Max Vaughan
Founder
With a life-long passion for whisky inherited from his Dad, Max wanted to build a distillery to produce authentic English whisky and establish a destination to celebrate the craft of distilling. A few years down the road, White Peak is established, the first whisky has come of age, and Max heads up a growing team.
Max’s White Peak drink of choice is Wire Works Bourbon Barrel, neat, cask strength, no ice.
Claire Vaughan
Founder
After 20 years as a teacher, Claire re-trained as an interior designer, whilst developing an interest and passion for whisky. She has lived and breathed the Distillery alongside Max from the outset, driving the White Peak vision of becoming Derbyshire’s very first craft Distillery. Claire takes care of the White Peak brand, packaging design and marketing & advertising alongside the many other things that come with growing a start-up business.
Claire’s favourite White Peak spirit is Wire Works Over Smoke Whisky. Neat, no ice.
Dave Symes
Distillery Manager
Originally from Derbyshire, Dave found his passion for distilling via a degree in physics, followed by several years working in a local pub and micro-brewery. Having joined the business in Feb 2018, Dave has been a key part of the team for every drop of whisky we’ve ever made, and oversees the production of all our spirits.
Dave’s favourite White Peak tipple is Wire Works Alter Ego Whisky, neat.
Sarah Mangan
Distiller
After a career in health and safety, Sarah studied distilling theory with the IBD. She’s now been learning the craft hands-on with us since mid-2021. Sarah’s a real whisky lover and collector, and she’s passionate about making it too – she’s always saying that being a distiller is the best job in the world.
Sarah particularly enjoys a neat Wire Works Whisky, in a good chunky, weighty whisky glass.
Tom Lindsey
Whisky Ambassador
Tom joined the White Peak team as Whisky Ambassador after being a longstanding supporter of the Distillery since the early days. Tom previously volunteered a lot of his time to help out in the Still House, learning about White Peak’s approach to whisky-making, and looks after our wood program and cask inventory, while building relationships with the whisky community.
Tom’s White Peak favourite is Wire Works Full Port. It has to be neat, in a nosing glass.
Richard McKeand
National Trade Sales Manager
After trying our new make spirit and a pair of two year old cask samples in 2020, Richard has been an avid fan, closely following our journey ever since. With previous industry experience managing trade accounts, Richard joins us as National Trade Sales Manager. You’ll find him from time-to-time in a whisky bar near you, glass in one hand and a story in the other.
Pushed to select just one as his favourite, Richard is going for our Wire Works Whisky Virgin Oak, neat.
Emma Merrey
Retail and Customer Service Manager
Emma manages our Distillery Shop and our online orders. She’s the main point of contact for our customers, answering enquiries and welcoming people to the shop and on tours. With her background in administration and hospitality, she provides a warm welcome and keeps our retail space well organised.
Emma’s favourite White Peak spirit is our Spiced Gin, with a premium tonic and a slice of red grapefruit
Louise Hill
Retail and Customer Service
Louise is a member of the front of house team here at White Peak Distillery. Providing a warm White Peak welcome to visitors as well as dealing with e-mail enquiries and order fulfilment for our online customers.
Ryan Coutts
Warehouse & Packaging
Ryan oversea’s the bottling and packaging of all our spirits at the distillery, along with plenty of other jobs to ensure we have bottled stock ready to leave the warehouse on time. He’s proud to have raised over 25K for the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham!
Ryan enjoys a Shining Cliff Citrus Gin with lemonade.
Dan Wells-Turner
Warehouse & Packaging
Dan’s a member of the still house team, working closely with Ryan, bottling and labelling spirits and keeping the warehouse running smoothly.
He’s a drummer and has played in bands for 8 years, and he enjoys going to live gigs and festivals.
His favourite White Peak drink is a cask aged rum with ice and coke, or the citrus gin served with lemonade.
Robin Oxley
Distillery Assistant
Robin supports our distilling team and keeps everything in good order around the still house. Skilled in taxidermy and blacksmithing, Robin brings plenty of creativity and initiative to everything he does.
He’s a whisky fan, and his favourite Wire Works release is Caduro, which he enjoys neat.
Chester
White Peak Ambassador
Chester has been a fundamental part of the White Peak journey from day one. Chester spends most of his day helping out the team in the Bunker. His strengths involve strong emotional support, particularly during our weekly staff briefing and letting us know the courier has arrived. He likes to dabble in customer service now and again, and pops over to say hello to visitors.
Favourite White Peak snack is definitely an apple core, of which he eats many!