What Is The Cooper King Distillery In Yorkshire That Was On Countryfile?

Ever flicked on the telly and stumbled across something that makes you think, "Now that's pretty cool"? Well, that's what happened for viewers of BBC's Countryfile on 10/08, when the show paid a visit to a special spot in Yorkshire. It wasn't just another farm or scenic walk; it was the Cooper King Distillery in York, a place where making spirits is getting a seriously modern, green-friendly makeover.

This isn't your grandad's dusty old distillery. Here, founders Abbie and Chris are mixing age-old traditions with some clever, planet-saving ideas to create amazing whisky and gin. The result is a distillery that's turning heads, and it's easy to see why.

Countryfile comes to Yorkshire

It's a big deal when a show like Countryfile knocks on your door, and for the Cooper King Distillery, it was a chance to show the whole country what they're all about. The legendary John Craven and the show's team headed to the distillery to get a firsthand look at how traditional craftsmanship is being kept alive by a new generation. Viewers saw founders Abbie Jaume and Chris Jaume welcoming the team, ready to demonstrate the historic process of making single malt whisky. But this wasn't just a history lesson. The real story the show uncovered was how this Yorkshire distillery is blending the old with the new, focusing on sustainability in a way that's genuinely impressive. It's a modern take on a very traditional craft.

As founder Abbie Jaume said, it was a massive moment for the whole team.

"It was fantastic getting to show John and the team, and all the Countryfile audience, our distillery. It doesn't seem like that long ago that we were building this place ourselves, so to be able to sample some of our whiskies on national television is a really exciting milestone for us. And it's a great chance to show how making spirits can be done in a way that really protects our environment, without compromising on quality."

Old meets new: the traditional process

So, what makes the process at Cooper King so traditional? It all starts with the ingredients. They use a special type of heritage barley grown right here in England. This isn't just any old barley; it's a variety with history, and it gets malted at the country's oldest working floor maltings. Think of "malting" as the first step in waking up the grains to get them ready to make whisky. It's a hands-on, traditional process that's been done this way for ages.

Then comes the distillation itself. The magic happens in a big, shiny copper pot still. This bit of kit is the heart of any whisky distillery, and the basic distillation process hasn't really changed since the 1700s when commercial whisky making kicked off. The shape of the still and the way it heats the liquid to separate the alcohol is a science perfected over centuries. So, when Cooper King makes its single malt whisky, it's following a recipe for success that's hundreds of years old. The distillery is proud of this link to the past, making traditional spirits for a modern audience.

A modern twist with a little help from NASA

This is where things get really interesting. While the core whisky-making process is traditional, the team at Cooper King are all about using modern tech to make it better for the planet. Take their copper pot still, for example. It's covered in a weird-looking matt-black paint. As Chris showed the Countryfile team, this isn't just for looks. It's the same stuff NASA uses to coat spacecraft to stop them from burning up when they re-enter Earth's atmosphere.

At the distillery, this space-age paint acts like a super-insulator for the still, trapping heat inside so it doesn't escape. What does that mean? They use way less energy to keep the still hot. And where does that energy come from? Mostly from the solar panels on the distillery's roof. By being smart about their energy use, the distillery proudly produced England's first net-zero energy whisky. "Net-zero energy" basically means they generate as much renewable energy as they use to make the product. So, you can enjoy a glass of their whisky knowing it was made with practically no energy footprint. That's a first for this country!

More than just a distillery

The story behind Cooper King Distillery is just as inspiring as its sustainable spirits. The distillery was founded in 2016 by Dr Abbie Neilson, a former scientist, and Chris Jaume, a chartered architect. They decided to leave their careers behind for a bit of adventure. Their travels took them all over the world, but it was in Tasmania that they found their true calling. They fell in love with the community of whisky distilleries there and their passion for creating unique spirits.

Fired up with a new mission, Abbie and Chris returned home to Yorkshire, determined to bring a piece of that Tasmanian spirit back to England. They decided to build their own sustainable gin and whisky distillery from the ground up, funded by a community of supporters. The distillery is a testament to their passion, combining Abbie's scientific know-how with Chris's architectural skills. It's a place built on a dream, proving that you can create a successful business that's driven by adventure and honesty.

Putting the planet first, since day one

For Abbie and Chris, sustainability isn't an afterthought; it's been at the core of the Cooper King Distillery since production began in 2018. The distillery is one of only a few in the country running on 100% renewable energy, and its green credentials are quite something. This particular Yorkshire distillery is more than just a place that makes spirits; it's a pioneer for the whole industry.

• Giving back to nature: Since 2018, they've partnered with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. For every bottle of gin sold, they donate to plant native woodland. To date, they've helped plant or restore over 36,000 square metres of woodland and wildflower meadows in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
• Carbon-negative gin: They produced the first gin in Europe with 1% for the Planet® accreditation. This means their gin actually removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it produces.
• England's first green whisky: As we saw on the show, they created England's first net-zero energy whisky in 2023, a massive achievement.
• Refill, don't landfill: Cooper King was the first distillery in the country to launch a gin refill scheme, encouraging customers to reuse their bottles.
• Smart packaging: All orders are shipped in clever, plastic-free cardboard boxes designed with a local maker.
• Saving water: By using innovative vacuum gin stills, the distillery saves an incredible 26 tonnes of fresh water every year. The entire process is designed to be as gentle on the planet as possible.

Cooper King Distillery: The Old Stable, Stillington Rd, Sutton-on-the-Forest, York YO61 1EH, United Kingdom