Award-winning Hackstons has announced the ultimate whisky lovers’ evening with the launch of an exclusive Islay tasting experience at its Knightsbridge flagship.
Marking the first major whisky event in its calendar, this intimate and highly curated evening celebrates Scotland’s most legendary whisky island through a rare, immersive journey into its history, character and world-renowned single malts.
Credit: Hackstons
The evening, dedicated to Islay widely regarded as the most historic and influential island in the world of Scotch whisky, is a landmark experience offering new depth and intimacy to whisky appreciation.
Guests will have a rare opportunity to explore the heritage, character and enduring legacy of one of Scotland’s most revered regions with expert guidance, hosted by wine & spirits specialist Jeffrey Lau.
Renowned for transforming premium drinks retail and tangible asset ownership, Hackstons continues to champion excellence, craftsmanship and discovery across fine wine, whisky and spirits.
With this event, the Knightsbridge flagship store once again reinforces its reputation as a destination for connoisseurs, placing the spotlight firmly on provenance, storytelling and the artistry behind every bottle.
The exclusive evening is a guided exploration of Islay itself, an island whose windswept coastlines, peat-rich landscapes and fiercely independent distilleries have shaped the identity of Scotch whisky for centuries.
Home to a small population yet an outsized global influence, Islay has long inspired devotion among whisky lovers, producing some of the most distinctive and sought-after single malts in the world. This experience brings that story to life through a carefully curated tasting designed to capture both the power and the nuance of the island’s spirit.
Taking place on Thursday 30 April at the Hackstons Knightsbridge store, the evening is deliberately limited to just twelve guests, ensuring an atmosphere of intimacy and immersion. The experience begins with a refreshing Ardbeg 10 Year Old highball, offering a bright and contemporary introduction to Islay’s unmistakable character before leading into a deeper, more contemplative tasting journey.
Guests are then guided through six exceptional single malts that together illustrate the remarkable diversity of the island.
The tasting includes Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2013, a whisky rooted in heritage barley and the concept of terroir; Laphroaig 18 Year Old, a beautifully matured expression balancing peat, sweetness and maritime character; and Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Year Old, marking the first bottling from Islay’s newest distillery in nearly two decades.
The journey continues with Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival 2015, a rare and highly sought-after festival release, and Bowmore 21 Year Old Château Lagrange French Oak Barriques, an elegant expression that marries Islay spirit with Bordeaux wine casks. Both these bottles cost £330 each.
The evening reaches its pinnacle with a remarkable Bunnahabhain 35 Year Old (1989), a rare and refined expression that showcases a more understated and elegant side of Islay, offering depth, complexity and quiet power. This highlight dram which retails at £750 a bottle anchors the experience, reinforcing the event’s focus on rarity and significance while inviting guests to engage with whisky at the highest level.
Throughout the evening, the tasting is enriched by a deeper exploration of Islay’s history and culture. From ancient peat-cutting traditions used to dry malted barley, to stories of illicit distillation and the development of the island’s iconic distilleries, guests are immersed in a narrative that extends far beyond the glass. Crucially, the experience challenges the common perception of Islay as defined solely by smoke, revealing instead a spectrum of styles that range from intensely peated to unexpectedly soft and nuanced.
Hackstons founder Alphie Valentine said: “We’ve created the Islay tasting as the ultimate whisky lovers’ evening, something truly intimate that captures the depth, heritage and diversity of one of the most important regions in the world. From rare drams to the stories behind them, it’s about offering an experience that goes far beyond a traditional tasting and leaves a lasting impression.”
Attendance is strictly limited to preserve exclusivity and depth of experience booking strongly advised.
Tickets: £85 + Booking fees (£7.80) can be booked via Event Brite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/history-of-islay-premium-whisky-tasting-tickets-1987190208407?aff=ebdssbdestsearch