Orientalist Spirits to celebrate global launch

Pan-Asian craft spirits company Orientalist will celebrate its global launch with a party at London bar Silverleaf in September.

Hosted in collaboration with the team from acclaimed Parisian bar Little Red Door, the party will take place on Monday 5 September at Silverleaf at the Pan Pacific Hotel.

Orientalist Spirits was founded by Michel Lu, a long-time owner and operator in food and beverage, venture capital, and lifestyle businesses in Asia.

The craft spirits brand has already seen huge success in Asia’s premium market, where it is stocked in venues such as the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Lu said: “Following our success in Asia, I am delighted to be launching Orientalist Spirits to the global market. We have searched far and wide for ingredients to make a range of spirits like no other, and this collaboration with Silverleaf and Little Red Door, both experts in the art of cocktails, is the perfect way to introduce our creations to the world.”

Orientalist Spirits’ range comprises Origins Vodka, the ‘world’s first’ triple blended vodka; Gunpowder Gin, a contemporary gin produced using a blend of traditional and low-temperature vacuum distillation techniques; the 8-year-old Dragon Whisky, the world’s first all-Asian blended whisky; and Solera 23 Imperial Rum, a blended dark rum designed for sipping.

Lu was inspired to launch Orientalist while taking time off at the Hidden Valley eco-resort, 3,300 meters above sea-level on the Tibetan plateau in Shangri-La.

Each spirit in the portfolio is created using premium ingredients from the region including cold-fermented Longan honey mead, Tibetan highland barley, and botanicals such as Siberian ginseng, Kampot peppercorn, Korean omija berries and Taiwanese gunpowder tea.

At the global launch event in London, Orientalist Spirits will showcase its all-Asian portfolio in exclusive cocktail menus created by Silverleaf and Little Red Door.

Barney O’Kane and Léa Longayrou of Little Red Door will create drinks inspired by the bar’s ‘farm to bar’ approach, while Silverleaf’s Chris Tanner and Liam Broom will apply their forward-thinking processes to their own exclusive creations, focusing on flavour and colour profiles with a minimalist presentation.

The event will also feature invitation-only tastings in Alba, Silverleaf’s private tasting bar where brand ambassador Caryn Cheah will guide guests through an introduction to the Orientalist spirits range.

As part of its worldwide launch, Orientalist Spirits will also be appearing at the Singapore Grand Prix, Bar Convent Berlin, and London Cocktail Week in October.