An Afternoon At Tony Conigliaro's Drink Factory

On our last day in London we were invited to stop by Tony Conigliaro's secret-ish drinks lab located in a former Pink Floyd recording studio in Islington. The Drink Factory is exactly what it sounds like — a large, well-light room packed with peristotic pumps, thermomixers and a centrifuge that spins at 5,000 rpm. There's a pile of tree limbs in a corner and hundreds of bottles of alcohol — both new and vintage. It's hardly the vibe found at his world famous cocktail dens, 69 Colebrooke Row and Zetter Townhouse, but essential in their existence. It is in this lab setting where art meets science.

Conigliaro is a master of bespoke flavors, a heady term that essentially means out-of-the-box flavors. Take for example the Sirocco cocktail found at 69 Colebrooke Row. It's made with vodka processed with pink peppercorns and flint. As in rock, the mineral. Next week when we run our full interview with Conigliaro we'll get to the bottom of this rock business. But as we close out our first London Week, here's a tour around his remarkable lab.

Conigliaro, remarkably, did not study chemistry in college.

A small selection of the gear at Drink Factory.

Conigliaro uses spice suppliers from all over the world.

Some of the fragrances used for reference.

Conigliaro keeps a fine collection of vintage spirits on hand, which he purchases at estate sales.

Bols and Campari from the 1940s.

Art meets science.

Fresh pine.