The Lakes Vodka in Gift Box 70 cl 40%

Beside Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria sits a distillery in a converted 1850s farmstead, with the River Derwent just outside and the fells behind. The Lake District is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that is the landscape which ends up in the bottle.

Expert description

The Lakes Vodka is an English Vodka from The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria, distilled once from British wheat in a copper pot still and bottled at 40%.

Please note: the bottle is delivered in the house red gift box, made to a solid standard and ready to be handed on as it is.

A single distillation is an unusual choice for a vodka. Most producers run the distillate through a column again and again to end up as neutral as possible, but here it stays with that one pass through a handmade copper pot still. In exchange, time is taken over it, and the wheat is allowed to remain in the distillate.

It is therefore not an empty vodka. There is a clear, soft sweetness from the grain and a mouthfeel fuller than the strength suggests. The water comes from the distillery's own home inside the Lake District National Park, and the colour is natural.

The bottle follows the house design, the same one you know from its gin and whisky: a plain cut, heavy shoulders, no unnecessary decoration. The gift box is red and well made, and it is the reason this particular version is easy to pass on without further wrapping.

Tasting notes

Nose

Clean and almost neutral. A pale grain note with a hint of freshly baked bread.

Palate

Soft and lightly sweet. The wheat fills the middle, and a kick of white pepper appears at the side of the tongue.

Finish

Short and clear. The sweetness disappears quickly and leaves a dry, clean impression behind.

Specifications

Name: The Lakes Vodka
Distillery: The Lakes Distillery
Region/Country: Cumbria, England
Type: English Vodka
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Distillation method: Distilled once from British wheat in a copper pot still
EAN no.: 5060307840186
Serving suggestion: Ice cold in a small glass, or in an Espresso Martini as the distillery itself recommends.

Flavour profile

Clean · Soft · Lightly wheat-sweet · White pepper

Did you know?

The Lakes Vodka was named the world's best vodka at the World Vodka Awards in 2019. The judges described it as very clean on the nose with a little sweetness and a peppery kick at the side of the tongue, recognition an English distillery founded in 2014 had no right to expect so quickly.

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Frequently asked questions about The Lakes Vodka

Is the gift box included?

Yes, the bottle is delivered in the house red gift box. The box is well made with clear printing and is intended to be passed on without extra wrapping. All you have to add is a card.

Does it work as a gift?

Yes, and especially for somebody who does not visit spirits shops themselves. The box does the work, the bottle is easy to recognise, and a vodka named the world's best is easy to explain across a table. It suits both a host gift and a birthday.

Why is it only distilled once?

Because the house wants the wheat in there. More distillations give a cleaner but also emptier distillate, and here the soft sweetness of the grain is prioritised instead. Time in the pot still replaces the number of passes.

What is it made from?

British wheat and water from the distillery's own home inside the Lake District National Park. The wheat provides the light sweetness and the water the clean, dry close. No colour is added.

How is it best drunk?

Ice cold and neat, or in an Espresso Martini. The distillery highlights that drink itself, and not by accident: the soft wheat sweetness carries the coffee without extra sugar. A Vodka Tonic with lemon also works nicely.

Where is The Lakes Distillery?

Beside Bassenthwaite Lake in Cumbria, in a converted 1850s farmstead with the River Derwent just outside. The area forms part of the Lake District National Park, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

What else do they make?

Single Malt Whisky, blended whisky and gin. The house is probably best known for The Lakes Single Malt and The One range, and its Classic English Gin uses the same design language as the vodka. To see other houses, browse our Vodka brands.