The Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery knows a thing or two about barley. In fact, they’ve been growing the stuff since 1945 and brewing beer since 2003 on the family farm.

Co-founders Tom Mellor (the farmer) and David Thompson (whisky fan, great palate) are the brains behind the operation. The idea for distilling Yorkshire’s first whisky came about sometime between 2011 and 2021, and the first distillation and casks were filled in 2016.

The purpose of Spirit of Yorkshire has always been to create a world-class tipple that stands out on its own rather than a scotch replacement. It’s a unique blend of tradition and innovation, taking the best of the old ways and applying new techniques to create a distinctive style of whisky – light, fruity and approachable. The kind of concoction that welcomes you in with a warm embrace.

What makes the tipple unique is that Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery uses four-plate copper rectifying columns alongside two pot stills for half the year, giving them the flexibility of two new-make spirit styles, which they cask separately for maturation. As the first whisky distillery in the area famed for growing malting barley, you can be sure a sip of Spirit of Yorkshire will always surprise you.