Lancaster Spirits Co. has appointed Craig Drake as its new Distillery Manager, as the company continues development towards its first single malt whisky release in 2027.
Founded in 2022, the distillery operates as a grain-to-glass producer on the edge of the Forest of Bowland, working alongside Lancaster Brewery. Alongside its whisky programme, the site produces small-batch gin and vodka, with a strong emphasis on hands-on production methods.
Drake joins with experience across multiple UK distilleries, bringing expertise in fermentation, distillation and cask management, as well as broader end-to-end production processes. In his new role, he will oversee all spirit production, maintaining consistency across the distillery’s manual and small-scale approach.
A defining feature of Lancaster Spirits Co. is its in-house neutral grain spirit production, created by distilling beer from scratch. The process was refined through 27 experimental brews, forming the foundation of the distillery’s spirit character and provenance.
Production cycles take approximately five weeks, beginning with water drawn from an 80-metre artesian well, naturally filtered through slate and limestone. Locally sourced wheat and rye are combined using traditional methods and fermented with a 200-year-old live yeast strain from Lancaster Brewery, contributing to a distinctive flavour profile.
The distillery maintains a fully manual production model, with no automation across brewing or distillation. Barley is milled daily, mash is handled by hand, and each batch undergoes organoleptic testing, assessing flavour, aroma, appearance and mouthfeel before release.
Drake previously spent nine years at Adnams, contributing to the development of spirits including Copper House Gin and Longshore Vodka, before holding roles at distilleries across Essex, Blackpool, Cumbria, and with Quintessential Brands.
At Lancaster Spirits Co., he will work alongside Max McFarlane, who leads the distillery’s long-term maturation strategy and is responsible for shaping its future single malt releases.
The appointment marks a further step in the distillery’s development as it moves towards establishing its identity within the English single malt whisky category, with its first release scheduled for 2027.
