As part of English Whisky Week, running between April 18th – 26th, the York-based Cooper King Distillery has published the latest edition of its English Whisky Map.

Now in its eighth edition, the map highlights a thriving scene, encompassing everything from established distilleries producing at scale to micro-distilleries just beginning their production journey.

This diversity is reflected in the wide range of styles, ingredients and flavour profiles now found across English whisky. The sector continues to grow rapidly, with 69 distilleries currently operating in England, up from 61 in 2025. Of these, 40 have released mature whisky, defined as spirit aged in cask for at least the legal minimum of three years and subsequently bottled for sale.

A further 25 distilleries are currently maturing casks but have yet to reach the three-year threshold. Of these, six are expected to release their first whisky later in 2026. Regionally, the South West stands out as the most active area, with 17 distilleries spanning stages from early development through to full production.

Among distilleries with English whisky already on the market, there is significant variation in scale, from larger producers such as Cotswolds Distillery (with a spirit still capacity of 6,500 litres) to smaller operations like Ludlow Distillery, which operates 200-litre spirit stills.

Commenting on the release of the 2026 English Whisky Map, Chris Jaume, Co-Founder of Cooper King Distillery, said: “Producing the map is a labour of love, one that celebrates the camaraderie of our industry. It’s always a delight to welcome new distilleries to the fold.”

Dave Broom, Author of The World Atlas of Whisky, added: “The days when whisky production in England was seen as bizarre are, thankfully, long gone. England has joined the ever-expanding whisky world as a valued and respected player. There is no single ‘English’ style; rather, there is a sense of liberation and freedom. Unencumbered by heritage, England is at the forefront of a recalibration of what whisky is—and what it could become.”

This year’s map is available to purchase as a fully illustrated A2 print edition from the Cooper King website for £12.00. A high-resolution digital edition is also available to buy and download for £5.00.