Ellers Farm Distillery, the new carbon-neutral distillery in North Yorkshire, announced today that it has partnered with the globally renowned Yorkshire-based brewer T&R Theakston, to combine their knowledge and experience in a truly unique whisky collaboration.
To create the whisky the Ellers Farm team will utilise an elegant Porter style beer that has been specifically developed through the collaboration of Theakston’s Master Brewer Mark Slater, and Ellers Farm’s Master Distiller, Jamie Baggott.
The vision Ellers Farm and Theakston have created takes the finest ingredients possible, brewed into a high-quality beer by one of the best brewers in the world. They then take that beer and distil it under the guidance of one of the most awarded distillers in the world at Ellers Farm. The expected result, a truly amazing unique Yorkshire whisky.
Production will commence this summer with a first bottle release scheduled for 2025. In addition to bottled whisky releases, the plans include an offering of a strictly limited collection of casks. The owners of those casks will also become members of a very exclusive partnership with Ellers Farm where they will work together to evolve those casks into some of the world’s finest exclusive whisky releases in the years to come.
Whisky cask investment is on the rise, as proven by a survey undertaken by Braeburn Whisky in February 2021. Of 1,931 randomly sampled participants, 76.0% of all respondents had considered investing in whisky, indicating a 25.4% increase from a similar survey conducted six months prior. 44.3% of respondents said they already invested in whisky, while 61.0% selected whisky as an asset class in which they would be most likely to invest in the future, ahead of stocks and shares, property, cryptocurrency, and various other traditional and alternative asset classes.
Andy Braithwaite, Managing Director at Ellers Farm Distillery, said: “Ellers Farm is extremely proud to be working alongside Simon, Mark and the brewing team at Theakston. Bringing together two family-owned Yorkshire businesses, one with almost 200 years of history and one just beginning its journey, to create a new Yorkshire whisky to take to the world is hugely exciting.
“Over the last 18 months we have built our distillery and launched Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, which has already secured national distribution in the major retailers as well as bars, restaurants and on-line platforms. We are delighted that we are already picking up awards from industry specialists such as the International Spirits Challenge 2022, and the Drinks Business for Best Brand Launch of 2022.
“The Theakston family have generations of brewing experience, famous not least for Theakston’s Old Peculier. Combining Theakston’s passion and knowledge for brewing with the skills of our multi-award-winning Master Distiller at the facilities we have at Ellers Farm means that the whisky we will produce will be unlike anything else in the market today.”
Simon Theakston, Joint Managing Director at T&R Theakston, said: “As a proud Yorkshire-based brewer, we are very pleased to announce our partnership with Ellers Farm. Though a relatively young business, they have already made a huge impact in the world of premium spirits, and we’re excited to be working with them on their journey to create a distinctive and distinguished Yorkshire whisky.”
“Our specially developed Porter, brewed using almost 200 years of expertise, will be the perfect foundation to the whisky masterminded by Ellers Farm, creating a truly unique, flavoursome, drinking experience.”
