The venue is being used as both an artistic space by day and a cocktail bar at night, designed and hosted by The Drink Cabinet with a variety of sustainable drinks served in the theme of COP26.
Found on the cusp of Finnieston, just off Argyle Street as you head towards Charing Cross, the venue’s name should be taken very literally: you do in fact have to climb 75.5 steps to enter the creative space currently taken over by creative Glasgow-based agency, The Drink Cabinet.
Brick walls and wooden beams make up the shabby chic aesthetic, with uplighting and mismatched upholstery making the space very “vibey”. The space has seen events held over the last couple of weeks that serve to stimulate discussion about the role of the drinks industry in the climate crisis. Past events have included panel discussions titled “Farming a sustainable approach to spirits”, alongside discussions regarding what sustainable drinks actually are, featuring big brands in the sustainable drinks space. This Monday 22 November, the space will host an event on “Element Wines” from 7-9pm.
Avallen took over the space on Thursday 11 November for an evening of sustainable cocktails, which included the Avallen Tonic, described as tasting like “appley champagne”, Donut Economics, an espresso martini substitute, and a whiskey-based “Biodiversity Regeneration”.
Launched in a basement bar in London in 2019, Avallen is a drinks company that produces “a floral, fruity, and completely natural Calvados” – an apple-based alcoholic drink – and since then has held sustainability at its core. The company discusses their role in helping to fight the climate crisis, stating: “As responsible business-owners in the private sector, we must act now, aligning with non-profit organisations and inspiring others to save lives and ecosystems.”
Being carbon negative “2.73kg per bottle” in their production process, Avallen also states they “have produced 15,421 bottles of Avallen, removing 41.8 metric tons of [carbon dioxide] from the atmosphere”. One of the many sustainable faces that have made their mark at 75.5 steps, the venue is definitely worth a visit if you’re out and about in Finnieston, not least for its educational experience as well as its cocktails.
