Fans of whiskies, spirits and fine wines will know Berry Bros. & Rudd as trusted independent bottlers. What you may not know is that they are Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchants. Earlier in 2024 they appointed Felix Dear as their new Spirits Curator and I was invited to share some questions with him about his new position and the historic brand he’s become part of. Here are my five top things you should know about this 325 year old brand.
You’ll Find Berry Bros. Beside St. James’s Palace
Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant also has one of the most prestigious addresses in the world. A stone’s throw from Knightsbridge and Buckingham Palace, if you take a stroll down St. James’s Street in central London you won’t help but notice a historic fronting with its black painted arched windows.
The shop looks like it’s been transported from the scenery of a high budget BBC drama, or maybe a Harry Potter film. Dear explained to me that people often “compare our office’s front door to that of No.10 Downing Street. It’s a piece of history and a sight to behold.” It is actually the historic office of Berry Bros. & Rudd, where they’ve been trading from since 1698.
They’ve Opened Two New Stores In London
The impressive real estate doesn’t stop there. A few extra strides beyond their headquarters you’ll find the equally eye-catching frontage of No.1 St James’s Street where Berry Bros. & Rudd have just opened their first dedicated spirits shop. Then, if you hang a left onto the Monopoly renowned Pall Mall, you’ll find the Berry Bros. & Rudd Wine Shop too.
Trending Stories
Don’t be misled by the old world charm though. With offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dublin and forward thinking Felix Dear on board for 2024, Berry Bros. & Rudd have their eyes on the future. The shops themselves are beautifully appointed, an experience in themselves to transport you into a world of fine spirits, wines, whatever takes your fancy, with experts on hand to assist where needed.
“I think modern consumers are increasingly eager to explore new flavors, products and distilleries, but in such a crowded landscape it can be difficult for people to identify the top-notch spirits,” Dear explained when I asked him what he felt Berry Bros. & Rudd was bringing for consumers. The new stores will help consumers explore their palat knowing that everything has been selected by the trusted experts at Berry Bros. & Rudd.
They’re Championing Sustainability
Earlier this year Felix Dear joined Berry Bros. & Rudd as Spirits Curator. He has joined at an exciting time for the historic independent bottler and his first project has been an overhaul of the Classic Whisky Range. Dear has shown from the outset that he is not afraid to break the mold; others are busy removing age statements from their whiskies while Dear has introduced a 12 and 16 year old to the classic range.
Signup now to make sure you don't miss out on the latest whiskey news and deals.
By Signing up, you accept and agree to our Terms of Services and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. The Whiskey Wash is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
While the heritage and location of Berry Bros. & Rudd are certainly a boon, it can be easy to get bogged down in that much history. In today’s world consumers look to brands to deliver more than just good quality. Drinkers have layers of expectation, from quality of liquid to presentation. For younger drinkers sustainability is increasingly a key concern.
“Berry Bros. & Rudd is a company that has always celebrated its past, and at the same time embraced the future. Nobody knows exactly what that future looks like, but one thing we can all agree on is that sustainability will play a key part.”
Sustainability was the uniting factor behind their 2023 release The Collective #1: The Pioneers. This collection of spirits showcased ten likeminded distillers from across the world who are embracing sustainable practices. It’s an impressive collection and great to see ranges still being created on foundations that aren’t all about premiumisation and luxury collaborations.
Dear Is Excited To Remain An Independent Bottler
Dear’s job as spirits curator is about more than just whisky, but as an independent bottler of whiskies among other spirits they have seen a lot of changes over the years. Not unlike wine, whisky has become a collector’s item. It’s made some whiskies worth thousands, even millions, of dollars and that has had an impact on everything from the market for casks through to staff.
Dear’s predecessor, Jonny McMillian left to co-found the Kythe Distillery, which will become one of the 30 or so new distilleries opening in Scotland over the next few years. That may not sound like much until you consider that in 1996 there were just 84 distilleries in Scotland. Today there are 150 operating distilleries listed by the Scotch Whisky Association. We’ve already seen famous independent bottler Gordon & Macphail put down their bottler mantle in order to focus on distilling their own spirits.
Dear is clear that he sees the changing landscape as an opportunity, “More new whisky distilleries mean more people for us to work with, which can never be a bad thing. If there’s anything difficult about it, it’s that we have to patiently wait for the whisky to be ready!”
They’ll Keep Creating Dream Bottlings
Dear is clearly looking to the future in his new position with Berry Bros. & Rudd. The second installment in their ‘A Sense of Place’ series of whiskies is due out later this year: “Coasts & Shores will be released in Autumn 2024 and will explore a selection of whiskies from iconic coastal landscapes around the world.”
On a slightly less practical note I finished with asking about his dream bottlings. We all have our unicorn whiskies, and I was pleased to see Dear’s balancing the unexpected and classic here too: “Although I’ve checked several ‘unicorn’ distilleries off my list, one that’s so far eluded me is Glenugie. It’s a distillery which was demolished in 1985, I’ve encountered it a handful of times, and whilst the quality can be variable, on the higher end of that scale it’s fantastic.
“Outside of that, if anyone has any reasonably priced casks of late 60s Bowmore, you know who to call.” Ah yes, we can all dream.
This article is adapted from one originally written by me for Forbes.com
Latest News