Cooper King Distillery: Yorkshire History, Single Malt and Visitor Guide
Cooper King brings a Tasmanian-inspired approach to English single malt from a self-built distillery north of York. Its story began with travel and a change of careers; today the interest is in the spirit itself, the small casks and the unusually detailed production information behind individual releases.
The dates are worth getting right. The producer distinguishes its first gin distillation in 2018 from the whisky still starting in 2019. Cooper King Single Malt Whisky reached its public first edition in October 2023.
Cooper King Distillery at a glance
Distillery fact | Verified detail |
|---|---|
Location | Sutton-on-the-Forest, north of York, England |
Founders | Abbie and Chris Jaume |
Project established | 2016; Founders' Club launched in 2017 |
Whisky distillation began | 2019, distinct from gin production in 2018 |
First public single malt edition | October 2023 |
Whisky still | 900-litre Tasmanian copper pot still, named Neilson |
Published 2026 process | English floor-malted Maris Otter barley; 6 to 7 day fermentation for the checked releases |
Visit address | The Old Stable, Stillington Road, Sutton-on-the-Forest, York YO61 1EH |
Tours | Scheduled visits; advance booking and age restrictions apply |
In this guide
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History of Cooper King Distillery
The founders' Australian travels began in 2014. Visits to small Tasmanian whisky makers, including learning from Bill Lark, helped turn a whisky-blog interest into a plan for their own distillery. They returned to Britain in 2016 and set out to build it themselves.
The Founders' Club helped finance construction from 2017. Gin came first while whisky casks matured. That sequence explains why a distillery opening, a first distillation and a first whisky release should not be merged into a single founding date.
The 2023 launch introduced First Edition: Fruit + Spice. An earlier Cask No.1 bottling had been reserved for Founders' Club members. The broader whisky programme has since developed into distinct cask-led and collaborative releases rather than one unchanging bottle.
Ownership and the people behind the whisky
Cooper King presents itself as an independent, founder-led distillery. Abbie leads the distilling work, while Chris is closely involved in the business and its published production updates. The focus remains on distilling, maturing and bottling at the Yorkshire site.
Its sustainable-production language needs to remain precise. The producer's claim is net zero energy whisky, alongside separate carbon-negative gin claims. Those are not interchangeable statements about the whole lifecycle of every whisky bottle.
Production and maturation
The two detailed Autumn 2026 single malt pages describe floor-malted English Maris Otter barley, six to seven days of fermentation and double distillation in the 900-litre Neilson pot still. They also record the change to internal electric heating and insulation. These are specifications for the documented batches, not an assumed universal recipe.
Small casks are a defining part of the current releases. Red Wine Cask: Bordeaux combines whisky from fresh Bordeaux wine casks and a refill Merlot cask. Cellar Edition 1 instead uses one first-fill bourbon cask. Their different wood histories explain why the name of the release matters when comparing tasting notes.
The producer reports renewable power and energy-related emissions work. Whisky Clan attributes those claims to Cooper King rather than presenting them as an independent environmental certification performed by this website.
Whisky range and documented bottles
These are three specifically documented releases. The 2026 bottlings are limited batches, not a guarantee of a permanent core range or current stock. The sensory descriptions below are paraphrases of the producer's notes.
Cooper King Red Wine Cask: Bordeaux, Autumn 2026
Bottle detail | Cooper King Red Wine Cask: Bordeaux, Autumn 2026 |
|---|---|
Age or vintage | Youngest component matured 4 years; not presented here as a label age statement |
ABV | 52.8% |
Casks | French oak red wine casks: 69% Bordeaux and 31% refill Merlot |
Type and release | English single malt; 700 ml; 243 bottles; batch 2604 |
Nose: fragrant fruit, floral accents and white-chocolate sweetness.
Palate: dried fruit with herbs, citrus and baking spice.
Finish: malty sweetness with a cake-like note.
Cooper King Cellar Edition 1, Autumn 2026
Bottle detail | Cooper King Cellar Edition 1, Autumn 2026 |
|---|---|
Age or vintage | Matured 4 years and 2 months, per the producer's batch specification |
ABV | 58.3% |
Casks | First-fill American oak bourbon cask 113 |
Type and release | Single cask English single malt for The Black Swan at Oldstead; 700 ml; 102 bottles; batch 2603 |
Nose: toasted coconut and vanilla with cooked fruit.
Palate: fruitcake richness, malt and nutty notes.
Finish: lingering toffee and toasted bread.
Cooper King First Edition: Fruit + Spice, Autumn 2023
Bottle detail | Cooper King First Edition: Fruit + Spice, Autumn 2023 |
|---|---|
Age or vintage | No age statement quoted in the release announcement |
ABV | 48.1% |
Casks | A marriage of six small oak casks |
Type and release | Historical first public Expedition Series release; 700 ml; 589 bottles |
The producer's launch describes citrus, syrup-like sweetness, malt and warming spice. This is a historical release, not a claim of present availability.
Rare releases, awards and historical context
The October 2026 Cellar Edition 1 celebrates 20 years of The Black Swan at Oldstead. Its 102-bottle outturn and particular cask make it a separate record from the broader Cooper King range.
For limited editions, keep the seasonal release name and batch number. A new wine-cask release should not inherit the strength, outturn or tasting notes of an earlier bottle with similar packaging. No Whisky Clan tasting score or resale valuation is assigned here.
Visitor information
The producer's distillery page currently lists Saturday opening from noon to 6pm, with tours at 1pm and 3.30pm. Allow around two hours and check the booking calendar before travelling. The site is rural; booking transport in advance is sensible.
The tour page specifies over-18s only and a guided tasting of at least six spirits. It offers drivers a sample to take away. This is not an invitation to drink before driving.
Most of the site is wheelchair-accessible, but the inside of the cask warehouse is excluded; the producer says visitors can still view the casks and engage with the guide. Chairs are available on request. Distilling is not running during the tour, so do not book expecting to see an active production run.
More Yorkshire and northern English distillery guides
These guides form a wider Yorkshire and northern English reading route, not a list of neighbouring walk-in attractions. The Lakes has no currently confirmed public tour programme.
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Frequently asked questions
When did Cooper King begin making whisky?
The producer dates whisky distillation to 2019. Gin production began a year earlier.
When was the first public single malt released?
First Edition: Fruit + Spice launched in October 2023; a Founders' Club Cask No.1 bottling preceded it.
Is every release the same strength?
No. The checked Autumn 2026 Bordeaux release is 52.8%, while Cellar Edition 1 is 58.3%.
Can I visit Cooper King Distillery?
Yes, on its scheduled booking programme. Tours are for over-18s, normally take around two hours and have specific access arrangements.
Sources and photograph credits
Research and product pages checked on 26 October 2026. Prices and availability are not guaranteed. Tasting descriptions are attributed producer summaries, not independent Whisky Clan reviews.
Cooper King Distillery, official October 2023 whisky-launch press photograph.
Cooper King Distillery, official Red Wine Cask: Bordeaux Autumn 2026 bottle photograph.
Cooper King Distillery, official Cellar Edition 1 bottle photograph.
About the author
 | Filip Janczak Storyteller, drinker and explorer of all things whisky. Read more about the person behind Whisky Clan and explore additional reviews and distillery guides. |
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