‘The Cheshire’ Single Malt English Whisky from Weetwood #Blog

Victoria Hayes
23rd September 2022

Driven by a love of single malt and their many years brewing ales with malted barley, in 2018, Weetwood began distilling on a 400-ltr copper pot still and started laying down new make spirit to mature into what they believe is Cheshire’s first Single Malt Whisky. The First Release will be ready in early Autumn 2022.

Weetwood, Cheshire’s distillery wanted to challenge the belief that a good single malt needs to be produced in Scotland and requires 10 years’ aging. They’ve therefore gone to great lengths, at every stage of the production process – a journey of many years – to generate flavour and character.

Every aspect of the process is all done on site in the heart of rural Cheshire.  Starting with a tonne of English malted barley, they mash this with soft Cheshire water, pitch yeast and slowly ferment. The result is 4,000 litres of ‘wash’ which is gently distilled to create a creamy, new make spirit. This is then laid down to mature in casks for at least 3 years. Cask choice is critical and they use smaller, specially prepared American oak, Scrapped Toasted Re-charred quarter casks and store them in different environments at the rural site to enable aging by our seasons – cold winters, warm summers. Losses to ‘angel’s share’ are significant, but the character the spirit picks up is worth it.

+

+

+

Weetwood are learning about the variables – the impacts of different malts, yeasts, distilling cuts, cask types and sizes, maturation abv and environments; about blending. They will release several expressions over the first few years, reflecting the progress and showcasing these variables.

Their branding and packaging is suitably premium and reflects our county’s history, landscape and buildings. Cheshire has a history of evolution, renewal, and innovation – from dairy farming, cheese making and salt mining to pottery, silk and being at the forefront of the industrial revolution. Weetwood whisky reflects this history of evolution. Not to mimic what’s gone before, but to be inspired by it. They’ve pulled on the timeless traditions of whisky making for inspiration, but they are not held back by them. Weetwood have created their own unique, Cheshire Single Malt English Whisky.

The First Release is already bursting with fruit and vanilla character and is being finished in combinations of European oak Port, Sauterne, Red Wine and Madeira casks to add depth of flavour. It will be 46% ABV, they will not chill-filter before bottling and they will not add caramel colouring.

To Order your own bottle of this historic Whisky get in touch with Weetwood today