First whisky distilled in Bristol for 80 years

The whisky was aged in an ex-bourbon cask for 37 months

The first whisky to be distilled in a city in around 80 years has gone on sale.

Circumstance Distillery in Whitehall, Bristol, has released its inaugural single grain whisky.

Its release is the first since the city's last distillery was destroyed during World War Two, according to the firm's co-founder Liam Hirt.

He said the industry was currently enjoying a "boom" much like gin did several years ago.

He said that he became interested in England "fledgling" whisky industry around four years ago and started making plans to create a distillery.

"Sales go up annually," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It is a huge industry. It is obviously dominated by Scotch and the American whiskies.

"But the new territories, like England, Wales [and] Australia, they are making some excellent whiskies that are going to be taking a larger portion of that market."

The whisky was released on Monday

Contrary to popular belief, he said that many whiskies are "light and fruity" - the polar opposite of the heavily-peated malts which he claimed put many people off the drink.

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Mr Hirt said Bristol - along with several other English cities - once had a thriving sector producing the alcoholic drink.

The drink is not the first whisky the firm has produced but is the first it is releasing, he revealed.

He said that by law it must spend three years and a day in a cask.

The distillery said there is already is a "boom" in the whisky market

The drink has been aged in an ex-bourbon cask for 37 months to produce 500 bottles.

Around 80% of these have already been allocated and the rest are being sold via the firm's website.