Renegade spirit makers, East London Liquor Company, are releasing the first cask of whisky they ever filled to Harvey Nichols as a one-off exclusive. Whisky afficionados will be able to buy a bottle for £1200, or 50ml for £95 across Harvey Nichols’ bars from Cask One.
This cask, which was filled more than seven years ago, has seen “four prime ministers, two monarchs, three presidents, Brexit, Covid, and England win the Euros”, so is more than ready to be released! Inhouse tastings and activations will be in all Harvey Nichols bars during April, featuring East London Liquor cocktails. Mangrove Global distribute East London Liquor spirits.
Alex Wolpert, East London Liquor Founder says,
Our Cask One is something pretty special. It’s the only cask that’s lived in the middle of our distillery its whole life, just a few metres in front of the stills. It’s felt the temperature cooked up from every brew, soaked in the smells from each distillation and absorbed the shock waves of every Spotify playlist. It’s a little bit of East London whisky history and we’re incredibly proud of it.
The bold no-frills, no-fuss distillery, founded in 2014 by East London bartender Alex Wolpert, is known for its experimental, non-traditional processes delivering daringly different new world category whiskies, under the unapologetic tagline ‘Booze with bottle’. This is quality whisky for every demographic, but don’t say its craft. There’s no nod to high-brow connoisseurs with this lot, just the East London hard graft required to get high-quality liquor from grain to glass.
With their own bar and distillery in Mile End, East London Liquor have seen phenomenal success of their range of whisky, gin, rum and vodka liquids. Testament to their pioneering spirit (no pun intended), demand for East London Liquor’s spirits sees 22,000 bottles a month distributed throughout London, the UK and 15 countries across the globe.
Now, the exclusive to Harvey Nichols of Cask One, gives lovers of, and those new-world curious, the chance to own and enjoy the first production ever of the London Rye® whisky that’s spent over seven years at the East London distillery, exposed to the fluctuations in temperature and humidity of their working home, in a virgin American oak feuillette barrel with a heavy toast. But once it’s gone, it’s gone; there’s only one cask-worth of bottles to be had.
The 63% proof Cask One tasting notes indicate a leading nose of irresistible blush with red velvet, almond, rosehip and mocha before a surprising presentation on the palate of cherry, green apple and roasted pineapple, leading to a rich and sumptuous Christmas cake finish.
Nick Larsson-Bell, Senior Buyer – Spirits and Beers, Retail Buyer of the Year 2022 says;
We are really excited to be working with East London Liquor on the release of the Cask One. With my family hailing from Hackney, and myself living in East London, this is a product I am really proud for us to sell at Harvey Nichols, and on top of this, the liquid is absolutely sensational. With just 96 bottles this is going to be an incredibly rare release so best to get yourself a bottle sooner rather than later.
Whisky and spirit lovers alike who won’t be stretching their wallets to the Cask One price tag, and those that will, can enjoy the Harvey Nichols inhouse bar tastings.
Alec Morgan, Head of Luxury & Independent Retail, Mangrove Global, added,
East London Liquor Company are bringing a contemporary approach to whisky production which is really refreshing, seen with this exclusive offering. With East London Liquor, it’s all about flavour which is here in abundance, delivered through unconventional yeast strains, long fermentations not to mention a very active cask.
Mangrove respect and share East London Liquor’s values in sustainable production, which are good for all of us. A bottle of Cask One would be a tremendous addition to a well curated whisky collection while kudos to Harvey Nichols for making Cask One available by the dram in their Brasserie Bars”.