East London Liquor Company

History

East London Liquor Company is based in the industrial heart of London’s East End. The brand is known for recognizing old practices but choosing to ignore them and invest in what comes next. They describe their style as a signature East London aesthetic characterized by texture, individuality and funk balanced with finesse. The motto and identity revolve around being firmly rooted in London, while working to renew and add coherent uniqueness to their spirits.

The name reflects the place and its spirit: they emphasize capturing the spirit that defines East London. Their approach is 'Born in London. Made like nothing else' and a focus on tackling the future rather than repeating the past. Implemented through products and experiences that reflect the city’s character and its craft traditions.

The brand also promotes partnerships and community engagement, such as the collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where 10% of sales goes back to science and plant conservation. This supports a philosophy of responsible, value-driven production and biodiversity.

Production/Manufacturing

According to the company page, production is anchored in a combination of tradition and innovation. They describe that their whiskies are 'made with the same bold spirit as the city we call home' and that they use London’s hard water and are inspired by East End brewing heritage. The text highlights that they use heritage techniques together with modern innovation to create well-defined flavor experiences, where texture and character are central.

Their whisky is produced through copper still distillation processes, and fermentation is carried out with special yeast strains to shape the flavor. Their whiskies speak of using mash bills consisting of malted barley and rye grains and aging in different wood casks (e.g., reclaimed and new American oak, ex-bourbon as well as other cask types). On some products, no chill filtration is used and no colorants are added. The distillation method is described as double-pot distillation with hand-picked cuts to capture the full spectrum of flavors.

Products/Whisky Series

The brand presents several whisky variants under different labels:

• East London Threads: Blended Whisky – a blend of single malts and London Rye, focusing on texture and layering.

• East London Originals: Mondrian Rye® – a Rye-forward English whisky drawn from an ex-Laphroaig (mid-)layer; marked as an archival release with a smoky nuance.

• East London Originals: London Rye® Whisky – Rye-based whisky with spicy and sweet notes.

• East London Originals: Pauillac London Rye® – 7 years’ maturation in Bordeaux-barrique (Pauillac), a cross between French wine and London Rye.

• SINGLE CASK RELEASE: Chardonnay Rye – a single cask release, 57% ABV, Rye- and barley-dominated mash.

• SINGLE CASK RELEASE: SINGLE MALT X RADIKON MERLOT – a blend where malts were exposed to Radikon Merlot cask, 47.2% ABV.

• East London Islay Single Malt – a single malt released as an Islay-influenced release with peated notes (61.1% ABV in some cases).

• East London Single Malt Whisky 2022 – a 47% ABV single malt produced from 100% malted barley from Norfolk and distilled in copper-pot stills.

Their approach to flavor spans malted and rye-based whiskies to combinations that explore cask-native, vintages and experimental aging. Several of the releases highlight non-chill filtration and colorant-free production, with a focus on natural proportions and character-driven aromas.

Visits/Experiences

The brand offers a range of experiences and events under names such as East London Experiences, Drink East Tasting and East End Blender. For example, East End Blender includes a whisky-blender experience in which you get an introduction to whisky production and an opportunity to blend your own whisky, finishing with a 300 ml bottle to take home. There is also a Drink East tasting setup that helps guests understand the entire range and why each spirit type tastes the way it does.

The brand also has an events calendar section with events around the city’s bars and venues, including Boiler Makers events and partnerships with other cultural and beer/bar operators in London and beyond (e.g., Berlin and Bristol). Experiential material describes that the experiences are 18+, and gift cards for experiences are offered.

Their physical location is near Mentmore Terrace in London, with nearby transport options such as London Fields Overground, Haggerston and Bethnal Green, as well as bike parking.

Philosophy

The core of East London Liquor Company is a clear philosophy: no old-fashioned approach, but a modern interpretation of the city’s resilience and creativity. They position themselves with slogans like 'Born in London. Made like nothing else' and 'No fluff. No faff. Just decent booze' – reflecting an approach that focuses on quality, authenticity, and accessibility for both beginners and connoisseurs. Their work is supported by the vision of being a brewing culture that bridges tradition and innovation, as well as active participation in community and biodiversity initiatives through partnerships such as Kew Gardens.