The Lakes Distillery Single Malt Whisky

The Lakes Distillery is a relatively new English single malt whisky producer located in England's scenic Lake District. Founded in 2011 by Paul Currie (co-founder of Isle of Arran Distillery), the company launched "The One" blended whisky in 2013 while waiting for their own spirit to mature, sourcing from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. In 2014, the distillery relocated to a historic 1850s farm within Lake District National Park, installing bespoke McMillan copper pot stills for whisky and smaller stills for gin/vodka. The brand's defining figure is Master Whisky Maker Dhavall Gandhi, who joined in December 2016. Born in India and formerly a finance professional with Ernst & Young, Gandhi discovered his passion after visiting Kentucky distilleries. He earned a postgraduate degree from Heriot-Watt University, worked at Heineken, and served as Master Blender at The Macallan before taking the creative risk of joining the then-unknown Lakes Distillery for complete production control. Under Gandhi's direction, the first single malt launched in September 2019. Today, 80-90% of their whisky matures in various ex-sherry casks, creating a non-peated, fruit-forward style reminiscent of Speyside while expressing Lake District terroir. The Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, is England's premier mountain and lake region, home to Scafell Pike, Wastwater, and Windermere—a landscape that profoundly shapes the distillery's identity.