White Lyan crafts revolutionary new drinks menu

White Lyan is readying to launch a new cocktail menu alongside its own beer and “wines”, making it the “first” cocktail bar to create a complete house drinks only offering.

White Lyan is launching a new cocktail menu, alongside its own ‘wines’

Located in Hoxton, London, White Lyan is the brainchild of revered bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan, and first made a name for itself when it launched in 2013 serving no ice, no fruit, no brands, or any perishable goods.

The new cocktail list will launch on 12 February in time for spring and summer with an aim to “innovate, push boundaries and challenge perceptions”.

It includes creations such as the Sandman Sour, made with Mr Lyan Bourbon, blood orange, sand verbena and zip; the Wu Wu Mojito, a blend of Mr Lyan Rum, distilled mint, peach and grass soda; and the Tennessee Nitro Martini, a mix of Mr Lyan Cola, Jack Daniel’s and Sandows cold brew coffee.

The ‘wines’ are made on-site using ingredients “you would not normally see utilised in wine making”, while the beer is the result of a partnership with the Old Worthy Brewing Company in Scotland, called Lyan Lager and available from March.

The four ‘wine’ options will include Spring Break White, apple flower, rhubarb tea and poached apricots; Guilty Pleasures Rose, hibiscus, peppered watermelon and canned strawberry; Whirlwine Red, oaked cherry, spring grapes, lapsang and sage; and Le Fizz, amalfi lemon and clementine.

They have each been created by deconstructing the flavour profile of wine and rebuilding it in a different way, thus creating a drink that tastes like wine but is not made from grapes.

To celebrate the launch, White Lyan will host a week-long pop-up wine bar and bottle shop in East London in April.

Chetiyawardana said: “We wanted to be able to continue to push ourselves and this is a really exciting step.

“It allows us to take the control and rigour we employ to the next level, and like a restaurant offering this is something that you can only get here.

“We wanted to start conversations and get people thinking about things in a different way.

“By controlling every part of the production process we are also able to significantly reduce waste, which is something we are passionate about and want to raise awareness of.”