Sampling The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7: A Masterpiece For The Enjoyment Of The Taste Buds!

The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7

Unveiled at The Whisky Show London, The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 is a refined and fragrant finale to what has become an internationally award-winning series of sherry-led single malts!

Non-chill filtered, natural colour, and bottled at 52% ABV

Matured in the finest Oloroso, PX and red wine casks, comprising Spanish and American oak, No.7 is “a celebration of the whiskies that came before it”, sharing rich layers of honeyed fruits, hints of cocoa nibs, and dark chocolate with the familiar buttercream texture and character of previous editions, evolved with an elegant sweetness.

As the first English distillery to be awarded the coveted title “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” (World Whiskies Awards 2022, for The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4), The Lakes’ modern approach places flavour creation at the heart of everything they do.

With multiple layers of flavour designed through the art of élevage, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 draws to a close a series that charts a journey of exploration of maturation and oak for The Lakes; one that will lead to the release of an enduring signature style for The Lakes’ Single Malt in 2024.

The Lakes Distillery have kindly sent me a sample of their new dram to try (Thanks Lakes Distillery!)

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – The Lakes “Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7” English Single Malt Whisky (52%)

The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.7 draws to a close a series that charts a journey of exploration of maturation and oak for The Lakes

Nose: Syrupy, stewed, fruits with vanilla. Some attractive shades of citrus including lime and there’s also dusky rooms and furniture polish – all adding up to a great treat for the nose!

Palate: Sugary prunes, forest fruits coupled with smooth creamy chocolate limes.

Finish: Heavily spiced with some added chilli. Pleasantly, this is combined with some nice fruity toffee and a little salt.

Overall: It’s been a sensory joy to sample each Whiskymaker’s Reserve over the years and like the previous drams – this one doesn’t dissapoint. Truly, a masterpiece for the enjoyment of the taste buds!

Non-chill filtered, natural colour, and bottled at 52% ABV, the new expression is available for £85 from LakesDistillery.com

Lakes Distillery Whiskies (& Gins) are also available to buy from:-

The Lakes were the first English distillery to be awarded the coveted title “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky”

About The Lakes Distillery:

Established in 2011, The Lakes Distillery is a design-led whisky maker. Pushing boundaries in pursuit of flavour creation, they adopt a modern approach, reframing their craft through a forward-looking lens.

Nestled on the shore of Bassenthwaite Lake, near Keswick, in The English Lake District, the distillery attracts more than 30,000 visitors annually to experience and explore their home; and has held Visit England’s Gold accolade since 2018 – the highest award for excellence in English tourism.

Respecting tradition but refusing to be bound by it, The Lakes Distillery is open to new worlds of inspiration. Drawing inspiration from the art of élevage, not only do they look at what whisky is, they explore what it can become, and it is this approach to maturation and flavour creation that sets them apart.

The journey, so far:

• 2011 – The Lakes Distillery plc was founded by Paul Currie and Nigel Mills CBE.
• 2012/2013 – Renovation of an old Victorian model dairy farm took place to build a state-of-the-art distillery.
• 2014 – New make spirit flowed in the Lake District for the first time on 16 December.
• 2015 – The distillery was officially opened by Princess Anne in July.
• 2016 – Dhavall Gandhi joined The Lakes team to help lay the foundations for a sherry-led signature style.
• 2018 – Genesis, The Lakes’ first single malt whisky, broke three Guinness World Records at auction.
• 2019 – On 7 September, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.1 was launched; the first in a series of widely available single malt whisky releases that showcase The Lakes’ sherry-led signature style and The Lakes Single Malt Whisky won Gold at the World Whiskies Awards, the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), and the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).
• 2020 – The Lakes was named by The London Stock Exchange Group as one of the “1000 Companies to Inspire Britain”.
• 2021 – The first of a series of whiskies exploring flavour creation was released; The Whiskymaker’s Editions and production capacity at the distillery tripled to 400,000 LPA.
• 2022 – Following a cluster of international honours for their single malt, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.4 was named “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” in 2022 at the World Whiskies Awards.
• 2023 – Sarah Burgess, former Lead Whiskymaker for The Macallan, joined the business as the new whiskymaker and James Pennefather, former Regional MD at William Grant & Sons, as CEO.