What makes the new Filey Bay Orange Wine Barrique whisky from Yorkshire so special?

If you're someone who loves single malt whisky but also craves something a little different, the latest release from the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery might just be your next favourite dram. Yep, we're talking about their new Filey Bay Orange Wine Barrique—a limited edition whisky that’s been quietly ageing away for years and is finally ready to shine.

A whisky with a twist: Orange wine casks

So, what's the deal with this whisky? Well, for starters, it’s not your everyday bottle. The team at Hunmanby-based Spirit of Yorkshire started by maturing the whisky in ex-Bourbon casks for three years and three months. Then, they decided to give it a bit of a glow-up by re-racking it into orange wine casks for another three years and 10 months. The result? A smooth, fruity whisky packed with flavours like orange cake, honeycomb, ripe citrus, and stone fruits. Basically, it’s dessert in a glass—but with a kick.

And here's the kicker: it’s bottled at 46.2% strength, which might sound like a random number, but it’s actually the natural strength the whisky reached after all those years in the cask. No watering down here. What you get in the bottle is exactly what the cask gave after seven years of patient waiting. Pretty cool, right?

Wait, orange wine? What even is that?

If you're picturing a trendy bottle of orange wine from your local wine bar, hold up. This isn’t that. The casks used here come from Vino Naranja del Condado de Huelva, a very specific type of fortified wine from southern Spain—famous for its sunshine, oranges, and seriously good drinks. What makes this wine special is that the grape spirit used to fortify the base wine is infused with orange peel before it’s aged, giving it a rich, aromatic flavour. Imagine soaking up the Spanish sun while sipping something sweet and citrusy—that's the vibe these casks bring to the whisky.

Joe Clark, the whisky director at Spirit of Yorkshire, put it best:

"Over the last few years, deep within our warehouse, four ex-orange wine barriques have been happily maturing for this deliciously different special release."

Basically, this isn’t just another bottle of whisky. It's been carefully watched, tasted, and timed to make sure that the moment it hits your glass, it’s just right.

Why this whisky is a big deal

There are loads of whiskies out there, but what makes this one stand out is the attention to detail. Every few months, the team checked in on these casks to make sure the whisky was developing just the way they wanted. And because of the natural reduction in strength over time, there was no need to mess with it before bottling. What you taste is exactly what was in the cask.

Plus, it's a limited edition. There are only 1,100 bottles available, each priced at £85. If you’re keen to grab one, you can buy it online at spiritofyorkshire.com, from the distillery itself, or from select whisky retailers across the UK.

From field to bottle: Yorkshire’s whisky pride

One of the coolest things about Spirit of Yorkshire is that they’re a true field-to-bottle distillery. What does that mean? Well, they grow all their own barley—yep, every single grain that goes into their whisky is grown locally. It’s pretty rare in the whisky world, and it means that every bottle they produce is a genuine taste of Yorkshire.

If you’re a whisky fan—or just someone who loves trying unique drinks—this new release is definitely worth checking out. But be quick, with only 1,100 bottles out there, it’s bound to sell out fast. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to sip on a whisky that’s been kissed by the Spanish sun and Yorkshire’s charm?