A rare father/daughter day out to the idyllic Lakes Distillery
I have just got back from such a lovely treat! My Dad and I were invited to visit the Lakes Distillery in Cumbria and since it’s a good 2 hours away (and involved drinking whisky!), we decided we’d stay the night. So I’ve had a full 24 hours away with my dad!
An early Christmas present (he sure loves his whisky), it was a rare opportunity to go away, just the two of us, getting chance to talk about everything that is important to us in this moment of our lives and reconnect.
Lakes Distillery Tour
We set off from my house at 9am (or just after, we’ll blame the wild weather!) to arrive in Cumbria at the top of Bassenthwaite Lake in time for our 11am tour. We were just able to make out a looming Skiddaw, one of the Lake’s highest peaks, through the mist, clouds and rain as we made our way into the Lakes Distillery.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t overly looking forward to the tour…When I was a kid, we often used to visit distilleries in France and what a yawn. However, it turns out that a Distillery visit improves significantly when you are able to sample the finished products! In fact I found it fascinating.
Clearly a popular experience, our tour was fully booked and started in their state-of-the-art Presentation Room, with our guide, Amanda. She showed us a beautiful video which demonstrated both the impressive landscape and the interesting twists and turns of the River Derwent, where the Lakes Distillery drawers all its water.
From there we saw the distillation tanks and went on to see the first barrels laying in wait for their 3rd birthday (3 years and a day is apparently how long it takes!).
My dad was a Chemist in a past life, so combining that with a passion for Single Malt Whisky, he did have a few questions that we needed to google afterwards (such as what minerals make water from the Derwent so unique) but overall it was a really interesting trip, reminding me of all the things I’d forgotten since school about the distillation process and how alcohol is made.
And then we got to sample the goods!
Prior to inspecting the whisky’s ‘legs’
As the Lakes Distillery is still in it’s infancy – having been open less that 12 months, their Single Malt Whisky is still being made – they have a rather delicious blend called The One. My dad, being the connoisseur that he is, never really drinks a blended whisky, but he actually bought 2 bottles. High praise indeed!
We were instructed as to how to taste whisky, as follows:
1) Inspect the ‘legs’ – i.e. swirl the whisky around the glass to check the viscosity. You want the whisky to cling to the glass and you’ll see the legs appear (rather hard to explain in words!!)
2) Sniff – first with the right nostril and then with the left…I could smell it much more clearly with my left nostril, which apparently links to the logical side of your brain and meant I was assessing to see if I thought it was poisonous. The right nostril links to passion!
3) Sip and coat – you want to take a tiny sip and coat your mouth, teeth and tounge in the whisky before drinking. Then take another sip as normal. The coating process is to allow your taste buds to wake up and full taste the whisky.
Who’d have known it was so complex! And, yummy.
We were also able to try their Vodka, the only Vodka to be distilled in Cumbria, which I really liked. Their distillation process causes reflux, which apparently makes it super smooth. I can confirm. And, they keep both the Vodka and the Gin in the freezer to make it a ‘sipping’ drink. It sure was!
The Lakes Gin was my winner, however! The only Gin which is permitted to be made with wild Cumbrian Juniper and another 14 botanicals, including locally sourced Meadow Sweet, made for a delicious and unique flavour.
Lunch at the Lakes Distillery Bistro
After our tour we made our way to the Lakes Distillery Bistro for Sunday lunch. Normally we wouldn’t have indulged in the full 3 courses but the choices were so good, we couldn’t help it!
Dad started with Salt and Pepper Squid…
And I went for the Prawn Cocktail with The One sauce!
Then we both went for the Pork Loin Sunday Dinner, which was so good!
Finally, Dad had the Gooseberry Compote…
And I had the Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Absolutely delicious, very reasonably priced at £21 for 3 courses and just the right sized portions so we didn’t feel too stuffed.
Having said that, when we got to our family room at The Trout Hotel in Cockermouth, we both had an afternoon nap!!
My room was just off this main room, here:
It was such a lovely way to spend some quality time with my dad, I would highly recommend it as a Christmas Gift idea. And, we were able to spend the rest of the day together, eating a bit more and chatting…and then I made him watch the first episode of I’m a Celebrity. Haha!
Have you ever been to the Lakes Distillery? Or tried any of their drinks?
I’d love to hear what you thought of it, or if you think any of your loved ones would like a visit!
Your lunch looks gorgeous – I especially like the look of the salt and pepper squid! I can vouch for the fact that the tour is interesting for kids too (and not as boring as the ones in France). We took H&H in the Summer and they loved meeting the alpacas and were given juice to ‘taste’ as the grown ups sampled some whiskey.
I am severely envious.
I didn’t know there was whiskey made in the Lake District. I love the Welsh whiskey Penderyn though, so Cumbrian whiskey isn’t too much of a stretch.
It looks totally wonderful! I am so glad you got to spend some special time with your dad xxx
Ooooh, looks lovely, I’m not a whisky fan but I know men who are! I’m more interested in the food, looks lovely. Linking up to #thelist today x
Haha! Something for everyone 😉 xx
Alas I am not a fan of whisky. I remember at 15 sneaking a mouthful from a bottle in dads shed and being convinced I must have poisoned muself by drinking some car fluid he had been storing in the bottle because no one in their right mind would drink something so horrible!!
#thelist
Haha! I think we all have a booze of choice that we just can’t drink after a bad teenage experience…mine is Archers!
Sounds like a great visit. My dad and hubby would both love this! #TheList
Wow it looks like you had a fabulous time and how nice to have a day out with just you and your Dad 🙂 #thelist
What a great idea for quality time with your father! I totally agree, brewery tours are much better when you can have tasters. The lunch looks amazing & so reasonable for 3 courses. Lovely hotel room too! Thanks so much for hosting #TheList x
It looks like you had a brilliant time. Your lunch looks so so so yummy. I LOVE prawn cocktail! #thelist
I’ve never been but it sounds like a great day out! We have a brewery that does tours quite close by that I keep meaning to go to – one day… 🙂 #thelist
Looks like you had an amazing time. That food looks delicious! xx
I had know idea that whisky is made in the Lakes. I always associate it with Scotland. Sounds like you had a fab time and so great to spend special time with your dad 🙂 Thanks for sharing #TheList
Oh this looks like a gorgeous trip! The food looks divine. My dad would have loved this too! #thelist xx
Total food envy!! It all looks completely delish…and it’s getting close to lunchtime here and it could possibly be vegemite sandwiches again. Ho hum. You and your Dad are soooo alike!! What a special time together. #TheList
What a great trip, the time with your Dad and the trip itself. My husband would love it. I’m not a huge whisky drinker myself, love it in a great hot Toddy and whisky slush. The husband likes it straight with a few cubes. Sounds like he would have had a great time with you!!!
Sounds like a lovely day. That food looks amazing! #thelist
It looks lovely.
And there’s nothing better than spending quality time with your Dad 🙂 x
We sell ‘The One’ and the gin at work so I really do need to get myself up to The Lakes for a tour-not for fun you understand, all in the name of professionalism 😉 #TheList
I haven’t been but I live in Cumbria so this might be a good idea for my dad for Christmas!
I bet that was lovely getting to spend quality time with your dad. It look’s like you had a great time, your meal and hotel room look amazing. I think I may have to book somewhere like this for a day trip for my own dad as he would love it and i normally treat him to an trip or day out for Christmas as he is so hard to buy for xx