The team at Yorkshire's first single malt whisky distillery is celebrating its success in a prestigious world whisky competition.

Eight of Hunmanby based Spirit of Yorkshire's Filey Bay single malt whiskies were awarded medals, including two coveted Masters medals, five golds and a silver, at the 2022 World Whisky Masters Competition recently.

The Masters medals were awarded for Filey Bay Special Release Double Oak #1 and Filey Bay Peated Finish Batch #2. Judge Sara Jane Eichler described the former as: "Wonderfully grapey, musty floral nose. Rich and complex, with fruit and floral overlayed by a sheet of honeyed caramel" and the latter was deemed master-worthy due to its "toasty smoke and toasted oak, root vegetable, dark chocolate, but zesty at the same time with a balanced finish."

The gold medals were awarded to the following Filey Bay whiskies: Flagship, IPA Finish Batch #1, Moscatel Finish Batch #2, and Filey Bay Sherry Cask Reserve #2 and Oloroso Single Cask #147. Filey Bay STR Finish Batch #2 won a silver medal.

Spirit of Yorkshire's Whisky Director, Joe Clark commented: ‘We entered eight whiskies in the Europe (excluding Ireland and Scotland): Single Malt category and were highly delighted and very proud to be the only distillery in the category to win two of the six Masters medals, and half of the 10 gold medals that were awarded to English whisky distilleries."

Spirit of Yorkshire's Co-founder and MD, David Thompson added: "After years of waiting for our spirit to mature into single malt whisky, it is fantastic to know that eight of our whiskies have been recognised by experts in the industry.

"Masters and gold medals are not commonplace for five year old whiskies. These awards are testament that our ethos of respecting tradition but doing things differently is working.

"It's very rewarding to know that the character and maturity of our spirit is generating major excitement in the industry."

The World Whisky Masters competition is organised by the global spirits magazine and website, The Spirits Business.

Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery is home to Yorkshire's first single malt whisky, Filey Bay and is one of only a handful of field to bottle distilleries worldwide that grows 100% of the barley used in its whisky production. It is a collaboration between farmer and brewer, Tom Mellor from Wold Top Brewery and business partner, David Thompson.