Andy Devaney
If you want proof that Hackstons Knightsbridge isn’t just another posh bottle shop on a pretty postcode, you should’ve seen it on Wednesday, 28 January 2026. The Knightsbridge outpost — the retail arm of Hackstons’ highly respected cask-sale business — marked Burns Night with “Scotland in Six Drams,” an exclusive invitation-only tasting that managed to bottle Scotland’s geography, history and stubborn romance into a neat 90-minute journey.
Burns Night, of course, isn’t simply a dinner. It’s a ritual: Robert Burns celebrated with patriotic spirit, storytelling and conviviality — the kind of evening where poetry can be recited with a straight face, provided the whisky arrives on schedule. And at Hackstons Knightsbridge, the whisky very much arrived on schedule.
A tasting built like a map of Scotland
The concept was as tidy as a well-folded tartan: six whiskies, one from each of Scotland’s whisky-producing regions. Guests were welcomed with a drink on arrival before being guided through a sensory-led session designed to deepen appreciation of each dram — not just what it tastes like, but why it tastes like that.
What set the evening apart was the emphasis on provenance and regional identity. You weren’t simply drinking; you were touring. Each pour was a postcard from a different corner of Scotland, complete with the kind of flavour notes that make you realise your palate has been living a sheltered life.
The “Scotland in Six Drams” line-up
Lowlands: Daftmill 2011 Winter Batch
Islands: Jura 30 Year Old 1993 Rare Vintage (a real showstopper!)
Islay: Laphroaig 10 Year Old, early 2000s bottling — the smell of nostalgia was unmistakable and left a fantastic smell lingering in my senses.
Campbeltown: Glen Scotia Private Cask Selection
Speyside: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old
Highlands: Old Pulteney 25 Year Old
If you were trying to pick a single crowd-pleaser, the Jura 30 Year Old made a compelling case for itself — the kind of dram that doesn’t so much enter the room as take it over. Meanwhile, the early-2000s Laphroaig 10 felt like a time capsule: medicinal, smoky and unapologetically itself, leaving the senses gently haunted.
Haggis… and chocolate?
A Burns Night tasting without Scottish fare would be like a ceilidh without someone injuring themselves on the fourth spin. The drams were paired with Scottish delicacies including haggis, neeps and tatties — hearty, honest, and built for winter.
Then came the curveball: artisan chocolate pairings. Unexpected, but oddly persuasive. Dark chocolate, it turns out, doesn’t compete with whisky; it plays defence, smoothing edges here, amplifying fruit there, and making you wonder why you’ve spent your life treating chocolate and whisky like feuding relatives.
Whisky as liquid culture — and liquid asset
The evening was hosted by Sam Wilson, Hackstons Retail Team Manager, alongside Ricki Faulkner from the Hackstons Cask Ownership team. Together, they steered the room through whisky not only as a drink, but as an investable asset — touching on maturation, finishes, age statements, and how flavour profiles can intersect with long-term value.
It was the kind of conversation that suits Hackstons’ broader positioning: this is retail with an education baked in. You can come for the bottle, but you leave with context — and, if you’re inclined, a glimpse into the murky but alluring world of tangible asset ownership.
A young store acting like a veteran
Here’s the bit that should make the wider drinks world sit up: Hackstons Knightsbridge only opened its flagship store in August 2024. Yet it already operates with the confidence and polish of a long-established destination, regularly running whisky tasting evenings and collector-led experiences that feel curated rather than commercial.
That’s why it’s hard not to look at the 2026 Drinks Retailing Awards and think one thing: if they’re not in the conversation for Newcomer of the Year, something’s gone wrong. The category exists for retailers who refuse to play it safe — celebrating innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and the nerve to shake up a market that doesn’t exactly welcome change with open arms. Hackstons has been doing exactly that, in a part of London where playing it safe is practically a planning requirement.
And while nearly 20% of new businesses collapse within their first year, Hackstons has marked its first anniversary in Knightsbridge while entering its fourth year in business overall — not merely surviving, but thriving.
The Hackstons Knightsbridge experience
Inside the store, customers can take part in immersive tastings, private events and specialist sessions designed to lift the curtain on the craftsmanship and investment potential behind luxury drinks. Beyond a curated range of fine and rare whiskies, wines and spirits, the space has become a hub for collectors and enthusiasts who want more than a purchase: they want an experience, an education, and a reason to come back.
For anyone keen to explore Hackstons Knightsbridge, the store is at 3–4 William Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9HL, and the full range is available online at www.hackstons.com.
