Cotswolds Distillery was recently named the most popular distillery in the UK and Ireland, and no wonder! The distillery is located in a stunning part of the English countryside, the staff working there are very friendly, and their ‘new world’ whisky is of great quality with unique flavour profiles. They have come a long way since opening their doors back in 2014 (yes, they recently celebrated their 10th birthday!).
Production
Due to their location in the Cotswolds, the distillery is never short of locally grown barley, which is the very core of their whisky making. The farm is just 15 minutes from the distillery. The 90-hour fermentation brings in plenty of fruity compounds, which is also why their distillation cut points have been kept short. In order to keep the fruity notes and limit the heavier compounds in the spirit, they switch from foreshots to hearts after only a few minutes and quickly cut to feints.
The fruity new make then comes off at 75% ABV, which is reduced to 63.5% ABV before it goes into the casks. The weather is usually warmer than in Scotland, which helps with faster maturation of their whisky.
The popularity of Cotswolds single malt has been on the rise, so much so that the distillery upgraded their stills earlier this year, making them the largest producer of English whisky. Their old stills will be used for Jamaica-style rum distillation.
Meadows & wetlands
As soon as you arrive to the distillery you are greeted by colourful wildflower meadows and lavender bushes. In the Cotswolds you can find some of the rarest wildflowers in the UK. With up to 40 plant species per square metre, making it an ideal place for bees and butterflies. Unfortunately, over the years some of the grasslands in the area have been destroyed due to agricultural expansion and the use of fertilisers.
Cotswolds Distillery is now working with several groups such as the National Trust and the Wildlife Trust to restore some of the natural grassland. ‘Their aim was to create the largest network of wildflower rich limestone grassland in the country – around 100 hectares in total’.
Last year Berry Bros. & Rudd purchased a minority stake in the distillery, which has also helped to fund their sustainability plans, including a wetland project. The wetlands ecological treatment system has been created to dispose the effluent that comes out of the distillation, which is around 100,000 litres a week. It will naturally remove the impurities, and by not having to use trucks, they take carbon off the road.
Cotswolds Single Malt
I find the Cotswolds whiskies unique. They aren’t like the single malts coming from Scotland. There is something special when it comes their flavour profile. I feel like there’s definitely a theme when it comes to their releases, although I’m not 100% sure what it is yet… I tend to find some rather random (in a good way) tasting notes in their whiskies. For example, the Flaxen Vale (American oak PX sherry and Spanish oak Oloroso) had notes of minty Amaro, mandarin and menthol cigarettes, yet the sweet orchard fruit-like distillery character was still clearly visible.
Cotswolds Signature Single Malt, 46% ABV, is made using approximately 70% STR (shaved, toasted, re-charred) wine barriques and 30% first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. They marry together anywhere from 15 to 25 casks to create a consistent whisky. The bourbon casks will bring sweeter notes of coconut and vanilla custard and the STR barriques add red fruity notes and spice. I was also getting a lot of dried apricot both on the nose and on the palate.
Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt, 60% ABV, is part of their Classic Collection and it showcases the influence from their first-fill ex-bourbon barrels. A touch of whisky matured in STR casks is also added for some fruitiness.
While the above focuses on the ex-bourbon influence, Founder’s Choice Single Malt is aged exclusively in STR casks and is part of their Cask Expressions Collection. The releases in this series are always bottled at cask strength so it can vary from batch to batch but is usually around 60% ABV. I actually found the Reserve fruitier, filled with various berry notes, which made me wonder whether they got my takeaway samples mixed up at the distillery…
I also sampled their Limited Edition Pineau des Charentes release, 55.2% ABV. It is the fifth expression from their Hearts & Crafts Collection, celebrating the tradition of Cotswolds craftmanship. After maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, the spirit was transferred into French oak ex-red wine casks seasoned with Pineau des Charentes (a fortified wine made using a blend of fresh grape juice and Cognac).
The nose had a white vermouth, candied lemon peel, tangy lemon Haribo sweets and floral aroma. The palate was fragrant yet savoury with citrus and ginger. The finish felt drying with notes of oak and black pepper. I wasn’t too keen on this one, but I don’t really enjoy floral and fragrant whiskies in general.
For sherry lovers, Cotswolds Sherry Cask release is a must-try! Each batch is a unique blend of American and Spanish oak hogsheads and butts previously used for Oloroso sherry and the sweeter Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry. The nose is filled with black grapes, papaya, dark cherries, dried blueberries, apples and cinnamon. Lots of depth to it. The palate is warming, nutty, yet fresh. I was getting dried goji berries and blueberries, the freshness of toothpaste and lemon balm, even some carrot juice, dried grass and fresh croissant with berry jam on the finish.
Peated whisky
The Peated Cask release from the Cask Expression Collection is matured solely in ex-peated Scotch whisky quarter casks (Laphroaig). I enjoy smoky whiskies a lot, but I do wonder about the use of ex-Islay casks in whisky making. How much will the cask impact the flavour profile? Will it be a copy of the original, like a fake designer handbag, easily confused (at a tasting) but on a closer look not as good? If ex-Islay casks have been used for longer maturation, the whisky often ends up tasting like an Islay whisky. It’s nice but not original. And why wouldn’t I then just buy an Islay bottle? But if they’re just used for a shorter period, the casks can contribute to the distillery’s own style nicely.
Saying all that, I did enjoy Cotswolds Peated release, and you do still get those sweet orchard fruit notes typical of their releases on the nose and palate. The nose had soft tar, which made me think of a Finnish sauna, and there was some rye bread too with the fruitiness. The palate had sweeter smoke with pears at first, before becoming bigger and bolder as the smoke gets spicier and takes over the palate.
Overall
If you visit one distillery this summer, make it Cotswolds! The location is peaceful and charming, especially during the summer months as you can see the wildflower meadows in full bloom and enjoy a refreshing drink in the garden amongst the lavender bushes. If you aren’t a huge whisky fan, you can choose from one of their gins, amaro or even a delicious cream liqueur.
Their wide range of single malts is worth exploring – there is certainly something for everyone’s palate. Some of the limited-edition releases offer unique flavour experiences with beautifully designed packaging. From the beginning they have been creating great quality whisky, and with the help of industry legend Dr Jim Swan, they were able to come up with a great new make, the DNA of their whisky, as well as a very special cask strategy.
Have you tried any whisky from Cotswolds Distillery? Have you been to the distillery?
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Inka Larissa is an award-winning freelance spirits writer, content creator and Whisky Influencer of the Year 2026. Writing about whisky, cocktails and spirits since 2015, she explores the world of spirits from seed to glass. She is also co-host of the Whisky Sisters podcast.
