The Lakes Distillery brings out The Whiskymakers Reserve No. 1 Single Malt English Whisky

let’s begin

Created by the distillery’s Whiskymaker, Dhavall Gandhi, The Whiskymakers Reserve is an excellent single malt.

A Very British Whisky

Scotch is well known for being made in some of the most amazing settings in the world, but the Lakes are giving them a run for their money.

The Lakes Distillery has been established since 2014 and certainly rivals some Scottish producers in terms of backdrop. And with the prize winning malt they are making they are rivalling them in terms of Whisky making as well.

The distillery is headed up by Dhavall Gandhi, who has been involved in making Whisky for a long time, notably as part of the Egrinton Group and at The Macallan. If that doesn’t give him kudos in the Whisky world, nothing will.

With Gandhi at the helm, The Lakes Distillery has definitely been one to watch. They are really bringing Whisky making back to England.

The Whiskymakers Reserve No.1

An interesting derivation of the usual “Master Distiller” title, Gandhi goes by Whiskymaker. And this collection then, is the equivalent of the Distiller’s Reserve usually found at other distilleries.

Gandhi commented on the collection, saying, “Creating a new whisky requires a framework of sorts, but there must be room within it to play, to follow gut feeling and instinct.

“At The Lakes, we respect the conventions of Scotch whisky heritage but are open to a world of other influences, interpreting what we believe is right to make The Lakes Single Malt one of the finest whiskies in the world.

“We don’t believe in taking the easy option if there’s another way to add a new dimension of flavour. For The Lakes, that means not only creating flavour in the new make-spirit but also opening up more flavour possibilities throughout the journey through the entire whisky making process.”

The collection is “inspired by nature” and “an artistic exploration of maturation and blending”, which is a lot of talk for an English malt. Do they really think they can challenge Scotch that way?

The answer is, simply, yes. Despite what might sound like a lot of high chat about art and nature, this is a brilliant malt, and one that they are using to define their Whisky making from here on.

Tasting notes for The Whiskymakers Reserve No. 1

Bottle cost: £65.00

For more information and to buy The Whiskymakers Reserve No. 1 click here

This expression has been matured in Pedro Ximenez and red wine barrels, made from American, Spanish and French oak.

The nose begins with hints of cinnamon and delicate notes of vanilla and caramel. it is wonderfully sweet and the sherry notes really come through. The oak of the casks is especially good and wraps everything up nicely.

The palate is more refined. It is quite elegant and smart, with more sherry and a lot of sweet notes. Dried fruits come through. there are plenty of figs, apricot, dates and raisins. They give it a nice chewy texture against the smooth caramel.

Oak wood really shines through here and is thick and slightly charred. The caramel and vanilla seep out of it with lots of flavour. It is warming and very well done.

The finish is bold and lingering. It stays on caramel, oak wood and spices, really tempting you to have more.

This is a brilliant malt from the Lakes Distillery and we can only hope that if this is the house style, then more wonderful malts are to follow.

What do you think of the rise of English Whisky? Let us know in the comments!

Tags: Single MaltThe Lakes DistilleryThe Whiskymaker’s Reserve No. 1

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.