Peak District whisky distillery ready to open its first barrel after ‘dramming’ up over £1 million in crowdfunder support

Co founders, Claire and Max Vaughan. Photo by Rod Kirkpatrick, F Stop Press Ltd.

The White Peak Distillery laid down its first casks in May 2018 – and three years later, the first tipple will be poured.

Cold water from the River Derwent is piped around the building to help cool the stills in a sustainable way, and now, the distillery will be able to start sampling whisky from its first casks before public release.

The distillery was set up by Max and Claire Vaughan after Max dreamt of having his own whisky distillery in Derbyshire – and they have ‘never looked back’.

Head distiller, Shaun Smith, from one of England’s newest whisky distilleries. Photo by Rod Kirkpatrick, F Stop Press Ltd.

White Peak Distillery founder Max Vaughan said online: “‘Where’ was never in doubt. Derbyshire and the Peak District were at the heart of the dream from the beginning. We just needed to find the right location which we were fortunate to do early on.

"The former Johnson & Nephew wire works by a river and in an ancient woodland is an amazing location, with a rich history, so much so that the valley in which we make our spirits was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2001.

"Everything we’ve done in the realisation of the Distillery and our spirits always comes back to our location – from the visitor experience to the yeasts we use in our whisky and the botanicals we use in our gins. Once we’d made a start we never looked back. Once we had our home, the belief and momentum started to build and continues today.”

The distillery is based at the Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ambergate, Derbyshire,

After a three-year wait, one of England’s newest whisky distilleries, housed in some of the country’s oldest factory buildings is finally ready to open its first barrels. Photo by Rod Kirkpatrick, F Stop Press Ltd.

White Peak Distillery closed a successful crowdfunding campaign after raising more than £1.2 million to help fund its costs, and the distillery is also pioneering the use of fresh, live brewers yeast in its fermentations which it collects each week from a brewery in the Peak District.

This adds unique flavour to its whisky and also ties the regions first single malt whisky to a strong brewing heritage that goes back over 200 years.

‘Wire Works’ whisky is planned for public release in October, and will be available to pre-purchase by early summer.

Visit www.whitepeakdistillery .co.uk for more information.