The Dispensary

Edrington and Naked Malt approached us to create a cocktail mixing machine for The Alchemist’s new celestial-themed venue in Glasgow, Scotland. More than simply a cocktail bar and restaurant, The Alchemist is known for delivering breathtaking experiences. Our installation complements both the architectural space and the character of the brand, blending masterful mixology with immersive theatre.

Drawing on modern distillery and brewing technologies, we built a machine that can be operated directly by patrons without supervision. By placing a custom-designed brass coin into the slot, customers select one of three seasoned cocktails, then watch as bespoke lighting illuminates the unique kinetics of each pour.

Project details

Client:
Edrington

Location:
Glasgow

Categories:
Concept, Design, Fabrication, Installation

Timeline:
2022-23

To deliver futuristic mixology fit for a cosmic setting, our research explored time machines and astrolabes alongside fluid flows and brewing mechanics. For the machine’s own internal alchemy, we experimented with moving liquids in and out of custom glass apparatus woven together with milled brass and copper fittings. 

As we considered different designs, light phases emerged as elemental to both the machine’s functionality and user experience, leading to a final concept that features two distinct portals. The central portal is a dispense area that illuminates with a patron’s drink selection. The upper portal extends through the machine and can be viewed from the back, creating an infinity space where customers can watch the whiskey travelling through bespoke lab glass in sync with the pour.

In collaboration with Nicholas Alexander, every component of the installation was custom designed and precision engineered. We manufactured tailored lab glass, piping, and fittings. The dispense area was precision cut then hand-finished in a seamless Corian and acrylic interlace that lends itself to light diffusion.

Materials were chosen for their sustainability. The panel-mounted cladding is made from recycled paper and natural resin, and the aluminium structural frame is sourced from a fully circular recycle loop.

The user functionality is intuitive, with no superfluous details. A coin triggers a custom-lit dispense area, and a button press selects one of three cocktails – a neat, highball or sour serve – each with its own light sequencing. The theatre then begins in the upper panel as whisky moves around the vessels before dispensing down a spiral within a Graham Condenser, appearing to distil straight into the glass.

The Dispensary has become a focal point of the venue’s interior design, standing as a permanent installation within the bar’s main sitting area.