Speyside-based Glenfiddich were next up under the spotlight, as our monthly Whisk(e)y Cocktails initiative marched on into June.

Their iconic 12-year lay at the base of our daring duo of bespoke serves. One of the world’s best-selling and most-awarded malts, the famous triangular bottle is a fixture in practically every bar on the globe, so we’d like to think we’re dab hands at getting the most out of it.

The liquid boasts a unique freshness thanks to the Highland spring water that they’ve used since 1887, and – since it is carefully matured in the finest American and European oak sherry casks for at least 12 years before being mellowed in oak marrying tuns – it boasts distinctively sweet and subtle oak flavours.

Creamy with a long, smooth and mellow finish, this 12-year old is the perfect example of Glenfiddich’s unique Speyside style, and is widely proclaimed the best dram in the valley.

Our two-strong cocktail list – and our iconic beer ‘n’ a bump was available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear – we’ve got a brand new cocktail list for July featuring the fittingly light and vibrant Nikka Days Blend.

Check out last month’s line up below:

Robbie Dhu – Glenfiddich 12yr | Orange | Citrus Lemon Grass | Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer.

Pink Stag – Glenfiddich 12yr | Rinquinquin | Bitter Orange | Citrus | Peach.

Venerable old bourbon distillers, Jack Daniel’s, were next to be featured in The Sun’s Whiskey-based serves as we arrived in the warmer climes of May.

Their Tennessee Rye is the first bottle they have dropped since the dark days of Prohibition and – in our humble opinion – it was well worth the wait.

It’s made up from 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley, and is put through the same charcoal filtration process as Jack Daniel’s iconic, instantly-recognisable bourbons.

The result is a mellow and sweet whiskey that’s enlivened with distinctive rye spice. With all that in mind, we placed a hearty measure of it at the base of each of our two whiskey serves in May. It also formed the kick in our trademark ‘beer ‘n’ a bump’, available at £6.

Our daring duo were available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear, there’s a refreshed menu every single month.

Click here to be directed to The Sun Tavern Calendar, where you can get the low-down on all that whisk(e)y-soaked goodness as it happens.

Stick ‘Um Up – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye | Bán Poitín | Fourpure Easy Peeler IPA | Banana | Citrus.

Kansas City – Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye | Pomegranate Sherbet | Umbrella Brewing Cider | Citrus | Club Soda.

We had a brand new Whiskey Cocktails lineup down in Bethnal Green for April, last time out featuring Buffalo Trace’s iconic bourbon.

They have a strong claim to the title of oldest bourbon distillery in the world. Their Frankfort hub opened its doors all the way back in 1792, which means they’ve probably had enough time to learn a thing or two about making a pretty good whisky.

The result of their centuries of labour and refinement is a smooth, high-quality all-rounder with hints of vanilla, barrel char and spicy complexity.

We placed it firmly at the foundation of our two-strong cocktail list, as well as in our trademark ‘beer ‘n’ a bump’, available at £6.

Our daring duo were available all month long, 7 days a week, at £7.50 a pop. If you missed out, never fear – we’re welcoming another member of the bourbon royal family in the form of Jack Daniels to town in May.

Here’s a tantalising review of what we had on offer across April:

What’s The Story – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Reisling Syrup, Fennel Salt, Citrus, Club Soda.

Red Dog – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Ruby Port, Toasted Pineapple, Coconut, Lime, Umbrella Brewing Ginger Beer.

On 17th March we celebrated Irish Christmas for the fifth consecutive time here in Bethnal Green.

We spent the evening honouring the man who helped rid the motherland of snakes… and drinking a fair bit of the pure drop to boot.

We opened our doors at midday and spirits were immediately raised as high as our glasses thanks to live musical sounds courtesy of a traditional ceilidh band.

Come the evening our favourite shucker, Oyster Boy, was on hand once more to add some sustenance to the night ahead.

He was dishing out the Oysters for nothing, taking a break from his regular vending activities down Columbia Road, Broadway Market and Leyton Food Market, to bring a bit of East London tradition to the table.

