Founded in 2014, Cotswolds Distillery was among the first producers to help shape the modern English whisky movement. At a time when English whisky was still in its infancy, the distillery established a reputation for doing things differently: sourcing barley locally and working with traditional floor-malted grain. Today, while English whisky creators continue to grow in number, Cotswolds Distillery remains one of its most respected producers, renowned for crafting whiskies with depth, character, a strong attention to flavour, as well as redefining consumers’ perception of what whisky can offer.

To guide the type of whiskies created, Daylesford’s Group Head of Bars, Sam Brown, joined Head of Global Advocacy and Cask Sales Manager Rob Patchett in the garden at The Fox to taste a selection of liquids from different styles of maturing casks. Two stood out.

Matured in an American virgin oak cask, the first pour is vibrant and expressive, with notes of honeycomb, toasted coconut and gentle spice balanced with sweetness. The second, drawn from a Spanish oloroso hogshead, offers greater richness and depth, with layers of dried fig, roasted nuts, dark chocolate and warming spices.

While the casks have distinct flavour profiles, each begins in the same place: the fields of the Cotswolds. The barley is sourced from a single farming family near Blenheim Palace before travelling to England’s oldest working maltings and on to the distillery. From field to bottle to Daylesford, the grain travels just 29 miles, remaining entirely within the region.

The two whiskies not only showcase the breadth and skill of Cotswolds Distillery’s whisky-making, but also reflect the character of the region and the best of what the Cotswolds can produce by leaning on Daylesford’s decades-long experience as a farm and food and drink producer as well as its commitment to working with nature in as sustainable way as possible.

With around 300 individually numbered bottles drawn from each cask, the whiskies are limited. But what makes these whiskies special is not only their rarity, but the values they represent: a shared commitment to provenance, craftsmanship and the landscape that has shaped them.

For Rob Patchett, that connection to place is central to the distillery’s identity: ‘We always say we’re in the Cotswolds, but we’re also of the Cotswolds.’

Like Daylesford, Cotswolds Distillery believes in its responsibility to produce with care and look after the environment that makes their enterprise possible. Waste water from the distillery is filtered naturally through a series of ecological wetlands, creating thriving habitats for wildlife and increasing biodiversity across the site. Rather than being a separate sustainability initiative, the work is simply part of how the business operates.

The result of the collaboration is two distinct drinks shaped by the people, soil and traditions of the Cotswolds, and a testament to what can be achieved when two like-minded businesses come together. The whiskies will be available to enjoy at the bar in each of the Daylesford Stays pubs – and for those looking to try whisky in a new way, Sam Brown will be showcasing their unique flavour profiles in seasonal cocktails.

Image credit – Cotswolds Distillery.