With English whisky on the rise again, The Lakes Distillery is at the forefront and their Port Cask Finished blend is the perfect example of why.
TAKING THE LEAD
English whisky has been around for a long time, but until recently, a commercial English whisky hadn’t been made since 1905. The Lakes Distillery, in the picturesque landscape of the Lake District, starting distilling in 2014.
From there they’ve grown to become one of the most well-respected English whiskies and are producing excellent malt. Over time they’ve become more adventurous and have been pushing their whisky to be truly excellent. Based next to Bassenthwaite Lake in a Victorian farmhouse, they have they setting to rival the Scots and now they’re producing the whisky to match.
Today, with Dhavall Gandhi at the helm as Whisky maker, they are embarking on a philosophy of “holistic whisky making”. Essentially, this is where the Whisky maker is involved with the whisky production at every step of the process. Gandhi oversees it all to ensure that quality and consistency is maintained at every point. It’s an interesting way of doing things and the only way to tell if it works, is to taste the malt.
THE ONE PORT CASK FINISHED FINE BLENDED ENGLISH WHISKY
So if you’re going to do that, then why not try their Port Casks Finished Blend. Named The One (which doesn’t tell you a lot, because most of their releases are called The One) this blend has been finished in the best Port casks. It is a development of The One Signature Blend (we told you they were all called The One).
Using malt from The Lakes Distillery and grain and malt from distilleries in the Highlands, Speyside and Islay, this blend is of the highest quality. The Port Cask finish adds an extra delight of warmth and sweetness.
The nose begins with dark fruits, almonds and a hint of smoke. It is rich and elegant, with plumes of charred smoke amongst sweet fruits. Cherries, blackcurrants and peaches make a wonderful combination of aromas.
The palate is spicier, with delicate hints of mahogany wood. Sweet nuts, more cherries, peaches and plums add an excellent backdrop for wafts of smoke to appear. There is a lovely warmth that makes it really come alive.
The finish is strong and sweet with a dash of smoke to round it off.
If you’re wondering what the benefits of holistic whisky making might be, The One Port Cask Finished Blended Whisky might just be the answer.
What do you think of The One range? Let us know in the comments!