Two Drifters

Recorded answer text · Google AI Overviews · 25 October 2026

Here are some of the best small-batch and craft spirits from across Great Britain, broken down by category:

### Whisky

- Cotswolds Signature Single Malt English Whisky (Cotswolds): A double-distilled 46% ABV single malt made from locally grown barley. It combines bourbon and STR (shaved, toasted, recharred) red wine casks for rich notes of dark cherry, toffee, and red apple. - Bimber Distillery Single Malt (London): Famous for hand-malting its own barley, long 7-day fermentations, and direct-fire copper pot stills, producing a thick, tropical-fruit-layered whisky. - Wire Works by White Peak Distillery (Derbyshire): A multi-award-winning single malt housed in a former Victorian wire works, known for balancing light peat smoke with chocolate, fruit, and banana notes.

### Gin

- Ramsbury Single Estate Gin (Wiltshire): True single-estate craft gin distilled in limited batches using winter wheat and botanicals grown right on the Wiltshire estate. - Rock Rose Gin by Dunnet Bay Distillers (Highlands, Scotland): Hand-crafted in small batches using local Scottish botanicals like Rhodiola rosea (the "rock rose"). - Tarquin's Handcrafted Cornish Gin (Cornwall): Distilled in tiny copper pot stills (named after local flames) using hand-foraged Cornish gorse flowers and fresh violets.

### Rum

- English Spirit Distillery Rums (Cornwall/Essex): Makers of small-batch artisanal expressions like St Piran's Cornish White Rum and English Spiced Rum, crafted with deep attention to raw ingredients and traditional copper distillation. - Two Drifters Rum (Devon): A certified carbon-negative craft rum producer in the UK, making small-batch spiced and signature white rums using green energy.

### Vodka

- Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka (Wiltshire): Distilled from Horace wheat grown on the Ramsbury estate, offering an exceptionally clean, creamy, and transparent character. - Desi Daru Mango Vodka (London): An innovative small-batch fusion vodka crafted with Alphonso mangoes, winning high praise in the capital's craft scene.

If you'd like to narrow down a bottle, tell me:

- What is your preferred spirit (gin, whisky, rum, vodka)? - What is your budget range? - Are you looking for a classic profile or something flavoured/unique?

Recorded answer text · ChatGPT · 25 October 2026

# Best British spirits brands to know

Britain has an excellent range of spirits, from world-famous Scottish whisky to craft English gin, Welsh whisky and British-made rum. If you're looking for the best brands for quality, reputation, gifting or a premium drinks collection, these are the names I'd start with. www.thewhiskyexchange.comwww.visitbritain.comwww.tasteatlas.comspiritsuk.co.uk

## Top British spirits brands by category

!Macallan 18 Years Old Double Cask | Single Malt Whisky| The Macallan®

1\. Whisky - The Macallan

Scotland · Luxury

A prestigious single malt known for sherry-cask-influenced flavours, rich fruit and spice. Excellent for luxury gifting and collectors.

Other standout names: Glenfiddich, Ardbeg, Johnnie Walker and Penderyn\.

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!SIPSMITH GLIDES INTO A NEW ERA - Sustainable Packaging News

2\. Gin - Sipsmith

London, England · Craft premium

A strong choice for classic London Dry gin, with juniper, citrus and spice. A good all-rounder for gin and tonics and martinis.

Other standouts: The Botanist, Silent Pool, Chase and Plymouth Gin\.

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!Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka | World's Smoothest

3\. Vodka - Black Cow

Dorset, England · Distinctive

A British-made vodka produced from milk, offering an unusual alternative to conventional grain-based vodkas.

Other option: Chase Vodka\.

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![The Rum Collection - Two Drifters Distillery](

4\. Rum - Two Drifters

Devon, England · Independent craft

A specialist British rum producer worth exploring for distinctive rum styles and cocktail ingredients.

Other names to investigate: Salford Rum and Treguddick Distillery\.

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!Penderyn Single Malt Whisky 70cl - Cheeseworks

5\. Welsh whisky - Penderyn

Wales · Regional character

One of the best-known Welsh whisky producers, worth considering if you want something distinctly British beyond Scotch.

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!Pimm's No.1 Cup, 70cl | The ultimate summer drink | The Bar GB

6\. Aperitifs and liqueurs - Pimm's

British classic · Easy drinking

An iconic choice for summer drinks. For more unusual British aperitifs and fortified drinks, look at Kamm & Sons and Sacred\. www.thewhiskyexchange.comwww.thebritishbottlecompany.comwww.visitbritain.com

## My shortlist of the 10 best brands overall

| Brand | Best for | Positioning | |--------|--------|--------| | The Macallan | Luxury whisky | Prestige | | Glenfiddich | Single malt whisky | Premium | | Johnnie Walker | Blended whisky | Iconic | | Sipsmith | Craft gin | Premium | | The Botanist | Botanical gin | Premium | | Plymouth Gin | Classic gin | Heritage | | Penderyn | Welsh whisky | Specialist | | Chase | Vodka and gin | Craft premium | | Two Drifters | Rum | Independent | | Pimm's | Summer aperitifs | Mainstream classic |

These are a curated selection, not a definitive sales or blind-tasting ranking. Britain's spirits industry also includes hundreds of independent producers. www.thewhiskyexchange.comwww.visitbritain.comwww.tasteatlas.comspiritsuk.co.uk

One important distinction\: a British-owned brand, a British-origin brand and a spirit actually distilled in Britain aren't necessarily the same thing.

For more independent producers, browse the UK Spirits Alliance member directory or The Whisky Exchange's Best of British guide\.

Are you looking for premium luxury brands, smaller craft brands, or the biggest and most commercially successful British spirits brands? The rankings would look quite different depending on which you mean.

Recorded answer text · Perplexity · 25 October 2026

Here are some of the best UK craft spirits brands, grouped by what they do particularly well:

- Cotswolds Distillery - Excellent English single malt whisky and a citrus-forward gin made in the Cotswolds. - Bimber Distillery - Highly regarded London single malt whisky, along with small-batch gin, rum and vodka. - The Lakes Distillery - A strong choice for contemporary English whisky and premium gin. - The Botanist - Islay dry gin featuring locally foraged Hebridean botanicals alongside traditional gin ingredients. - East London Liquor Co. - Modern, grain-to-glass spirits from London, including rye whisky, gin, rum and vodka. - Dunnet Bay Distillers - Best known for Rock Rose Gin, made with seasonal botanicals from Caithness. - Salcombe Distilling Co. - Devon-made, coastal-inspired gin, rum and non-alcoholic spirits. - Two Drifters - Award-winning Devon rum, with a strong focus on sustainability; the distillery is B Corp certified and carbon negative. - Boatyard Distillery - Award-winning gin from County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. - Lochlea Distillery - An independent Ayrshire whisky producer and one of Scotland's notable newer whisky distilleries. - Burnt Faith - A distinctive English brandy house using traditional Charentais stills. - Wildjac - Eco-conscious spirits made with foraged ingredients from the Wyre Forest.

### Best starting picks

1. Best overall whisky: Cotswolds or Bimber 2. Best gin: The Botanist or Cotswolds 3. Best rum: Two Drifters 4. Best sustainable brand: Two Drifters or Wildjac 5. Best unusual category: Burnt Faith brandy 6. Best London producer: East London Liquor Co. 7. Best Northern Irish producer: Boatyard

For a varied tasting flight, try Cotswolds Single Malt, The Botanist Gin, Two Drifters Spiced Rum and Burnt Faith Brandy.