Filey Bay is the first single malt whisky made in, and of, Yorkshire. Why 'of Yorkshire'? Because it's created by us from field to bottle, here on the coast (visit The Distillery section to find out more about how we respect tradition but do things our own way).
All single malt whisky made by the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery will be called Filey Bay so scroll down to find out more about our bottlings and ranges, our name and our bespoke bottle, designed uniquely for us.
“Filey Bay STR Finish is totally different from anything we’ve released so far. It takes the citrus and caramel flavours from the bourbon casks and weaves them with the red fruits of the Rioja barriques, creating a complex whisky with spice and depth that’s also light and floral.”
Joe Clark, Whisky Director, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
Rich, spicy and fruity, Filey Bay Port Finish Batch #1 spent its first maturation in ex-Bourbon casks (filled mid 2017) before being re-racked into fresh ex-Ruby port casks in late 2020. Bright and light, Ruby Port uses more fresh fruit than the heavier richer better-known Tawny, and the casks are notoriously hard to source.
In this third step of our Filey Bay STR Finish, the finishing process has been very similar to it’s previous release. A primary maturation in ex-bourbon casks is followed by a secondary maturation in shaved, toasted and re-charred ex-red wine casks. This finishing process has allowed the whisky to gain layers of red fruit flavours on top of our light and sweet signature style that have come from it’s time in the ex-bourbon casks.
Initially matured in ex-bourbon casks, this field to bottle single malt has been transferred to Moscatel sherry Spanish casks. The finish in these sweet Moscatel casks has allowed this whisky to take on wood spice and flavours of dried fruits, orange and honey layering on top of our light and fruity bourbon house style.
Primarily matured in first fill bourbon casks laid down in the winter of 2018, before a secondary maturation in peated casks, this single malt brings the west coast of Scotland here to the east coast of Yorkshire. We sourced and chose the casks based on the subtle smoky style of the peated whisky they originally held, and this character comes through from the casks.
Please note: Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch #2 is now sold out.
Filey Bay STR Finish Batch #2 really brings forward the character from the unique STR casks. As the months and years have ticked by, oak and time have deepened the key flavours of this release revealing a complex whisky with red fruit characteristics making for a full and rich whisky.
Please note: Filey Bay STR Finish Batch #2 is now sold out.
Bringing together the award-winning beer, Scarborough Fair IPA and Yorkshire single malt whisky, Filey Bay IPA Finish. Spotlighting our field to bottle process, we believe that this could be England’s and perhaps even the world’s first field-to-bottle IPA cask matured whisky.
Please note: Filey Bay IPA Finish is now sold out.
In true evolutionary fashion, the extra time Moscatel Finish Batch #2 has spent in cask has encouraged a more rounded and mellow dram whilst retaining our soft and sweet signature style. Comparing the two batches side by side you will notice more fruit and sweet spices as well as more complexity and a richer mouthfeel in batch 2. We’re certain this Filey Bay expression will continue to be a favourite with our customers as it is with the distillery team.
Please note: Filey Bay Moscatel Finish Batch #2 is now sold out.
From our first distillations, we set out with a very clearly defined light and fruity house style. Following our distillery character, this release strikes very much at the middle ground for those who love peated whisky and those who don't.
Our Peated Finish Batch #1, uses a combination of our two distillate styles from a small selection of stunning bourbon casks laid down in the spring and summer of 2017. The secondary maturation in peated casks brings together all that we love about our light and fruity house style with a gentle twist of peat smoke.
Please note: Filey Bay Peated Finish is now sold out.
Totally different to anything we’ve released before, this ‘field to bottle’ single malt is light and floral, with layers of summer berries and vanilla ice cream. There’s a sweet and oaky spiciness that hints at a fantastic glass of Spanish red wine.
Distilled in 2016, Filey Bay STR Finish first spent years maturing in bourbon casks before transferring to be ‘finished’ in STR red wine barriques from sunny Rioja in Spain. STR refers to Shaving, Toasting and Re-charring the casks, resulting in a cask that delivers a really beautiful and balanced maturation.
Please note: Filey Bay STR Finish is now sold out.
Filey Bay Moscatel Finish is our first ever sherry-finished release. Distilled in 2016, this single malt was first matured in bourbon casks (for around three years) before being 'finished' in Hogshead barrels. By using bourbon casks first and a distillate that combines both pot and column styles, we've created a light whisky in our house-style, which has then slightly softened and taken on more wood spice and layers of fruit from the Moscatel barrels.
Moscatel is very unusual in the world of sherry-influenced whiskies – the naturally sweet character of the grapes, along with their floral aromas of orange blossom, jasmine and honeysuckle (with citric elements too) really complement our house-style.
Please note: Filey Bay Moscatel Finish is now sold out.
"When creating a ‘finished’ whisky, we’re looking for layers of flavour and complexity. The finishing process is intensive and time-consuming. With our first sherry-finished release, Filey Bay Moscatel Finish, we added the extra step of reducing the strength of the bourbon matured whisky to 50% before transferring it into the Moscatel barrels. Why? It makes for a softer sweeter whisky and you can really taste the difference"
"Our Flagship single malt whisky brings together some of our very best and oldest whisky matured in first-fill ex-bourbon casks carefully selected and gently married together to create a beautifully balanced, light and fruity whisky. As the years unfold, our Flagship whisky will continue to develop as age and time reveal more casks and flavour in our warehouse."
