Ex-Lakes distiller debuts whisky brand

Dhavall Gandhi, former master distiller of The Lakes Distillery, has launched a whisky brand, called Kandoblanc.

Based on the concept of duality, Kandoblanc is said to have been created to celebrate the fusion of ideas, cultures and creative influences through ‘exquisitely crafted objects’.

Gandhi explained: “I believe in the art of duality and have a passion for art and whisky. At Kandoblanc, our goal is to create individual objects, which are one-off art pieces, never to be repeated. Each object is a celebration of cultural diversity and creative influencers.”

The first whisky from the brand, Aga, will be unveiled at the Distillers One of One auction in partnership with Sotheby’s in October.

Aga is named after Gandhi’s son, and is synonymous with the word ‘mountain’ in the ancient Indian texts of Ayurveda.

It is a blend of two contrasting rare Scotch whiskies that were handpicked by Gandhi.

Both distilled in 1979, the first is a ‘delicate and refined’ Speyside malt that has been chosen to contribute to the liquid’s ‘finesse’, and the second is a ‘flamboyant’ Highland malt, picked to bring poise and texture to create ‘the ultimate cuvée’.

Together the whiskies are said to ‘celebrate the harmonious interplay of flavours’.

The whisky is presented in a vessel that ‘showcases the marriage of understated Japanese aesthetics and bold Italian craftsmanship’, using the Japanese art of kintsugi and Italian technique of battuto glass.

Gandhi confirmed that following the launch of Aga at the Distillers One of One auction on 5 October, the brand will create limited edition pieces and collaborate with artists and designers for rarity and exclusivity.

Aga marks the debut of Gandhi’s work as a creator overseeing every aspect of the product, from the liquid composition to the details of the bespoke decanter.

He said his career to date has been influenced by his time working as the whisky maker for The Macallan, where he became one of the foremost experts in Sherry cask maturation.

Following that, Gandhi cemented his position as ‘an industry trailblazer’ at The Lakes Distillery, where he established innovative production techniques inspired by the world of wine and Cognac.

Last year, Gandhi established a new creative studio with the aim of ‘elevating the expectations’ of the whisky industry.