A new English single malt is preparing to make its debut, and it brings together three established Yorkshire makers alongside the creative involvement of comedian and Ellers Farm Distillery co-owner Ricky Gervais.
Three Ridings Whisky is the first single malt produced by Ellers Farm Distillery in North Yorkshire. Scheduled for release later in 2026, the inaugural whisky has been created through a regional collaboration between Thomas Fawcett & Sons, T&R Theakston and Ellers Farm.
The first release will be bottled at 57.9% ABV and matured primarily in carefully selected ex-bourbon American oak casks. Only 1,000 individually numbered bottles are planned, making this an important new release for collectors, English whisky enthusiasts and followers of Ricky Gervais’s work with Ellers Farm.
What Is Three Ridings Whisky?
Three Ridings is a single malt English whisky produced entirely in Yorkshire.
Rather than treating malting, brewing and distillation as isolated parts of production, the whisky brings together three specialist businesses:
- Thomas Fawcett & Sons selects and malts the barley
- T&R Theakston brews the fermented beer
- Ellers Farm Distillery distils, matures and blends the spirit
Each producer contributes expertise developed within a different part of Yorkshire’s drinks industry.
The aim is not simply to create another young English single malt, but to build flavour throughout the complete production process, beginning with the barley and continuing through fermentation, distillation and cask maturation.
Key details announced so far include:
- Single malt English whisky
- Produced entirely in Yorkshire
- Created through three Yorkshire makers
- Distilled at Ellers Farm Distillery
- Matured primarily in ex-bourbon American oak
- Deliberately extended fermentation
- First release bottled at 57.9% ABV
- Limited to 1,000 individually numbered bottles
- Expected to launch later in 2026
- Supported by a four-part documentary series
- Connected with Ellers Farm co-owner Ricky Gervais
A precise general-release date and final tasting notes have not yet been announced.
Why Is It Called Three Ridings?
The name comes from the historic administrative divisions of Yorkshire.
For centuries, Yorkshire was divided into three Ridings:
- The East Riding
- The North Riding
- The West Riding
The word “Riding” developed from an Old Norse term meaning one-third.
Three Ridings uses this regional history to represent the three makers behind the whisky, each contributing a separate stage of production while working towards one finished single malt.
The name therefore reflects both Yorkshire’s heritage and the collaborative structure of the project.
The Three Yorkshire Makers
Three Ridings is built around the principle that whisky quality begins long before the spirit reaches the still.
The project combines malting, brewing and distilling knowledge rather than relying on one producer to control every stage internally.
Thomas Fawcett & Sons: The Maltster
Thomas Fawcett & Sons has been malting barley in Castleford since the early 19th century.
For Three Ridings, the maltster selects the grain and manages steeping, germination, kilning and roasting to create the required flavour profile.
The process has been designed around flavour rather than maximum speed or yield. Small batches and carefully selected malt varieties allow honeyed sweetness, toasted grain and deeper roasted characteristics to be developed before brewing begins.
This matters because malt is more than a source of fermentable sugar. The barley variety and the way it is malted can influence cereal sweetness, texture, fruit and roasted flavour throughout the finished whisky.
T&R Theakston: The Brewer
The malt is then passed to T&R Theakston in Masham, where the fermented liquid is brewed.
Theakston has almost two centuries of Yorkshire brewing history and approaches the liquid as a carefully made beer rather than merely whisky wash.
Temperature and yeast are closely managed, while fermentation is deliberately given time to develop fruit, texture and complexity.
The resulting beer must contain enough character to remain expressive after distillation. Pear, banana, malt, grain and subtle spice have appeared throughout the developing spirit, demonstrating how fermentation continues to influence the whisky long after the yeast has completed its work.
Ellers Farm Distillery: The Distiller
The fermented beer is transported to Ellers Farm Distillery near Stamford Bridge, York.
Here, the distilling team refines the character created by the maltster and brewer.
The distillation process has been adjusted to soften rougher alcohols without stripping away the fruit, grain and texture built during fermentation. Careful cut points determine which parts of the spirit are retained for maturation.
