(L to R) Nigel Mills CBE, Chief Executive Officer of The Lakes Distillery, Paul Currie, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Lakes Distillery and Whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi
The first bottle of single malt whisky from The Lakes Distillery has sold for £7,900, breaking the world record for the most expensive whisky from a new distillery, and the most expensive bottle of English whisky sold at auction.
The Lakes Distillery auctioned 99 of its first bottles
WORLD RECORD: Most expensive bottle of whisky from a new distillery.
WORLD RECORD: Most expensive bottle of English whisky.
LANDMARK: Average of £900 per bottle for the batch of 99 auctioned.
The Lakes Distillery auctioned 99 of its first bottles of single malt whisky, Genesis, with bottle number one selling for £7900.This surpassed the previous record of £7,100 for the first whisky to come from a new distillery, which was held by a Scottish distillery.
Genesis was sold at cask strength in a bespoke rosewood presentation box, each individually numbered and hand signed by Dhavall Gandhi, the Whiskymaker. Genesis comes from the Greek word meaning origin. The name pays homage to the distillery’s beginning, and gives a tantalising glimpse into its future.
The auction, which was hosted on whiskyauctioneer.com, started on 29th June and ran until noon on Tuesday 10th July.
Genesis signifies an important milestone in our history, because the first spirit we laid down is now more than three years old and we can finally call it whisky. The auction was fascinating and it exceeded all our expectations.
We are proud to have not only produced a wonderful malt whisky but to have seen such a demand for the first bottles.
– Nigel Mills CBE: Chief Executive Officer of The Lakes Distillery
We don’t just bottle our whisky because it is three years old; instead, I look at each cask to assess them individually until I find the right flavour profile. We have reached a peak for some casks and that is why we released a limited number.
It’s an amazing feeling that people are finally recognising whisky as art. People have a lot of faith in what we are doing and it’s amazing to see the prices showing that faith.
– Dhavall Gandhi: Whiskymaker
This is an historic moment and the success of the auction and the interest in Genesis demonstrates that the Lakes single malt whisky is a credible alternative to whiskies from the world’s established distilleries.
– Paul Currie: Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Lakes Distillery
Our expectations for the auction were high and we are thrilled that we were not disappointed. There was tremendous interest and this is reflected in the price and the records broken. I am very proud that 99 people will have the opportunity to taste this very special malt whisky.
– Alan Rutherford OBE: Chairman of The Lakes Distillery
The whisky was first matured in Oloroso hogsheads giving it a vibrant character full of dried ginger and wood-spice. After the initial period of maturation, the whisky was finished in casks made-up of American and European oak to add a layer of dried fruit and vanilla. Finally, these two components were married together in Orange wine casks from the Andalucía region of Spain, giving it a spicy and chocolate-orange character.
For more information on the auction, please visit: www.lakesdistillery.com. Watch a video of the auction.
Lakes Distillery is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-
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