14 DAY TRIAL // A bar in east London was recently raided by local authorities after several conservationists and animal rights activists had contacted them and told them that those who came to have a drink or two at this location could opt for a so-called “Moby Dick” cocktail.
Naming an alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage “Moby Dick” might not seem like that big of an issue, yet it seems that the bar's owner settled on this name for said cocktails a result of the fact that the beverage was infused with whale skin.
“We received an allegation in October 2012 that whale skin was being sold at a premises in City Road, Hackney. Officers executed a warrant at premises in City Road, Hackney, on Monday, 3 December,” a spokesperson for the Scotland Yard explained.
For quite some time now, it is illegal to sell whale body parts in Europe. More precisely, it was back in 1986 when commercial whaling was officially banned, primarily because hunting activities had lowered the overall headcount for these marine mammals to a considerable extent.
This means that the bar's decision to put the Moby Dick cocktail on its menu goes against EU rules and regulations concerning wildlife conservation.
Nightjar's owner argued that, for all he knew, this peculiar beverage was perfectly legal, despite the fact that the ingredients listed in the menu were as follows: Laphroaig whiskey, Drambuie, ale and bitters, and a “whale skin infusion.”
According to the Daily Mail, Nightjar agreed to take the beverage off the menu, at least until the samples collected by the police were analyzed in a laboratory and the exact composition of the cocktail was discovered.
“One item from the premises was seized. This has been sent for analysis,” the Scotland Yard wished to clarify.
It is to be expected that, should laboratory tests prove that the Moby Dick is in fact based on body parts taken from whales, Nightjar's owner will have to face the legal consequences of his actions.