A LAKE District restaurant has added a one-of-a-kind gin, made with the ‘essence’ of ants, to its ever-expanding drinks menu.

The Lamplighter Dining Rooms, Windermere, have acquired a bottle of the rare ‘Anty Gin.’

Made with 62 distilled red wood ants, each 70cl bottle has a price tag of £200 - making it one of the most expensive gins in the country.

It is also one of the rarest gins available, with just a few hundred bottles in circulation.

The tipple is a joint venture between the world’s first gin tailor, The Cambridge Distillery, and the experimental Nordic Food Lab, which was established by the founder of the globally renowned restaurant Noma. The Anty Gin derives its taste from juniper berries, but the distilled wood ants create a distinctive citrus flavour, caused by the formic acid they produce.

Co-owner of the family-run Lamplighter, James Tasker, is hoping the gin will prove to be an unusual talking point.

“This really is a gin with more bite and we think it definitely stands out from the crowd," he said. "It’s a bit of a novelty, so we look forward to hearing what our customers think!”