Whisky for Movember at The London Distillery Company
The first whisky distillery in London in over 100 years, The London Distillery Company, has announced that the inaugural spirit to run from the stills will be used to fill 109 casks - one for each year since there was last a whisky distillery in London.
These will be sold as a limited edition release with fifty percent of the profits going to the men's health charity Movember, which raises awareness for men's health issues, specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
Men all around the country will be sporting gloriously creepy moustaches. All in support of a great cause.
...Darren, Marco and I were sitting around, trying to figure out what to do with the first whisky to come off a still in London for over a hundred years, and then it hit us: Movember (the month formerly known as November) is right around the corner…
So, we approached the guys at Movember and pitched an idea. The London Distillery Company will fill limited edition 20-litre casks of whisky, sell them to caring malt-lovers, and donate half of the proceeds to charity!
The casks will be shipped in from selected craft distilleries in the United States, like the decent fellas at Balcones Distillery in Texas. Owner Chip Tate read about our idea online and got in touch with us over Twitter to donate a whole pallet's worth of beautiful American oak casks, freshly disgorged of Bourbon.
And for all you naysayers who think that a 20-litre cask is too small to age in, don't fret. I'm going to design a uniquely tailored, one-off spirit with Dr. Jim Swan, wood specialist and whisky consultant to the stars, so that your whisky is perfectly fruity and mellow after resting for only 36 months. The secret is in the fermentation…
Andrew Macleod Smith
Each of the 20 litre ex-bourbon casks, procured from selected US craft distillers, will be individually numbered and will have a unique moustache hand carved or branded into the barrel.
Casks cost £495 ex. VAT, which works out at approx. £36 per 70cl bottle of cask strength whisky when all is done and the taxman is happy.
The whisky will be aged for three years and one day by The London Distillery Company, or customers are welcome to take it home for the maturation process.
So if you want to tuck your cask under your pillow for safe keeping (and the occasional sample?) then you can pay the duty upfront and take it home once its filled.
If you'd rather TLDC kept it, that's fine too. Up to three years storage in their warehouse is included in the price.
Those who purchase a cask and partake in cultivating a mo' of their own can even send in a picture of their efforts and have it recreated on the barrel. They are also invited to the distillery in Battersea to help fill their own cask.
This year's Movember and Sons campaign really touches home as I have a little son and the thought of not being here for him or my wife really strikes a chord. I have been taking part in Movember for five years and it's a really fun way to raise funds and awareness. For the month of November the moustache sparks conversation, even with complete strangers.
The whole distillery team is getting involved this year but we wanted to do more than that, so Andrew Macleod Smith, our distiller, will be creating a fruity and floral single malt spirit to fill the 109 casks and half of the profits made will go to Movember.
Due to the smaller than usual 20 litre capacity of the barrels, Andrew will be working with industry consultant, Dr. Jim Swan, to create a malt spirit that will age for the minimum period, yet result in a mature, balanced whisky. This will be achieved through innovation in the early stages of the production process.
We hope to raise over £5,000 for Movember through this project, as well as providing consumers with a unique whisky experience.
Darren Rook, founder of The London Distillery Company
Please contact Darren@thelondondistillerycompany.com to purchase a cask.