The new make is then filled into oak, with ex-bourbon American casks forming the principal part of the maturation programme.
A Different Approach to Whisky Wash
One of the most interesting parts of Three Ridings is its emphasis on brewing.
Whisky producers commonly refer to the fermented liquid entering the still as wash. Three Ridings instead repeatedly describes it as beer.
The distinction is deliberate.
T&R Theakston is not simply producing an efficient source of alcohol. The brewery is creating a flavourful fermented beer designed to carry fruit, texture and malt character through distillation.
Longer fermentation can encourage the development of fruity esters and additional flavour compounds. These may later appear as notes resembling:
- Ripe banana
- Pear drops
- Apricot
- Dried fruit
- Floral aromas
- Soft spice
- Malted barley
The collaboration with a longstanding Yorkshire brewery gives Three Ridings a production story that differs from distilleries where brewing is handled entirely in-house.
Matured in Ex-Bourbon American Oak
Three Ridings is being matured primarily in selected ex-bourbon American oak casks.
These barrels previously held American whiskey and can introduce flavours including:
- Vanilla
- Caramel
- Coconut
- Honey
- Toasted oak
- Baking spice
- Butterscotch
The oak complements the naturally fruity and cereal-led character of the spirit.
Developmental samples from the first 24 months have shown the new make gradually moving from malt, banana and pear drops towards vanilla, fudge, buttery pastry, cooked pear, crème brûlée and mellow oak.
These are not the final tasting notes for the First Release. They instead show how the spirit has changed during its early maturation and provide an indication of the direction in which the whisky is developing.
What Will Three Ridings Taste Like?
Official final tasting notes have not yet been released.
The producers have deliberately focused first on the people, ingredients and decisions behind the whisky rather than presenting a fixed list of flavour descriptors before maturation is complete.
However, the Evolution Collection documents the spirit at several different stages.
New Make Spirit
Before entering oak, the spirit displayed malted barley, ripe banana, cherry and spice, followed by pear drops, toasted oats, chocolate sweetness and dried fig.
Six Months
Early cask influence introduced dark chocolate, vanilla, black pepper and guava alongside the existing malt and banana character.
Twelve Months
The spirit developed floral aromas, sandalwood, apricot, vanilla and softer oak.
Eighteen Months
Butterscotch, white chocolate and pear drops appeared, followed by banana flambé, caramelised pear and gentle oak.
Twenty-Four Months
The developing spirit showed banana, fudge, buttery pastry and white chocolate, with cooked pear, crème brûlée and mellow oak.
The final 57.9% ABV whisky may continue to develop before bottling, but these samples point towards a rich, fruit-led English single malt with prominent malt, vanilla, pear, banana, confectionery sweetness and American-oak spice.
The First Release
The inaugural Three Ridings single malt will be bottled at 57.9% ABV.
This relatively high strength should preserve much of the whisky’s texture and allow drinkers to explore it neat or gradually add water to taste.
Only 1,000 individually numbered bottles are planned for the First Release.
Some of these bottles have been allocated through the Three Ridings Evolution Collection, which was limited to 500 sets. Each collection traces the spirit through five stages:
- New make
- Six months
- Twelve months
- Eighteen months
- Twenty-four months
Owners will also receive one bottle from the final First Release when it is ready.
The Evolution Collection has sold out, increasing the significance of any remaining bottles made available through the wider release.
Why the Whisky Is Still Maturing
Three Ridings has repeatedly emphasised that the whisky will be released when the producers believe it is ready.
English single malt must mature in wooden casks for at least three years before it can legally be sold as whisky, but reaching the minimum age does not automatically mean that every cask has reached its ideal point.
The team is continuing to assess the relationship between:
- Fruit from fermentation
- Cereal and roasted malt
- Alcohol integration
- Vanilla and sweetness from American oak
- Cask spice
- Texture
- Overall balance
The decision to delay bottling until the whisky reaches the intended profile supports the project’s central message: flavour takes priority over speed.
