James Pennefather

The Lakes Distillery

Set in the backdrop of the majestic Lake District National Park, the surroundings of The Lakes Distillery host the perfect setting for creating what we intend to be one of the world's greatest single malt whiskies. The Lakes Distillery has built up an award winning portfolio of spirits since officially being opened by HRH The Princess Royal with the Deputy Lord Lt. of Cumbria Charles in attendance in 2015. Outfitted with a world class team, the distillery is run by a number of key individuals including Whiskymaker, Dhavall Gandhi who brings an exceptional mixture distilling science, finance, and creative business strategy to The Lakes Distillery. Our founder Paul Currie, who set up the Isle of Arran whisky distillery company in 1995, alongside Alan Rutherford OBE, one of the world's leading authorities on malt whisky, and leading entrepreneur and business champion Nigel Mills CBE, make a formidable team that sets us in pursuit of single malt whisky perfection. Our portfolio of award winning spirits include single malt whisky, blended whisky, gin and vodka. Our very first single malt whisky, The Lakes Genesis, marked the start of our single malt journey. This exclusive bottling of only 101 handsigned and individually numbered bottles is just a glimpse of what The Lakes Distillery has to offer. Ninety-nine of these bottles went to auction in July of this year, with bottle #1 securing a record-breaking £7,900. This year, the distillery also released Steel Bonnets, the first ever English and Scotch blended malt whisky, crafted from exceptional malt whiskies from either side of the border. The whisky is intended to be a celebration of the people of our region and the history of the Borders. The rest of our portfolio encompasses the ONE, the ‘one and only' blended whisky from across the British Isles, the award winning Lakes Gin and Explorer Gin, The Lakes Vodka, and a range of fruity and floral gin and vodka liqueurs. We also operate a leading tourism and visitors centre, and having been voted one of the top distilleries to visit before you die (by the World Whisky Day campaign in 2018) the distillery attracts over 100,000 visitors a year, alongside the Michelin-Guide recommended Bistro at the Distillery. Set on the banks of the River Derwent, alongside Bassethwaite Lake, the distillery (winner of ‘Best Distillery Visitors Facilities three years in a row) is a unique attraction in the Lake District National Park.