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Circumstance Distillery

Organic multi-grain mash bills. Brewing yeasts. Seriously long fermentations.
Modern English Whisky
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Flavour First

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Our distillery in the heart of Bristol is considered to be "Britain's most innovative distillery" (- Master of Malt). Our highly motivated team work long and hard to get as much great flavour into their spirits as they possibly can. To achieve this we use our 'flavour first' approach. This means that all decisions in the distillery consider flavour above all else. Within our ‘flavour first’ approach is the principle of layering flavours. To create these layers of flavour we use multi-grain mash bills, brewing yeasts and seriously long open fermentations. The casks add the final layers. This approach has had some unexpected results, the most significant being that we dont make single malt...

...,but there is much more to whisky than single malts!
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Sustainability

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If you cant do something sustainably its questionable whether you should be doing it at all.

We take sustainability very seriously and we can prove it. We are certified by the Biodynamic Association as an organic producer and certified by Carbon Neutral Britain as a carbon neutral business.

We hate waste. All of our used grains are sent to a local farm as cow feed. We also accept bottles returned to us for reuse, offer 5L refill cartons to all our on-trade customers and much more.
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Cask Ownership

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We are extremely lucky to be able follow our spirits on their maturation journey whilst in cask. We would like to share that experience with as many people as possible, so we ensure there are always cask shares available to purchase from us on Still In Cask. Share owners join us on the casks maturation journey getting regular updates before receiving their share after the bottling date.
Still In Cask

Latest Posts

Published 01/03/2025

At Circumstance Distillery we dont use peat for two very simple reasons

  • 1. There are no peat bogs in Bristol
  • 2. Digging up peat causes serious environmental damage

Peatlands Are Carbon Giants (and Whisky’s Unseen Impact)

Peat bogs are among Earth’s most critical carbon sinks. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), these waterlogged ecosystems cover just 3% of global land but store 30% of its soil carbon—double the capacity of all forests combined (IUCN, Global Peatlands Assessment). When peat is harvested, the bogs drain and oxidize, releasing millennia-old carbon as CO₂.

In the UK alone, degraded peatlands emit approximately 23 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to 5 million cars on the road (UK Government, DEFRA Peatland Strategy). While whisky production uses a small fraction of global peat, studies estimate that drying one ton of peat releases 2.8 tonnes of CO₂ (Journal of Environmental Management, 2020).

Biodiversity Collapse in the Bogs

Peatlands are biodiversity hotspots, but harvesting fragments these habitats. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) warns that species like curlews and golden plovers—whose UK populations have plummeted by 60% since 1990—rely on intact peat bogs for nesting (RSPB, Peatland Birds Report). Carnivorous plants, such as sundews, also face extinction as their soggy homes vanish, a trend highlighted by Plantlife International (Threatened Peatland Flora).

Peat Isn’t Renewable—It’s a 3,000-Year-Old Resource

Peat forms at a glacial pace: just 1mm per year under ideal conditions, per the International Peatland Society. A typical 3-meter-deep bog represents 3,000 years of growth—meaning harvested peat won’t regenerate in our lifetimes. Culturally, communities in Scotland and Ireland risk losing both their peat-cutting heritage and the landscapes that sustain it if extraction continues unchecked.

How the Whisky Industry is Adapting

  • Peat alternatives: Bruichladdich trialled a peat-free whisky in 2022 using smoked barley and seaweed (Bruichladdich, 2022 Press Release).
  • Restoration partnerships: Glenmorangie funds peatland rehabilitation through the IUCN UK Peatland Programme (IUCN, Case Study).
  • Efficiency innovations: Ardbeg reduced peat use by 30% with `peat rehydration` technology (Ardbeg, Sustainability Report).

Restoration and efficiency can only achieve so much, when all is said and done the best thing to do with peat is leave it in the ground.

References

  • IUCN – Global Peatlands Assessment
  • UK Government (DEFRA) – Peatland Strategy
  • Journal of Environmental Management (2020)
  • RSPB – Peatland Birds Report
  • Plantlife International – Threatened Peatland Flora
  • International Peatland Society – Formation of Peat
  • Bruichladdich Distillery – 2022 Press Release
  • Glenmorangie/IUCN – Peatland Restoration Case Study
  • Ardbeg Distillery – Sustainability Report
  • Scotch Whisky Association – Sustainability Charter 2023

The future of peat-rich whisky depends on balancing tradition with innovation. As the industry evolves, drinkers have a role to play in demanding accountability—one dram at a time. ????????

