Samuel Gulliver named official English Rugby whisky

Sports organisation the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has appointed English brand Samuel Gulliver & Co as the official whisky of England Rugby.

Samuel Gulliver & Co has signed a long-term international licensing agreement with the rugby organisation, through which the whisky brand will release a range of rugby-themed English single malts.

“This is the first time we’ve licensed an official whisky of England Rugby, and Samuel Gulliver & Co as an independent bottler of premium English whisky are a perfect partner,” said Tom Heeks, licensing manager at the RFU.

The first bottling in the new collection is England’s No.6, a six-year-old expression that has been finished in ex-rum casks. The single malt was produced at St George’s Distillery in Norfolk, and was inspired by England players including Charles ‘Cherry’ Pillman, Dick Greenwood, Mickey Skinner and Richard Hill.

Priced at £69 (US$91.82), the whisky will be available through pre-release allocation to RFU members in December before becoming more widely available in 2022.

Samuel Gulliver & Co was founded in 2019, inspired by the UK wine and spirits merchant of the same name which operated from 1747 to 1957.

“We are truly delighted and honoured that an English brand such as ours with a history going back over 200 years, has teamed up with such an iconic sporting organisation as England Rugby,” said Stuart Gulliver, director of Samuel Gulliver & Co and direct descendant of the original wine and spirits merchant’s founder.

Last year, the brand’s Gulliver’s 47 English Single Malt Bourbon Cask earned a Master medal in our World Whisky Masters blind-tasting competition.