Pernod partners with London micro-distillery

Pernod Ricard has teamed up with a new micro-distillery in East London as part of the global expansion of its Our/Vodka brand.

Pernod Ricard will open the Our/London micro-distillery in London this summer

The Absolut Company, the vodka arm of the French drinks group, announced plans to roll out its burgeoning Our/Vodka brand across the globe by partnering 11 new micro distilleries last year.

Each distillery will create the Our/Vodka brand using the same recipe, but will adapt flavour and style to “communicate the personality” of each city – making Our/Vodka the largest locally-produced spirits brand in the world.

The new Our/London distillery, based in Hackney, will open later this year under the direction of local entrepreneurs Neil Chivers and Clive Watson, who work in the music and hospitality industries respectively.

“Clive and I are really looking forward to this vodka shaped adventure,” said Chivers. “Not only is Hackney our family neighbourhood, but it is also home to some of the most forward thinking and creative food and drink brands in London right now; we’re excited about Our/London becoming part of that community.”

Its launch follows that of sites in Berlin and Detroit, and also Our/Seattle, which will open in the spring. Micro-distilleries in Amsterdam, New York, Houston and Miami are also due to open “imminently”.

Our/London will produce, blend and hand bottle the vodka using ingredients “sourced as locally as possible”. The site will also feature a tasting room and event space.

At the time the Our/Vodka initiative was first announced, Åsa Caap, founder of Our/Vodka and former innovations director at Pernod Ricard, said: “Finding the right partner in each city is crucial. Since we hand over the responsibility of running the local brand and business to them, it has turned out to be our most critical task.”