East London Liquor Company
East London Liquor Company (ELLC) is an urban distillery founded in 2014 by Alex Wolpert, based in a converted former glue factory at Bow Wharf, 221 Grove Road, Bow, London E3 5SN. When it launched, ELLC produced the first whisky distilled in London's East End since the closure of the Lea Valley Distillery in 1904 — breaking a century-long gap in East End spirits production. The London Rye expression was the historic first release: the first rye whisky made in East London in modern times. Today ELLC produces a "flavour-led" range of whiskies, gin, vodka, and rum, alongside canned cocktails, and operates both a production distillery at Bow Wharf and the East London Liquor Lab experience venue at 382 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH. A bottle shop at Borough Market is also available.
Tours
Available
On-site Shop
Open
Online Shop
Available
History
Alex Wolpert founded East London Liquor Company in 2014 with a mission to make premium craft spirits accessible to London drinkers and to revive whisky-making in the East End after more than a century of absence. The Bow Wharf location — a former Victorian glue factory on the Regent's Canal in Bow — provided the industrial heritage setting that aligned with the ELLC aesthetic: authentic, urban, and deeply rooted in east London's working history.
The London Rye was the first whisky produced: the first rye whisky distilled in East London since 1904. The East London Single Malt followed, establishing ELLC as a genuine whisky producer rather than simply a gin distillery with whisky ambitions. The distillery's philosophy — producing "flavour-led spirits with texture, individuality, funk balanced with finesse" — has driven the creation of a range that appeals to both whisky newcomers and experienced enthusiasts.
In parallel with production, the company developed the East London Liquor Lab at 382 Mentmore Terrace, E8 3PH, as a dedicated experiences venue offering blending classes and tastings. A bar and restaurant operate at the Bow Wharf distillery, alongside a Borough Market bottle shop.
Production
ELLC produces multiple spirit categories from its Bow Wharf distillery: East London Single Malt and London Rye whiskies, the ELLC Gin range (their original and founding product), ELLC Vodka, ELLC Rum, and canned cocktails and vodka seltzers. All spirits are produced on-site at the Bow Wharf facility. The whisky programme focuses on flavour-led expressions, with the London Rye highlighting the historic East End tradition of rye whisky production.
Tasting Character
ELLC spirits are described as "flavour-led" with an emphasis on "texture, individuality, funk balanced with finesse." The East London Single Malt follows a clean, malt-forward English single malt style, approachable and fruit-forward. The London Rye brings the distinctive grain character of rye — spicy, herbal, and slightly earthy — to an East London context. The gin range, which started the company, is juniper-led with London Dry foundations but layered with contemporary botanical complexity. The rum adds a Caribbean-inspired tropical note to the ELLC range.
What They Produce
Notable Bottlings
- East London London Rye£60.50 — First release; the first rye whisky distilled in East London since 1904
- East London Single Malt£61.50 — Core English single malt expression
- ELLC Gin — Original gin, where the company's story began
- ELLC Vodka — Clean, grain-based London vodka
- ELLC Rum — Craft-distilled Caribbean-inspired rum
- East End Blender Class exclusive cask releases£43.75 — Available through the Liquor Lab experience
Buy their whiskey
2 East London Liquor Company bottles stocked across 2 retailers.
DD
East London Liquor Company London Rye Whisky 2022 70cl
£56.50
MoM
East London Liquor Co. London Dry Gin
£25.95
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Visiting
Two experiences are offered at the East London Liquor Lab (382 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH):
- East End Blender — Whisky blending class using the ELLC cask collection (£75)
- Drink East Tasting — Full spirits range tasting (£35)
Additional tastings run at partner venues across Brighton, Cambridge, and elsewhere. A bar, restaurant, and bottle shop operate at Bow Wharf, 221 Grove Road, Bow, E3 5SN. Borough Market bottle shop also available. Book via the official website.
Official Website
