THE ONE WHISKY JOINS ASIAN SPIRIT ELITE 

The ONE whisky, from The Lakes Distillery has been recognised as amongst the best in the world by the prestigious Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition (HKIWSC) which revealed its 2014 winners in November, awarding The ONE a Silver Legend in the Worldwide Whiskey category.

The ONE, the first ever blend of whiskies from around the British Isles, achieved its second silver award within six months after its official launch in September 2013, making 2014 a very exciting year for The Lakes Distillery.

The annual HKIWSC awards are an industry-noted mark of quality and excellence, and provide the Asian market with the ultimate guide to purchasing wine and spirits which are sensitive to the Asian palate and cultural consumption patterns.

Products from nearly 40 countries are entered into the competition with only those of the highest quality receiving recognition. Entries are scored out of 100 and undergo a detailed level of scrutiny including double-blind tastings and technical analysis, which ensures all products are technically sound and will be of the same high quality when they reach the consumer.

Paul Currie, founder and managing director of The Lakes Distillery, said on the win: “These awards set the benchmark for quality and the vast population of consumers in Asia eagerly anticipate the results each year. Consumers view it as the guide to Asian palates and it’s a testament to the exceptional quality of our products that The ONE has been included.

“Our lovingly crafted spirit is now listed alongside the Asian wine and spirit world’s top brands, which is where we feel it deserves to be.”

Production of The Lakes Single Malt, The Lakes Gin and The Lakes Vodka are underway and the distillery is gearing up to open Bistro at The Lakes, distillery tours and the shop to the public in mid-December.

More information about the Lakes Distillery is available at http://www.lakesdistillery.com/e-brochure/

More information abbot The Bistro at The Lakes is available at: www.lakesdistillery.com/en/bistro-and-bar  

Notes: 

The ONE and The Lakes Gin are available to buy online at http://www.lakesdistillery.com/shop/

The Lakes Distillery

Close to Bassenthwaite Lake, in an area of unimaginable beauty encircled by Cumbrian fells, is the perfect home for the first-ever Lakes Distillery.

The experienced team behind the Lakes Distillery, which includes managing director Paul Currie who co founded the Arran Distillery, Master Distiller Chris Anderson with over 30 years’ experience and Alan Rutherford a former Production Director of Diageo, are renovating the historic buildings of an old Victorian Model Farm next to the famous river Derwent and close to Bassenthwaite Lake, with the aim to produce a new world-class single malt whisky.

The water from the famous River Derwent, with its source high up in the fells, a team steeped in whisky experience, and perfect conditions for distilling are set to create a very special malt.

The Lakes Distillery will open to the public mid-December. The Lakes single malt will begin production this summer, and its blended whisky from the British Isles, called The ONE, is available to buy now.

The ONE Whisky

The ONE is the first British blended whisky ever to be produced.  As opposed to blends made only of scotch whiskies, The ONE has been carefully created from whiskies from around the British Isles, leading to a very unique whisky. This is very much an artisan blend – the team in Cumbria has enormous experience in making the very finest whiskies, and their expertise has put together this outstanding blend, which has a lightly peated character.

Blended whiskies are made up of grain and malt whiskies, and it is the quantity of malt whisky in the blend that dictates the quality – so the more malt whisky in the blend, the better the quality. The ONE has a very high malt content and its quality is very much in line with single malt whiskies.

The Connoisseurs’ Club 

The company has launched a  Connoisseurs’ Club, offering the opportunity for just 60 members to own their own very rare cask of The Lakes Malt.

Each cask is estimated to contain more than 100 bottles and members can be there on that historic first day to make the whisky themselves, fill their own Connoisseur’s Cask and see it stored in the distillery warehouse. The Connoisseurs’ Club limited membership costs £12,000, which includes the unique signature cask, exclusive annual events, accommodation at the nearby 4-star Trout Hotel, delivery, all duty and VAT. It’s estimated if kept, the cask will be worth over £20,000 in years to come. 

The Founders’ Club

The first ever distillery in the beautiful Lake District, opening later this year, is setting aside the first ever 100 casks of malt whisky produced for members of its Founders’ Club.

Each year for ten years, members will receive one 70cl bottle plus two tasting miniatures of the maturing malt, making up a collectible set of the distillery’s first ever production, all with unique, limited edition labels. These casks will not be available for the general public and are uniquely reserved for members.

Founders’ Club membership costs just £595, with an expected value of over £1,400 over the ten years period. Delivery of the first bottle will be in 2015.