A Whisky Night in London Like No Other Inside Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Spirits Shop Late Experience
Some London evenings feel ordinary — and then there are evenings that feel like you accidentally stepped into the city’s past, present and future at the same time.
My evening at Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Spirits Shop Late was one of those.
It had the energy of a secret club night for people who genuinely love craft, flavour and history: eight whiskies, one brilliant host, and a room that has more stories than most museums. If you love whisky, or just love London experiences that feel special without trying too hard, this is one to put firmly on your list.
This blog is your full guide what the experience is, where it happens, what makes it different, and how you can book it for yourself.
First: What exactly is Spirits Shop Late?
Spirits Shop Late is an after-hours event series hosted inside Berry Bros. & Rudd’s dedicated spirits shop at No.1 St James’s Street, right next to the historic Berry Bros. & Rudd building founded in 1698. That makes it Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, still operating from the same neighbourhood it started in more than 300 years ago.
The evening takes place inside their newer Spirits Shop a warm, wood-panelled space lined with single malts, rare bottlings, independent releases and Berry Bros.’ own casks. After closing time, the shop transforms into a private tasting room where you get:
A curated flight of whiskies
A small group setting
A specialist host who walks you through the bottles
Time to explore the shelves and ask questions
A proper London atmosphere that feels both cosy and historic
It’s not a loud bar, not a rushed tasting, and not a touristy gimmick. It’s intimate, well-designed, and created for people who want to enjoy whisky properly beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Where it happens No.1 St James’s Street
Berry Bros. & Rudd's home in St James’s feels like stepping into London’s wine-and-spirits heritage:
slanted old floors
dark wooden counters
waxed shelves
bottles stacked like treasures
everything smelling faintly of wood and history
The Spirits Shop sits just a few doors down, and that’s where the tasting happens. It’s the kind of space where you walk in and instantly feel like this night will be good.
How to get there
Green Park Station (Jubilee / Victoria / Piccadilly) 7–8 minutes’ walk
Piccadilly Circus 10 minutes’ walk
Charing Cross 10–12 minutes’ walk
Just head down St James’s Street and look for the classic Berry Bros. shopfront. You can’t miss it.
If you’re staying nearby somewhere central like a HOTEL the whole evening becomes even easier because you can stroll over without worrying about late trains.
The whisky lineup what to expect
Each Spirits Shop Late has its own selection, but they usually feature:
Scottish single malts from well-known distilleries
Interesting independent bottlings
A Japanese or global whisky wild card
A couple of Berry Bros.’ own single casks
A mix of light, fruity and sherried drams
Something smoky for the peat-lovers
The tasting I attended included whiskies from distilleries like Bunnahabhain, Ben Nevis, Glengoyne, and a Japanese bottle from Togouchi all chosen to show contrast, flavour range, different cask types and the “story” behind each whisky.
Important note (disclaimer):
Lineups change from event to event.
Whisky availability, themes and guest hosts vary throughout the year. The bottles mentioned above are examples from a specific evening I attended not guaranteed for every Spirits Shop Late. Always check the details on the official Berry Bros. & Rudd events page before you book.
The host and why the tasting feels special
Berry Bros. partner with a range of whisky educators and specialists for these nights. The host for the event I attended was Charanjeet Bhachu, the whisky brain behind Single Malt Vault known for making whisky education simple, fun and deeply flavour-focused.
Here’s what I loved most:
He didn’t talk at us. He talked with us.
No pretentiousness. No jargon for the sake of sounding smart. Just:
how to nose a whisky
why one dram tastes like orchard fruit and another like raisins
what casks actually do
how to find your own flavour preferences
why two whiskies from the same region can taste wildly different
If you’re a beginner, you learn a lot.
If you’re a whisky fan, you can happily go nerd mode.
Again, hosts rotate so expect a similar level of expertise, but not necessarily the same educator.
How the evening flows
Here’s a rough structure:
1. Welcome dram
You’re greeted with your first whisky as you arrive. It helps you settle in, warm up and take in the beautiful space.
2. Guided tasting (6–8 whiskies)
The host walks you through each dram in a proper order lighter and fruitier first, heavier or smokier later.
3. Deep-dive pauses
At one or two points, you slow down for a detailed explanation about:
aging
regional differences
cask influence
distillery character
flavour structure
These segments are crowd favourites.
4. Explore the shop
You get time to wander, ask questions, smell bottles, and discover hidden gems on the shelves.
5. Option to buy your favourites
If you fall in love with a bottle (easy to do), you can buy it on the spot.
Who I think this is perfect for
Whisky beginners wanting a guided, friendly introduction
Collectors wanting to try before they buy
Date night people who want something more memorable than dinner
Gift idea hunters
Londoners wanting a beautifully low-key evening
Visitors who want a real “London insider” experience
It’s also an amazing pre- or post-dinner activity if you’re planning an evening in Mayfair or Soho.
How to book Spirits Shop Late
Go to the official Berry Bros. & Rudd website
Visit the Events & Experiences section
Look for Spirits Shop Late listings
Choose your date and book online
The events sell out fast because the group sizes are small, so booking early helps.
Another tiny but important disclaimer:
Because Berry Bros. & Rudd runs many types of events wine, whisky, rum, general spirits the exact name, theme and host may vary. The experience described in this blog reflects one edition as an example of how the nights feel.
Turn it into a whole evening
If you want to build a full night around it:
Wander St James’s Park before the tasting
Window-shop through Jermyn Street
Grab dinner after in Soho or Mayfair
Finish with a slow stroll under the Piccadilly lights
It feels like a classic London night timeless, charming and warm.
Final Thoughts the kind of London night that stays with you
This isn’t a loud bar.
It’s not a crowded tasting.
And it’s not a tourist trap pretending to be old.
It feels like someone quietly opened a door and invited you into a little corner of London’s history that most people never get to see.
If you love whisky or just love experiences that are intimate, thoughtful and beautifully done this is one to try.
And if you want more “London done right” moments, from whisky nights to winter pop-ups to under-the-radar events happening across the city…
follow @london.yaar on Instagram think of it as your friend who keeps finding the good stuff before it blows up.