Berry Bros to open dedicated spirits store
Fine wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd will open its first dedicated spirits shop in St James’s, London, in 2024.
The company, which this year celebrates its 325th anniversary, will expand its physical presence with The Spirits Shop, which is due to open in spring 2024. Located on the corner of St James’s Street, the new store will be a sister shop to its 63 Pall Mall outlet. Geordie Willis, brand experiences and creative director at Berry Bros & Rudd, said: “The launch of our first dedicated spirits shop shows our commitment to the premium and luxury spirits category, and will allow us to share our depth of range, fantastic products, and expertise through events and our in-store experience. “We’re delighted to extend the same incredible in-shop experience that our customers love and know us for in fine wine to the luxury spirits world.” Natalie Tennent, chief commercial officer, added: “We have a proud heritage in spirits – from creating the first one-million case whisky brand in Cutty Sark, to developing The Glenrothes whisky brand, and today being a multi-award winning independent bottler with the Berry’s Own Selection whisky range, we continue to enjoy significant demand from our customers and are pleased that our Spirits Shop will allow us to showcase our increasing range of premium and ultra-premium spirits. “Investing in our retail footprint, people, products, and producer relationships gives us the opportunity to extend our reputation as one of the best and most trusted spirit and wine merchants, both for drinkers and collectors alike.” Summer range Berry Bros & Rudd has also unveiled its latest seasonal spirits offering: The 2023 Summer Release. The collection features the brand’s second bottling from the ‘flourishing’ English whisky scene, as well as five single malt Scotch whiskies, an Exceptional Cask blended malt, and a Brazilian rum. The inclusion of an English whisky forms part of the company’s anniversary celebrations, and follows the success of its first English whisky bottling in the spring, which sold out in five minutes. For this collection, the company has bottled Masthouse 2017, a single cask whisky from Copper Rivet Distillery in Kent, which, despite its young age, is said to be one of the most fruit-forward liquids the Berry Bros & Rudd experts have tried. Jonny McMillan, reserve whisky manager at Berry Bros, commented: “In our very special anniversary year we wanted to feature some of the English distillers who are increasingly making waves in the industry, proffering an unparalleled sense of passion and expertise. “The second of four English whiskies to be released this year, Masthouse 2017 is a triumph, representing the promise of Copper Rivet Distillery and its production of one of the best distillates in the UK, perhaps the world.” Stephen Russell, founder at Copper Rivet Distillery, said the bottling "marks a coming of age for both English whisky and for Masthouse whisky". “Knowing the expertise, diligence and passion for quality with which Berry Bros & Rudd selects the whisky it bottles, we are very proud to see Masthouse single malt whisky in this collaborative bottling – and the cask the team has chosen is spectacular," Russell continued. “Our approach brings together the magic and artistry of whisky making, with the hard science of distilling. It is an intersection of tradition and innovation; it seems fitting that, as a first-generation family distillery, our first independent bottling collaboration would be with another family endeavour, with many generations of rich tradition.” The 2023 Summer Release, comprises of the Masthouse 2017 Cask #16 (£125/US$158.21); Exceptional Blended Malt 1979 Cask #5 (£450/US$569.56); Small Batch Benrinnes 2010 (£70/US$88.60); Glen Moray 2008 Cask #5710 (£90/US$113.91); Dufftown 2008 Pineau Finish Cask #96 (£100/US$126.57); Caol Ila 2010 Oloroso Finish Cask #311751 (£108/$136.69); Orkney 2006 Oloroso Finish Cask #5051 (£120/US$151.88); and Epris 2o11 Cask #11 (£105/US$132.90). The new releases will be available from today (15 June) at bbrspirits.com. Earlier this week, Berry Bros promoted Joe Whittaker to the newly created role of global brand ambassador for spirits.