Chocolate has long been one of whisky’s favourite tasting notes. The Lakes Distillery has now made it the inspiration for an entire single malt.
Its limited-edition Chocolatier expression has arrived in the UK following international recognition at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2026, where it became the only English whisky to receive a Gold medal, scoring 95 points from the blind judging panel.
Chocolatier is a richly layered single malt that combines deep cocoa character with the distillery’s signature style.
Central to that is élevage. More commonly associated with the wines of Bordeaux and the finest Cognacs, élevage sees the whisky continually nurtured throughout its maturation rather than simply left to age.
Casks are moved between different warehouse environments, allowing variations in climate to influence their development, while whisky from selected casks is married at carefully judged stages to encourage new layers of aroma, texture and complexity.
More commonly associated with the wines of Bordeaux and the finest Cognacs, élevage sees the whisky continually nurtured…
The Lakes Chocolatier whisky tasting notes
Sherry cask ageing provides the foundation for Chocolatier’s character, adding richness, spice and dried fruit to complement its cocoa-led profile.
Bottled at 51% ABV, the whisky is said to open with rich milk chocolate layered with butterscotch and cacao, followed by subtle peach, dried fruits and the comforting sweetness of freshly baked brandy snaps.
The palate follows with warming wood spices, soft orchard fruits and spiced hot chocolate, before toasted oak, perfumed vanilla and an unexpected note of pineapple bring additional complexity alongside generous dried fruit.
The finish is long, mouth-coating and lingering, with dark chocolate and gentle spice remaining long after the final sip.
Commenting on the release, Nyetimber Group owner and CEO Eric Heerema said the whisky’s recent competition success demonstrated the growing reputation of English single malt around the world. He described Chocolatier as an example of how élevage and careful cask management can create “incredible tapestries of flavour.”
The Lakes Distillery Chocolatier is available now through Amathus stores nationwide, via the retailer’s online shop anddirectly from The Lakes Distillery, priced at £95.
Bowmore has joined forces with design studio Snarkitecture for a pair of 20 Year Old single malts. This is Snarkitecture’s first venture into whisky; the design studio is better known for its experimental, arty approach to architecture. Co-founder Alex Mustonen travelled from New York to Islay, drawing inspiration from the island’s landscape and Bowmore’s historic…
After an 11-year absence, Hibiki 12 Years Old is returning to airport shelves as a new Global Travel Retail whisky exclusive. Duty-free is increasingly becoming a happy hunting ground for limited editions and hard-to-find whisky releases. A new entry on our wants-list is this Hibiki 12 Years Old, particularly notable as the expression has been…
The Dalmore has returned to its dunnage warehouses for a limited 14 Year Old single malt whisky finished in Semisecco Marsala casks. It’s the latest expression in the Distillery Select Series, a collection of limited-edition whiskies drawn from small parcels of stock at the distillery. First launched in 2024, each release in the Series is…
The Luxe Review 
Chocolate has long been one of whisky’s favourite tasting notes. The Lakes Distillery has now made it the inspiration for an entire single malt.
Its limited-edition Chocolatier expression has arrived in the UK following international recognition at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2026, where it became the only English whisky to receive a Gold medal, scoring 95 points from the blind judging panel.
Chocolatier is a richly layered single malt that combines deep cocoa character with the distillery’s signature style.
Central to that is élevage. More commonly associated with the wines of Bordeaux and the finest Cognacs, élevage sees the whisky continually nurtured throughout its maturation rather than simply left to age.
Casks are moved between different warehouse environments, allowing variations in climate to influence their development, while whisky from selected casks is married at carefully judged stages to encourage new layers of aroma, texture and complexity.
The Lakes Chocolatier whisky tasting notes
Sherry cask ageing provides the foundation for Chocolatier’s character, adding richness, spice and dried fruit to complement its cocoa-led profile.
Bottled at 51% ABV, the whisky is said to open with rich milk chocolate layered with butterscotch and cacao, followed by subtle peach, dried fruits and the comforting sweetness of freshly baked brandy snaps.
The palate follows with warming wood spices, soft orchard fruits and spiced hot chocolate, before toasted oak, perfumed vanilla and an unexpected note of pineapple bring additional complexity alongside generous dried fruit.
The finish is long, mouth-coating and lingering, with dark chocolate and gentle spice remaining long after the final sip.
Commenting on the release, Nyetimber Group owner and CEO Eric Heerema said the whisky’s recent competition success demonstrated the growing reputation of English single malt around the world. He described Chocolatier as an example of how élevage and careful cask management can create “incredible tapestries of flavour.”
The Lakes Distillery Chocolatier is available now through Amathus stores nationwide, via the retailer’s online shop and directly from The Lakes Distillery, priced at £95.
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Bowmore has joined forces with design studio Snarkitecture for a pair of 20 Year Old single malts. This is Snarkitecture’s first venture into whisky; the design studio is better known for its experimental, arty approach to architecture. Co-founder Alex Mustonen travelled from New York to Islay, drawing inspiration from the island’s landscape and Bowmore’s historic…
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After an 11-year absence, Hibiki 12 Years Old is returning to airport shelves as a new Global Travel Retail whisky exclusive. Duty-free is increasingly becoming a happy hunting ground for limited editions and hard-to-find whisky releases. A new entry on our wants-list is this Hibiki 12 Years Old, particularly notable as the expression has been…
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The Dalmore has returned to its dunnage warehouses for a limited 14 Year Old single malt whisky finished in Semisecco Marsala casks. It’s the latest expression in the Distillery Select Series, a collection of limited-edition whiskies drawn from small parcels of stock at the distillery. First launched in 2024, each release in the Series is…
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