Akvavit, the national spirit of Scandinavia, has been treated to a local makeover with the launch of a barrel-aged release from East London Liquor Co., Stockholms Bränneri and Pantechnicon, a drinking, dining and retail destination located in Belgravia. 

Famous for fuelling long mid-summer parties that bring families, friends and neighbours together to celebrate the longest day of the year, Akvavit uses dill, fennel, anise and clove to create a spirit that’s firmly rooted in Scandinavian food and drink cannon.

Whilst this version uses all of those cues, the coming together of the distillers at Stockholms Bränneri and the barrel-ageing team at East London Liquor Co. (who are more used to managing their whisky production) has created a unique take on the category. By ageing the young spirit in ex-red wine casks they’ve managed to amplify the floral characteristics present from dill flower used in the original distilling process. 

The three-way collaboration was originally the idea of Marc-Andrea Levy, the beverage director of Pantechnicon and came about after discussing ideas with Stockholms Bränneri head distiller Erik Hasselgärde. Everything  was cemented when Alex Wolpert, founder of East London Liquor Co. who are the restaurant’s UK spirits partner, suggested the unusual approach to the barrel-ageing, and six months later product was born.

“Akvavit is such a huge part of the Scandinavian drinking and celebrating tradition that at first we were worried about messing things up and upsetting the Nordic gods. Fortunately the use of an ex-red wine cask from Germanier in Switzerland allowed us to add our own personal stamp without things wandering too far off script. ” Wolpert says.

From Pantechnicon’s Marc Andrea-Levy: “We are very pleased with our first collaboration with East London Liquor Co. and Stockholms Bränneri. The akvavit quality of distillation is an amazing example of what this sought-after distillery can do, and East London Liquor Company’s savoir faire, bringing another dimension through the barrel ageing and the use of dill flowers. This is a grassy, dill and pine-forward spirit with a superb gentle sweetness thanks to anise & liquorice notes. Best enjoyed at home with tonic or even Champagne!”

“We visited East London Liquor Company back in 2015 prior to starting our distillery in Stockholm, and we were so inspired by the fantastic products they produced and their public space. It’s fantastic to now be able to do a product with this same brand, joining together two urban distilleries, and also the Scandinavian heritage of Akvavit and the British heritage of cask maturing into this unique product.” Says Anna, one of the co-founders of Stockholms Bränneri, founded in Stockholm 2015.

Available exclusively at Pantechnicon, £60.  

Notes to editors:

East London Liquor Company press information

James Law +44(0)771 770 4539 | j.law@eastlondonliquorcompany.com

For more information on sales: orders@eastlondonliquorcompany.com      

East London Liquor Company | 221 Grove Road | Bow Wharf | London | E3 5SN     

Instagram: @eastlondonliquorcompany
Website: https://eastlondonliquorcompany.com/

Pantechnicon Press Information

For more details on Pantechnicon, as well as general press enquiries and further information, please contact: 

sarah.blackwell@pantechnicon.com
jade@pantechnicon.com 

Pantechnicon | 19 Motcomb Street | London |SW1X 8LB

Nearest Underground Stations: Knightsbridge, Sloane Square

pantechnicon.com | pantechniconstore.com | @_pantechnicon

HI-RES PRODUCT IMAGES

Pack shot - cut out, no background - https://bit.ly/EL_Akvavit

Postcard/Flyer - https://bit.ly/EL_Akvavit_Flyer

About East London Liquor Company

THE PEOPLE’S DRINKS COMPANY: Great spirits without the crafty bullshit.

East London Liquor Company has always stood against expensive mediocrity. Everyone should have good booze for good prices from good people. It sounds radical, but it shouldn’t.

Since July 2014, they have been producing and importing a range of spirits, including gins, vodka, rum and whisky. They currently distribute their award-winning spirits throughout the UK and internationally to over 20 markets.

East London Liquor Company strives to be as commercially ethical as possible and have always proudly supported the London Living Wage. Founded by Alex Wolpert; Mikey Pendergast is their Global Brand Ambassador and Tom Hills and Andy Mooney are responsible for distillation.

About Pantechnicon 

Pantechnicon was created as a way of sharing a passion for travel, design, and great food and drink. Like many who have visited the Nordics & Japan, founder Barry Hirst noticed the undeniable similarities between the two cultures and their values, and wanted to create a place where this could be explored and enjoyed by all. 

The Pantechnicon name comes from the building, a Grade-II listed landmark on Motcomb Street, SW1, which was London’s original international arts, crafts and interiors bazaar. The word was created for the building’s opening in 1830 by joining the Greek words pan ‘all’ and technikon ‘of the arts’. 

With a striking neoclassical façade, a grand exterior gives way to a stripped-back interior which celebrates the historic fabric of the building. Through this redevelopment, the Pantechnicon brand has been reborn and reimagined for the 21st century. 

With a focus on creativity and craftsmanship, six floors are divided into eight spaces inspired by the Nordics & Japan: Roof Garden, Eldr Dining Room, Café Kitsuné, Kiosk takeout spot, Sachi Japanese restaurant, Sakaya bottle shop, Edit gift shop and Studio fashion and homeware shop.

About STOCKHOLMS BRÄNNERI

The first craft distillery in Stockholm

Stockholms Bränneri is situated in an old Jaguar workshop on the island of Södermalm in Stockholm, Sweden. In the old workshop we create Stockholms first craft gin, inspired by our Nordic heritage. We are influenced by the natural, but also architectural, elements of our surroundings, driven by curiosity.

https://www.stockholmsbranneri.com/