There was a time, not so long ago, when the phrase "English whisky" would have drawn a raised eyebrow from even the most open-minded dram enthusiast. Scotland, Ireland, Japan — these were the accepted coordinates on the whisky map. But the landscape has shifted, and The English Original Single Malt is one of the bottles quietly making the case that England deserves its place at the table.
At 43% ABV and carrying no age statement, this is a whisky that asks you to judge it on what's in the glass rather than what's on the label. That takes a certain confidence from the producer, and I respect it. The NAS approach, when done well, gives the blending team freedom to chase a house style rather than chase a number — and at £22.75 for a smaller bottle, the price of entry is remarkably fair for a single malt of this character.
Tasting Notes
I'll be straightforward here: I'm not going to dress this up with invented flourishes. What I can tell you is that English single malts, as a category, tend to sit in an interesting space — lighter and more approachable than many Scottish counterparts, often with a cereal-forward, slightly floral quality that reflects the terroir and the relatively young age of most English distilling operations. The English Original positions itself as exactly that: an entry point, a statement of intent. It's bottled at a sensible strength that doesn't overwhelm, and it's clearly designed to be drinkable and inviting rather than challenging.
For those coming from Speyside or Lowland malts, you'll find familiar territory here. For those who've never ventured beyond the established regions, this is a genuinely interesting place to start exploring what English grain and English water can produce.
The Verdict
I'm giving The English Original a 7.5 out of 10. That's a solid, honest score for a whisky that does exactly what it sets out to do. It's not trying to compete with a 15-year-old Speyside or a heavily peated Islay — it's carving its own path, and doing so with quiet competence. The price point is its real weapon. At under £23, this is an affordable single malt that punches cleanly, and it makes an excellent gift for the curious drinker or a low-risk introduction to the English whisky category.
Where it loses half a mark is in the depth department. Without an age statement and without the decades of cask inventory that older distilleries can draw on, there's a ceiling to how complex any young English malt can be right now. But that's a function of time, not talent. I'll be watching this category closely over the coming years, and bottles like this one are exactly why.
Best Served
Pour it neat at room temperature and give it five minutes to open up. If you find it a touch tight, a small splash of water — no more than a few drops — will coax it along nicely. This is also a whisky that works well in a Highball with good soda water and a twist of lemon peel: the lighter body carries the carbonation without losing its identity. On a warm afternoon, that's a genuinely pleasant serve.
