English Whisky in Numbers: What Has Changed Since Last Year

Two reviews, one comparison

The English Whisky Guild reports 30 percent more jobs. Set last year's review beside it and the figure comes out at around 54 percent. Differences like that only show when you compare the two editions, and the comparison pays off elsewhere too.

A year ago, Morag Garden, chief executive of the Guild, wrote that English whisky was no longer the industry's best-kept secret. The new edition goes further: the category, she says, is no longer introduced as the newcomer but talked about as an established one. Here is what the figures say about that.

The figures compared

Distilleries: from more than 61 to more than 70.

Distilleries already selling whisky: from 38 to over 40.

Value of maturing casks: from around €1.2 billion (£1 billion) to around €1.5 billion (£1.25 billion).

Distillery visitors: from 337,747 to around 500,000.

Full time jobs: from 317 to 488.

Export markets: from around 35 to more than 30.

What has clearly grown

Among the firmer figures, tourism stands out most. Visitor numbers rose by around 48 percent in a year. The 2025 review started from 250,000, so across the two reviews the figure has roughly doubled.

The value of maturing casks also rose by around 25 percent. This is the Guild's estimate, based on current stock and the average bottle price, rather than actual sales.

Where a second look pays off

Jobs: the new review gives 488 roles and says they are up 30 percent. Against the 317 roles in last year's review, the rise would be around 54 percent. The review does not explain the difference. In our view the base may have changed, as this year's insights explicitly extend beyond Guild members.

Export markets: around 35 to more than 30 sounds like a fall but does not prove one. Both figures are rounded, and the new one does not rule out 35.

Exports: new on the figures page is Asia Pacific: 78 percent of exporting distilleries sell there, and 89 percent sell into Europe. How many distilleries export at all is no longer on the figures page. The 2025 review put it at 40 percent, for 2024.

Sales: last year's figures page gave around 50,000 cases sold a year, more than 100 new releases and production capacity of around 5 million litres. This year those figures are not on that page. In their place is a forecast: production is set to rise by around 40 percent by 2030. So we learn more about what is coming than about what is being sold.

What this means for whisky lovers

More than 70 distilleries, of which over 40 are selling whisky so far: many are already filling casks and have no whisky on the shelf yet. New names are likely to arrive in the coming years.

The label should also become more reliable. The Geographical Indication has applied since 1 October 2026, and the Guild says the scheme will formally launch in the coming months. Among other things, it requires UK cereal grain, English water, distilling in England and at least three years of maturation there. It only applies to producers who use the name, though, and according to the Guild the Scotch Whisky Association still opposes its definition of "Single", meaning distilled at one site.

To try the category, Spiritory lists The Lakes Mosaic, the White Peak Wire Works Port Cask, the Cotswolds Wychwood Harvest Edition and the Bimber 2016 French Edition, among others.

The Guild publishes the full review, with all its distillery profiles, on its Annual Review page, alongside the two previous editions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many whisky distilleries are there in England?

More than 70, according to the English Whisky Guild's Annual Review 2026. Over 40 of them already sell English whisky.

How much are the maturing casks in England worth?

The Guild estimates around €1.5 billion (£1.25 billion), up from around €1.2 billion (£1 billion) last year, based on current stock and the average bottle price.

How much have jobs grown?

The 2026 review gives 488 full time roles and says they are up 30 percent. Against the 317 roles in the 2025 review, the rise would be around 54 percent. The review does not explain the difference.

Where can I read the Annual Review?

The 2026, 2025 and 2024 editions are on the English Whisky Guild website under "Annual Review".