Yorkshire’s oldest family-owned wine and spirits merchant has collaborated with the county’s first single malt whisky distillery in marking a special milestone. The team at west Hull-based House of Townend selected spirit from Spirit of Yorkshire’s cask #4173 to be matured in an ex-Rioja Vega Gran Reserva cask, to celebrate its 120th anniversary.
John Charles Townend, House of Townend’s fourth generation MD, said: “As part of our 120th celebrations, we wanted to create something truly unique and close to our heart.” The merchant has been a great supporter of Spirit of Yorkshire, creator of Filey Bay single malt whisky, from its outset.
John said: “I have had this vision for a long time of creating a whisky aged in Rioja Vega Gran Reserva casks. To bring this together in celebration of not only 120 years of House of Townend but partnerships with Rioja Vega spanning 25 years and Filey Bay whisky spanning ten years from when they first filled a cask is something special.”
Only 285 bottles of Filey Bay Rioja Vega Cask #4173, 54.9% vol, will be available exclusively from House of Townend from Saturday, October 10, costing £120. There will also be the opportunity to try and buy the exclusive bottling at a ticketed whisky portfolio tasting at House of Townend’s Melton office, on Friday, October 9.
Joe Clark, whisky director at Spirit of Yorkshire, said: “The team at House of Townend have been great supporters of Filey Bay whisky right from the start. A few years ago, they came to us with an idea, a very special release to mark their 120th anniversary in 2026.
“They personally sourced the Gran Reserva cask from Rioja Vega, a 144-year-old family-owned Spanish winery that has supplied House of Townend for over a quarter of a century. We’ve worked with the guys at House of Townend for ten years now and it’s been really special working alongside them for this release.
“The Rioja Vega casks work perfectly with our new make spirit, and one cask in particular stood out, which is the one we selected for this bottling. Unique in many ways, and totally different to anything else we have ever put in a bottle – the result, a light, soft and fruity whisky with flavours of strawberry jam, summer fruit tart and vanilla ice cream.”
Spirit of Yorkshire is a true field-to-bottle distillery and one of only a few distilleries that use 100 per cent homegrown barley to produce its single estate whisky. Filey Bay is available from selected specialist retailers throughout the UK and in a growing number of export markets.
Established in Yorkshire in 1906, House of Townend has remained in the ownership of the Townend family throughout its history. What began as a local wine and spirit business has evolved over five generations into one of the UK’s leading independent wine merchants.