What is the Lakes Distillery?

The Lakes Distillery is a Cumbrian whisky distillery near Bassenthwaite Lake, on the north-west edge of the Lake District. Known particularly for its sherry-led single malt whiskies, it also produces a range of popular gins and vodkas and houses its own excellent bistro and shop. With the waters of the Lake District flowing nearby, this whisky distillery has built itself up a world-wide reputation since it was established in 2011.

History of the Lakes Distillery

Still a new player in the whisky field, the Lakes Distillery was established in 2011 by Paul Currie. Having worked with Scotch whisky for many years, Currie was nonetheless drawn to England and in particular to the Lake District for its pure waters and spectacular scenery.

Finding a perfect location

Starting his hunt for the perfect location, Currie had certain requirements to fulfil. He needed land, suitable buildings that could be converted, and a good water supply. It took over a year to find somewhere, but he eventually came across a run-down former dairy farm close to the popular Lake District town of Keswick. There were plenty of buildings ripe for conversion, including an all-important barn with tall ceilings that could cope with the size of the stills.

Truly Cumbrian renovation

However, it wasn’t a case of just moving in. The farm was 160 years old and had been left empty for the last 20 years. Some serious renovation was needed. On top of that, the required funds had to be raised – no easy task. But with the support of big names in whisky, such as Dr Alan Rutherford (a former head of global whisky production at Diageo) and Cumbrian-born master stillman Chris Anderson, plus the likes of Michelin star chef Terry Laybourne, the necessary money was eventually secured. In 2014, work could finally start in earnest.

But Currie wasn’t content to just tear the down the beautiful buildings and rebuild them as quickly as possible. He was in the Lake District and he wanted to remain true to that. So the buildings remained standing and the renovation was carried out with the use of materials from Cumbria itself. Even the local green slate tiles already on the roofs were carefully removed, cleaned, and replaced. The result was a beautifully refreshed building that completely retained the character of the local area.

The first launch

Even before the buildings were ready, the team at the Lakes Distillery began to make a name for themselves. In the autumn of 2013, they launched The One, the first ever British Isles blend of whiskies from across the UK. It was an immediate success, so they already had a great reputation by the time the distillery opened in late 2014.

Distilling the whisky

While waiting for their first whisky to mature, the team cracked on creating a super-premium gin and a triple-distilled vodka. The gin in particular was a obvious choice. British juniper – the key ingredient in gin – is from Cumbria, and half of the 14 botanicals used in the The Lakes Gin are also from the county.

Distillation of the first whiskey, The Lakes Malt Genesis, had begun even before the doors were opened, in August 2014. Lightly peated, it was similar to highland whiskies and launched in 2018, following the slow process that is required for good whisky distilling. The first bottle of The Lakes Malt sold for a record-breaking £7,900 at auction.

Lakes Distillery Awards

The Lakes Distillery has been showered with awards ever since it produced its first blended whisky. From customer experience to gold ratings for its produce, their impressive range of accolades covers all aspects of the business.

Multiple awards have been won on an almost-annual basis at the Global Distillery Masters since 2017; Visit England have recognised them for their tours; and they have even won worldwide awards at the World Liqueur Awards, World Whiskies Awards and International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Most recently, The Whiskymaker’s Editions Infinity received a gold award at the 2023 International Spirits Challenge following an in-depth blind assessment from an experienced panel of judges. The One whisky also received gold at the 2023 Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition, Asia’s largest whisky and spirit exhibition. Not only that, but the prestigious competition awarded them title of the world’s “Best Distillery of the Year”.

Lakes Distillery Whiskies

Lakes Distillery has an interesting selection of whiskies, many of which use experimental methods that are restricted in the production of Scotch whisky (which requires whisky to be distilled in oak barrels). That means that subtle influences of flavour create unique blends that are distinctive of this particular distillery.

On the 7th of September 2019, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve single malt whisky was unveiled. Part of a series that defines the distillery’s house style, the whiskies from this collection remain a favourite to this day.

In contrast to the house style, a collection of art-inspired whiskies known as The Whiskymaker’s Editions offer exciting and surprising notes. From the landscape of Andalusia in the Soleado to the Himalayan mountains of the Iris, this collection plays with flavours from across the world.

The Whiskymaker’s Editions are our current favourite offering from Lakes Distillery and you can find each quirky bottle in our online whisky store.