Bringing vinyl music and paired whisky cocktails to the East London listening bar
LONDON, MARCH 2026: The Glendronach has partnered with neighbourhood listening bar,
Equal Parts, for guests to experience the magic of paired music and whisky. The intimate bar is
renowned for its vinyl record selection, hi-fi speakers, timeless laid-back design and ‘aperitivo’
style menu.
Equal Parts have developed a bespoke cocktail menu to complement the character of The
Glendronach 12 Year Old, designed to be paired with a playlist of vinyl selects that showcase
how music heightens the whisky drinking experience.
The Glendronach Listening Bar Experience at Equal Parts is a month-long activation that will
launch on Friday 6th March and will be available for one hour between 6-7pm from ThursdaySaturday. Guests can drop into the bar to enjoy the lively atmosphere, and expressive and
balanced Glendronach cocktails with friends; paired with the curated playlist featuring R&B, soul
and trip-hop.
The Glendronach has set out to explore the connection of sound and taste in whisky drinking,
inspired by the saxophone-shaped stills at the distillery and the house style of highland spirit
married with Spanish flair. In August 2025 The Glendronach released its first track created with
Emmy nominated composer Rob Lewis, named Valley of the Brambles. Created at the distillery
in Aberdeenshire, the music incorporates sounds found within the whisky making process, and
is reflective of the craftsmanship and the sipping experience of The Glendronach 12 Year Old.
Valley of the Brambles was designed to invoke the same feeling that listening bars like Equal
Parts have become known for globally, they bring to life the inherent link between the senses,
taste and sound in whisky and the concept of sonic-seasoning. Professor Charles Spence,
gastrophysicist at the University of Oxford describes this as: “The idea that music can
synaesthetically evoke a range of textural qualities through the curated selection of layering and
sound.” Valley of the Brambles is featured within the playlist at Equal Parts for guests to
experience for the first time, designed to be paired with the neat pour of The Glendronach 12
Year Old that is offered on the Equal Parts menu.
The Glendronach Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie, comments, “We are thrilled to partner with
Equal Parts, celebrated among the Top 50 Cocktail Bars of 2026. This symphony of the senses
welcomes guests to discover how music and malt elevate one another. By pairing the rich,
complex depths of The Glendronach 12 Year Old with the sounds of vinyl, we invite customers
to taste the music and hear the spirit. It is the harmony of our Highland home, poured and
playing softly in the heart of London.”
General Manager at Equal Parts, Adam Montgomerie comments: “At Equal Parts, we offer
guests an elevated drinking experience, vinyl music and great cocktails in a laid back setting.
The Glendronach shares our passion for music and cocktails and it is cool to be bringing this
whisky experience to life for our guests.”
The listening bar experience will be available to guests every Thursday, Friday and Saturday
from 6-7pm across the month of March (starting on Friday 6th) at Equal Parts, 245 Hackney Rd,
London E2 8NA.
A range of cocktails from The Glendronach will be on offer to guests of Equal Parts, as well as a
neat serve of The Glendronach 12 Year Old:
Vanishing Village, £14
Glendronach 12 Year Old, Apricot, Chamomile, Lemon, Almond, Clarified Milk Punch
Boynsmill Highball, £14
Glendronach 12 Year Old, Apple, Pear, Verjus, Lemon Verbena, Carbonated
Cup of Gold, £14
Glendronach 12 Year Old, Ginger, Acidified Honey, Peat Smoke
The Glendronach 12 Year Old, £6
Neat pour
‘Valley of the Brambles’ is available on Spotify and the video that follows the creation of the
music can be found on YouTube.
About The Glendronach Distillery
Welcome to The Glendronach, one of the world’s most exceptional, richly-sherried Single Malts.
Next year The Glendronch will be celebrating its 200 year anniversary, having stood proudly in
the Scottish Highlands, nestled and protected by its namesake – the ‘Valley of Brambles’ since 1826.
James Allardice, our founder introduced this whisky to the world in 1826, and since then
generations of artisans have remained dedicated to time-honoured methods, relying on intuition
and their senses to raise expectations of what’s possible in whisky. Our robust Highland spirit is
slowly matured in the finest Pedro Ximenéz and Oloroso sherry casks sourced from Andalucia,
Spain. This brings together a unique duality of robust Highland spirit and Spanish flair which
rewards the palate with richness, flamboyance and flair – a true revelation in flavour.
About Equal Parts
Equal Parts is a Hackney neighbourhood cocktail bar, opened in June 2023 by Michael Sager of
wine bars Sager + Wilde and Bruno. It focuses on classic mixology with an ingredient-led
approach.
The bar boasts a curated vinyl collection played through a vintage Hi-Fi sound system and
champions under-used cocktail ingredients like sherry. Its design, inspired by Edward Hopper’s
Nighthawks, combines warm lighting, an earthy green tiled exterior, and a sleek zinc bar top.
The menu includes an ‘Equal Parts’ section dedicated to cocktails made in equal measure,
inspired by the negroni. In 2025, Equal Parts was named “One to Watch” at the Franklin & Sons
UK Top 50 Cocktail Bars awards, and most recently the bar was ranked No. 26 in the Top 50
Cocktail Bars 2026.