Just over a decade old, The Lakes Distillery believe in pushing the boundaries of traditional whisky making. While they are inspired by the whisky industry's long and illustrious history, The Lakes use original, modern methods in order to achieve new and exciting expressions. It's worked a treat for them so far - their Whiskymaker's Reserve No.4 recently won the title of World's Best Single Malt at the World Whisky Awards! So, what is it exactly that sets The Lakes' whisky making process aside for the rest? The answer? Élevage.

What is élevage?

Élevage is a “proactive involvement” – rather than leaving the spirit in the casks to mature untouched, the whisky is frequently moved to different locations in the distillery and transferred into different casks in order to evoke certain flavours. The spirit is regularly sampled to allow the whiskymaker to have a deep understanding of the whisky every step of the way. This way, the whiskymaker knows what changes need to be made in order to achieve the desired expression. By this active method of maturing whiskies, the whiskymaker is able to draw flavours from drams that would not be possible otherwise. This process allows The Lakes to create some of the most unique whiskies on the market.

The Whiskymaker's Reserve Series

The Whiskymaker's Reserve Series leans into the vast potential of The Lakes’ élevage method. The series consists of unique expressions that explore the possibility of experimental maturation and blending. Each release boasts a stunning sherry influenced single malt that has undergone an intimate journey with the whiskymaker to create totally individual expressions. The series includes the recent award-winning Whiskymaker's Reserve No.4, which was named World's Best Single Malt at the World Whisky Awards. This extremely impressive expression spent its maturation period in a combination of Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, and red wine casks to create fabulously sweet and spicy flavours.

The Whiskymaker's Reserve No.5

The Whiskymaker's Reserve No.5 is the latest release to this outstanding series and is available here today at The Whisky Shop for £70. Smooth, sweet, and subtler than previous expressions in the series, the whisky was matured in a combination of Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, and red wine casks before being bottled at 52% abv. It opens with a decadent nose full of dark chocolate, ripe red apples, sweet pastry, and walnuts. The palate has notes of dried papaya, Demerara sugar, and espresso before leading into a particularly smooth and sweet finish. An exceptional addition to the sell-out series! You can shop our entire collection The Lakes Distillery’s whiskies here today!