The Lakes Distillery secures supplier deals with two national firms

Cumbrian whisky maker The Lakes Distillery has secured supplier deals with supermarket chain Morrisons and rail operator Virgin Trains.

The firm’s The ONE, a British Isles blended whisky, will now be stocked by 43 Morrisons stores in the North West and North Yorkshire, as well as by Virgin Trains on its west coast service.

Two other products from the Gosforth-headquartered firm, The Lakes Gin and The Lakes Vodka, will be stocked by the two companies.

The founder of The Lakes Distillery, MD Paul Currie, said: “Securing these two listings in time for Christmas is great for food and drink lovers.

“If First Class ticket holders travelling home for Christmas on a west coast Virgin Train enjoy Cumbria’s newest tipples, they will be able to purchase their own bottle for over the festive season in a nearby Morrisons store.”

Stefan Kaczmarczyk, a fortified wine buyer with Morrisons, called The ONE and The Lakes Gin “perfect additions” to the supermarket’s spirit range.

He said: “Morrison’s consistently seeks to work with local producers, such as The Lakes Distillery.

“Our involvement in the supply chain gives us close control over provenance, quality and freshness – we’re certainly impressed by the team at The Lakes Distillery.”

Virgin Trains’ head of catering, Amanda Smit, said the firm is committed to supporting local businesses near its travel routes, adding: “We’re delighted that we’re able to do both with these superb spirits.”

The Lakes Distillery opened the doors to the public in December 2014, giving visitors an insight into the inner workings of the £7m Bassenthwaite Lake facility.

Speaking further, Paul said: “Having such well known respected brands eager to serve our products to their customers is a real compliment and testament to the thought and rigor which has gone into producing these quality spirits which use local resources.

“We try and source everything locally, whether it’s the ingredients that go into the spirits, the crafts we sell in our luxury gift shop or the food on the tables in the Bistro at The Distillery.”