Ten Years of Forest Distillery
Celebrating ten years of Forest Distillery we look back over some of the highlights which marked our first decade…
Ten years ago, Forest Distillery didn't exist. What did exist was a kitchen table in Macclesfield Forest, a small still, a lot of curiosity, and a family who loved the place they lived. In 2014, Karl and Lindsay began experimenting with distilling at home, guided as much by instinct as by research, and inspired by the landscape right outside their door. Their daughter Hattie played her part too, helping to forage wild botanicals from the forest, many of which would go on to influence the flavours that still define our spirits today.
Those early days were hands-on in every sense. Recipes were tested, adjusted, and tested again. Bottles were filled, labelled and shared with friends. What started as a passion project quickly gathered momentum, and on 16th April 2015 Forest Gin was officially registered as a private limited company. The roots of Forest Distillery were firmly planted in place.
As demand grew, so did ambition. Production moved from the kitchen table to Chambers Farm, allowing us to scale while staying true to our small-batch ethos. Our focus remained the same: spirits that reflect the forest, made with care, patience and as many natural ingredients as possible. It was around this time that we began to see our bottles appearing further afield, including on the shelves of Harvey Nichols, and through collaborations such as Avanti West Coast. Seeing something that started so modestly reach such places was both surreal and hugely encouraging.
In 2018, the name Forest Distillery was born. By then, it was clear that gin was only part of the story. Whisky was maturing quietly in the background, and other spirits were beginning to take shape. The new name reflected what we had become, and what we were growing into.
A major milestone came in 2019 when we took on the lease of the historic Cat and Fiddle Inn. Perched high in the Peak District, it became the highest altitude distillery in the UK, and a defining chapter in our journey. The site gave us the space to expand production, mature whisky properly, and welcome more people into the world of Forest Distillery. It was bold, exciting, and not without its challenges.
Then, like so many businesses, we were tested in 2020. The pandemic changed everything overnight. Plans were paused, adapted, or completely rewritten. But even in the most uncertain moments, the support from our community never disappeared. We kept going, continued creating, and found new ways to connect with the people who believed in what we were doing.
In the years that followed, we opened the Buxton Little Shop and the Pavilion, giving us places to meet customers face to face and share the story behind the spirits. Along the way, our work has been recognised with a number of awards for our gin, whisky and design. Each one has felt like a quiet nod of encouragement, a reminder that doing things the slow, thoughtful way still matters.
Which brings us to year ten.
To mark a decade of Forest Distillery, we wanted to create something truly special. The 10th Anniversary bottle is not just a spirit, but a celebration of place, creativity and collaboration. The bottle features artwork by Melanie Selstrom, whose painting captures the atmosphere, texture and soul of the forest that inspired everything in the first place. Her work felt like a perfect fit, echoing the same connection to landscape and nature that has guided us from the beginning.
This bottle is our way of saying thank you. To everyone who has bought a bottle, visited us, stocked our spirits, worked alongside us, recommended us to friends, or simply followed the journey from afar. Every conversation, every message, every shared moment has helped shape Forest Distillery into what it is today.
Ten years in, we are still family-owned, still rooted in the forest, and still excited about what's to come. Here's to the journey so far, and to everything still ahead.
