The best whisky bars in London

SpiritLand has a very expansive selection of alcohol available for its customers, as you may have guessed from its name. There’s plenty of beer, cocktails, gin, vodka, brandy, rum, agave, and wine, but when it comes to the whiskeys, you’ll find bottles from all over the world, including Scotland, Australia, Kentucky, Ireland, New York and Japan. Some whisky highlights include the Kilkerran 8-year-old cask strength, Glenmorangie 10-year-old, and the Kilchoman Machir Bay and Eagle Rare 10-year-old.
Other than its drink selections, SpiritLand is also an excellent venue for music lovers. It plays music from all sorts of genres, including 50s jazz, deep electronica, country rock and classic pop. Best of all, it plays its music through “one of the world’s best sound systems”. Their words, not ours, but we’re here for it.

Claridge’s Bar may pride itself on its Champagne and cocktail selection, but it also specifies that it sources a vast collection of sought-after spirits. This includes a wide variety of whiskies with everything from Scotch whiskies, Irish whiskies, American and Canadian whiskies and Japanese whiskies. As a result, the menu has one of the more diverse whiskey price ranges we have encountered, with some costing as little as £14 and others costing as much as £1,000. Some whisky names you might recognise are Karuizawa, Blood Oath, Gentleman Jack, Knappogue Castle and Dalmore.

The venue itself is incredibly classy with an art deco influenced interior, and the bar is as suave as it is well stocked.

Willows On The Roof is not only one of the coolest spots in central London that we know of, it also has a fantastic whiskey cocktail named Sage of Consent. This drink is made up of Woodford Rye whiskey, Bourbon whiskey, fresh lemon juice, sugar, blackberries and sage. It’s rare that you discover a cocktail exclusively made up of whiskey, so we recommend that you whiskey lovers make the most of this and stop by to give it a go. Plus, the venue is beautiful; it’s located on a rooftop in Oxford Street on a stunning outdoor terrace that will make the perfect setting for you to enjoy your cocktail in.

Everything about Black Rock flies in the face of convention, except the quality of the whiskey! Located in a basement in the east part of London, Black Rock has been awarded “UK’s Best Specialist Bar” for four years in a row by CLASS magazine. The venue is visually iconic so if you want to visit, consider that booking isn’t compulsory, but it is really recommended.

Besides its awesome name, Bull in a China Shop has quite a unique angle. It’s a specialist whiskey bar that also has all-day dining. It describes itself as having a “subtle hint of the orient”. Using low lighting, whitewashed brick walls and oriental ornaments, the result is a comfortable and striking dining setting.
The dishes that the kitchen puts out are delicious. One favourite in particular is the rotisserie chicken with Nikka whiskey and soy glaze. The menu does include other whiskey-infused dishes, making this taste heaven for any whiskey-loving foodie. The drinks menu itself is made up of over 100 Japanese and Scotch whiskies, including Nikka (12yr), Glendronach (15yr) and Tomatin Metal. It also has a world whiskies section, which features Australian (Starward) and Indian (Amrut Peated) whiskey. This bar is not one to be missed.

This five-star Piccadilly hotel is not only home to swish art deco interiors and a sumptuous spa, but a collection of over 100 prized and rare whiskies to boot. You can navigate the nectars yourself, or alternatively, you could take part in a whisky tasting masterclass. There are three different price points, and each event includes four drams and an indulgent cheese pairing too. If you really want to go all out though, then you can book a picturesque tasting that takes place on the tenth floor and looks out across the capital…

The Distillery on Portobello Road is home to four floors of gastronomic delights. The Malt Room, on the first floor, offers an array of whisky highball variations and cocktails to accompany its menu of well-made British classics. Whisky lovers will surely be tempted by the venue’s tasting event, The Whisky Thing Experience, which consists of a three-hour educational tasting of ten different variations as well as the opportunity to blend your own bottle to take home as a souvenir.

The Berkeley Bar & Terrace is the place to go for a truly memorable dram. The intimate, cosy space is arranged around a fireplace, with sinking leather chairs where you can spend a good while enjoying the sumptuous surroundings and fine liquor. There’s even a stylish snug too, for those extra special occasions. You can mull over a list of around two hundred whiskies, plus there’s a small plates menu that features decadent cheese boards and charcuterie plates if you feel peckish.

Whisky bars can often have a slightly stuffy reputation, but Trailer Happiness in Notting Hill manages to blend fantastic cocktails with sleek yet funky interiors. You’ll find retro features and stylish corners that make for envy-inducing Instagram post, and the drinks are all fabulously photogenic too—the Bananavadier is a tropical mix of Four Roses Bourbon, Campari, Martini Rosso Vermouth, banana and salted caramel liqueur, and will transport you to faraway climes for a while!

The high-end British restaurant group Boisdale has taken inspiration from the hunting lodges of the Scottish Highlands when decorating its lavish venues, where you’ll find leather chairs, taxidermy and ornate light fittings. This theme continues through to its gastronomic offering too, with hearty favourites like haggis, neeps and tatties and Scottish beef on the menu, as well as more modern options like Scottish pizzas, which are all topped with the country’s finest ingredients. There’s a long list of whiskeys on offer too, of course, all of which hail from Caledonia