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A conversation with…Cooper King Distillery

Chris Juame tells us how a desire to leave the rat race and a trip to Tasmania led him to start a Distillery in Yorkshire.

07 Nov 2020 . 2 min read

We talk to Chris Juame, Co-Founder of Cooper King Distillery about the idea behind the business, how they have coped with the impact of coronavirus and the unexpected opportunity that has arisen from the uncertainty.

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What first inspired you to start the Cooper King Distillery?

Once a scientist and an architect, we are now the founders of England’s most exciting new distillery. In 2014, a desire to leave the rat race led us across the globe to Australia, in search of sun, sand and adventure.

Whilst in Tasmania and researching for a whisky blog for friends back home, we visited all eight operational whisky distilleries at a time when the industry was just taking off. These small producers were carving a path for hand-crafted premium whisky.

Inspired by the ingenuity and determination of the Tasmanian whisky distillers and compelled by our love of good whisky, we made it our mission to bring their ethos back home. We've now set up a truly independent craft distillery right here in Blighty.

How did you get the business started?

Over the last few years, we've sourced the finest ingredients and best craftsman, and have worked hard to raise funds through the Founders’ Club to help finance the build. At long last the stills are now fired up and spirit is flowing.

We've supported many businesses across Yorkshire and England on our journey so far and won a grant to help reduce our environmental impact.

Establishing a sustainable distillery which focuses on flavour and authenticity to bring unique and exceptional spirits to the table has been our goal from the outset. It's time to swap mass-produced bland spirit for something more adventurous.

Find out more about the Cooper King Distillery

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