Scotch whisky Glenmorangie is celebrating the Golden Age of American whiskey this March with Spice & Rye, a Speakeasy-style cocktail bar in the heart of Fitzrovia, London.
The creation of the spice-inspired, roaring 1920s-style temporary bar marks the launch of Glenmorangie Spìos, the ninth release in the Highland single malt’s explorative Private Edition range.
Glenmorangie Spìos (Gaelic for ‘spice’ and pronounced ‘spee-oss’) is the first ever single malt Scotch that has been entirely aged in American ex-rye whiskey casks. .
Situated on Percy Street in London, Spice & Rye takes visitors through a series of sensory spice and cocktail moments, surrounded by Art-Deco style décor and furnishings.
Guests enter the bar via an apothecary-style spice shop, where they are greeted by a mysterious spice seller offering an array of exotic foods. They continue their journey by stepping through a hidden entrance in the shop, down a secret passageway to a lively 1920s-style space, filled with bartenders telling entertaining tales, wisecracking hosts and a swinging jazz band.
At the bar, consumers will be invited to choose from an array of delectable bespoke drinks, including:
- High & Rye: made with Glenmorangie The Original, ginger, pineapple, topped off with rye beer.
- Bloodstone: a twist on the classic Blood & Sand, made with coffee infused Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban, Rubino and Cocchi Torino
- Chapel St Sour: a blend of Glenmorange Nectar D’Or, Rinquinquin, lemon and toasted coriander seed.
For those wanting to explore Glenmorangie’s range of award-winning whiskies, tasting flights and drams will be available. These include whiskies finished in a range of bespoke casks: Sauternes (Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or), Sherry (Glenmorangie Lasanta) and Port (Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban) and the new Glenmorangie Spìos.
Although it was the original whiskey used to create some of the world’s most renowned cocktails in the 1920s, American rye then fell out of favour as Scotch became more popular. Now, with the resurgence of interest in rye whiskey, Spice & Rye showcases the coming together of cultures – one of Scotland’s most celebrated single malts and America’s iconic dark spirit.
Spice & Rye is open from March 20th to 24th March. Guests can book online at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spice-rye-speakeasy-tickets-43130979922
The term whisky or whiskey is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic word uisce (Irish) or uisge (Scottish), which means ‘water’. Scotch whisky, and that made in many other countries around the world, is spelt without an ‘e’. Most, but not all, American and Irish whiskeys use they ‘ey’ spelling. Aged in wood casks, the flavour of a whisky or whiskey can be altered by what (if anything) the casks have previously been used for.
Bottled at 46% ABV, and non-chill filtered for extra body and texture, Glenmorangie Spìos is available from specialist whisky shops worldwide, priced at £79.
The Glenmorangie brand is owned by international luxury goods group, LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy).