On top of this, for this year’s celebrations we teamed up with the lads from Slane to create three whiskey-soaked cocktails – which included some of our favourite serves from times past.

Predictably, they all went down a treat and the pure drop was flowing like the Shannon come sundown.

Then came the main event, as none other than Suggs from Madness took to our decks with an eclectic rock ‘n’ roll set that kept spirits Himalayan ‘til the wee hours.

All in all, a great night full of good craic and plenty of good vibes.. resulting in more than one Monday morning hangover we’ll wager.

Hope to see you all down at The Sun next time round!

Our new Whisk(e)y Cocktails initiative continued on into March, and last month we welcomed Taiwanese Whiskey producers, Kavalan, to Bethnal Green.

Established in 2005, Kavalan is Taiwan’s first whiskymaker and the nation’s only family-owned whisky distillery. Kavalan takes the old name of Yilan county where the distillery is located in northeastern Taiwan.

The pure water and fresh air make this part of the subtropical island the ideal environment for the production of whisky.

For our bespoke whiskey list, available at £7.50 a go, we shone the spotlight on their flagship Single Malt – lively, clean and floral with characteristic hints of mango juice on the finish.

Have a browse of our lineup below and see what you reckon:

Swede Manhattan – Kavalan Single Malt, Cocchi Torino, Angostura Amaro & Chestnut.

Yilan – Kavalan Single Malt, Suze, White Port & Lemon.

Tiki Taiwan – Kavalan Single Malt, Pineapple, Orgeat, Lime & Merlet Pear.

February saw us drop a brand-new initiative at The Sun Tavern. Whisk(e)y Wednesdays are no more – from now on we’re dropping a brand new Whisk(e)y Cocktail list every single month.

Not too long ago we figured: why let Wednesdays get all the whisk(e)y-soaked fun? So we’ve decided to share the love and open it up to the rest of the week.

So from now on, you’ll have a regularly-refreshed roster of whisk(e)y-based mixed drinks to get your lips around in Bethnal Green, available every single day at £7.50 a pop – with a different distillery under the spotlight each month.

Master Irish Whiskey blenders, the county Clare-based J.J. Corry, held the distinction of being the very first producers featured.

We featured their award-winning flagship liquid, The Gael, in each of our serves. The Gael is a blend of single malts (aged for 11, 15 and 26 years) with seven-year-old grain whiskey. The result is a fresh and juicy spirit with notes of citrus fruit and spice.

Take an admiring glance back at the mixed-drink goodness that awaited our guests in February:

The Gael – J.J. Corry | Banana | Cacao Blanc | Montenegro.

Cooraclare – J.J. Corry | Fino | Apple | Lemon | Macadamia Orgeat | Egg White.

Big J.J. – J.J. Corry | Suze | Vanilla Honey | Mandarin Sherbet | Lemon | Orange Blossom | Soda.

International Poitín Day – the 24 hours we set aside each year to honour the rebellious souls who kept the spirit alive through its forbidden dark days – returned for its fourth rendition on 18th November. 

First celebrated right here at The Sun Tavern, this year it expanded its reach far beyond the streets f Bethnal Green, across the Irish Sea, and into the finest drinking holes of Dublin, Belfast, Cork & Galway.

We ourselves hosted four Poitín brands at the forefront of the illicit spirit’s revival – Micil Poitín, Glendalough, Mad March Hare & Ban Poitín – who were all heavily featured on our £6 bespoke cocktail list for the eve.

And what a line-up it was: we had classics in the form of Cold Brew Irish Coffee, featuring a healthy glug of Ban Poitín, and our twisted take on the Bloody Mary – the Bloody Murphy, with Glendalough Poitín doing the legwork.

Besides this, we had the decidedly more contemporary Poitín Mule – made using a healthy measure of Mad March Hare Poitín, topped with alcoholic ginger beer courtesy of our mates over at Umbrella Brewing.

