Imagine growing up within a stone’s throw from the world’s most celebrated and influential whisky-making nation, but having to travel to the other side of the globe to finally discover a deep passion for whisky.
Recently wed couple Abbie and Chris Jaume might have once considered this idea ludicrous. Yet, as bizarre as it sounds, that is precisely what led them to a life of mashing and distilling amid the undulating landscape of the Howardian Hills and the bucolic beauty of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
About a decade ago, Chris had just fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming an architect while Abbie was pursuing a career in biomedical science that involved spending most of her time peering through a microscope. “I loved the science part, but I didn’t like being stuck in the lab. I got really depressed. We just couldn’t see ourselves in those careers long term,” she recalls.
In their late 20s, with no children or a mortgage tying them down, the couple left behind their stable careers and purchased a one-way ticket to Tasmania, Australia’s southernmost island. Joining a help exchange programme, they traded their labour for room and board and, in their spare time, soon discovered a vibrant and excitingly unconventional whisky scene.
“I messaged Ben [Ellefsen] and Justin [Petszaft] at Master of Malt, who I used to do some designing work for, saying I was going to visit Sullivans Cove Distillery,” says Chris. “I offered to write a blog and take a few pictures in exchange for some expenses and they accepted. We ended up spending this bizarre double life where we would fruit pick during the week and drive out to the distilleries all across the island on the weekend. Some really thought we were whisky experts, but we were just two backpackers.”
With each excursion, a clear pattern started to emerge. Tassie whisky makers were primarily artisans, steering small, independent distilleries driven by their passion for crafting liquids they personally enjoyed drinking. Unlike the traditionalism they were accustomed to south of the Scottish border, the unconventional approach and varied background of these distillers resonated deeply with the Jaumes. “There was a guy at one of the distilleries we visited… We asked how [he] got there and it turned out he was a backpacker who found that job on Gumtree,” says Abbie. “He didn’t have a degree [in distilling]. He just learned on the job. That’s when the penny dropped. I thought, ‘I want to do what you are doing right now.’”

With Chris’ background in design and architecture, and with Abbie’s scientific expertise, the couple came to realise that their dream of establishing a craft distillery wasn’t as far-fetched as they had initially thought. While in Tasmania, they honed their business management skills and received training in distilling. Once back in Yorkshire, they took the first steps towards realising their vision. They set up Cooper King Distillery in the old stables of Abbie’s family home, their experience in Tasmania destined to significantly influence all aspects of their work.
“We’ve been chasing those Tassie flavours since the very beginning,” says Abbie, explaining that they chose to use Warminster’s floor-malted Maris Otter barley to capture the bold character of the whiskies they encountered on their journeys. “It gives low alcohol yield and is very expensive, but flavour-wise, it’s exceptional.” They also developed a distinctive new-make spirit whose profile would contribute to the final product’s character. “Their [Tasmania’s] new makes were mind-blowingly delicious in their own rights,” says Chris. “When we came back we tried many but virtually none were as mind blowing, so we spent a lot of time getting our new make to the point we are super happy with it.”
Available to buy bottled at 47% ABV, Cooper King’s new make does indeed burst with character. It is fruit driven, with hints of both pomaceous and tropical fruits, offering a clean palate with notes of mango and cream, along with a fiery kick and undertones of pear and spices. There is a subtle grassiness, complemented by chamomile, blossom, and a touch of bread crust, with hints of coriander and cardamom adding complexity. The finish is rich with fruit and spices, lingering long. It is a delightful sipper on its own and a fantastic base for cocktails, too.
The maturation of this flavourful new make takes place in a diverse array of casks, from classic ex-bourbon barrels to red wine casks and even casks that formerly held agave-based spirit. Following their experience in Tasmania, most of these barrels are smaller than industry standards, with capacities ranging from 50 to 125 litres.
Abbie and Chris’ distinctive 900-litre Tasmanian copper pot still is another tangible reminder of their Australian experience. An imposing, idiosyncratic feature dominating the distillery’s compact production area, the still was shipped all the way from Tasmania alongside a cask of Apera, Australia’s sherry-style fortified wine. This cask played a pivotal role in Cooper King’s first whisky bottling, a Tassie-style liquid that was exclusively released to its crowdfunding supporters.

