Ellers Farm Distillery unveils Three Ridings malt whisky

Three Ridings has been created by the Ellers Farm Distillery, near Stamford Bridge, in partnership with Castleford maltings company Fawcett & Sons and brewery T&R Theakston Ltd of Masham.

Ellers Farm Founder Chris Fraser says he has wanted to make a whisky since building the Ellers Farm Distillery in 2021, which is noted for its Dutch Barn Vodka.

He told the Press: “The equipment was always designed with that in mind. We had discussions with Theakston and it was something we thought we could do as a team.”

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The first whisky was made three years ago but to be sold as whisky it must be aged for three years and a day or more.

Chris continued: “We are just past that and our first release is later this year.”

And the whisky aims to be different to other single malts.

A bottle of Three Ridings whisky (Image: Pic supplied)

Chris explained: “It comes from a couple of things. We take the philosophy that if we could make it with Theakston beer full of flavour, rather than a traditional approach.

“Our processes start by making a brilliant tasting beer and then the distillation takes it forward.”

“It’s also bringing that flavour forward and bringing that characteristic to the whisky.”

“A lot of other whisky distilleries rely on wood in the cask for flavour. We are seeking a balance in flavour from the spirit and the maturation in the wood.”

“We think that makes for a really complex, interesting, great tasting whisky. Really interesting flavours come through when you get to the full whisky being released.”

The first release is of 1,000 bottles and the first 500 can be secured through the Evolutions Collection on the Three Ridings website.

A bottle of Three Ridings whisky (Image: Made with Google AI)

As part of the unveiling, a four part documentary series has been created, showing the collaboration between the maltster, brewer and distiller.

Each episode explores a different chapter in the whisky’s creation, from barley and fermentation to distillation, maturation and the shared belief that flavour should always come before efficiency.

Chris explained: “We thought we had an interesting story to tell with Theakston and Fawcett.

“The really unique thing about English whisky is that unlike in Scotland, you do not have to do it all in one place.”

Both Theakstons and Fawcetts have been around 200 years, he continued, and coupled with the relatively new Ellers Farm, this gave for a “fascinating story.”

Ricky Gervais and Chris Fraser at Ellers Farm Distillery (Image: Pic supplied)

Thus the barley is malted in Castleford and the fermentation and brewing is done in Masham, with the distillation, maturing and blending done at Ellers Farm.

Ricky Gervais, Co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillery said: “I love working with people who care more about doing something properly than doing it quickly. Three Ridings is the result of the pursuit of excellence, and I am very proud of what we have created.”

Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said: “The development of Three Ridings Single Malt whisky has been a wonderful adventure, shared with our supremely talented partners, Ellers Farm Distillery and Thomas Fawcett & Sons, building on our near two hundred years of brewing the finest Yorkshire beer here in Masham.

“Developing the ‘wash’ for a new malt whisky is a natural extension of what we do every day and will enable us to extend our reach into this new and exciting market. We could not be any more proud than we are of our association with Three Ridings Single Malt Whisky.”

For more information see: www.threeridingswhisky.com