The Lakes Distillery appoints master blender

Dhavall Gandhi has been appointed master blender at The Lakes Distillery, in a move intended to affirm its status as a world-class distillery.

Gandhi joins the team in the run up to the release of The Lakes Malt, Cumbria’s only single malt whisky, in May 2018.

A Chartered Scientist in Whisky Distilling, holding a wealth of qualifications including a Master’s Degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University and an IBD diploma in Distilling, Gandhi brings experience from both the US management consulting sector and the Scottish whisky industry, having left The Macallan to take up the role at The Lakes Distillery.

Prior to working with The Macallan, Gandhi held a range of technical and supply chain strategy roles at Heineken.

Gandhi has been appointed by the team at The Lakes Distillery to make the most of his cocktail of skills and drive both the brand and its products forward into the future.

Gandhi says: “I’m looking forward to helping to create something new from the ground up and to having the rare opportunity to influence the house style of The Lakes Malt.

“The Lakes Distillery is a well-executed project and a Cumbrian success story. The state-of-the-art distillery offers a blank canvas and a potential for creativity that is unrivalled within the industry. This is my opportunity to continue telling the story through our brands.”

Paul Currie, managing director of The Lakes Distillery says: “We are delighted that one of the leading master blenders in the whisky industry has now joined our team.

“Dhavall will play a key role in ensuring that every bottle of each of our brands is of the very highest quality and he also brings many innovative ideas to ensure that all our products – whisky, gin and vodka - always offer something very special and unique.  With our first official Lakes Malt to be launched in 2018, Dhavall joins us at a very exciting time.”

The Lakes Distillery, which is chaired by entrepreneur Nigel Mills, is Cumbria’s first whisky distillery for over 100 years. The Lakes Distillery boasts a visitor centre offering tours and tastings and a bistro overseen by Michelin-star-winning executive chef Terry Laybourne.

To find out more please visit www.lakesdistillery.com

20 December 2016 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant