Yorkshire's first malt whisky distillery fills its 1000^thcask of maturing malt

The team at Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery is celebrating after filling the 1000^thcask of what will become Yorkshire's first single malt whisky in 2019.

In April 2016, the Hunmanby based distillery began making the spirit that has to mature for a minimum of three years before it can legally be called whisky. In the meantime, and in response topositive feedback to samples of the maturing malt that visitors enjoyed when touring the distillery,the second of four collectible spirits that offer a taste of the maturing casks, Distillery Projects 2, was launched last month.

The distillery team are naturally excited to have reached the 1000^thcask milestone. Director and co-founder, David Thompson said: "We're really pleased with the way that the spirit is maturing and the support that we've had from customers and visitors to the distillery.

"Several of the 1000 casks have been bought by people looking for a potential investment. We're delighted thatthe cask offer has appealed to both whisky fans and families and groups of friendswho buy in to our grain to glass uniqueness and who want to be a part of Spirit of Yorkshire as it makes history when its maturing malt matures to become Yorkshire's first malt whisky next year.

"There's still chance for people to buy into our cask offer as we have just releaseda limited number of first fill ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks."

The 1000 casks filled to date are a combination ofbourbon, oloroso sherry and re-conditioned red wine casks.

Distillery Project 002, 46% ABV, is limited to 2000 individually numbered 70cl bottles. The release is priced at £39.95 and is only available to buy through the website (www.spiritofyorkshire.com) and from the distillery shop that is open seven days a week.

Spirit of Yorkshire was launched in 2016 and is a collaboration between farmer and brewer, Tom Mellor from Wold Top Brewery and business partner, David Thompson. The pair have invested significantly to follow their dream of creating a Yorkshire whisky that doesn't simply replicate Scotch. The distillery is a true field to bottle setup and boasts some of the most impressive distilling equipment in the country, includingtwo of the largest Forsyth pot stills operating in the UK outside of Scotland. It is thought to be the only distillery operating in the UK that grows all of its own barley.

In addition to distilling whisky and conducting guided tours, Spirit of Yorkshire is home to the Pot Still Coffee Shop that serves a variety of home cooked food and hosts regular events including fortnightly Jazz and Blues nights, monthly Distillery Sessions and special events. Forthcoming events include Distillery Sessions with Edwina Hayes on 25^hMay and the Mile Roses on 29^thJune and a ‘Pot Still Pop Up'whisky-inspired three course mealfrom Birds on the Loose on 11^thOctober.

For more information about the cask offer, please visithttps://www.spiritofyorkshire.com/cask-offer-i26.

Ends

Photograph captions:

The Spirit of Yorkshire team with the 1000^thcask - L-R Joe Clark, Tom Mellor, David Thompson Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery's 1000th cask

For more information or to arrange an interview with Joe Clark, Tom Mellor or David Thompson, please contact Tracey Baty at three60 marketing on;

Direct line:01430 871360

Mobile:07971 961574

E mail:traceybaty@three60marketing.co.uk

Web:www.three60marketing.co.uk

Notes to editors

1. For more information about Spirit of Yorkshire, please visit https://www.spiritofyorkshire.com/
2. The Distillery and Pot Still Coffee Shop are open 7 days a week; 9.30am-5pm, Monday-Saturday and 10am-3pm on a Sunday. Tours run daily all year round at the following times...Monday-Saturday; 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm. Sunday; 12pm and 2pm. Booking is advisable by calling 01723 891758.
3. For more information about the fortnightly Jazz and Blues and the monthly distillery sessions, please visit  https://www.spiritofyorkshire.com/distillery-events-i12
4. In February 2018, Spirit of Yorkshire won VisitEngland Welcome Award in the Attractions Accolades in appreciation of the outstanding experiences they have provided since they opened their visitor attraction in April 2017. They also won the Best Tourism & Hospitality Business at the Bridlington and Yorkshire Coast Chamber Awards in October 2017.
5. The Spirit of Yorkshire's logo depicts a gannet. The team at Spirit of Yorkshire identifies with the fearless, graceful and purposeful birds that have prospered at nearby Bempton Cliffs for many years. In the same way that the gannets have a homing instinct, wherever the team roam to explore new ideas, they will always return to where Yorkshire's first whisky was born.