Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5

Updated 25/04/22 with personal tasting notes.

The following article is based on a press release from The Lakes Distillery

The Lakes Distillery have come a long way from their open salvo blend ‘The One’. Now including their own spirit in the newer versions of the blend and releasing a steady volume of special releases under various monikers.

In the humble opinion of the writer, some of the best liquid The Lakes have produced have been under the Whiskymaker’s Reserve banner and now they have added a fifth iteration to this iconic series.

I present no opinion on this bottle today as I have not yet tried it, but apparently there is a sample on the way to me so I will update this post with my thoughts in due course.

My tasting notes.

Nose: not the most complex WMR yet, but still rather nice. It's light for its 52%. Definitely polish (as per official notes) but lightly fruity.

Palate: the ABV makes itself known here but again, not overpowering at all. Lots of dried fruits but with heaps of spice (star anise and white pepper).

Finish: medium long. Oaky and spicy

Here’s what the Lakes Distillery are saying about it:

“On a journey to define their signature style, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 is the latest in what has become an internationally award-winning series of single malt whiskies made by The Lakes Distillery.

Matured in the finest, bespoke Oloroso, PX, and red wine casks, comprising Spanish and American oak, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 is an elegant and Moorish evolution, possessing the same sherry-led, wood-forward characteristics as its predecessors.

Drawing inspiration from Cognac’s cellarmasters, The Lakes has taken the art of élevage to create a whisky with complexity and depth. Rather than sealing the oak and waiting for the result, unlike other distilleries, they take an active involvement that requires patience and time, and an intimate understanding of how the flavours in each cask are developing.

By frequently effecting change throughout the whisky’s maturation, whether by moving a cask’s location, or transferring the spirit between casks, The Lakes seek to evolve an array of intriguing layers of flavour from which they can blend the final whisky.

The Lakes’ whiskymaker, Dhavall Gandhi, said, “With The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5, we wanted to create a whisky with a similar sherry-led profile to previous releases, but with certain characters restrained to achieve a textural refinement.

To celebrate the release of The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 and to connect the complexity of élevage with the simplicity of enjoying flavoursome whisky, The Lakes Distillery sought the imagination of some of the best Old Fashioned makers in the world.

By adding a twist to the traditional, layering complementary and contrasting flavours, and integrating personal influences within the recipe, mixologists from Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood London, The Berkeley Bar & Terrace, The Goring Cocktail Bar, The Chinoiserie at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, and The Northall Bar at Corinthia London have used The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 to develop their own delectably delicious takes on the eminent Whisky Cocktail.

The result is a series of sophisticated and dramatically different serves, each designed to tell a story through the art of flavour creation, and available to enjoy from 1 June throughout the summer at any of these world-renowned bars.

Non-chill filtered, bottled at the natural colour, and 52% ABV, The Whiskymaker’s Reserve No.5 is available from www.LakesDistillery.com and specialist whisky retailers throughout the UK with a recommended retail price of £70.”