Weetwood's Cheshire single malt comes of age

Weetwood has long been a name that Cheshire drinkers trust at the bar. These days, the Kelsall business is just as likely to be found in a whisky glass, as its single malt, The Cheshire, continues to mature into one of the county's most talked-about drinks.

The story began modestly. Weetwood Ales started out in a barn in 1992 and has since grown into a modern 30-barrel brewery close to Kelsall, producing the cask and bottled beers that have made it a familiar sight in pubs across the region. Alongside the brewery, it now distils its own spirits from grain on a purpose-built site designed with sustainability in mind.

Whisky was a passion project for founder Phil McLaughlin and head brewer Pete Glover. The pair set out to create a spirit that would carry the county's name, with production getting under way at the Kelsall site in 2019 and the first single malt released in 2022.

The Cheshire is distilled from English malted barley, matured in American oak casks and finished in European oak before being bottled at 46 per cent. More recently, the distillery has marked a milestone with a five-year-old expression, its first age statement, released in a limited run of 1,333 bottles.

Whisky is not the only new chapter. Recent projects have included the launch of Weetwood Pilsner, the relaunch of its award-winning Cheshire Vodka and trials of a hazy New England-style IPA named Turncoat, showing that the team is as keen to experiment as it is to honour its traditional ales.

The recognition has followed. Weetwood has been named Drinks Producer of the Year by Taste Cheshire and was a finalist in the Local Food and Drink Producer category of the 2025 Cheshire Muddy Stiletto Awards.

For visitors, the best way to experience it all is at the Weetwood Tap, the brewery's taproom and shop, where the full range of beers and spirits is on offer, including what Weetwood describes as Cheshire's first single-malt whisky. It makes a fine reward after a walk on the nearby Sandstone Trail or around Delamere Forest.

Weetwood Ales and Distillery is based near Kelsall, between Chester and Tarporley. Find out more at weetwoodales.co.uk.