English rye whisky is still a rare thing, and that alone makes this bottle from East London Liquor Co worth paying attention to. Their Rye 2018, bottled at seven years old from a single Pauillac cask — that's a red wine barrel from Bordeaux's left bank, for the uninitiated — represents exactly the kind of ambitious cask experimentation that's putting English distillers on the map. At 55.1% ABV and drawn from cask 218, this is a single cask release with genuine character and no shortcuts.
What strikes me first about this whisky is the sheer confidence of the approach. Rye grain already brings a spicier, more assertive character than your typical English single malt, and finishing or maturing it in a Pauillac cask is a bold pairing. Pauillac wines — think Lafite, Mouton Rothschild — are known for their deep tannic structure and dark fruit concentration. That kind of cask influence on a seven-year-old rye at cask strength is going to leave a serious mark on the spirit, and I mean that in the best possible way.
At £95.95, you're paying a premium, but consider what you're actually getting: a single cask, cask strength English rye with seven years of maturation and a genuinely unusual wine cask finish. In the context of what Scottish single cask bottlings go for these days, this is honestly reasonable. You're also supporting a relatively young distillery that's clearly investing in long-term stock and creative maturation — not just rushing spirit to market.
Tasting Notes
I'll hold off on detailed tasting notes for now, as I want to revisit this one properly over several sessions. What I will say is that you should expect the rye grain's natural peppery bite to sit alongside whatever the Pauillac cask has contributed — likely some tannic dryness, dark fruit sweetness, and a vinous depth that you simply don't get from bourbon or sherry wood. The cask strength ABV means this whisky will reward patience. Add water in small drops and let it open up.
The Verdict
This is a genuinely interesting whisky. English rye is a tiny category, and single cask releases at this age and strength are even rarer. East London Liquor Co have made something that doesn't need to lean on Scottish or American traditions to justify itself — it stands on its own terms. A 7.8 out of 10 feels right to me. It loses half a point because the price will give casual drinkers pause, and without a confirmed track record of consistency across casks, you're taking a small leap of faith on cask 218 specifically. But for whisky enthusiasts who want something genuinely different, this delivers. It's a conversation starter that actually has something to say.
Best Served
Neat, in a Glencairn, with a few drops of water to tame that 55.1% ABV. This is not a mixing whisky — at this price and this level of character, you want to give it your full attention. That said, if you're feeling adventurous, a small measure in a Manhattan with a quality sweet vermouth would be spectacular. The Pauillac cask influence and the vermouth's herbal sweetness should complement each other beautifully, and the rye backbone will keep the drink structured and dry. But honestly, pour it neat first. Get to know it before you start experimenting.
Community Reviews
Andre Dubois
Pauillac cask really works here
8/10
The wine cask influence is spot on — dark berries and a tannic dryness that plays nicely against the rye spice. At 55.1% it's got proper punch but doesn't burn. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully with this baked plum thing going on. Really interesting English whisky.
30 March 2026
Mei-Lin Wu
Pauillac cask really works here
8/10
The wine cask influence is spot on — dark berries and a tannic dryness that plays nicely against the rye spice. At 55.1% it's got proper punch but doesn't burn. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully with this baked plum thing going on. Really interesting English whisky.
30 March 2026
Victor Osei
Pauillac cask really works here
8/10
The wine cask influence is spot on — dark berries and a tannic dryness that plays nicely against the rye spice. At 55.1% it's got proper punch but doesn't burn. I added a few drops of water and it opened up beautifully with this baked plum thing going on. Really interesting English whisky.
30 March 2026
Finn OBrien
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Look, it's a solid rye with nice fruit and spice notes from the Pauillac cask. But £96 for a 7-year-old from a craft distillery is a tough sell when you can get established ryes for less. I enjoyed drinking it neat, just not sure I'd rebuy at that price.
17 March 2026
Daniel Oyama
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Look, it's a solid rye with nice fruit and spice notes from the Pauillac cask. But £96 for a 7-year-old from a craft distillery is a tough sell when you can get established ryes for less. I enjoyed drinking it neat, just not sure I'd rebuy at that price.
17 March 2026
Herbert Muller
Good but pricey for what it is
7/10
Look, it's a solid rye with nice fruit and spice notes from the Pauillac cask. But £96 for a 7-year-old from a craft distillery is a tough sell when you can get established ryes for less. I enjoyed drinking it neat, just not sure I'd rebuy at that price.