David Thompson, Co-Founder and Director, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
Filey Bay Flagship is the true taste of our distillery character. Light, fruity and creamy, it is made with 100% homegrown barley and is the culmination of our bourbon matured style following on from our First and Second release launched in 2019. Whether you have an experienced palate that will notice the complex and nuanced flavours, or you're just discovering single malt, our Flagship whisky, we believe, really is a whisky for everyone.
Filey Bay Second Release is the next step on our path to our Flagship single malt bottling. A true evolution of our First Release, the 'inputs' are very similar: a selection of bourbon casks married together with one sherry cask, and a combination of pot and column distillates, leading to just 6000 bottles. Whilst the overall style remains light and fruity, with familiar notes of vanilla and citrus, the extra maturation time gives Filey Bay Second Release a more rounded flavour with added depth.
Please note: Filey Bay Second Release is now sold out.
Filey Bay First Release comes from a selection of only 16 casks laid down in the spring and summer of 2016 carefully chosen from our warehouse and gently married together here at the distillery, yielding just 6000 bottles. For the future, we'll be building up to our Flagship whisky with a series of releases. Each release will be an evolution of the one that's gone before it, building towards our flagship style.
Please note: Filey Bay First Release is now sold out.
"From our very first distillations, we have always set out to create a defined house style and a light, fruity whisky. We have very firm production principles and a 100% field to bottle process. Quality underpins absolutely every aspect of our production from the barley we grow to the casks we source for maturation.
You can't rush whisky. That is the nature of the spirit and it is massively exciting to see our 2016 casks yielding a whisky full of character. Our First Release is a combination of our two distillate styles, matured in select oak casks to produce a whisky that is creamy, light and fruity with flavours of honey, citrus and caramel."
Joe Clark, Whisky Director, Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
"Like all Yorkshire whisky, these Special Releases are incredibly rare and will become treasured in years to come."
Fruity and spicy, for the third of our annual autumn Sherry Cask Reserve series, Whisky Director Joe married together five Fino casks from the warehouse, three which were filled with our Pot distillate, and 2 which held our lighter column distillate. 2000 bottles only.
Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2022 brings together three casks types. From the ex-Oloroso casks come rich flavours of dried fruit and spices. The ex-Moscatel maturation imparts honey and sweetness. And lastly, the ex-Bourbon casks balance and soften these big sherry notes.
Please note: Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2022 is now only available at the distillery shop.
Filey Bay Double Oak #1 is our first release of its kind. Created by maturing our field to bottle single malt whisky in both ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks. Taking our ex-bourbon signature flavours a step further as the virgin oak brings fruity and spicy notes on top of the vanilla and toffee flavours.
Please note: Filey Bay Double Oak #1 is now sold out.
Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #2 is our second full-term sherry ‘Special Release’ made by a precise selection of Pedro Ximenez casks filled back in late 2017. Perfect for the colder weather, this release is a full-bodied and fruity whisky. With only 2000 bottles available, this whisky is incredibly rare and unrepeatable, we’re incredibly excited for you to try it!
Please note: Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #2 is now sold out.
Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2021 offers a rare glimpse into some of our very rarest and oldest casks. Bringing together full-term Oloroso sherry matured whisky gently married with some of our best bourbon casks to create a rich and complex whisky. Bottled at a higher abv of 55%vol and with full-term sherry matured whisky at its heart, Yorkshire Day 2021 is completely different to any of our finished expressions and our core bottling, Filey Bay Flagship.
Please note: Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2021 is now sold out.
Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 is our first sherry matured whisky and our first winter 'Special Release'. The dry, elegant and full-bodied nature of Oloroso sherry, along with the nutty aromas for which Oloroso is known, give rich, dark and spicy flavours to this single malt. The casks were filled in 2017 with pot-distilled spirit, which has spent over three years extracting all those delicious aromas from these Spanish sherry casks, creating a whisky that is perfect for the festive season. There are only 2000 bottles available, presented in a new 'Special Release' tube.
Please note: Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #1 is now sold out.
Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2020 is our first 'Special Release' the first of our annual Yorkshire Day releases, and our rarest whisky so far, with only 1500 bottles available. Whisky Director Joe spent months sampling casks in the warehouse to find the ideal combination for this release: chocolatey and fruity PX (Pedro Ximenez) sherry casks married together with bourbon casks full of toffee, honey and vanilla notes with the marriage taking place in STR casks for a final 'flourish' then bottled at 55%.
Please note: Filey Bay Yorkshire Day 2020 is now sold out.
Enjoy the ultimate Filey Bay tasting experience in the comfort of your own home. Our Filey Bay Tasting Set brings together three 5cl bottles of our favourite releases. Light and fruity Flagship, soft and warming Moscatel Finish, and ending with the light and floral STR Finish.
The set is beautifully presented with tasting notes for each bottle along with a tasting guide for you to enjoy your very own Spirit of Yorkshire tasting evening. Perfect for enjoying by yourself or with friends and family.
Our local area is hugely important to us and so naturally it’s where we’ve found the name for our Single Malt: Filey Bay. It’s our local beach, visible from the distillery windows; a beautiful stretch of sand that goes on for miles, from the outcrop of Filey Brigg to the headland of Flamborough Head.
Our bottle brings together the textures of the farm, the soil, the beach and the sky. Pick it up, look closely and you'll see that there's so much more than initially meets the eye.
