London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

London’s Best Bars…For Drinking Whisky

London’s Best Bars…For Drinking Whisky

From Scotland to Japan via Ireland and Wales, there’s a whole world of whisky to discover, and London has just the bars for the job.

Whisky at Black Rock, Shoreditch

This insane Shoreditch bar has two ‘whisky rivers’ flowing through a huge 18ft English oak tree trunk table. Not forgetting the whisky cabinets, which hold around 250 bottles and are organised by flavour. If you don’t fancy it straight, there’s a short whisky-focused cocktail menu to keep you busy.

Black Rock, 9 Christopher Street, EC2A 2BS

Whisky at The Connaught, Mayfair

‘The World’s Best Bar’ The Connaught has for years been renowned for its plush 1920s decadence and incredible cocktails. But more recently it's become known for its Whisky Concept Tastings too. The experience involves pairing a bespoke handmade chocolate with a top-notch whisky. The bar has also teamed up with The Dalmore to create a one-off Connaught Cask single malt, which you can try, or purchase as a bottle when you’re there.

The Connaught,  Carlos Place, W1K 2AL

Whisky at The Blues Kitchen, Camden/Shoreditch/Brixton

Have a great hen do at Blues Kitchen in London
Photo: Blues Kitchen

A proper Camden institution and staple of any night out in the area, this American fun-time bar, restaurant and live music venue excels when it comes to Bourbon and Tennessee whisky.

There are over 80 Bourbons alone to choose from, before you even get started on the other stuff. And, of course, you could also have them slung in a cocktail or drizzled into a milkshake, should you feel so inclined. The list is a serious one, but there’s nothing else about this bar that takes itself too seriously at all.

The Blues Kitchen has venues in Camden, Shoreditch and Brixton

Whisky at Bull In A China Shop, Shoreditch

Best bars for drinking whisky in London: Bull in a China Shop
Photo: Bull in a China Shop

To fit with their Asian-inspired menu of charcoal burger buns and katsu curries, these guys have one of London’s biggest Japanese whisky collections, featuring a few rare ones like Karuizawa — all served with carefully hand-carved ice. Team it up with some Whisky Glazed Rotisserie Chicken or the Poached Asian Pear & McCallan Whisky Trifle, and you’re golden.

Bull in a China Shop, 196 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6LG

Scottish whisky at Boisdale, Canary Wharf

Best whisky bars in London: Boisdale
Photo: Boisdale

Home to all things Scottish in London, the Boisdale brand now extends to four sites in Belgravia, Mayfair, Bishopsgate and Canary Wharf. It’s the latter which boasts not only the most impressive space (read: it’s frickin’ massive) but also the greatest whisky selection. The list stretches to an incredible 1,000+ bottles, of which the vast majority are Scottish (although Irish and Japanese options can also be found).

Prices range from just over £7 to around £100 for 50ml measures of some rarities. Boisdale knows its audience, so if you’re drinking the more common stuff you’re likely to be able to find it cheaper elsewhere. But if it’s something unusual you’re after, or you want maximum choice, then there’s no doubting this is the place to go.

Boisdale has venues in Belgravia, Mayfair, Bishopsgate and Canary Wharf

Whisky at Milroy’s of Soho

Milroy's of Soho is one of the best bars in London to drink whisky
Photo: Milroy's of Soho

Head to London’s oldest whisky shop — there’s a bar with 300 whiskies from all over the world (but a heavy focus on Scotland). If you’re stuck for choice, order a tasting flight. Also, if you purchase a bottle you can stash it in the liquor lockers and come back for more another day. Make sure you also visit the secret cellar bar, The Vault. Enter through the hidden door in bookcase at the back. Down there you can tuck into a heady whisky cocktail list — at least 70% booze.

Milroy's of Soho, 3 Greek Street, W1D 4NX

Whisky at The Britannia, Bermondsey

Best whisky bars in London: The Britannia
Photo: The Britannia

There’s a tendency for bars specialising in whisky in London to lean to the stuffy side, probably not least because by its very nature a few drinks can very quickly start to add up. That’s what makes this place so refreshing. An unglossy old boozer on a quiet back street near Borough, it might not be where you’d expect to find a stellar whisky lineup, but there are well over a hundred offerings on the cramped back-bar.

If you go regularly, you’ll also appreciate the ‘malt of the month’, providing a constantly changing dram of something a little special. Reasonably priced whiskies, a pleasant terrace and a laid-back atmosphere combine to create a true London gem; albeit not that hidden a gem, judging by how busy it can get around end of work time.

The Britannia, 44 Kipling Street, Kipling Estate, SE1 3RU

Whisky at Salt, Marble Arch

Salt is one of the best bars in London to drink whisky
Photo: Salt

Set just off eclectic Edgware Road, there’s no getting away from the fact that Salt is weird. From its clubby, neon-signed exterior and anything-but-salt-of-the-earth shiny bar, through to its inexplicable combination of Indian dishes, shisha and whisky. We won’t even go into the fact that there are also burgers and falafel on the menu.

But it’s the whisky we’re talking about here, and Salt has no fewer than (cue darts voice) 180 of them from around the world, including England, Ireland, Wales, India, Canada and Japan, as well as American bourbon and Scotch. We also like the menu’s descriptive tasting notes. Prices are modest for some of the straight-up spirits, and there’s a fairly decent selection of whisky-based cocktails to lure you in, too.

Salt, 82 Seymour Street, W2 2JB 

Whisky at The Bar at The Athenaeum, Piccadilly

The bar at The Athenaeum is one of the best places to drink whisky in London
Photo: The Athenaeum

Inside this decadent five star hotel, you’ll find this well-stocked whisky bar. It's recently trimmed its collection to around 52, but what’s left are rare and special bottles including The Athenaeum’s own special blend. Whiskies range in price from £9, to £342 for a Glenvit 1984 — so this is definitely the place to splash out on something special. The new-look bar has a swish, lounge vibe, with a view of what feels like a ‘jungle’ outside.

The Athenaeum, 116 Piccadilly, W1J 7BJ]

Also try…

Slim Jim’s Liquor Store, Islington
This Upper Street dive bar-styled venue with bras hanging from the ceiling has a surprisingly good selection of Bourbons and American whiskies considering its laid-back good time vibes.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Bar, Farringdon
It sounds like serious stuff, and it is. You have to be a member to visit, hence it didn’t make the grade for our main selection, but if you do get in you will be treated to “the largest selection of single cask, single malt whisky in the world”. Impressive.

Soho Whisky Club
Set above the excellent Soho Whisky and other spirits shop is this members’ club with more than 400 different whiskies from around the world. Once again, it’s members only unfortunately. 


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
×