New distillery for London’s East End

A new craft distillery is set to revive the East End’s spirits making tradition when it opens in Victoria Park next month.

The East London Liquor Company’s founder Alex Wolpert (left) and master distiller Jamie Baxter

The East London Liquor Company will be the first distillery in London to produce gin, whisky and vodka in East London for over a century.

Housed in an old glue factory in Bow Wharf at the Southern Edge of Victoria Park, the spirits will be made in two copper stills 450-650 litres at a time.

Two of the first spirits to be made will be “super premium” gins that will celebrate the pivotal role London has played in the juniper-based spirits’ history.

In addition, the ELLC will make a London Dry Gin, an “artisanal” vodka and a whisky aged on site for a minimum of three years. The distiller will also import its own rum from Demerara Distillers in Guyana.

In a bid to attract local spirits lovers, all of the spirits will be on pour at the distillery’s own cocktail bar featuring a large glass wall overlooking the stills.

Headed up by mixologist Piyush Chavda, the bar will serve a range of bespoke cocktails designed to show off the quality of the base spirit.

Master Distiller, Jamie Baxter, will be offering tours, tastings and “make your of batch” sessions at the site.

Prior to the ELLC, Baxter founded the City of London Distillery in late 2012 and also helped set up Chase Distillery in Herefordshire.

“The opening marks an exciting step for London’s craft spirit industry,” said Baxter.

“We will be the only London distillery producing and importing four premium spirits and the first to bring the industry back to the East End,” he added.

The distillery’s founder, Alex Wolpert, said the inspiration for the company came from a desire to revive East London’s rich spirits making legacy.

“The craft spirits trade went through a successful resurgence in the US, and now the UK is experiencing a similar renaissance with several distilleries popping up across the capital over the past 10 years,” said Wolpert.

“We already have numerous bars lined up to take our gins, vodka, rum and whisky,” he added.