St. George’s Distillery

The basics

The English Whisky Company established England's groundbreaking St. George’s Distillery (also known as The English Distillery) in 2006 and sold its first batch of single malt whisky in 2009. The whisky is produced using aquifer water and barley grown in the Norfolk flatlands, distilled by hand in traditional copper stills, and stored in aged wooden casks before being bottled.

Guided tours of the distillery include a visit to the distilling floor and an explanation of the production and aging process, plus a tasting session of the St. George’s whiskies. For a real taste of the English countryside, combine a tour of the distillery with a visit to a local Norfolk pub for a hearty English roast dinner, most often served on Sundays.

Things to know before you go

• There are a number of group and private tours available, which last between one and two hours and include a tasting.

• Visitors under 18 years old can participate in some tours but are not allowed to taste the whiskies.

• There’s a shop with the distillery’s whisky for sale and a café serving snacks and beverages.

• The distillery recommends that visitors arrange for a driver and not get behind the wheel after a tasting.

• Wheelchairs can be accommodated but visitors with limited mobility should contact the distillery before the tour to make arrangements.

How to get there

St. George’s Distillery, or The English Distillery, is located in the countryside between Thetford and Attleborough in Norfolk County and can only be reached by car. The nearest main city is Norwich, about a 45-minute drive away, with a major train station connecting to London and Cambridge, and an international airport.

When to get there

The distillery offers guided tours each morning and afternoon, plus specialty tours on specific days of the week. The distillery is only open for visitors participating in a guided tour, so check the website to book a spot in advance. The whisky shop and café are also open daily.

Where to visit whisky distilleries in England

Since the English Whisky Company opened, dozens of other whisky manufacturers have established boutique distilleries and many offer tasting tours. The Spirit of Yorkshire was the first distillery to open in Yorkshire and is one of the few in the world to grow its own barley; East London Liquor Company in London’s East End was the first to produce London-distilled whisky in over a century; The Cotswolds Distillery has a great visitor center; and the Lakes Distillery near Lake District National Park is set in a former Victorian farmstead.