Aedda’s Farm Distillery in Buckinghamshire is not just another new name in English spirits. The project represents more than £1.5 million of investment into the local economy, but its ambitions stretch far beyond money. The team behind Aedda’s wants to prove that spirits can be rooted in history, grown through sustainable farming, and shaped by a community that has worked the land for centuries.
Recently, I sat down with Nathan Reed, co-founder of Aedda’s Farm Distillery, to find out what makes the distillery stand out in a sea of up-and-coming English whisky distilleries.
A Name with History
The name Aedda’s Farm Distillery comes from the Domesday Book. The farm on which the distillery now stands has been worked for centuries, and its history shaped the choice of name.
Nathan Reed, co-founder and managing director, explained: “The farm, which is now called Adstock Fields Farm, has been there since before the Domesday Book. In the Domesday Book they named their land Eades. It has a bit of a connection with the original name, but also it means it has a connection with the Old English words for ‘ancestors’ and ‘forefathers’. Because the farm has always existed in this area, it was nice to feel that we had some connection with its origins.”
That sense of heritage is central to Aedda’s Farm Distillery. The name anchors the distillery to its roots while pointing forward to a future where farming and spirits are closely linked. In fact, Nathan sees farming and spirits as explicitly linked and is passionate about producing sustainable spirit at Aedda’s Farm.
Regenerative Spirit: Farming for the Future
Aedda’s Farm Distillery is being built with regenerative agriculture at its core. The aim is to make the soil healthier for the next generation while producing the grains that will one day become whisky and other spirits.
Nathan Reed described it as stewardship rather than short-term gain. “Regenerative farming is becoming the way that we want to choose to operate every day on the farm. The focus is on making the soil healthy for future generations. So one day in a few hundred years, when somebody else is still farming on this land, they can think about who used to farm on it hundreds of years ago.”
One of the main methods is polycropping. Beans are planted alongside grains, putting nitrogen back into the soil and reducing the need for fertiliser. The beans are then repurposed through composting to support soil health. By-products from distillation will also be used for animal feed or recycled in ways that suit the farm’s natural landscape.
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Nathan is clear that this is not a marketing exercise. “It isn’t just about the grain to glass. It is more the actual land to glass that’s important. People can experience that, and we can educate on that, which is quite nice.”
From Orchard and Fields to Bottle
Unlike many distilleries that buy in grain, Aedda’s Farm Distillery grows its own. The farm-to-glass approach means the spirits will reflect the land and the seasons as much as the distilling process.
Before whisky production begins, the team has already experimented with fruit from the farm. Plum liqueurs made from single-variety wild plums have been their first release. Nathan said: “We were able to showcase the expressions of each plum quite nicely, and that has been such an eye opener for us. If plums can do this, what can grains and other fruits do as part of that?”
This experimental spirit carries through to the grains. Aedda’s Farm Distillery has trialled different varieties to see what grows best in Buckinghamshire’s clay-heavy soils. Nathan sees this as a chance to create whiskies that stand apart.
He explained: “We’ve got some unique opportunities with certain grains that whiskies are not necessarily being made from. The idea of doing a three-grain whisky might be quite a fun experiment.”
The aim is to produce a light, fruit-forward single malt alongside grain spirits that capture the flavour of the fields themselves. Flexibility and innovation are part of the plan.
Building Community Alongside Spirits
The distillery is not only about spirits. It is also designed to bring life back to the farm and support the wider rural community.
Nathan explained that this vision comes from fellow founder Jo, whose family has long run the farm. “Originally when Jo was a young lad, the farm had a lot of life in it. There were people living on the farm who worked on the farm, and there was a community really around it. When Jo returned, it had lost a little bit of that. Now he is looking to add that human element back in.”
Aedda’s Farm Distillery is investing over £1.5 million in the project. The goal is to create at least five new jobs in the next three years, ranging from distillers to visitor experience staff. Nathan also hopes apprenticeships will follow.
What sets it apart is the mix of roles. “It’s not just your basic nine-to-five. You’re here to distil, but who knows, maybe one day you’re herding cows or you’re picking fruit. We’re here to support each other through it all.”
The team is also working with young farmers to offer education in both regenerative agriculture and distilling. In Nathan’s words, the distillery is as much about building a community as it is about building spirits.
A Voice in the English Whisky Movement
Aedda’s Farm Distillery is preparing to join a growing community of English whisky makers. Part of that growth includes the proposed English Whisky GI, which would set standards and protect the category.
Nathan sees it as a positive step. “As a distillery, we will fall squarely within the GI. I think it is a vital opportunity to help protect young and emerging English whisky. The GI will provide that level of legal protection and help consumers understand what English whisky is.”
He believes the proposal also strikes the right balance between rules and innovation. “I think our GI that’s being proposed offers flexibility to distilleries both that exist and will be coming up. If it’s done right, it gives a bit more credibility to a global audience.”
For Aedda’s Farm Distillery, the ambition is clear. The focus is on quality and on showing that sustainability and innovation can go hand in hand. Nathan summed it up: “You don’t have to choose between quality and sustainability. It can all come in one.”
Looking Ahead: Founders Club and Visitor Experiences
Later in 2025, Aedda’s Farm Distillery will open its visitor centre, giving people the chance to experience the farm, the distilling process, and the English countryside in one place. Guided tours will show how the land shapes the spirits before visitors taste the results.
An exclusive Founders Club will also launch, offering early supporters a first look at the distillery as it develops. Members will gain privileged access to the expanding range of small-batch spirits.
Nathan and the team hope that this combination of openness, education, and innovation will build lasting ties with both the local community and spirit lovers across England.
Aedda’s Farm Distillery is still young, but its approach is clear. Rooted in history, guided by regenerative farming, and committed to quality, it is setting out to redefine what English whisky can be on a small scale.
