Double Oak is part of Spirit of Yorkshire's Flagship Range and pairs two cask types that have become signatures at the distillery — first-fill ex-bourbon and STR (shaved, toasted, re-charred) red wine casks. The STR technique, popularised by the late Dr Jim Swan as a way to get expressive, fruit-forward maturation from younger spirit, has been widely adopted by new-wave distilleries and fits the Yorkshire house style beautifully. It adds a distinct red-fruit sweetness that sits alongside home-grown barley character without overwhelming it.
On the palate, the bourbon casks provide the backbone — vanilla, honey, cereal warmth — while the STR casks lift the whole thing with something softer and fruitier. The two wood influences don't fight; they politely share the stage. There's no chill-filtration and no added colour, and the 46% strength gives it just enough body to stand up to a splash of water without collapsing into thinness.
Spirit of Yorkshire is one of very few English distilleries doing the whole process in-house: growing barley on the family farm at Hunmanby Grange, malting, distilling, and maturing all on a single site overlooking the North Sea. That grain-to-glass approach is the project's core story, and releases like Double Oak put it on the table in an accessible, unpretentious form. It feels like the friendliest entry point to the range — approachable, well-made, and distinctly Yorkshire in its straightforward generosity. It's the kind of whisky you'd happily hand to someone taking their first steps beyond Scotch and Irish, confident they'll come back for another glass.
