I was delighted to welcome the English Whisky Guild (EWG) back to Parliament on 25 March for the now well-established English Whisky Showcase in the Jubilee Room. Now in its third year, the event has firmly become a highlight in the parliamentary calendar.
The Showcase brings together a number of Guild member distilleries, who exhibit and share samples of their outstanding English whisky with guests. Many other members also attend to support the event, creating a genuine sense of community as distillers, supply chain partners, MPs, trade bodies and government departments come together to celebrate English whisky.
This year’s Showcase was once again supported by Urban Glass, one of the Guild’s Associate Members, who generously provided the EWG-branded tasting glasses used throughout the event. These were gifted to all attendees to use during the tastings and to take home afterwards.
Fifteen English whisky distillers exhibited in the Jubilee Room this year, joined by representatives from WSTA, WineGB, MAGB, The Gin Guild, as well as colleagues from DEFRA, HMRC and the Department for Business and Trade. It was also excellent to see other English whisky producers and international spirits companies in attendance. MPs from constituencies across England — and indeed from all four UK nations — joined us. The event truly showcased the collaborative spirit of the sector and our shared ambition to promote English whisky both at home and internationally.
English whisky is increasingly making its mark on the global stage. Producers are collecting major international awards across a range of styles, and twice in the past five years an English whisky has been named World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards. Distilleries across the country have also secured gold medals and other honours, demonstrating the growing international interest in what we are producing here in England.
These achievements reflect the core values at the heart of English whisky: provenance, quality, innovation and an impressive diversity of flavour. They also underline the category’s rapid growth and rising global reputation.
As Morag Garden, CEO of the English Whisky Guild, said:
“From a simple idea sparked in Kevin Hollinrake’s constituency, the English Whisky Showcase has grown into an event people genuinely look forward to each year. Its success from day one reflects the momentum, openness and community spirit behind English Whisky.
Bringing distillers, MPs, trade bodies and government departments together highlights the strength of our relationships and the importance of collaboration and communication. English Whisky is built on shared growth and a commitment to excellence - and it’s inspiring to see that recognised here in Parliament.”
I have long said that English whisky is no longer an emerging curiosity; it is a fast-growing success story. Highlights such as the release of the oldest English single malt to date, and continued progress toward Geographical Indication status, show just how far we have come. I am particularly proud to see outstanding businesses from my own constituency, such as Spirit of Yorkshire in Hunmanby, leading the way — earning top producer honours and proving that English whisky can compete with the very best in the world.
