High Peak Distillery works from the restored Wire Works building in Ambergate, a 19th‑century site once central to Britain’s telegraph and wire‑making industry. The original brick structures and riverside setting remain intact, giving the distillery a clear link to the area’s engineering past while providing a practical, quietly characterful home for small‑batch whisky production. That sense of place carries through their approach: traditional stills, careful cask work, and a focus on clean, well‑defined spirit.

Necessary Evil is our favourite of the range, matured in barrels from the nearby Thornbridge brewery’s imperial stout. The whisky picks up dark malt tones, cocoa, roasted grain, and a touch of dried fruit, all sitting over the distillery’s bright, cereal‑driven character. The stout influence adds depth without weight, giving a finish that’s warm, malty, and slightly chocolate‑edged.