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    • Date: 23.03.26

    Redefining the Rules of Whisky with East London Liquor Company

    East London Liquor Company has launched East London Whisky, its first blended whisky, with a new pack design by Thirst that captures the layered character of the neighbourhood it comes from.

    The project marked an important step forward for the distillery. Known for its flavour-first approach to spirits, the team wanted their first blended whisky to reach a wider audience of drinkers while still feeling unmistakably East London. The ambition was clear: create a design that could sit confidently at an accessible premium price point and feel worth it the moment it’s picked up.



    Making premium feel real

    Rather than leaning on the traditional codes of the whisky category, the approach focused on what makes East London unique. The area has always been defined by contrast. Old boozers sit next to modern cocktail bars. Victorian architecture stands beside concrete tower blocks. Layers of history build on top of one another, creating a neighbourhood that feels both raw and refined at the same time.

    That tension became the guiding idea behind the design — what the team called Exquisite Clash.

    To capture the spirit of the place, the process began away from the studio. Senior Designer Alex Page and the client spent a day walking through East London, photographing signage, architecture, textures and overlooked details across the neighbourhood. Those observations became the creative starting point, grounding the design in the everyday character of the streets themselves.

    The final label translates that layered environment into a tactile, dimensional piece of packaging. Embossing, micro-embossing, spot varnishes, foil details and die-cut elements combine to create depth and texture, while bold typography and flashes of colour give the bottle a confident presence behind the bar. From a distance, it reads clearly on shelf. In the hand, it reveals the craft and detail that justify its premium positioning.

    For East London Liquor Company, the launch represents a new chapter for the brand.

    “The launch of our first blend was a big step change for us as whisky makers,” says founder Alex Wolpert. “It sees us bring our signature flavour-first approach to as many whisky drinkers as possible. We wanted this release to build on who we’ve always been, while signposting something very new in our line-up. Letting new eyes under the hood of your brand is always an interesting exercise. The process was a healthy interrogation of what makes up the fundamental DNA of East London Liquor. The creative strategy development was where Thirst’s expertise really shone.”

    Since launch, the whisky has seen a strong response from both press and customers, boosting whisky sales and reinforcing what East London Liquor Company stands for as modern whisky makers. Supported by a programme of events and activations across the city, the release establishes a refreshed, more confident platform for the brand’s next chapter.

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