Allison Crawbuck and Rhys Everett are the people behind some of the most interesting drinks venues and brands in East London. They first started working together at The Last Tuesday Society, the unusual Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities in Hackney, where they opened The Absinthe Parlour in 2016. The venue became known for its atmosphere, its unusual drinks and for presenting absinthe in a more serious and interesting way, rather than just focusing on all the myths around it.
After that, they created Devil’s Botany, the first dedicated absinthe distillery in the UK. The brand takes inspiration from London’s history of herbal medicine, apothecaries and botanical drinks, but gives absinthe a much more modern identity. Their aim is to show that absinthe can be a complex and versatile spirit, whether it is served in the traditional way or used as part of a cocktail.
They are also behind The Natural Philosopher, a hidden whisky and cocktail bar in Bethnal Green. The entrance is tucked behind an old-fashioned shopfront, and the whole place follows the same style as their other projects: unusual, atmospheric and full of character. Across The Last Tuesday Society, Devil’s Botany and The Natural Philosopher, Allison and Rhys have created a very distinctive world around drinks, history and botanical flavours.
