Rich, vibrant and wonderfully distinctive, White Peak Wire Works Pineau des Charentes brings a fascinating French wine-cask influence to the lightly peated house style of Derbyshire's White Peak Distillery.
 
The whisky begins its maturation in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred for finishing into a 500-litre Pineau des Charentes cask. Pineau des Charentes is the traditional fortified aperitif of France's Cognac region, produced by combining fresh grape must with Cognac eau-de-vie. Its naturally generous fruit and sweetness make it an intriguing partner for Wire Works' characterful English single malt.
 
The result is an indulgent meeting of peaches and cream, orange marmalade, lemon curd, white chocolate and crystallised ginger, supported by creamy vanilla, malt and a delicate thread of smoke. The first-fill bourbon maturation provides structure and sweetness, while the Pineau cask adds ripe stone fruit, citrus preserve and vinous richness.
 
Bottled at a substantial 53.6% ABV, without chill filtration or added colouring, this limited release retains excellent weight and texture while allowing the distillery's lightly peated spirit to remain clearly identifiable.
 
For drinkers who already know Wire Works, this offers a particularly interesting exploration of cask influence. For those discovering English whisky, it demonstrates just how confidently a distinctive local spirit can work with an unusual European wine cask.