IT translates from the Gaelic as the “water of life” and its smell alone is enough to evoke the peaty burns and the heather-clad glens of the Scottish Highlands.

Now, in a move that will have traditionalists gagging on their cask-conditioned single malts, a Scots distiller is to begin the production of whisky in England.

To compound what many Scots will see as an act of treason, Andrew Currie, founder of the award-winning Isle of Arran distillery, intends to name one of his products “Auld Enemy”.

It is believed to be only the second whisky produced south of the border and the first by a Scotsman. The master distiller has crossed the Cheviots to launch Lakeland Distillers near Kendal, Cumbria. The traditional Highland-style distillery is housed inside a former 19th-century bobbin mill on the banks of the River Kent.

Currie, from Ayrshire, said the venture was inspired by his father Harold, a former managing director of Chivas, who first recognised the whisky making potential of the Lake District.

“He was travelling back to Scotland and noticed the mountains and the beautiful clear water,” he said. “My father saw that the conditions were ideal for whisky making and wondered why there were no distilleries there.”

Currie hopes to produce 25,000 litres of English single malt every year. Initially it will be produced using barley imported from Scotland. However, Currie has persuaded local farmers to cultivate the grain and they will begin supplying the distillery next year.

“We will be using the exact same rules and procedures as in Scotland,” he said. “It was suggested that we should come up with a unique spelling and call it whiskee, to highlight that it was from England. But I will be using the time-honoured traditional spelling of whisky because I am Scottish.”

Alongside the flagship Barley Bridge English single malt, the distillery will also produce Bootlegger Blend, English whisky blended with Scotch.

“I understand that the idea of English whisky may raise eyebrows among some traditionalists, but we are only a small distillery and there is room for everyone,” he said.

“We think that an English single malt will be popular locally as well as in America, France and Germany. However, it is fair to say that we are not expecting great sales north of the border.”

John Kaylor, chairman of the Perthshire branch of the Tartan Army, described the idea of English whisky as “sacrilege”.

“I’m sure no real Scot would touch a drop of it,” he said. “The only good thing about an English dram is that it might mean they are unable to morris dance properly.

“The English have every right to produce whisky, but they should be made to call it whiskey, like the Irish and Americans, so the whole world will know it is not the real thing.”

Ian Hudghton, a Nationalist MEP who has campaigned for the European Union to protect the term “Scotch whisky” in both English and Gaelic, was equally unimpressed. “When I heard the idea of English whisky I had to check my calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1,” he said.

“The reputation of real Scotch whisky is way above all of its rivals and English whisky won’t be in my glass any time soon. I will certainly be sticking to Scotch single malt and I suspect most connoisseurs will also be sticking with the original and best.”

Nevertheless, The Highlander Inn in the heart of Speyside, which was named the 2006 Whisky Bar of the Year, has said it will consider adding the English dram to its selection as a novelty item for tourists.

“I really can’t see there being much demand for it,” said Chris Brennan, senior barman at the hostelry in Craigellachie.

Despite the backlash from traditionalists, the Scotch Whisky Association said it would welcome a single malt produced in the territory of the auld enemy.

“The fact that countries outside of Scotland, including England, are keen to produce whisky is testament to Scotch whisky’s success around the globe,” said a spokesman.

Those wanting to sample a dram of the English single malt are in for a long wait, however.The first batch, costing £5,000 for a cask and £120 per case, is expected in 2011.

Traditional Scotch whisky has been under assault from other corners of the world. Earlier this year a Delhi court banned Golden Bottling, an Indian whisky producer based in Alwar near Jaipur, from calling one of its brands “Red Scot” or using the word “Scotch” on any of its products. The Scottish Whisky Association had estimated that as much counterfeit as real whisky was being sold in India, largely because of the high import taxes.

Whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years in Scotland before it can legally be called Scotch. However, while the law defines Scotch whisky as a drink that has been produced in a distillery in Scotland, it does not extend to whether the barley used is home-grown.

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