Bimber Distilery
Founded by true whisky enthusiasts, the Bimber distillery was born from a clear ambition: to produce high-quality single malts , rich in character, using traditional methods that are now rare. This distillery is located in North Acton , west of London .
The distillery's history is inextricably linked to that of its founder, Dariusz Plazewski , for whom distilling is a family affair. Originally from Poland, he grew up in an environment where his parents and grandparents distilled clandestinely during the communist era. Having lived in London for nearly twenty years, this former architect and successful entrepreneur financed the creation of the distillery, which was officially founded in 2015. The name Bimber, in fact, refers to the Polish word for clandestine, artisanal alcohol , a deliberate nod to this heritage.
At Bimber, the production philosophy is based on complete control of the entire process , from field to bottle. The distillery owns its own farm , where 100% of the barley used is grown. The grain is carefully selected and then malted using traditional methods, including floor malting , a process that has almost disappeared today. The milling is intentionally gentle: the mill is designed to open the grain without reducing it to flour, resulting in a clearer wort and bringing finesse and lightness to the final whisky.
The barley is then mashed by hand and slowly fermented for up to seven days (168 hours) in wooden washbacks , handcrafted in the distillery's own cooperage . This long fermentation promotes the development of a rich and fruity aromatic profile, a signature of the Bimber style.
Distillation takes place in small, custom-made, bulbous copper pot stills heated by direct fire—a demanding technique, rarely used today, that allows for slow distillation and great precision in the cuts. The distillate is then aged in premium casks, rigorously selected and prepared by hand. Aging in London, under a temperate climate, provides a slow and balanced maturation, with controlled oak extraction.
The first casks were filled on May 26, 2016, and the distillery made a splash with the release of its very first single malt, The First , in September 2019. This limited edition of 1,000 hand-numbered bottles sold out in under three hours, confirming the enthusiasm of enthusiasts for this young London producer. Since then, Bimber has developed a wide range of single malts, always true to their identity: approachable, fruity, precise, and elegant whiskies, crafted with passion.
The distillery continues its development today with the installation of new equipment— mash tuns and washbacks designed and manufactured on-site—allowing it to reach an annual production of approximately 42,000 liters of alcohol, while maintaining an artisanal scale. This commitment to excellence, transparency, and attention to detail makes Bimber one of the most respected and followed distilleries among enthusiasts of authentic whiskies—young but already making a name for itself. Read less
