Cadenhead Shop Experience

[danny56712]

Well back in July when the Cooley 21 was released it subsequently received a great rating on whiskyfun of 90 points! I contacted Cadenhead London and purchased two bottles of same and a 13 year old.

Later on a Littlemill 36 year old was released which received superb ratings and as same is now a demolished distillery i thought same would add well to a collection, hence i contacted Cadenhead London and bought same over the phone. As they can not arrange postage I had to settle for them holding all of the bottles.

It took no effort to suggest a xmas shopping trip to London for my girlfriend and I so off we went Friday morning and I arrived at the Cadenhead shop mid day Saturday. The shop is located off Baker Street in Central London so very convenient.

I was greeted by an assistant Richard and another gentleman who worked here who retrieved my bottles which were as described - no issues!

Then Richard went on to show me their instore casks and offer me samples from the casks which were terrific whiskies, they also had a rum cask full!

The tasting area is made comfortable with period chairs and leather armchair and tasting served in miniature Glencairn glasses - a step up from plastic disposables! I tasted under his recommendations which included a 23 year old Aberlour, a 23 year old strathisla, cooley 13, a number of cask whiskies amongst others - estimate 10 tastings and second being offered on all!

He went on to offer several different very limited stock whiskies to purchase, a few i wanted but left behind include a Springbank Maderia single cask and a Longrow red cabernet sauvignon 2013 single cask.

The shop offered commercially available whiskies along with their own bottlings!

It was an experience I look forward to repeating, treated so well, no bottles being pushed to make sales like Dublin Airport but simply a man rooting through vast stocks to find some interesting bottlings!

Ps a final small cask strength batch is going to be released before xmas as the prior last batch sold out immediately and some regular customers are unhappy they haven't received any! Great shop and i highly recommend picking up your phone if you see an interesting bottle available but the instore experience is unbeatable with so many rare bottlings which never hit the internet!

Any queries shout away and please note i am in no way connected here but simply my best shopping experience to date!

[Raven]

Hi Danny,
Have not been to their new shop off Baker St. Their old London shop was near Covent Garden
but on the British Museum side (Russell St.). It was quite cramped. They are on the Royal Mile
as well in Edinburgh, Cologne etc. Getting it out of the Cask is an experience which they were
always renown for. Got a Cask Strength Islay there last year in Edinburgh which was top class.

[John]

Hey Danny,
Nice review! Good to see that they were so helpful; that's another spot I can take in when I'm over there next!
All the best,
J.

[JohnM]

I was on a very quick visit to Edinburgh recently, arriving after the Cadenhead Shop's closing time and leaving the next morning before they opened... They left my order in a nearby pub for me. They were very nice.

On one of the Celtic Whisky Shop's trips to Scotland, the tour of the Springbank distillery finished in the Cadenhead shop's tasting room. An Aladdin's cave.

[danny56712]

If only they had a shop in Ireland as they have one in Germany and one in Amsterdam!

No I would highly recommend ticking it off everyones list some time, truely memorable experience!

[Luke Gough]

If only they had a shop in Ireland as they have one in Germany and one in Amsterdam!

No I would highly recommend ticking it off everyones list some time, truely memorable experience!

No visit to Edinburgh is complete without a visit to Cadenhead's!

I have many happy reminiscences, particularly to do with the Campbeltown Cask behind the counter - awesome!