E-Malt.com News article: UK: English Whisky secures protected Geographical Indication status

English Whisky has secured protected Geographical Indication status, establishing rules governing where and how spirits carrying the name can be produced, The Drinks Business reported on September 14.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed on 11 September that “English Whisky” and “English Whiskey” are now protected names under the UK Spirit Drinks Geographical Indications Scheme. It means national whiskies from all four UK nations now have legal protection, with English Whisky joining Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Welsh Whisky and Irish Whiskey.

The English Whisky Guild (EWG) led the application after more than six years of work with producers and Defra. It was submitted in February 2022, published for opposition in February 2025 and subsequently refined through consultation before receiving final approval.

Morag Garden, chief executive of the English Whisky Guild, said: “Securing GI status is a landmark achievement for English Whisky and recognition of the quality and innovation across our growing industry.

“We are grateful to DEFRA and to everyone who contributed to this collaborative effort. This milestone will support future growth and international recognition for English Whisky.”

The new GI sets out a series of production requirements for distillers who choose to use the protected name. English Whisky must use cereal grain grown in the UK and English water. It must be distilled in England from wort created in England, at less than 94.8% ABV, before being matured in England for at least three years.

Maturation must take place in wooden casks with a maximum capacity of 700 litres, with the finished whisky bottled at no less than 40% ABV. Plain caramel, E150a, is the only permitted additive and can be used solely for colouring.

The requirement that all cereal grain is grown in the UK is, according to the EWG, unique among the UK’s whisky GIs.

The rules also retain some of the flexibility that has characterised England’s relatively young whisky industry. Producers can use wooden casks other than oak, provided this is declared on the label, and the specification accommodates modern still designs.

Distilleries are also permitted to work with local breweries on mashing and fermentation, reflecting a practice dating back to the beginnings of England’s modern whisky industry. Hicks and Healey used wort from St Austell Brewery when it laid down whisky in 2003.

Matured English Whisky can also be transported in inert bulk containers for bottling in export markets, subject to controls.

At least 46 distilleries were laying down English whisky by the end of 2023. Defra says there are now more than 70 producers, with the EWG reporting that more than 40 are already selling whisky to consumers.

English Whisky is also exported to more than 30 countries, including the US, Canada, Japan, China and markets across mainland Europe.

Environment secretary Dame Angela Eagle said the designation recognised a category that had developed its own identity rather than simply following Britain’s more established whisky traditions.

“The UK is home to world-class whisky production, from grain to glass,” she said.

“Standing proudly alongside Scotch, Welsh and Irish whiskies, this new protected status is recognition of English Whisky’s distinctive character alongside the expert craftsmanship that goes into its production.

“It’s a milestone that will be felt far beyond the distillery gates, bringing jobs, investment and pride to communities across the country.”

Producers wishing to market their spirits under the protected English Whisky name will first need to be verified through HMRC’s Spirit Drink Verification Scheme.


15 September, 2026