Wedged between Scarborough and Bridlington, Yorkshire’s premier seaside resorts, is Filey, a charming coastal village where small day boats rest on the seafront and fish and chip shops outnumber people.
Home to award-winning breweries, an eponymous batter pudding and the best tea in the land, you would be well within your rights to argue that Yorkshire already has its fair share of the food and drink spoils.
But not content with its lot, they now have a single malt whisky. And it’s really quite wonderful.
Produced by Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, Filey Bay whisky is light, fruity and creamy. It is beautifully rounded and deliciously moreish. It is quaffable, as the French would say, and fits neatly into the ‘breakfast whisky’ category, to use Scottish terminology.
Like other (relative) newcomers such as Bruichladdich, the distillery is looking to combine a sense of tradition with a progressive approach.
Co-founded by Tom Mellor and David Thompson, the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery began making whisky in 2016, using 100 per cent homegrown barley from the distillery’s farm and setting a new standard in terms of quality and sustainability.
The result is a whisky that is both light and distinctive, with flavours of citrus, honey, caramel and vanilla complemented by a complex and refined character from maturation in a range of ex-bourbon and sherry barrels.
Named after the pristine beach in North Yorkshire visible from the distillery, the gannets that gather on nearby Bempton Cliffs have become an emblem of the brand and appear on its vibrant label.
You can enjoy the whisky in a variety of finishes, including a Moscatel Finish and a sweet and oaky STR Finish.
Find the full collection in the Filey Bay shop, here.