And our offerings for the puritanical amongst us were the Plain & Simple – a measure of Micil Poitín and a good ol’ pint of stout – and straight-up Flight of Four, a shot from each brand, to get punters where they needed to go.

We also had a Poitín tasting earlier on in the day, absolutely free on a first-come first-serve basis. So you could say the pure drop was certainly flowing, and it went down a treat with our guests who damn near drank us dry.

Beyond Bethnal Green, and beyond the Irish Sea, there were plenty more raucous celebrations for those passionate about Poitín. A big thanks to One Goose Entry in Belfast, Jimmy Rabbittee’s in Dublin, Micil Distillery & Oslo Bar in Galway, and Cask Cork in.. erm, Cork, for taking part and helping boost the profile of this most boozy of holidays.

So that’s another year gone by, and another day of Poitín appreciation under our collective belts. We had a cracking time raising a glass of the pure drop with ya all, and hope that you did to.

‘Til next year. Slainté.

The crew from serial ‘World’s Best Bar’ winners – The Dead Rabbit – crossed the pond from New York to Bethnal Green for one night only, to take over our taproom and kick off London Cocktail Week in serious style.

As soon as The Dead Rabbit sawdust went down at 6pm, the doors were swung open and the crowds started streaming in.

Cocktails were slung out by the dozen in trademark fashion all night long, and so too was the Dead Rabbit’s ubiquitous Guinness pints, which found itself onto our taps just for the occasion.

By the time 7pm rolled around, and the crowd had been warmed up a little, Genesis, Jessica & Anna got behind the stick to show us how it’s done in the Big Apple, serving out a three-serve-strong cocktail list curated by their fantastic beverage director Jillian Vose – all showcasing their brand new Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey.

Among the stellar line-up was the Lone Oak, – a heady mix of Irish Whiskey, Green Chartreuse, Curry Leaf, Lemon & Bitters – the ever-so-smooth Sweet Talker, – featuring the same Whiskey base, Passionfruit, Peach, Lemon & Orange Bitters – a classic Whiskey Highball featuring ginger beer courtesy of our mates over at Umbrella Brewing, and of course their world-famous Irish Coffee to round things off.

It was a special evening for the Umbrella boys, as their latest label art collaboration with the famous bar was also unveiled on the night. The new-look bottles drew their inspiration from the iconic comic-book style of The Dead Rabbit’s famous menus, and the exploits of the eponymous Dead Rabbit protagonist within. Fittingly, it coincided with the release of their 6th – and final – rendition, so it was indeed a special and poignant occasion.

The Musical soundtrack was provided by Dublin’s finest – Arveene – who took to the decks with a NY-heavy DJ set.

Plenty of Ramones, LCD Soundsystem, Beastie Boys, and other crowd favourites graced our airwaves during the course of his turntables stint.

Meanwhile, The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey was flowing like The Liffey, The Hudson, and the Ol’ Thames combined a the crowds revelled the night away and stuck around right ’til the bitter end.

One hell of a night all round then, and it was an absolute pleasure as always to work with the Dead Rabbit crew. Looking forwards to next year, and many more collaborations to come. Sláinte!

London Cocktail week is now in the rearview, but there was a veritable smorgasbord of cocktail-soaked mayhem to look back upon here at The Sun Tavern.

Starting from the top, then. We kicked off in style by hosting a Slane Sunday Session on the Sunday.

Three cocktails were on offer, all made with the unique, triple-casked blend, Slane Irish Whiskey, and patrons could also get stuck into our iconic Beer ‘n’ a Bump. The night was accompanied by live music from our residents, playing classics from legendary Slane Castle gigs – which kept the Cèilidh cheer alive until the wee hours!

Tuesday saw us keep spirits high, with three top ‘tenders from serial ‘World’s Best Bar’ winners The Dead Rabbit gracing our taps for one night only.

Once the sawdust was down, the whiskey flowed like the Linney, Hudson and Ol’ Thames combined. Guests were also treated special line up of cocktails – all featuring their new Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey – curated by The Dead Rabbit’s wonderful beverages director Jillian Vose.