Ricky Gervais and Ellers Farm Distillery
Ricky Gervais became a co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillery in November 2023.
His involvement initially became closely associated with Dutch Barn Vodka, but Three Ridings represents the distillery’s first move into mature single malt whisky.
Gervais has described the whisky as the result of working with people who care more about doing something properly than doing it quickly.
His involvement will naturally introduce Three Ridings to an audience beyond established whisky enthusiasts, but the production story is rooted in the work of the maltsters, brewers and distillers responsible for creating the liquid.
This is not simply a celebrity name placed on an existing whisky. The spirit has been developed over several years at the distillery Gervais co-owns, supported by two longstanding Yorkshire producers.
From Dutch Barn Vodka to Yorkshire Whisky
While Three Ridings continues to mature, HTFW already offers the Dutch Barn range produced at Ellers Farm Distillery.
Dutch Barn demonstrates the distillery’s existing approach to British ingredients, flavour development and more sustainable production.
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka is made from 100% British apples and distilled to create a clean, smooth and lightly fruity spirit.
Bottled at 40% ABV, it can be served chilled, with soda or in classic vodka cocktails.
Dutch Barn Mediterranean Citrus Vodka
Dutch Barn Mediterranean Citrus Vodka combines the apple-based spirit with pomelo, orange and lime.
The citrus profile makes it particularly well suited to long drinks, tonic water and spritz-style cocktails.
Dutch Barn British Raspberry Vodka
Dutch Barn British Raspberry Vodka uses British raspberries to introduce bright, natural fruit character.
It can be served over ice, paired with tonic or used in fruit-led cocktails.
Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced Vodka
Dutch Barn Ginger Spiced Vodka is made with four styles of ginger alongside citrus and warming spice.
Its bolder profile suits ginger beer, citrus mixers and spicy cocktails.
Dutch Barn Balinese Vanilla Vodka
Dutch Barn Balinese Vanilla Vodka combines Dutch Barn’s apple spirit with Balinese vanilla pods.
The result offers creamy vanilla sweetness suited to sipping, dessert cocktails and Espresso Martinis.
Dutch Barn Black Cherry Vodka
Dutch Barn Black Cherry Vodka combines sweet, sour and red cherries with natural almond extract.
It provides a rich cherry-led alternative within the Ellers Farm range.
These vodkas provide the clearest current introduction to the distillery behind Three Ridings while whisky drinkers wait for the inaugural single malt.
A Four-Part Documentary Series
The creation of Three Ridings has been documented through a four-part video series.
Each episode explores one stage of the collaboration:
- How Great Whisky Begins: The Maltster
Thomas Fawcett & Sons explains barley selection and malting. - Beer, Not Wash: The Brewer’s Role in Whisky
T&R Theakston explores fermentation and the decision to brew for flavour. - Where Character Is Refined: The Distiller
Ellers Farm follows the transition from beer to new make spirit. - Three Makers, One Whisky
The final episode brings the three Yorkshire producers together.
The documentary places the focus on production rather than celebrity endorsement alone, giving drinkers a closer look at how each partner influences the developing spirit.
Why Three Ridings Matters for English Whisky
English whisky has grown considerably during the last two decades.
New distilleries have appeared across the country, producing single malts shaped by different climates, grains, fermentation methods and cask programmes.
Three Ridings contributes something distinctive through its regional collaboration.
Its key points of difference include:
- Yorkshire-grown and Yorkshire-processed ingredients
- A historic family maltster
- A brewery with almost 200 years of experience
- Deliberately extended fermentation
- Distillation designed around retaining flavour
- Ex-bourbon American-oak maturation
- A high-strength inaugural release
- Full documentation of the spirit’s early development
The project shows how English whisky can use flexibility and collaboration to create an identity that does not simply imitate established Scotch whisky production.
Is Three Ridings a Celebrity Whisky?
Three Ridings will inevitably be described as Ricky Gervais’s whisky because he is a co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillery.
