Sometimes it’s nice to work with smaller brands that have a real pioneering spirit, high purpose and a vital sense of independence that are an extension of the combined personalities of their owners. One such ambitious brand Barfly has assisted is The Oxford Artisan Distillery. The business has a great vision for their collection of premium spirits based around sustainable agriculture and bio-diversity.

The brief to Barfly was to aid the development of a new Rye whisky from Oxfordshire under the same parentage and help steer the positioning and bottle design to create a cohesive and attractive premium spirit for the on and off premise.

We consulted a selection of whisky forward operators on the brand, we tasted and we tested, and we spoke to some whisky drinking consumers during the pandemic to understand their appreciation for rye, the potential for Oxfordshire as whisky provenance and the role bio-diversity could play in the brand’s DNA.

The successful result was launched this year to critical acclaim, a super-premium whisky that is deep in story and rich in character.