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Everything you need to know about Oxford Distillery Distillery
Most popular bottles from the distillery
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Oxford Rye Whisky Heritage Grains Batch 7£84.96 Inc VAT -
Oxford Artisan Distillery Heritage Corn Whisky Grain Stories£99.99 Inc VAT -
Oxford Rye Whisky 2017 Heritage Grains Batch 1£194.99 Inc VAT
A brief History
Oxford, England. Founded in 2017.
If you’re thinking “Oxford… whisky?”, you’re not alone. Most people picture dreaming spires and old colleges, not copper stills and mash tuns. But just outside the city centre sits the Oxford Artisan Distillery, often called TOAD — and it’s quietly doing something quite different.
Founded in 2017, the distillery was built around a simple idea: bring whisky production back to its agricultural roots. Instead of buying standard grain, TOAD works with ancient heritage grains grown locally in Oxfordshire. We’re talking old varieties of rye and barley that were common centuries ago but are rarely used today.
This focus on raw ingredients shapes everything. The distillery controls the grain, the fermentation, and the distillation, aiming to create whisky that reflects where it comes from rather than just following standard Scotch or bourbon templates. It’s small-scale, experimental, and very much a modern English take on whisky.
Flavour Profile:
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 |
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| Malty / Cereal |
Fruity |
Spicy |
Oxford’s whisky tends to feel a bit different from what you might expect. The use of heritage grains brings out a strong cereal character — think fresh bread, biscuit, and grain sweetness — alongside orchard fruit notes like apple and pear.
Rye-based expressions often lean spicier, with gentle pepper and baking spice in the finish. Overall, the whisky feels natural and slightly rustic, in a good way — more about flavour from the grain than heavy oak influence.
Top 4 Flavour Profile Ingredients
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Cinnamon / Clove |
 |
Honey |
 |
Apple / Pear |
|
Malt / Biscuit / Toast |
Most Popular Bottles
Oxford Rye Whisky (TOAD Rye)
One of the distillery’s key releases, showing spicy grain character and a lighter oak influence.
Oxford Heritage Malt Whisky
A single malt made using heritage barley, focusing on cereal and fruit notes.
Oxford Physic Gin (early release)
While not a whisky, this was one of the distillery’s first products before the whisky matured.
As a relatively young distillery, the range continues to develop.
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The Distillery
The Distiller: The Oxford Artisan Distillery
Address: Old Depot, South Park, Cheney Ln, Headington, Oxford OX3 7QJ
 Open in maps |
 Unavailable |
 +44 (0)1865 595901 |
Visitor Centre & Opening Times
Yes — TOAD offers tours and tastings.
Typical opening hours
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Thursday – Sunday
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Around 12:00 – 18:00
Tours often focus on the grain-to-glass approach and the use of heritage grains.
Ownership History
Founders
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Tom Nicolson
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Cory Mason
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Danny Byrne (2017)
Current Ownership
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The Oxford Artisan Distillery Ltd
The distillery remains independently operated.
Distillery Facts
Overview & History
The Oxford Artisan Distillery (often referred to as TOAD) is located in Oxford, England, and was founded in 2017. It was established with a focus on reviving traditional farming and distilling practices using heritage grains.
Unlike many modern distilleries, TOAD emphasises field-to-bottle production, working closely with local farms to grow ancient varieties of rye, wheat, and barley specifically for distillation.
The distillery has become one of the most distinctive new entrants in English whisky, combining historical agricultural methods with modern distilling.
Production
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Spirit Type: English rye whisky and grain whisky
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Grain Source: Heritage grains grown locally in Oxfordshire
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Distillation: Copper pot stills
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Farming Approach: Low-intervention, sustainable agriculture
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Cask Policy: Ex-bourbon, virgin oak, and wine casks
TOAD is unusual in prioritising grain provenance as a core part of its flavour profile.
Whisky Style
Oxford Artisan Distillery whiskies typically show:
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Rich grain-forward character
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Spice from rye
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Earthy and cereal notes
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Honey and light fruit
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Structured, slightly dry finish
Compared with many Scotch malts, the focus is more on grain character than heavy cask influence.
Key Expressions
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Oxford Rye Whisky – Core flagship release
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Oxford Heritage Grain Whisky – Emphasising grain provenance
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Limited small-batch and experimental releases
The distillery also produces gin and vodka alongside whisky.
Significance
The Oxford Artisan Distillery represents a different direction in modern whisky production, placing agriculture and raw materials at the centre of flavour creation rather than focusing primarily on cask influence.
It is one of the leading examples of the emerging English whisky category, which is rapidly expanding with new distilleries across England.
Oxford Whisky to Buy
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