Bewitched by Pendle Witch Distillery
Introduction
In the heart of Lancashire, nestled in the shadow of Pendle Hill, you'll find an enchanting distillery. An innovative master distiller has drawn inspiration from witches and created American moonshine that is sure to put a spell on you. Join us on a journey as we delve into the magical world of Pendle Witch Distillery.
David turned his hand to moonshine because of his father. He and his father were fans of the Discovery Channel’s tv show Moonshiners.
Pendle Witch Distillery is the first of its kind in the region, an exquisite craft of whisky, gin and vodka maker that has only just opened. To be entirely accurate, as I write, they haven’t yet had their grand opening. We were the very first people to take the tour. The pristine fermentation tanks were holding their first whisky batch with bourbon casks waiting to be filled.
Our tour guide to Pendle Witch Distillery was the master distiller himself. David turned his hand to moonshine because of his father. He and his father were fans of the Discovery Channel’s tv show Moonshiners. While David’s dad had always wanted to make whisky and after his passing, David made it his mission to make his father’s dream his mission.
And that dream distillery he and his father had once dreamed off, would have to be called Pendle Witch Distillery.
David bought a small copper still and started experimenting with making spirits in his garden shed. If you’re fortunate enough to take the Pendle Witch Distillery tour, you’ll see the original still in on display.
A heating engineer by trade, David built his second larger still to refine the process and improve his ‘shine. His second still, which is also on display, looks like one you’d see on an episode of Moonshiners. If you look closely, atop of the onion is a pointed cone, which looks like a rimless witch hat.
Limited by the shape of his garden shed, David developed the conical shape to aid in the condensation process instead of using a much taller neck. A clever solution, which he quickly patented. According to David, it was the first new patent to a still since the 1920s.
When trying to come up with a name for his invention, he took inspiration from local lore of the Pendle Witches and called it the witch’s hat. And that dream distillery he and his father had once dreamed off, would have to be called Pendle Witch Distillery.
Using a low and slow process, David honed his skills and experimented with making the perfect mash for his grain-based moonshine. He started passing ground vodkas and flavored whiskies to his friends and family. They were more than willing to be taste-testers for his latest bewitching concoctions.
A dark rich color with smells of raisins and burnt caramel.
If you ask David if he was being a proper moonshiner and selling his liquor, you might get the truth or just a cheeky smile. All we know is we had the pleasure of tasting his moonshine was pure magic!
A dark rich color with smells of raisins and burnt caramel. It embodies the spirit of Pendle, with notes of vanilla, spice, stone fruit, and a hint of cocoa nib. Truly tantalizing and one we can’t wait to see matured to a properly aged whisky.
Fast forward four years, David’s set up shop and even bought out Ribblevalley gin. In his barn distillery, he has two Kohn stills complete with copper witches’ hats. On Halloween night 2023, David ran their very first batch of legal whisky.
Pendle Witch Distillery opens later this month. You can take a tour of the distillery or pop by and visit their shop and pick up a bottle of moonshine, vodka, or gin. For more information, visit... https://pendlewitchdistillery.com.
You can also check out our Trip advisor review here: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g503937-d26816907-Reviews-Pendle_Witch_Distillery-Clitheroe_Lancashire_England.html.
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