However, the project differs from celebrity spirits created primarily through licensing or external sourcing.
The whisky has been distilled and matured at Ellers Farm, while its malt and fermented beer have been produced by Yorkshire partners specifically for the release.
Gervais provides visibility, creative involvement and ownership, but the whisky’s central story remains the collaboration between maltster, brewer and distiller.
That gives Three Ridings credibility beyond its celebrity connection and should make the First Release particularly interesting to established English whisky drinkers.
When Will Three Ridings Whisky Be Released?
Three Ridings First Release is expected later in 2026.
A precise launch date has not yet been confirmed, and the producers continue to describe the whisky as maturing.
The first bottling will be limited to 1,000 individually numbered bottles at 57.9% ABV, so interest is likely to be high once wider availability is announced.
Whisky enthusiasts can follow the latest new whisky releases at HTFW and explore the existing English whisky collection while awaiting further details.
Why Three Ridings Stands Out
Three Ridings offers:
- Ellers Farm Distillery’s first single malt whisky
- A genuine Yorkshire production story
- Collaboration between three regional makers
- Malt from Thomas Fawcett & Sons
- Brewing by T&R Theakston
- Distillation and maturation at Ellers Farm
- Extended, flavour-led fermentation
- Ex-bourbon American-oak maturation
- Bottling at 57.9% ABV
- Only 1,000 individually numbered First Release bottles
- Documented development from new make to mature whisky
- A connection with Ellers Farm co-owner Ricky Gervais
- Strong appeal to English whisky collectors
The celebrity connection will attract attention, but the careful production process and limited first bottling are what could give Three Ridings lasting importance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Three Ridings?
Three Ridings is a new single malt English whisky produced through a collaboration between Thomas Fawcett & Sons, T&R Theakston and Ellers Farm Distillery.
Is Three Ridings made by Ricky Gervais?
Ricky Gervais is a co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillery, where the whisky is distilled and matured. Production is led by the specialist malting, brewing and distilling teams behind the project.
Where is it made?
The barley is malted in Castleford, the beer is brewed in Masham and the spirit is distilled and matured at Ellers Farm near Stamford Bridge, York.
Why is it called Three Ridings?
The name refers to Yorkshire’s historic East, North and West Ridings, while also representing the three makers involved.
What casks are used?
The whisky is matured primarily in selected ex-bourbon American oak casks.
How strong will it be?
The inaugural release is expected to be bottled at 57.9% ABV.
How many bottles will be released?
The First Release is limited to 1,000 individually numbered bottles.
When will Three Ridings be released?
The whisky is expected to launch later in 2026, although a precise release date has not yet been confirmed.
What does Three Ridings taste like?
Final tasting notes have not yet been published. Developmental samples have shown banana, pear drops, apricot, vanilla, fudge, white chocolate, cooked pear, crème brûlée and mellow oak.
What is the connection with Dutch Barn?
Dutch Barn Vodka is also produced at Ellers Farm Distillery, which Ricky Gervais co-owns. The Dutch Barn range at HTFW is available while Three Ridings continues to mature.
Final Thoughts
Three Ridings is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched English whisky launches of 2026.
Its connection with Ricky Gervais will bring considerable attention, but the whisky has a much deeper story than celebrity ownership alone.
Thomas Fawcett & Sons brings more than two centuries of malting knowledge, T&R Theakston contributes nearly 200 years of Yorkshire brewing heritage, and Ellers Farm Distillery turns their carefully produced beer into a high-strength single malt matured in American oak.
The decision to document the whisky’s development and withhold the final release until it reaches the intended profile reflects a project built around patience rather than speed.
With only 1,000 individually numbered bottles planned at 57.9% ABV, the Three Ridings First Release is likely to appeal to collectors, Yorkshire whisky followers and anyone interested in the continued growth of English single malt.
Until the finished whisky arrives, drinkers can explore Ricky Gervais and Ellers Farm’s existing Dutch Barn Vodka collection at HTFW, including the original apple-based vodka and its growing selection of naturally flavoured expressions.