Further adding to its distinctiveness, Cooper King’s still is coated with an innovative insulating paint, the same type used by NASA to safeguard space rocket tips from heat damage during re-entry into the atmosphere. Remarkably thin at just 3mm, this coating is highly effective. Even when the still operates at 100°C, a hand can be comfortably placed on its surface without risk of burning. While it is undeniably efficient, contributing to a 21 per cent reduction in energy usage, the coating alters the still’s aesthetic, covering its shiny copper with a lava-like dark grey layer — a compromise the Jaumes don’t mind living with. “We discovered that many traditional distilleries use it, but only where you can’t see it because they don’t want to lose the visual effect of the copper,” Chris explains. “Copper is nice and shiny, but now that we know that this insulating material exists, just doing the undersides is a bit… you know… We did fear a bit of a backlash from visitors, but as soon as we explain why it’s there, people say that it makes perfect sense. If you want to stay true to your environmental values, then you just cover the whole thing.”
An environmentally focused ethos is another hallmark the Jaumes brought back from their time in Australia, one that has guided their decision-making process from the outset.
“When we were there, we saw the impact of the wildfires. We were so frightened, we had never been so close to someone’s life being turned upside down. You can lose everything in a second,” says Abbie. “We also spent some time snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef and saw how much of it had been bleached. Seeing how much it was being destroyed really stuck with us and got us thinking [about] how we could have a positive impact with our business.”
Abbie and Chris’ commitment to protecting the environment is demonstrated through sustainable energy usage — since the first distillation in 2018, the distillery has been powered entirely by renewable energy — and it involves active support of woodland creation and wildflower habitat restoration initiatives. Coopers King’s partnership with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust serves as a conduit for achieving these environmental objectives, as well as to fund apprenticeships aimed at empowering young individuals to stay and work in rural areas.

“We see a lot of young people leaving rural areas. Some young people might want to get involved in conservation initiatives but don’t have the necessary skills and these apprenticeships bridge the gap [between them and the charities],” says Chris. “If we sell as much whisky as we think, we can fund one entire apprentice each year.”
Last October, the Jaumes marked the release of their inaugural whisky, First Edition: Fruit + Spice, claimed as England’s first ‘net-zero-energy whisky’. Limited to fewer than 600 bottles, Cooper King’s first publicly available expression (48.1% ABV) was crafted from a blend of liquids sourced from six small oak casks, including ex-bourbon, refill sherry, ex-red wine, and ex-Cognac. For this first glimpse into their craft, the team opted for a delicate flavour profile that could appeal to whisky enthusiasts while not intimidating newcomers. The liquid has a refreshing burst of apple and crisp citrus notes to it, complemented by warmer hints of candied citrus peel, vanilla, and toffee. The palate is lively and invigorating, with a pronounced toasty character and subtle herbal and spicy undertones, leading to a gentle syrupy finish.
The second public release, dubbed Transatlantic (48% ABV), arrived in April 2024. It is the result of a blend of ex-red wine, refill bourbon, and ex-malt whisky casks. In contrast to the elegant restraint of the previous release, this liquid has a more assertive and powerful character. The nose presents abundant cocoa and toasted notes, alongside jammy red cherry aromas. On the palate, it boasts a luxuriously rich profile, featuring vanilla, winter spices, and butterscotch flavours.
Following Transatlantic, more whiskies will be released at regular intervals. Abbie and Chris do not plan to prioritise consistency across their bottlings. Flavours and aromas will vary between releases, but each creation is expected to carry the adventurous, unconventional spirit that first ignited Cooper King Distillery.