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Published 27/02/2025

Image from 'Whisky Distilleries of The United Kingdom' by Alfred Barnard (1887) listing English whisky distilleries

A Critical Analysis of the Proposed English Whisky GI: Concerns Over Tradition, Innovation, and Fairness

As a former founding member of the English Whisky Guild (EWG), our decision to resign was rooted in fundamental disagreements with the Guild’s proposed Geographical Indication (GI) for English Whisky. While the GI’s restrictions may not immediately impact all producers, and would not affect Circumstance Distillery, its flawed definitions risk distorting the historical legacy, stifling innovation, and creating unnecessary conflict within the broader whisky community. The SWA has already voiced its opinion and argued that the proposed GI is inadequate and rules should be stricter. We outline our perspective on why the SWA is wrong, and why the GI—particularly its rules for ‘Single Malt English Whisky’—should be less prescriptive.

The SWA’s Contradictory Opposition

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has argued that the English GI’s definition of ‘Single Malt English Whisky’ threatens the ‘reputation of single malt whisky’ by not requiring all production stages (e.g., mashing, fermentation) to occur at a single site. This stance is inconsistent with both global practices and the SWA’s own actions:

  1. Irish and Welsh Precedents
    The Welsh whisky GI and the Irish whisky GI impose no restrictions on mashing or fermentation locations. The SWA’s objection ignores these established norms, suggesting a selective concern for ‘tradition’.
  2. Hypocrisy
    Many Scotch whisky producers mature their spirit in centralized warehouses far from their distilleries—a practice that weakens the SWA’s argument about a ‘connection to place.’
  3. Commercial Agenda
    The SWA is a trade body that exists to protect the revenues of its members, not to safeguard the quality of Scotch whisky or whisky in other jurisdictions. Their opposition appears to be more about stifling competition.

The Problematic Definition of ‘Single Malt English Whisky’

The GI’s technical file defines 'Malt English Whisky', and therefore by extension “Single Malt English Whisky” as follows:

'The spirit must be batch distilled in a copper pot still; Malt English Whisky must be distilled for a minimum of two times.'

This requirement is problematic for four reasons:

  1. Conflicts with global standards
    Most whisky-producing regions do not mandate copper pot stills or double distillation:
    • Wales: Allows any type of still and does not specify copper or distillation count.
    • Ireland: Permits double or triple distillation, with no still material requirements.
    • USA & Japan: No restrictions on still type or distillation count for ‘single malt’ labelling.
    England’s proposed rules are stricter than those of its peers.
  2. Disregard for England’s Distilling History
    Alfred Barnard’s Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom (1887) describes England’s oldest distillery in Bristol using a hybrid system of ‘a large Old Pot Still united to a Coffey’s Patent Still’.
  3. Penalizing Modern Innovation
    Many English distilleries use single distillations or non-copper stills but would be barred from using the term ‘Single Malt English Whisky’ despite aligning with global norms.

Broader Implications of the GI Proposal

  • Historical Revisionism: Imposes Scottish-inspired rules on England’s distinct hybrid production heritage.
  • Unnecessary Division: Creates artificial tension between English producers and the SWA.
  • Consumer Confusion: Diverges from international ‘single malt’ expectations.

Conclusion: A Flawed Proposal in Need of Revision

The current GI framework prioritizes arbitrary restrictions over historical accuracy and innovation. While geographical indications should protect regional identity, this proposal imposes foreign standards and limits English whisky’s potential.

The argument against the GI is not a rejection of regulation but a call for one that respects England’s distinct practices and fosters a fair, inclusive industry. Whether the proposal is amended or withdrawn, its flaws must be addressed to ensure English whisky’s story is told truthfully—and on its own terms - and it be allowed to evolve and flourish.

Sources

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Published 30/01/2025

In the West-Country we have some of the best cider producers in the world. Its only natural that some of that cider gets distilled into cider brandy, and we have been distilling for cider producers since the early days of the distillery. One of those producers in Wilding Cider. A few years ago they introduced to the concept of `Pomona`, which we had never heard of before, which is not surprising as its a very niche thing that happens in Somerset. A pomona is made by distilling cider into apple eau-de-vie, mixing it with apple juice and then ageing the whole lot in an oak cask. Sounds amazing, and it is, but there aren't many examples of it. So when Wilding Cider said they would use one of our casks to age a first-of-a-kind pear pomona we started getting excited about how we would use it when the pomona came out.

The new-make spirit we selected for this cask was made using 85% organic malted barley and 15% organic unmalted barley fermented on saison yeast for 14days. It was distilled in our hybrid still through the copper hood and 4 plate column before being diluted with purified water to casking strength.We filled the pear pomona cask on 22nd January 2025

This cask is truly unique and the organic single grain whisky ageing inside will be equally as unique. We believe it will be ready for bottling in Jan 2030. There are 200 cask shares of 70cl available through Still In Cask.

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Contact

info@circumstancedistillery.com