The Lake District is the source of inspiration for many things. The rolling hills, lakes, and local produce all combine to make for a very British and classic getaway, and the protection of the land – due in part to Beatrix Potter’s involvement – has maintained that splendour for years.
The Lakes Distillery have partnered with multi-Michelin star decorated chef Simon Rogan to celebrate their common appreciation for the Lake District.
The full press release can be accessed here, but in short, The Lakes have released a one-off single malt whisky to be made available via the Lakes direct and at Simon Rogan’s restaurants (Lake District, London, and Hong Kong) as part of the November’s Home menu by Simon Rogan.
The release forms part of the ever-expanding Whiskymaker’s Editions series, whereby the distillery showcase single malts which deviate from their honed house style. The Reflections edition is bottled at 54% ABV and still available (at the time of writing) at lakes distillery.com at an RRP £85 per 70cl bottle. As with previous Reserve and Edition releases, this is captured at its natural colour, without chill-filtration.
Nose
Rich without being overwhelming. Rich ripe fruits flow: oranges, raisins, dates, and figs. There’s a warming body with cinnamon, rich oak, and wood aromas. That richness continues with time and reveals mahogany and leather.
Taste
Rich and fruity flavours roll across the tongue, but it remains quite light bodied and silky in texture. The flavours reveal oranges and festive fruits again, but this time joined by sweet red fruits and berries now like strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. Once used to that fruit bowl medley then the spices start to ramp up however, with allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Finish
Rather long and lingering – sweet juicy flavours and warming spices play out for a long time.
Verdict
Delicious. Really delicious. It has the Lakes’ signature all over it. In fact, for an “Editions” release, this is the one that I’ve tried which does mostly seem to reflect their Sherry-led style. That festive fruit and spice combination associated with sherry cask matured whisky seems to be getting the limelight here. Given that the Editions series is now into double figures that can be forgiven, especially as it is an edition to represent a Lakes star. I’d go as far to say that it is not too dissimilar to The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No. 4 which was voted the worlds best single malt in 2022, would you know.
Dhavall Gandhi (the eponymous “Whiskymaker”) doesn’t spare the ABV on their releases either – the 54% figure may scare off a few customers but it does fit the bill and never seems overpowering. It does soften a lot with time too and the individual elements seem to get their own time to shine. I’m not too sure about the pumpkin spice note that they provide but there are plenty of flavours and spices to uncover here.
One final thing to complement here is that it is good to see a release that celebrates something about or from The Lake District itself. Whilst Simon Rogan may not be from the area originally, his Michelin star restaurants are famous and draw in the crowds to the area. As someone who has enjoyed numerous visits to the Lake District it is nice to see a nod to their locality. Maybe the final house style from the Whiskymaker’s Reserve journey will focus on that more, but until now – another fantastic milestone and variant on an increasingly collectible and palatable project!
M
Sample disclosure: This whisky was reviewed from a sample received as part of a marketing promotion directly from the distillery. All notes are intended as an honest, fair, and independent review of the whisky itself and not as a promotion. Please drink responsibly. Please drink wisely.
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