Welcome to our new series called “Reasons You Should”. These are not sponsored posts or ads but detailed summaries of events that impress us year on year.

Every November we front up our own cash to head to Birmingham for the English Whisky Festival. Now coming into its 5th year this is a show that stands apart from the crowd thanks to its regional focus and consistent event quality. Here’s why we love it.

The Whisky is Good and There’s Plenty of it.

Anyone turning their nose up at English Whisky in 2026 is just trying to be contrarian. Yes there’s no super-aged stocks but we all know age statements don’t equal quality and who has the money for big age statements anyway? If you want high quality spirits that start at £30 and cap out at £250 then this is the show to come and get them.

The English Whisky category is vast now, with more active distilleries here than in Ireland. English Whisky features many distilleries that are going directly after fans of Scotch with malty peat monsters and sherry bombs, but you’ll also find others trying to carve a whole new ‘thing’. At the more experimental edge you can try things like Henstone’s bourbon-equivalent Old Dog Corn Liquor or Somerset Spirit Co.’s “Wheysky”, the latter being a spirit distilled from cheese whey. For anyone not into whisky there’s plenty of rum, gin and liqueurs too. The English Whisky festival keeps its namesake at the fore, but has an open mind to everything else a distiller might make, whereas other shows can be stricter.

The Show is Well Organized

The show has a new website with map, dram list and exhibitor list. The professionalization of this show (in terms of presentation, not execution which has always been quality) is a delight to see. This is still an indie show at heart, but there’s no rough edges either. On the day you’ll get in fast with only a short queue. The staff from both the event and the venue are lovely too and will make you feel welcome. There’s a cloakroom on site with all the proceeds going to a charity so you’re not being stung for additional costs that land in someone’s pocket.

It’s a Nice Place

The Bond in Digbeth isn’t the most central venue but what it lacks in placement it makes up for by just working. The show is never an overcrowded and loud sweat fest. There’s a large outdoor space with food options that’s covered over too – especially helpful in 2024 when the festival coincided with a storm. The venue is accessible too and laid out in a better way than some of the competition. If you have any mobility, spatial or sensory issues this busy show might still present a challenge, but it’s the best out of what we’ve seen.

Everyone is Having A Great Time

Aren’t most people at a whisky festival having a good time? There’s whisky, right? 

You’d be surprised. A lot of things can put a damper on the mood of exhibitors orr attendees at a show. At The English Whisky festival both sides are looked after. There’s food options on site, plenty of free water and spittoons too. The exhibitors, who will have a ridiculously busy day are taken care of too. The organizers check in, bring tea and coffee, and cover stands so exhibitors can have breaks. We’ve even seen a big pile of biscuits going around. Happy exhibitors make for a better show and this show is among the happiest we’ve seen. 

You’re Supporting Craft

There may be some big corporations lurking behind the fiscal curtains of some exhibitors, but this show is almost entirely craft. Many of the people serving you drams are the distillers themselves, representing their small companies that deserve your support. Whisky is a long game, so whilst only the parochial drinker would their nose up at English Whisky nowadays, the category is still nascent and very vulnerable to changes in the market. Buying a bottle here for yourself or as a Christmas gift is directly supporting small businesses and not a distant megacorp.

Those are our reasons to attend The English Whisky festival. Tickets are now on sale and you can get them here. See you in Birmingham this November, yeah?