Cotswolds Distillery is an English distillery producing single malt whisky, gin and other spirits. It is located in Stourton, near Shipston-on-Stour, in the Cotswolds region of England. Founded in 2014, it was among the early producers of the modern English whisky revival and has since gained international recognition through industry awards and specialist retail distribution.[2][3]
History
The distillery was founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Daniel Szor[4], with the aim of producing premium English single malt whisky using traditional Scotch-style methods[5] adapted to English ingredients and conditions.[6]
Gin production began shortly after the distillery’s establishment, allowing early commercial activity while whisky stocks matured.[7] The first Cotswolds single malt whisky was released in 2017.[8]
Between 2016 and 2020, the company undertook several crowdfunding rounds to support expansion, production capacity and maturing inventory.[9] These rounds were among the most successful drinks-sector crowdfunding campaigns in the United Kingdom at the time.In June 2018, £3 million was raised on Crowdcube for a visitor centre.[10] In January 2020, the company raised £1 million.[11]
In April 2023, Berry Bros. & Rudd acquired a minority stake in the business, a move widely reported in drinks-industry media as a strategic endorsement of the distillery and of English whisky more broadly.[12]
From January 2024, Illva Saronno became the exclusive distributor of Cotswolds Distillery products in the United Kingdom and Benelux markets.[13]
Production
Cotswolds Distillery produces its spirits on site using copper pot stills. Whisky production involves long fermentations and double distillation, followed by maturation primarily in ex-bourbon casks and STR (shaved, toasted and re-charred) ex-wine casks.[14]
Gin is distilled using a separate copper pot still and employs a “steep and boil” method, with a botanical recipe that includes juniper, coriander and locally inspired botanicals.[15]
Products
The distillery produces a range of whiskies, gins and liqueurs.[16][17]
Whisky
Gin
Visitor center
The distillery operates a visitor centre offering guided tours, tastings, whisky and gin masterclasses, a café and retail facilities.[6] It is listed as a popular visitor attraction within regional tourism guides.[3]
Collaborations
In 2024, the distillery collaborated with Highgrove to produce a limited-edition English single malt whisky made using heritage Plumage Archer barley grown at the Highgrove Estate. Further collaborative releases followed in subsequent years.[26]
Reception and awards
Distillery
Cotswolds Distillery spirits have received awards at several international competitions.[27][28]
Subsequent releases have received medals at competitions including the San Francisco World Spirits Competition[29] and the International Wine & Spirit Competition.[30]
The Cotswolds Distillery receives over 100,000 visitors per year and in 2016 won Best Distillery Tour in the Distillery Experience Awards run by Drinks International and a Distillery Master award for Consumer Experience from the Spirits Business organisation.[31] In 2019, a Cotswolds whisky won a category award at the World Whiskies Awards.[32]
On May 27, 2024, the Cotswolds Distillery was named the most popular whisky distillery in Great Britain and Ireland by the Cask Connoisseur 2024 Whisky Index.[33]
Awards
References
- Nicola Carruthers. Berry Bros invests in Cotswolds Distillery The Spirits Business, 2023-04-05, retrieved 2024-08-13^
- Cotswolds Distillery 2014 Inaugural Release whiskybase.com, retrieved 11 February 2021^
- Cotswolds distillery wins waitrose listing for english whisky thedrinksbusiness.com, 21 September 2018, retrieved 11 February 2021^
- Meet the former City worker making whisky in the Cotswolds Square Mile, 2023-11-06, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Karyn Noble. Meet the Maker: Cotswolds Distillery British Travel Journal, 2023-07-24, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- The Cotswolds Distillery crowdbnk.com, retrieved 15 June 2016^
- From Finance to Fermentation: Dan Szor’s Cotswolds Whisky Story The Whiskey Scoop, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Cotswolds Distillery presents its first single malt whisky www.whisky.com, 2017-09-14, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Cotswolds Distillery raises £500k for expansion thespiritsbusiness.com, 15 December 2015, retrieved 15 June 2016^
- Cotswolds Distillery crowdfunding closes at £3m thespiritsbusiness.com, 12 June 2018, retrieved 11 February 2021^
- The Cotswolds Distillery has surpassed its £1 million (US$1.3m) fundraising goal thespiritsbusiness.com, 7 January 2020, retrieved 11 February 2021^
