Notpla seaweed-based pods have been seen at various events – the London Marathon handed out sports drink-filled capsules to the competitors this year instead of bottles. A whisky cocktail from The Glenlivet, concocted as part of London Cocktail Week, is making a splash.

As a highly respected whisky brand, Glenlivet is usually savoured in small sips from thick-bottomed glasses. The new cocktail pods were therefore received with some trepidation, with people on social media comparing them to detergent tabs. Some, however, were enthusiastic, even expressing disappointment that they would not be available commercially after the event.

Hailed as removing the need for a “glass, ice or a cocktail stirrer’, Glenlivet encourages users to “pop the cocktail in your mouth and take a bite to release the delicious cocktail ingredients.”

The Glenlivet claims to be the first spirits in the world to team up with sustainable packaging startup Notpla. Notpla, formerly called Ooho, is made from brown seaweed, which grows up to 1m per day, doesn’t compete with food crops, doesn’t need fresh water or fertiliser and actively contributes to de-acidifying the oceans. While edible, Notpla also biodegrades naturally in 4-6 weeks and is home compostable.
The Capsule Collection is made available in a special box containing the three cocktails available in the pod packaging, whose recipes were developed by Tayer + Elementary, a bar in London.

Realising some whisky lovers might need reassurance, The Glenlivit tweeted the following message:
“It seems our cocktail Capsule Collection has caused a bit of a stir – we wanted to reassure you The Glenlivet is committed to producing safe, responsible & delicious products for adults. Our seaweed capsules are a limited London Cocktail Week release & are not available elsewhere.”

The London Cocktail Week takes place from 04-13 October 2019.