East London Liquor Company have officially opened their new brand home and launched their first new product in three years.
The English spirits producers was founded in 2014 and spent a decade in Bow Wharf, London. However financial difficulties forced the business into administration in late 2023, before the company was bought out again by founder Alex Wolpert that December.
Their new home on Mentmore Terrace in London Fields, Hackney is described as an ‘alter to new world whisky.’ The space will consist of a custom lab for product development, a blending room, and training spaces for the wider drinks industry, while also serving as the company’s offices.
Interestingly, East London Liquor Co will now shift to a nomadic production model. In short, this means their spirits will be crafted by third party distillers.
Wolpert explains: “In the current economic climate where overheads and labour costs are only going one way, the sustainable model for us as an indie producer is to retain our production team and all their expertise in house and be nomadic in our distilling locations.
“We have a phenomenal network of partner distilleries, and our team are incredibly excited to be working with them. Our approach is doggedly pragmatic to futureproof the business. Our new operational set up allows us to hold on to what has always been most important; making our own spirits and serving our industry and community. It’s as simple as that. Our number one priority was to find a liquid development and experiential space.”
To celebrate their revival of sorts, East London Liquor Co have released their first new whisky since before their period of administration.
East London Threads is a blend of East London Liquor Co’s craft whiskies alongside specially selected malt whiskies from Loch Lomond. The final blend is said to showcase the ‘curated character and flavour’ that the London producer has become known for.
Two unpeated malts from Loch Lomond provide a base for East London Liquor’s whiskies to shine. Their malt whisky brings a fruity and funky element while their rye whisky adds its trademark spiciness.
In terms of flavour we can expect chocolate-dipped-strawberries, cherry blossom and a neighbour’s fire pit on the nose, leading to rum and raisin, white peach, and dried banana on the palate. The finish is sweet - honey flapjack and golden syrup - with a gentle passing drift of smoke.
Sam Garbutt, head of whisky at East London Liquor Co, said: “For 10 years, we’ve made whisky on the fringes – laying down different grains and wild ferments tuned to London’s hard water, much like the stout makers of the 18th century. Now felt like the moment to open that work up to a wider drinking audience, partnering with Loch Lomond and marrying these styles into something easy-drinking yet properly characterful.”
To craft this unique blend the brand partnered with Compass Box founder John Glaser, whose 20 years experience as one of the industry’s most creative and innovative blenders proved to be invaluable in making this bold whisky as accessible as possible for drinkers.
Wolpert said: “This project was born from us interrogating how we can make our whisky as smashable and exciting as possible. What is the most ‘East London thing’ we could do with whisky? It’s proof of how seriously we take our philosophy of always being led by flavour and only flavour and sharing our approach to whisky with as many drinkers as we can.
“This project honours the traditional practices of whisky blending, while being inspired by the future of what whisky can still become. Having John on board for our release of East London Threads: Blended Whisky made the breaking down of whisky barriers all the more enlightening. It’s been a privilege to work together.”
Speaking on the collaboration, John Glaser said: “My role was to help Alex and Sam bring clarity to their vision and support the creative process, from defining what they wanted the whisky to say, to how they could get there. They did the real work. This whisky is all theirs. I just helped coach from the sidelines. What they’ve made is bold, delicious, and refreshingly unpretentious – a whisky with real soul and purpose.”
Gabutt added: “There’s no point innovating for innovation’s sake; beyond his vast knowledge, what I valued most in working with John was his calm, thoughtful focus on our brief. Publishing the blend breakdown was important to us too – total transparency. I want people to pull it apart and figure out what does what… or not, and just enjoy the whisky.”
East London Threads: Blended Whisky is scheduled for release later this month with an RRP of £42.
