Work-in-Progress tour of the Cat & Fiddle & Weasel
Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
Built in 1813, The Cat and Fiddle Inn has long been one of Derbyshire’s most iconic drinking establishments. Remotely set within great miles of open moorland on the winding stretch of the A537 between Buxton and Macclesfield (one of England’s most panoramic, and notoriously dangerous drives), it had a wild, romantic, Jamaica Inn type appeal that drew walkers, bikers and tourists from far and wide. When the inn closed in 2016 it became derelict, leading to near uproar. Now, it’s reopening, but in a slightly different guise; as Britain’s highest whisky distillery.
The owners of Macclesfield’s family-run Forest Distillery took the lease over in 2019 as a place to store maturing casks. However, they quickly realised that more needed to be made of this historic watering hole and launched a major crowdfunding campaign to help pay for its conversion. The newly named Cat & Fiddle & Weasel will operate not only as a distillery, but also as a pub and fancy deli, offering various forms of refreshment to weary travellers.
What makes the Cat & Fiddle & Weasel most exciting however is the tours and tastings it has recently begun offering, which provide a detailed history of the building, a behind-the-scenes look at the renovation work underway, and samples of some of the distillery’s finest whiskies. Forest is also well known for its gin and you can pick up a bottle of either poison wrapped in a handmade papercut artwork by artist Suzy Taylor from the shop.
After several years of closure, many of us are looking forward to walking back through the doors of this much-loved national treasure – and ordering a nip of something strong.
