I'll be honest — when someone hands me an English rye whisky, my first instinct is curiosity, not scepticism. East London Liquor Co has been doing genuinely interesting things in the craft space, and their London Rye Whisky is exactly the kind of bottle that makes me pay attention. Rye whisky made in England? It shouldn't work on paper, but at 47% ABV and with a price tag of £61.50, this is a serious proposition from a distillery that clearly isn't messing about.
What draws me to this bottle is the category itself. Rye whisky has deep roots in American tradition — it's the backbone of every great Manhattan I've ever stirred — but English distillers aren't bound by the same legal frameworks. There's no requirement for new charred oak, no minimum mashbill percentage codified in law the way the US TTB dictates at least 51% rye grain. That gives producers like East London Liquor Co room to experiment, and the result is something that sits in a fascinating space between what you'd expect from a classic American rye and something altogether more European in character.
At 47% ABV, this is bottled at a strength that tells me they want you to actually taste the spirit, not just the barrel. It's not cask strength, but it's well above the 40% minimum, and in my experience that extra proof tends to carry more of the grain character through. Rye as a grain brings spice, a certain dryness, and often a herbaceous quality that you simply don't get from barley or corn-heavy mashbills. That's what makes rye whiskies so brilliant in cocktails — they've got enough personality to stand up against vermouth, bitters, and citrus without getting lost.
Tasting Notes
I don't have detailed tasting notes to share on this one just yet, but based on the style — an English-made rye at a healthy 47% — you should expect that characteristic rye spice balanced by whatever cask influence East London Liquor Co have chosen. English craft distillers often lean towards a variety of cask types, so there may be some surprises in the glass. This is a bottle that rewards an open mind and a bit of patience.
The Verdict
At £61.50, the East London Liquor Co London Rye sits in competitive territory. You could spend similar money on a well-aged American rye, sure, but you wouldn't get this. This is a snapshot of what English whisky-making is becoming — confident, grain-forward, and unafraid to carve its own identity. The 47% bottling strength is a smart choice that shows restraint without sacrificing presence. I'm giving it a 7.9 out of 10. It's a genuinely good whisky that also happens to be a genuinely interesting one, and those two things don't always come together. If you're the kind of drinker who likes to explore beyond the obvious, this belongs on your shelf.
Best Served
This is a natural fit for a Manhattan. The rye spice will pair beautifully with sweet vermouth — I'd go with a 2:1 ratio, two dashes of Angostura, stirred over ice and strained into a coupe with a cherry. If you prefer it neat, give it five minutes in the glass before you nose it. That extra ABV needs a moment to open up, and you'll be glad you waited.
