White Lyan is a unique cocktail bar that places sole focus on its drinks. The drinks come pre-mixed, there is no ice, no fruit and no brands anywhere to be seen. Go and see for yourself.
White Lyan
Bar in Hackney
Ad
White Lyan Picture Gallery
All In London Review
9 stars? Yes, the cocktails really are that good.
Located on Hoxton Street, quite possibly the only street around Shoreditch that is yet to have its malevolent undertones fully extinguished, is White Lyan. You might call this one a concept bar, the concept being: no ice, no lime, no lemon, no nothing else at all. Just pre-mixed cocktails from bottles chilled to the correct temperatures.
Suspicious at first, we soon become believers. No ice means no dilution, which can only be a good thing. We order the Negroni and the White Lyan Manhattan to get a sample of two classics. The Negroni tastes like a Negroni… for its duration! Poured from a bottle lifted straight from the fridge, it is balanced perfectly. But the Manhattan eclipses it. Again, straight from the fridge, no mixing required, it is poured into a chilled, stemmed glass and arrives within a few minutes. Hands down this is one of the best Manhattan’s we’ve tasted. It is a bitter, smooth drink with fire lingering in it.
With drinks coming straight from the bottles, freshly pre-mixed daily, it isn’t only the benefits of continuity of flavour and balance that customers reap. Waiting times are cut too. Imagine getting a cocktail in the time it takes to get a pint. That’s how it goes at White Lyan.
There is a range of classics and house cocktails to work through – each priced at around £8 a drink. Wine and beer are an option but the cocktails are obviously the attraction. The bar itself is inoffensive in its simplicity - although we’re not fans of the shiny silver seating – and lets its drinks do the talking. And we like that talk. We like that talk a whole lot.
Reviewed by T.A.O
on Feb 22, 2014
Published on Feb 21, 2014
In The News
Mr Lyan reveals all his secrets...
Mr Lyan (aka Ryan Chetiyawardana) discloses his best techniques and recipes in his new book...
Things to Try
User Reviews
T.A.O
Feb 4, 2014
No ice! No perishables - here's a concept bar if ever I heard of one. The tasty, tasty cocktails are possibly the best I've had in the area. The decor was a little too slick but, wow, those drinks!!
Have your say
Add a review or useful tip for this bar