The Lakes Gin arrives from a brand that has built its reputation on the back of a compelling dual-spirit strategy — whisky and gin under one roof, each designed to fund and elevate the other. It's a playbook we've seen executed across the UK craft scene with varying degrees of success, but The Lakes has managed it with more finesse than most.
A London Dry With Lake District Ambitions
At 46% ABV, this sits comfortably above the minimum threshold for a London Dry designation, and that extra proof point matters. It signals a distillery that isn't cutting corners to hit a price bracket — though at £36.25, it's positioned squarely in that competitive mid-premium territory where every brand and their dog is fighting for shelf space. The London Dry classification tells us the botanical character is baked in during distillation rather than added afterwards, which speaks to a certain discipline in production.
Without a confirmed botanical bill, we're left to judge The Lakes Gin on its category credentials and the broader house style. What I can say is that as a London Dry at this strength, juniper should — and does — lead the conversation. The style demands it. There's a crispness and structural integrity here that makes it a reliable workhorse, the kind of bottle a bartender can reach for without second-guessing the result.
It doesn't reinvent anything, and frankly it doesn't need to. The market has room for well-made, honestly priced London Drys that deliver exactly what the label promises. At 7.2 out of 10, The Lakes Gin is a solid, competent offering that earns its place in a crowded field — commercially sound if not revelatory.
Best served: In a classic G&T with a quality Indian tonic and a twist of grapefruit peel. This is a gin built for the long pour — the kind of straightforward serve that moves units behind any bar worth its salt.