- Erhebung: Das sind die 10 beliebtesten Whisky-Brennereien in Schottland, England, Wales und Irland • CaptainScotch.de CaptainScotch.de, 2023-07-28, retrieved 2023-07-28^
- Rupert Hohwieler. Illva Saronno to distribute Cotswolds Distillery spirits The Spirits Business, 2023-12-12, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Forsyths – Cotswolds Distillery forsyths.com, retrieved 15 June 2016^
- Cold compounded gins – Beer, Wine and Spirits products diffordsguide.com, retrieved 15 June 2016^
- https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/products/blended-malt-whisky-commemorating-dr-jim-swan. cotswoldsdistillery.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024^
- https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/products/grapefruit-bitters. cotswoldsdistillery.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024.^
- COTSWOLDS SIGNATURE SINGLE MALT WHISKY cotswoldsdistillery.com, retrieved 19 January 2024^
- https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/blogs/news/new-make-spirit-and-moonshine. cotswoldsdistillery.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024^
- https://thecaskconnoisseur.com/the-cotswold-distillery-what-you-can-expect-on-the-whisky-tour/. thecaskconnoisseur.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024.^
- Cotswolds Distillery Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky, Review and Tasting Notes TopWhiskies, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Cotswolds Distillery Peated Cask Disaronno UK, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Cotswolds Gin cotswoldsdistillery.com, retrieved 11 February 2021^
- https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/products/highgrove-royal-gardens-edition-single-malt-whisky. cotswoldsdistillery.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024^
- https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/products/cotswolds-dry-gin-essence. cotswoldsdistillery.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024)^
- Rupert Hohwieler. Cotswolds Distillery and Highgrove make whisky for the king The Spirits Business, 2023-11-16, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Greg. Cotswolds Distillery named Craft Producer of the Year GreatDrams, 2018-02-10, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Rupert Hargreaves. Cotswolds Distillery releases limited edition Wychwood Harvest City AM, 2025-10-03, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Results The Tasting Alliance, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Cotswolds Distillery IWSC International Wine & Spirit Competition, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- The Distillery Masters 2016 results thespiritsbusiness.com, 6 January 2016, retrieved 15 June 2016^
- Category Winner – Cotswolds / Sherry Cask Single Malt – World whisky awards 2025 www.worldwhiskiesawards.com, retrieved 2026-02-23^
- Phil Norris. Cotswolds whisky distillery named most popular in UK for second year running Gloucestershire Live, 2024-05-27, retrieved 2024-05-30^
- World Gin Awards 2016 - Winners www.worldginawards.com, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- World Whiskies Awards 2018 - Winners www.worldwhiskiesawards.com, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- The Spirits Business The Spirits Business, 2025-09-15, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Cotswolds Distillery IWSC International Wine & Spirit Competition, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Cotswolds Distillery IWSC International Wine & Spirit Competition, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- World Whiskies Awards 2019 - Winners www.worldwhiskiesawards.com, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Results The Tasting Alliance, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Results The Tasting Alliance, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Melita Kiely. The Spirits Business Awards 2020 winners The Spirits Business, 2020-12-02, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION® INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION®, 2025-06-19, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- ADI 2020 VIRTUAL American Distilling Institute, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Melita Kiely. The Spirits Business Awards 2020 winners The Spirits Business, 2020-12-02, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Melita Kiely. The Spirits Business Awards 2021 winners The Spirits Business, 2021-11-19, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- Though it was an Irish cream at the time it won the award, the Cotswolds Cream Liqueur now uses fresh English Cream.^