Yorkshire’s First Whisky Distillery Strikes Gold on the World Stage

Yorkshire’s first single malt whisky distillery is celebrating a golden achievement after winning eight prestigious awards at the 2025 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) — including two highly prized gold medals.

Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery, based in Hunmanby on the Yorkshire coast, took home two golds, three silvers and three bronzes, making it the English distillery with the most medals in the ‘Whiskey - Worldwide’ category this year.

A Standout Success for Filey Bay

Among the winners, Filey Bay Flagship Single Malt Whisky and Moscatel Finish #4 both earned gold medals, each scoring 95 points. Silver medals were awarded to Filey Bay Peated Finish #3, IPA Finish and Orange Wine Barrique, while Filey Bay Nurture, Heritage and STR Finish #4 each secured bronze.

Spirit of Yorkshire’s MD and Co-founder, David Thompson, said:

"The IWSC celebrates excellence in whisky from around the globe. With a distinguished panel of judges and a commitment to quality, these awards recognise the craftsmanship, diversity, and innovation within the whisky industry. We're delighted and proud that Filey Bay Whisky excelled against tough competition to win eight awards. Filey Bay Flagship and Moscatel Finish #4 stood out, earning 95-points each.

We're particularly pleased that Filey Bay Nurture, which celebrates our field to bottle ethos and regenerative farming practices, won a bronze medal."

What the Judges Said

The judges described Filey Bay Flagship as:

"A delicate nose reveals nutty tones, spirited grain, and a hint of marzipan. The palate layers sweet cream, nutmeg, and subtle sour fruit, while the finish lingers with toffee and savoury oak."

And for Filey Bay Moscatel Finish #4:

"Fragrant Muscat and crisp apple aromas with elegant hints of white flowers and orange. Decadent caramel and toffee lead the palate, supported by an earthy spice. A well-balanced tipple with a candied, memorable finish."

Yorkshire Barley, World-Class Whisky

Founded by wine chemist Anton Massel, the IWSC is one of the largest competitions of its kind, rewarding excellence in wine and spirit production. Spirits are judged out of 100 points, with Gold Outstanding for 98–100 points, Gold for 95–97, Silver for 90–94, and Bronze for 85–89.

Spirit of Yorkshire’s single malt range is available online at spiritofyorkshire.com, at the distillery shop, through specialist retailers across the UK and in 14 countries worldwide — including Tokyo, Quebec, New York, Rome, Stockholm, Amsterdam and Paris.

Spirit of Yorkshire is proudly Yorkshire’s first single malt whisky distillery and one of only a handful globally to grow 100% of the barley used in its whiskies.