Special guest DJ Arveene soon followed, and took to the turntables to throw out the bangers ’til late.

As there were more than a couple of us nursing a bit of a hangover the following morning, we decided to team up with our mates at Bán Poitín to put on big Bartenders’ Breakfast. We had a restorative tasting of the notorious Irish liquid while tucking into some delicious sausage butties, and paired them with some beautifully sweet and peppery Poitín Bloody Marys for all our hairy dog needs.

Then on Thursday 4th, following on from the 50 Best Bar Awards the night before, we had three cocktail creations on offer showcasing the legendary triple-distilled Irish Whiskey, Tullamore. A traditional Irish Band soundtracked the early evening, all followed by a DJ set to welcome in Friday in jovial fashion.

Camden Town Brewery’s summer seasonal – Strawberry Hells Forever, landed once more this July, and we decided to team up to celebrate, as part of our Takeover Tuesday initiative.

Every summer since 2015, the folks at Camden have journeyed to Cammas Hall Farm on the Hertfordshire/Essex border to plunder their ripened, red strawberries.

Once they’ve returned to NW5 with their haul, the strawberries are added to their famous Camden Hells, to deliver a cloudy straw-tinted brew, slightly tart on the entrance, developing into a well-rounded, refreshing finish that deserves a bit of celebration.

With a nod to Strawberry Fields Forever – the song behind the name, we played host to a big Beatles-themed blowout, to mark this year’s resurrection on 24^th July.

From the get go at 6pm, there were healthy £3 pints of the Strawberry Hells to wet our guests’ whistles. On top of this there were a limited run of cans, exclusive to the night, that we flung out for free while they lasted.

Beer flowing and rock ‘n’ roll filling the air, the time came for the night’s centrepiece.. with Umbrella Radio’s John Robinson and his mates clambering onto the roof to serenade those in attendance with a few choice Beatles bangers – Apple Building-style.

Bethnal Green Road was well and truly shut down, and it certainly got the party started – even the Old Bill turned a blind eye, it seems.

Although this was a very tough act to follow, our resident DJs duly did and did not disappoint, with Beatles hit after Beatles hit – mixed in with some other non-specific favourites – being thrown off the turntables with aplomb.

Guests twisted, shouted, and worked it all out ’til the small hours, and a great time was had by all.

If you missed out then never fear. Take a peek at the video below and soak in some of that Beatles (and lager!) drenched atmosphere.

https://www.facebook.com/thesuntavernbg/videos/2024738977786477/

Let me take you down, ‘cos we’re going to…..

Last month, we at The Sun Tavern dropped our all-new summer-ready cocktail list and had a good old-fashioned party to celebrate.

There were plenty of good vibes, good people, banging drinks, and a boatload of free Bánh mì to boot.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming through our doors Mr David Preshaah – founder and head spinner at our good mates, Hoxton Radio – who took to the turntables and threw out some non-specific rock ‘n’ roll goodness.

The real star of the show, however (sorry, David), was our cocktail list which was debuting on the night.

While our past menus have focussed on the indigenous spirits of the world, this list goes that one step further.

Drawing inspiration from the food and drink beloved of each country, the cocktails have been designed as true representations of each nation – using only indigenous ingredients where possible, while also keeping themselves accessible.

Furthermore, each cocktail has been christened with the name of revolutionary spirits from each of the nations on show, paying reverence to the likes of Italy’s Giuseppe Mazzini, Mexico’s Pancho Villa, Sakatomo Ryōma of Japan, and Ireland’s Patrick Pearse.

They certainly hit the spot, as each and every one went down a treat. So, without further ado, let’s introduce you to one another:

Mazzini – Campari | Amaro Nonino | Coffee Liqueur | Orange | Double Cream

Named in honour of the Italian revolutionary who spearheaded the reunification movement, Mazzini utilises only the finest Italian produce and we’re willing to wager it’ll be the closest thing to liquid tiramisu you’ll ever have tasted.

