Cotswold Distillery

Cotswolds Distillery, founded in 2014 by Daniel Szor, is a full-scale craft distillery producing a range of spirits, with a focus on single malt whisky and gin. A former financier from New York, Szor transitioned from a career in London to establish the first-ever full-scale distillery in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The idea was sparked by the sight of local barley fields, prompting the question of why no one was making whisky in the region.

The distillery's flagship products are its Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky and the award-winning Cotswolds Dry Gin. The whisky is produced using 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and is matured in a combination of premium first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and reconditioned ex-red wine casks. The gin is a London Dry style made with nine botanicals, including local lavender. The product line has expanded to include a variety of other spirits such as cask-finished whiskies, wildflower gins, liqueurs, and a treacle rum.

Revenue is generated through multiple channels, including direct sales from its on-site visitor centre, distribution through major retailers like Majestic Wines and Fortnum & Mason, the hospitality trade, and exports to international markets. A significant part of the business model includes visitor experiences, with the distillery attracting over 100,000 visitors annually for tours, tasting events, and masterclasses in gin and whisky blending. The company has successfully utilized crowdfunding to finance expansions, including the development of its visitor centre.

Keywords: English whisky, single malt whisky, craft distillery, artisanal gin, London Dry Gin, spirits producer, Daniel Szor, Cotswolds, distillery tours, whisky maturation, botanical gin, craft spirits, floor-malted barley, cask expressions, gin blending, whisky masterclass, visitor experience, English spirits, liqueur producer, farm to bottle