THE ISLE OF WIGHT Distillery announced its Isle of Wight Whisky has been certified legal today.

The Island’s first ever malt spirit went into barrel on December 16, 2015, three years and one day ago.

In accordance with the Scottish Whisky Association’s regulations, spirits destined to be whisky cannot be legally referred to as such until a minimum of three years maturing have passed; up until this point, the spirit is referred to as a ‘new-make’ or malt spirit.

The unique recipe was created by respected brewer Xavier Baker, using the 9.2 per cent abv unhopped beer whisky wash recipe with local barley, grown by Island farmers.

The beer wash was brewed at Goddards Brewery then moved to the Isle of Wight Distillery for multiple distillations and placed in oak for the three year maturation.

The Island’s first single malt will now continue to mature in a combination of bourbon and charred white wine casks, at 63.5 per cent abv (cask strength) before it is finished and rested.

Mr Baker explained: “We are excited and honoured to be the first to create a legal whisky on the Isle of Wight. The process has required a lot of effort and patience over the last few years and we’re delighted that it’s now coming to fruition.”

There is currently no set release date confirmed for Isle of Wight Whisky.

For regular updates and to be the first to hear the release date, customers are encouraged to sign up the Isle of Wight Distillery newsletter via the website: www.isleofwightdistillery.com