17 March 2026
Nils Bergman
Great with a splash of water
8/10
At full strength this was a bit hot and the flavours were fighting each other. But add a teaspoon of water and suddenly it's all jammy fruit, baking spice and toasted rye. The Pauillac cask gives it a finish that reminds me of good port-finished Scotch. Would recommend trying it with water first.
30 January 2026
Celeste Moreno
Great with a splash of water
8/10
At full strength this was a bit hot and the flavours were fighting each other. But add a teaspoon of water and suddenly it's all jammy fruit, baking spice and toasted rye. The Pauillac cask gives it a finish that reminds me of good port-finished Scotch. Would recommend trying it with water first.
30 January 2026
Jackson Wu
Great with a splash of water
8/10
At full strength this was a bit hot and the flavours were fighting each other. But add a teaspoon of water and suddenly it's all jammy fruit, baking spice and toasted rye. The Pauillac cask gives it a finish that reminds me of good port-finished Scotch. Would recommend trying it with water first.
30 January 2026
Priya Sharma
A proper winter sipper
8/10
Picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did. Rich and warming with dried fruit, rye bread and a hint of dark chocolate. The Pauillac finish gives it a winey depth that keeps you coming back to the glass. Had it neat over the course of an evening and it just got better as it opened up.
4 January 2026
Liam Anderson
A proper winter sipper
8/10
Picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did. Rich and warming with dried fruit, rye bread and a hint of dark chocolate. The Pauillac finish gives it a winey depth that keeps you coming back to the glass. Had it neat over the course of an evening and it just got better as it opened up.
4 January 2026
Olivia Park
A proper winter sipper
8/10
Picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did. Rich and warming with dried fruit, rye bread and a hint of dark chocolate. The Pauillac finish gives it a winey depth that keeps you coming back to the glass. Had it neat over the course of an evening and it just got better as it opened up.
4 January 2026
Henrik Larsen
Not my style but well made
6/10
I tend to prefer my rye with more grain-forward character, and the heavy wine cask influence here kind of masks that. It's well crafted and the 55.1% ABV is handled well, but at nearly a hundred quid I wanted more classic rye spice and less fruit. Personal preference though — my mate loved it.
23 December 2025
Zoe Chen
Not my style but well made
6/10
I tend to prefer my rye with more grain-forward character, and the heavy wine cask influence here kind of masks that. It's well crafted and the 55.1% ABV is handled well, but at nearly a hundred quid I wanted more classic rye spice and less fruit. Personal preference though — my mate loved it.
23 December 2025
Marco Andretti
Not my style but well made
6/10
I tend to prefer my rye with more grain-forward character, and the heavy wine cask influence here kind of masks that. It's well crafted and the 55.1% ABV is handled well, but at nearly a hundred quid I wanted more classic rye spice and less fruit. Personal preference though — my mate loved it.
23 December 2025
Carlos Mendez
Interesting but still finding its feet
7/10
You can tell this is a young distillery figuring things out. The wine cask does a lot of heavy lifting — underneath there's decent rye character but it feels like it needed another year or two in wood. Not bad at all, just not fully there yet for me.
6 December 2025
Ethan Cooper
Interesting but still finding its feet
7/10
You can tell this is a young distillery figuring things out. The wine cask does a lot of heavy lifting — underneath there's decent rye character but it feels like it needed another year or two in wood. Not bad at all, just not fully there yet for me.
6 December 2025
Hannah Brooks
Interesting but still finding its feet
7/10
You can tell this is a young distillery figuring things out. The wine cask does a lot of heavy lifting — underneath there's decent rye character but it feels like it needed another year or two in wood. Not bad at all, just not fully there yet for me.
6 December 2025
Rosa Paredes
English rye punching above its weight
9/10
Genuinely surprised by this one. The nose is all red fruit and oak, then the palate hits you with cinnamon, black pepper and this lovely grape-skin bitterness from the Bordeaux cask. Cask strength suits it perfectly. East London are doing something really special here.
20 October 2025
Sibel Nur
English rye punching above its weight
9/10
Genuinely surprised by this one. The nose is all red fruit and oak, then the palate hits you with cinnamon, black pepper and this lovely grape-skin bitterness from the Bordeaux cask. Cask strength suits it perfectly. East London are doing something really special here.
20 October 2025
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