A shot of whisky revives old pub
THE Cat and Fiddle pub in the Cheshire Peak District is now the highest altitude distillery in the UK after the building was brought back to life by English malt whisky.
The famous pub, which sits on the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton, dates back to 1813, and was for many years a popular stop off.
But between 2015 and 2020, the landmark building cut a forlorn figure as it was closed down and stood empty.
Now the building is reopened and refurbished and the first single malt whisky will be poured from the barrels and bottled this year.
Forest Distillery was started by husband and wife team Karl and Lindsay Bond who make their gin at a premises in Macclesfield Forest. When they decided that they needed bigger premises in order to branch out into whisky distilling, the derelict Cat and Fiddle’s high altitude meant the couple were excited about what they could produce there.
Tom Ottley, from Forest Distillery, said: “The Japanese are famed for distilling whiskey at altitude. They’re all up in the mountains but unfortunately, we don’t have mountains to play with. We’ve got this beautiful countryside and the Peak District.
“So we’re currently distilling at 1,685ft above sea level. When you distil at altitude, alcohol will boil at different temperatures so it means that you can extract more alcohol from it and make more flavour, which is key.”
“Our main purpose for us is to make English single malt whisky using Cheshire malts produced over in Knutsford.
“Then we are introducing the water from 90m beneath our feet from us, from the natural well below the Cat and Fiddle, combining those all together using natural yeasts and distillers yeast to help ferment this beautiful spirit and age it in English oak barrels.”
When Karl and Lindsey went to look around in 2019, the building was falling apart.
So they crowd-funded to raise £50,000 in order to refurbish the pub.
Now there is a shop in the front of the Cat and Fiddle selling drinks and local produce. There is also a bar area as well as an events and tour space.
The distillery is around the back of the premises with barrels of whisky ageing for three years in the cellar.
At present Forest Distillery makes two gins and a blended whisky, but the single malt will be ready in October.