High-end whisky shop opens in Jewellery Quarter.
Hard To Find Whisky, the specialist global online whisky retailer, and sister company of Hard To Find Records, has opened its first UK whisky store in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter in a move that will mark a new era of whisky retailing.
The Birmingham store also marks Hard To Find Whisky’s transition into physical retailing and is the first of several destination stores planned by the independent retailer across the UK.
At just under 2,000 sq ft, boasting 3,000 different collectable, rare and new release whiskies displayed in 22 ceiling-high glass cabinets, this technically advanced shop will allow customers to be able to peruse and taste whisky, and buy bottlings that range from £25 to £35,000 (for an extremely rare Macallan 50-year-old).
Whisky enthusiasts and novices alike will also have the opportunity to take part in any of the fourteen walk-up masterclasses offered to customers in store; from a beginners’ class at £20 per head, to a tasting session of iconic whiskies from ‘silent distilleries’ priced at £1,000 per head.
Jason Kirby, Hard To Find Whisky’s founder, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Hard To Find Whisky, and marks a new chapter in our journey as expert whisky retailers. We’ve built up a very strong online presence by offering an excellent service, and also by helping people from across the globe find some of the rarest and most collectable whiskies in the world, along with all the new releases. We feel that the time is right to turn our unique retail offering into a complete whisky experience at our first destination store in Birmingham.”
He added: “Birmingham has an incredibly vibrant food and drink scene and a fantastic entrepreneurial and creative spirit. The Jewellery Quarter was the perfect location given its heritage – we felt that it perfectly complemented the specialist nature of the store and the service that we offer – sourcing whisky for our customers that you simply won’t find anywhere else.”
An extensive range of gift-ware, glasses and miniatures is also available, and in a nod to the historic drink’s Scottish heritage, the floor of the store is also decked out in Wallace Clan tartan.
Jason continued: “Above all we want people to feel at home and relaxed in the store – it’s a space not just for buying whisky but for sampling and discussing it too. We actively talked to our customers before we opened the store to get their views on what their ideal whisky shop would be like and we’ve included a number of these.
“We’ve worked hard to create an atmosphere not just befitting the incredible range of whisky we have on offer, but where people can enjoy their tasting and shopping experience. With this in mind we hope our customers will enjoy settling into our giant Chesterfield sofas while they chat to our whisky experts and enjoy a dram or two.”