There was a time when words such as handcrafted, small batch and limited-edition actually meant something. These days, they’re liberally splashed across whisky bottles and have become largely meaningless. Unless the bottle itself provides the answers, in the form of meaningful details and numbers, these terms are increasingly little more than marketing bumph.

One distillery that can genuinely lay claim to its handcrafted credentials, on its bottles and otherwise, and one that exudes tradition, transparency and integrity in abundance, is the Derbyshire based White Peak Distillery. Founded in 2016 by Max and Claire Vaughan, the distillery is rooted in its unique heritage, with a focus firmly on flavour and a deep pride in its Derbyshire provenance.

A true craft distillery in every sense of the word, White Peak has brought genuine excitement and energy to the English whisky category over the past few years, as well as to the wider whisky world. It proudly demonstrates that English whisky isn’t simply playing catch-up with Scotch whisky; it has its own identity, its own character and crucially, its own sense of dramming adventure!

Recently, I was thrilled to get acquainted with a couple of the latest releases from their multi-award-winning Wire Works range: Caduro X, released to celebrate White Peak’s 10th anniversary, and Calvados Arrivée, which showcases how the distillery’s spirit interacts and interplays with different cask types.

Wire Works Caduro X
Single Malt English Whisky
46.8% ABV – RRP £75.00

Matured in a combination of first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and the distillery’s signature STR (shaved, toasted and re-charred) casks.

Nose: It opens with bursts of tropical fruit before moving into baked apples, vanilla, orange zest, tinned strawberries and mixed spice. There’s also a creamy sweetness, with more than a hint of crème brûlée. Toasted oak sits underneath, bringing a gentle dryness, while delicate wisps of smoke hover in the background.

Palate: Those tropical fruits come charging back, along with more baked apples, orange zest and caramelised sweetness. The STR casks bring their own influence, adding spice and richness, while the Bourbon barrels provide a vivacious vanilla character.

Finish: Long, lingering, warm and very satisfying, with toasted oak, baked fruit, mixed spice and that gentle smoke echoing in the background.

Summary: A cracking 10th anniversary release. Fruity, spicy, creamy and gently smoky, with the sort of balance that makes the bottle disappear considerably faster than one might have intended.

Wire Works Calvados Arrivée
Single Malt English Whisky
49.2% ABV – RRP £71.00

Initially matured in ex-Bourbon barrels before being finished for three years in first-fill Calvados casks.

Nose: You’re immediately greeted by green apples, vanilla custard, cut grass, icing sugar, dried raspberries and baking spices. The nasal niceties then continue with the arrival of wine gums, honeycomb and a creamy white-chocolate note that adds something very Milkybar-esque to proceedings.

Palate: Green apples, vanilla, toffee, honeycomb, white chocolate and baking spices mingle beautifully, with the Calvados influence bringing an added fresh orchard character to the whisky. Delicate smoke provides just enough contrast to the apple and vanilla sweetness, giving the whisky just enough of a balancing backbone.

Finish: Long and lush, with apple, spice, honey and gentle oak, while that subtle smoke lingers elegantly in the background.

Summary: An absolute stunner of a release that not only exudes White Peak’s signature DNA, but also demonstrates the versatility and quality of its spirit, as well as its top-notch approach to cask management.

The English whisky category has exploded with energy in recent years, but White Peak has been one of the distilleries bringing genuine excitement and credibility to the party. These latest releases are proof, if proof were needed, that they are still very much knocking it out of the park, and I can’t wait to see what they have up their dramming sleeves next!