Wharf Distillery - True Artisan English Whisky
We are an independent small-batch copper-pot distillery producing a range of exciting grain-to-glass spirits and liqueurs. Grain is locally 'mashed' for our English whisky, single malts, gin and vodka, and local fruit for our brandies and apple-based liqueurs and aperitifs. As well as our own range of products we also offer small-scale contract distilling, and are happy to discuss your own branded gin or other spirit.
Repurposing the Distillery
We are in very unusual times, and unusual times call for unusual deeds. Shortly after COVID-19 came to our shores HMRC gave the go ahead for distilleries up and down the country to start making hand sanitiser to help will the short supply and increasing demand. Diverting ethanol that would otherwise be destined for gin, we have now repurposed our little distillery to the production of hand sanitiser. Working to the World Health Organisation formulation we are now producing thousands of litres of much needed sanitiser and supplying it to organisations who work with the most vulnerable as well as key worker groups, saving a little in smaller bottles for the public.
However, many charities who rely on donations are now suffering terribly as their main sources of funding - through their shops and events - have been cut off overnight. We want to do our bit by giving them FREE hand sanitiser to help keep their people safe. We would love to give it all away but we also need to make sure that the distillery survives, so this is where you can help. We have set up a GoFundMe fundraising page and for every litre of sanitiser paid for through donations, we will match it with another litre. This way we can keep supplying free sanitiser to those in need whilst also protecting the future or our distillery.
Please help if you can, either by donating using the button below, or by sharing our appeal with your circle of friends. Thank you.
Artisan Distillery
We are proud to craft a great range of spirits. Our products range from English Whisky, gin, brandy, liqueurs, as well as our own range of exotic blends and flavours of liqueurs and aperitifs. Our distiller crafts new artisan spirits from a diverse range of local ingredients, all created in our handmade Portuguese copper alembic pot stills.
Whether you are looking for the perfect after dinner drink, or an ideal mixer for your home cocktail creations, we have amazing spirits for you to sample. Find us in local independent shops, local markets and food festivals in and around Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes and North Buckinghamshire.
Wahoo! Thankyou Circus Independent Food & Drink Awards
Hot News! In December we were thrilled to be judged/voted Drinks Producer of the Year at the Circus Magazine Independent Food & Drink Awards - particularly special as initial nominations were put forward by the general public. The final decision was a mixture of a judging panel and more public voting. We are very humbled to have been given this award.
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who voted for us.
Cattle Creep - A very English Whisky
On The 23rd January 2019 we became only the 8th English distillery since 1903 to release an authentic whisky. At the same time we were acknowledged as England's smallest whisky distillery!
The first release from Cask I has now gone however the second (and final) release form Cask I, an expression at 58.8%, is available. There were only 60 bottles made and you can grab one of the last few here.
Cask II will be released later in 2020.
Make your own Spirit
We offer a range of services to those wishing to have their own brand of spirit. Our white label service offers a standard spirit to your own strength with your own label, ideal for hotels, clubs, pubs, restaurants and stately homes. The base spirit can also be customised to make it truly unique to you and your customers.
Alternatively we can offer a complete bespoke spirit service where we can help you take your idea from paper to bottle. Using our copper stills we will distill or rectify your spirit of choice to create your very own unique product. You can be as involved as much as you like in the process, or maybe just for the sampling part.
Cider Making Courses
Our life started as humble cider-makers, crafting cider from locally scrumped apples. We now offer one day courses, throughout the Autumn, to anyone wishing to learn the art of traditional cider-making.
In the company of our award-winning cider maker, you will spend the day learning about the process from choosing your apples to equipment selection, and will leave at the end of the day with your own demijohn of apple juice to make your first batch of cider.
Meet the Distiller
Having started his career as a cartographer making maps for the military, Laurence worked in conservation management and learnt the craft of cider-making before settling into IT. For a considerable number of years Laurence contemplated what he really wanted to do with his life. Cider-making unexpectedly found Laurence again when his hobby of making cider from waste apples became more serious after his cider Hard Core was crowned Champion Cider of Britain in 2011. More cider, mead and then apple brandy followed until Laurence decided to focus primarily on distilling when he founded Wharf Distillery in 2014.
Meet the Boss
At present Wharf Distillery is run by Laurence and Alice. Alice provides the creative force behind the partnership as well as being a tad more proficient on the admin side. No stranger to alcohol, Alice formerly ran a brewery before deciding that it was much nicer to make products that she personally enjoyed, and so created her own Made by Alice range of liqueurs and aperitifs. Alice is also a whizz on the social media where her images of the distillery and products bring our Instagram and Facebook pages to life.
A Selection Of Our Spirits
We have a wide rand of spirits, English Whisky, gin, brandy and liqueurs