Muñoz – Apricot-Infused Pisco | Pinot Noir | Cinnamon | Balsamic Shrub

Next in the spotlight is this sight for sore eyes. Inspired by, and named after, the revolutionary spirit of Chilean general, engineer, politician and benefactor – Pedro Pablo Muñoz, the drink makes use of Chilean staples, Pinot Noir and Pisco.

Pearse – Irish Whiskey | Sweet Potato-Infused Poitín | Lime | Oat Stout Syrup.

Making our way back across the Atlantic to more familiar climes, this one’s for Patrick Pearse – teacher, barrister, poet, and one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. Widely regarded as the embodiment of the rebellion, the finest Irish ingredients are used to make up his honorary libation.

Villa – Mezcal | Popped Blue Corn Tequila | Chilli Liquor | Tepache Syrup | Mole Bitters

Hailing from the Mexican Altiplano, and christened in the name of the revolutionary general who once roamed it’s plains, we bring you Villa – a fiery serve with more than a little punch. Pancho would be proud.

Ryōma – Japanese Whisky | Umeshu | Yuzu | Ansam | Shisho Leaf Cordial

Named in honour of the man who overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate, but who also at the same time paradoxically engineered peace between the remaining warring prefectures, Ryōma is our sweet-sour tribute to what some may call a complex man.

Paine – Bourbon | Rock ‘n’ Rye | Cassis | Lemon | Chocolate Peanut Butter Doughnut Syrup

Next up we’re turning our attention to the States, and the Englishman whose pamphlets inspired the American Revolution which in turn threw out his compatriots – Thomas Paine. Sweet, deep, varied and rich – much like the American sub-continent he called home – this serve’s a tonic for most occasions.

Le Bas – Calvados | Cognac | Green Chartreuse | Picon | Beetroot & Fennel Cordial | Club Soda

Named after the French revolutionary Phillipe-François-Joseph Le Bas (you can see now why we just opted for ‘Le Bas’), this libation utilises the finest French produce we have to hand to create a fragrant, well-balanced, and eminently drinkable serve. Some in his day called ol’ Philippe cold – but that’s just how we like ’em at The Sun.

Come and grab your favourite while they’re chilly and the weather is hot.

The 19th May was Whiskey Day the world over, and since we’re more than partial to the odd drop ourselves, we thought we’d put on something a bit special to mark the occasion.

One of the highlights of the day was the launch of our new Parliament Whiskey & Poitín list, with over 150 Irish whiskies and poitíns added to our award-winning whiskey list.

Up on the pedestal once more was our Private Collection. They were offered on our menu at cost price – to give our guests the opportunity to try something really rare and very special, all without crippling their bank balances.

We had the ‘Dungourney 1964 Pure Pot Still Special Reserve’, ‘Knappogue Castle 1951’ – 36 years old when bottled, and ‘Bushmills 1975 Millennium’, which was 24 years old when bottled for the millennium.

We also offered two tastings of some choice samples of our range – absolutely free.

And those attendees were in for a treat due to the calibre of liquids on show.

We had Bushmills, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Jameson’s Caskmates, Redbreast’s 12 year old & some small batch courtesy of our mates over at the Teeling distillery.

That’s quite the list, but our whiskey wanderlust didn’t stop there as we introduced our Rare & Vintage list – featuring seldom seen Irish Whiskeys such as Bourbon & Sherry cask-finished Jameson’s 15 year old from the 1970s, a 30-year old single pot still Old Comber from the 1980s, and a particular bottle of Henry Thompson & Co. from the 1910s. That’s pre-war numbers right there.

Added on to this, we mixed things up a little by curating a ‘greatest hits’ cocktail list featuring all of our favourite serves from Whiskey Wednesdays gone by – all of which were available on the night for just £6.

To roung things off and to provide a musical soundtrack to festivities, we had our resident Umbrella Radio DJs on the 1s and 2s, throwing out the rock ‘n’ roll bangers ’til late.

All in all, we had a great time and hope you did too. ‘Til next year all!