Northamptonshire Distillery at the Houses of Parliament for English Whisky Day

Wharf Distillery, Northamptonshire’s only whisky distillery, was honoured to represent the county at the second annual English Whisky Day last month at the Houses of Parliament.

Hosted by Kevin Hollinrake MP and the English Whisky Guild (EWG), the event on 26th February celebrated the impressive growth and achievements of the English whisky sector, bringing together nearly 50 MPs and Lords, alongside over 200 guests, including business leaders, trade representatives, and key figures from the UK drinks industry.

Laurence Conisbee, founder of Towcester-based Wharf Distillery, attended the event to showcase their Equinox Whisky – a rich, complex spirit with a unique port cask finish. He commented: “This prestigious event provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the craftsmanship and innovation behind our locally produced whisky while engaging with industry leaders about the future of English whisky. As the only whisky distillery in Northamptonshire, it was a privilege to bring attention to the county’s contribution to this exciting and evolving sector.”

Kevin Hollinrake MP opened the event with a speech celebrating the sector’s rapid evolution and commitment to quality. Morag Garden, CEO of the English Whisky Guild, echoed these sentiments, applauding the dedication and collaboration that define the industry. A key highlight of the event was the launch of the public consultation for the English Whisky Geographical Indication (GI), a milestone that aims to strengthen the identity and provenance of English whisky on a global scale.

English whisky continues to gain international recognition, with distilleries in England winning The World’s Best Single Malt Whisky twice in the past three years and multiple producers securing gold awards at the World Whisky Awards 2025.

Laurence concluded: “As Northamptonshire’s sole whisky distillery, Wharf Distillery is dedicated to producing high-quality, small-batch spirits that put our county on the whisky map. We extend our gratitude to the English Whisky Guild, Kevin Hollinrake MP, and all those who attended and supported this landmark event. We look forward to continuing to champion English whisky and showcasing the very best of Northamptonshire’s craft distilling expertise.”

If you are a whisky lover, you can visit Wharf Distillery for their ‘An Evening of English Whisky’ events on International Whisky Day Thursday 27th March and Wednesday 23rd April which is St Georges Day and also the anniversary of the founding of the English Whisky Guild.