April 2024 saw the opening of the UK’s oldest fine wine and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd’s first Spirits Shop at No. 1 St James’ following an extensive renovation and expansion to the interior of the existing Wine Shop on Pall Mall, which was renovated back in 2017. Today the Spirits Shop houses over 1,000 spirits from around the world, including a number of exceptional products sitting alongside the well-established Wine Shop with its outstanding wine selection.
There has been a long heritage in spirits, as well as of course fine wines at Berry Bros. & Rudd, who are known for their expertise and curation of offer exciting, unusual and rare spirits. And it was the growth in the spirits category and increasing appetite for premium-plus drinks that was the driving force behind the new shop. You can understand why when last year Berry Bros. & Rudd reported a +42% revenue growth in spirits year on year, with increased sales of Sake, Bourbon and most whiskies, as well as an increased bottle spend across all categories.
The shop’s refurbishment was undertaken with careful consideration to the heritage of the building as well as the materials and suppliers used under the watchful eyes of architect and lead consultant Mowat & Company. I particularly like the way the ceiling has been designed using the inside of old whisky casks to give a real rustic and homely feel as soon as you step through the door.
At the time of the opening, Geordie Willis, Brand Experiences & Creative Director at Berry Bros. & Rudd, said:
“We are delighted to open the doors of our first Spirits Shop as the latest iteration of our centuries-long commitment to curating the finest and rarest selection of spirits. The growth in premium spirits shows that our customers have a huge appetite for beautiful and rare liquids and the selection has been carefully curated, to offer a truly exceptional range and experience at the Spirits Shop.
“The space has been carefully restored; the interior will use reclaimed oak barrel staves from old whisky casks alongside a beautiful solid elm tasting table. The Elm used for the table came from the Brodie Castle Estate in the heart of Speyside – home to some of the world’s most celebrated whisky distilleries.”
Along with the 1,000 plus different spirits you will also find over 2,000 different wines in the Wine Shop. Some notable bottles on sale include a 1964 Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, a 1942 Château d’Yquem, Sauternes, Bordeaux, a 1959 Musigny, Grand Cru, Bouchard Père & Fils, Burgundy, a 1999 Champagne Pol Roger, Sir Winston Churchill, Vinothèque, Brut, a 2003 Romanée-Conti, Grand Cru, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Burgundy (Magnum) and a 1990 Meursault, Perrières, 1er Cru, Domaine Coche-Dury, Burgundy.
Whilst a tour around the many shelves of the Spirits Shop reveals some extraordinary rare spirits, such as a 1944 Hine, Aged 68 Years in Cask, Bottled 2023, Cognac (42%), which is one of the oldest Single Vintage Cognac they have in the shop.
One of the oldest rums in the shop is a 1984 Planteray, Clarendon, 40-Year-Old, Rum, Jamaica (57.2%) (70cl+3cl) which I wrote about earlier this year.
If you are a bit of a petrol head like me and love classic cars, then this Bowmore, Aston Martin, ARC-54, 54-Year-Old, Islay, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (44.3%) is a rare collectible whisky that’s presented in a pioneering decanter created in collaboration with Aston Martin.
One of the oldest vintages of Macallan they have in stock is a 1947 The Macallan, Fine & Rare Collection, 15-Year-Old, Speyside, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (45.4%). And then there is Berry Bros. and Rudd’s very own exceptional single cask 47-years-old whisky 1975 Berry Bros. & Rudd Exceptional Casks Dufftown, Cask Ref. 10430, Speyside, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (40.1%).
When it comes to Japanese whisky, you will find a Suntory, Hibiki, 30-Year-Old, Blended Whisky, Japan (43%), which is a very desirable and perhaps the ultimate expression of Japanese blended whisky.
Then there is the 1979 Port Ellen, 40-year-old, 9 Rogue Casks, Islay, Single Malt Scotch Whisky (50.9%), which has an interesting history, as the distillery was mothballed in 1983 and only recently reopened last year. But the distillery has not as yet resumed commercial production which is why its existing whiskies are extremely rare and highly collectible.
Another aspect of the wine and spirits shops I particularly like is the interconnecting room that links the two shops together but also doubles up as a tasting room. At its heart is a beautiful long solid elm tasting table which comes from the Brodie Castle Estate in the heart of Speyside, home to some of the world’s most celebrated whisky distilleries.
This tasting area is put to good use, as regular complimentary tastings for both customers and staff takes place from a variety of producers. There are also regular ticketed events that are held in the evenings which are a great opportunity to sample and expand one’s knowledge of wines and spirits.
One such recent event I attended earlier this month was “A Journey Through Sake” where we got the opportunity to try a superb range of 10 different Sakes from two suppliers: World Sake Imports and Tengu Sake, accompanied by some delicious canapés made by Berry Bros. and Rudd’s Head Chef Stewart Turner. The evenings are also a chance to meet with like minded people who share a love for spirits. And if there are any spirits you particularly like, then you can always purchase a bottle or two at the shop with the voucher you are given at the start of the evening.
In fact the next evening ticketed event is on Thursday 2nd October 2025 and is a Redbreast tasting with Master Blender, Billy Leighton where there will be six whiskies to enjoy, covering a broad range of Redbreast’s selection, from the toasted spice flavours of the 12-Year-Old to the subtle treacle notes of the Pedro Ximénez Edition.
For more information on other upcoming events, please visit: www.bbr.com.
The Spirits Shop is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:00am to 7:00pm, Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00pm. The shop is closed on Sunday and Mondays as well as Public Holidays.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photograph courtesy of Berry Bros. and Rudd
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