English Whisky Guild

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The English Whisky Guild (EWG) is a membership organisation that promotes and protects English whisky. [1] [2]

Contents

English Whisky Guild
AbbreviationEWG
Formation2022 May 18 (active: May 18, 2022;2 years ago (2022-05-18)
Type Membership organisation
Legal statusNon profit organisation (Limited Company)
PurposePromote and protect English Whisky
HeadquartersRegistered Office
17 Walkergate, Berwick Upon Tweed, TD15 1DJ [3]
Origins England
Products English whisky
Membership
26 members
[4] [lower-alpha 1] 14 Board members [5]
CEO
Morag Garden [6]
Dan Szor
AffiliationsBritish Distillers Alliance [7]
Website English Whisk Guild

Purpose and ambition

Purpose

The purpose of the English Whisky Guild is to:

Ambition

The English Whisky Guild have stated that their primary ambition is to get English whisky recognised globally as a respected choice for whisky drinkers. [9]

Membership

The first meeting of the English Whisky Guild was on the 18th June 2021.

Founding distilleries

  1. Adnams Southwold
  2. Bimber Distillery
  3. Circumstance Distillery [lower-alpha 2]
  4. Cooper King Distillery
  5. Copper Rivet Distillery
  6. Cotswolds Distillery
  7. East London Liquor Co.
  8. Henstone Distillery
  9. Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
  10. The English Whisky Co.
  11. The Lakes Distillery
  12. The Oxford Artisan Distillery
  13. Wharf Distillery
  14. White Peak Distillery
  15. Whittaker's Distillery

New Members

As of April 23, 2023, The English Whisk Guild consists of 24 members. [10] [11]

16. Ad Gefrin Distillery

17. Ellers Farm Distillery

18. Retribution Distilleries Co

19. West Midlands Distillery

20. Yarm Distillery

Ex-Members

When the English Whisky Guild applied to DEFRA for a Geographical Indication, Circumstance Distillery felt the Geographical Indication (as submitted in February 2022) would act as a barrier to entry for new distilleries and discourage innovation within the industry. [12] After failing to convince the Guild to alter the application Circumstance Distillery left the organisation in March 2022.

Recognition

In February 2022, the English Whisky Guild applied for a Geographical Indication to put into law the definition of English Whisky. [13]

Annual report

On June 14, 2024 the English Whisky Guild released its first report praising the progress that English whisky has made and the unique tapestry of distilleries. The report covers a various numbers of areas including statistical analysis of English whisky, interviews with whisky produces, profiles of whisky distilleries and associate members and think pieces that cover the process of the English whisky geographical indication. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "English Whisky Guild's first annual report praises category's". www.whiskymag.com. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  2. de Almeida, Andre (May 18, 2022). "Distilleries collaborate to launch the English Whisky Guild". Inside the Cask.
  3. LURSOFT (2024-02-22). "THE ENGLISH WHISKY GUILD | British companies". Lursoft. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  4. "issue four – World Whisky & more" (in German). Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  5. "English Whisky Guild". Briggs. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  6. Brooker, Alice (May 17, 2022). "English Whisky Guild appoints CEO as industry forecast to possess over £1bn in maturing stock". Worshipful Company of Distillers .
  7. "Associate Members". grassytest. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  8. Whymark, Bethany (May 19, 2022). "Distilleries team up to launch English Whisky Guild". The Drinks Report.
  9. CP (2023-04-28). "English whisky witnessing unprecedented growth with 49 active distilleries now across England". Conservative Post. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
  10. De Almeida, André (April 30, 2023). "The English Whisky Map 5th Edition". Inside the Cask.
  11. "Rise of the English dram: how whisky from south of the border is challenging Scotch". The Herald. 2024-06-15. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  12. Britner, Lucy (2022-09-08). "Tension mounts over English whisky GI proposal - Drinks Retailing". Drinks Retailing - Championing the off-trade since 1863. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  13. Malczewski, Kate (February 25, 2022). "Producers seek legal definition for English whisky". The Spirits Business .

Geographical Indication

EWG Reports

1st Annual Report

Footnotes

  1. The English whisky Guild features on page 65
  2. The Circumstance distillery left the EWG in March 2022