Here we have it! The appetiser for the main course of the tour I promised: the Forest Distillery! This little distillery is a small operation out of Macclesfield, on the edge of the peak district, and wow what a journey it was! I unfortunately went on a day that started overcast and quickly became rainy and foggy, but that’s to be expected from what is Britain’s highest altitude whisky distillery! At 515 metres above sea level, the Forest Distillery makes a variety of spirits, which I got to sample a few of, before being shown the main operation!
I sampled 4 of their spirits, starting with their whisky. Forest makes 2 kinds of whisky currently, Blend 26 and Smoke Cask Finish. Blend 26 is their signature whisky, with a flavourful nosing of gentle malt, honey and hazelnut, but the main body was far gentler than the nosing let on, sweeter and more floral, though still allowing the honey to seep in.
The smoke cask finish was a similar baseline, with the nosing having a very subtle smoke influence, as is to be expected. The nosing, however, is once again deceitful, though in the opposite way to before. The smoke is far stronger on the palate than I anticipated, and isn’t the typical peat or hickory smoke most are accustomed to, but is instead an oak smoke taste. This is due to the Forest Distillery aging their whisky in fresh English oak casks that have been lightly charred, a unique cask choice, but one I really enjoy.
Next I got to sample their Earl Grey Gin. Now I am not an avid gin drinker, and moreover I am not a tea enjoyer either, so please believe me when I say this gin was divine. The nosing truly smelt like delicate earl grey tea, which worried me initially, however the palate is sweet, and the dance the earl grey does with the other floral notes and sweet nectar are simply to die for. Incredible gin to have neat, I love it.
I only got a quick sample of the rum as it was on the way out the door, however I tasted immediately that it was cask aged. I wish I got more of a chance to sample it properly because as is I only got my initial hit, which unfortunately leaves it feeling a little flat in my memory. Again, this is likely due to not having enough time to properly sample it as we were already running over on time, however I would ideally say it would benefit from a smidge of dunder, though that is just my opinion.
Once the tour started properly I got to see the main distilling operation, in which they use a wooden holding vat and mash tun! These are very rare to see nowadays, especially in such a small distillery, but I love these! They impart such a unique flavour to any spirit that passes through them, and Forest uses these bad boys for their whisky, which is likely what helps impart it’s signature flavour and delicacy!
The cellar was interesting also, being a cramped, dank place full of shining casks, proudly aging in their small underground home. I really did like the feeling of this area, it was small and damp, but it felt how a traditional cellar should feel and was a joy to venture through, not to mention seeing all the expressions that Forest will have coming down the pipeline!
Overall, would I recommend going to Forest? Absolutely, the staff were all amazing, especially my guide for the day Zsofia Denk who’s true passion for the work done here shone through with every word she said. I did pick up a few things, including a bottle and a few samples for future reviews where I can dive into the flavour profiles more deeply than I did here. They even sell refills for bottles and new make whisky, in case you’re interested in trying that, along with a myriad of other cool stuff! Please do visit Forest, especially because the spirits and tours are quite cheap for the quality you get out of it! You might even get a pin like I did if you give it a review!
This post’s recommended song is: “High Love” – Racing Glaciers
