The Heart Cut x Barley English Blended Malt, £44.95

Rounding out the list is The Heart Cut x Barley English Blended Malt, bottled at 46% ABV.
Created by independent bottler The Heart Cut, this release combines single malts from five English distilleries: Copper Rivet, The English, Cotswolds, White Peak and Adnams.
The blended malt delivers notes of strawberry jam, vanilla cream, cinnamon buns, fresh raspberries and orange blossom, offering a broad snapshot of the grain and cask styles currently shaping English whisky.