For some, whisky starts and ends within the confines of the Scottish border. For others it hops across the Irish Sea to the Emerald Isle. For the broader-minded it encompasses the output of Uncle Sam; and for the most globally accepting it even takes in the Land of the Rising Sun.
In short, "whisky" is a many splendid - and subjective - thing.
So we endeavour to point you in the direction of London's finest emporiums of whisky, whatever your taste...
The Britannia might resemble the quintessential British pub on the outside but there’s much more to it than that. If you stumbled on this peculiarly located pub in Southwark the first thing that would surprise you would be its whisky selection. With over 50 single malts on offer, the range is slightly incongruous, but thoroughly brilliant for any whisky enthusiast.
The Lexington eschews single malts and blends in favour of Kentucky-Tennessee tipples like Knob Creek, Jim Beam and of course, Jack Daniels. For a music bar in Angel, the Lexington has an almighty bourbon selection, which has something to do with the explicit American retro theme running through it. Sip on enough sweet Wild Turkey’s and you might be tempted upstairs to the club for some funky chicken.
Not all whisky bars have to replicate Gatsby-esque sequences; there are those that fall on the seedier side of the spectrum. Slim Jim’s Liquor Bar is one of these places. Doing its best to remind you of somewhere you might have seen Kurt Russell wrap a pool cue over some goon’s back, it is without a doubt one of London’s best whisky bars. It focuses on a lot of bourbons and ryes so if you’re a fan of the sweeter side you’re in luck. The music at this Angel outpost is also thoroughly rocker.
The Bethnal Green pub is getting reputation for its selection of beers and ales but it also keeps a large range of whisky and bourbon behind the bar. Even more interestingly, you can find a secret cocktail bar in the basement below where bartenders will mix to your content.
Canary Wharf might not be the most hip place to travel to for a drink but Boisdale happens to be an internationally recognized, world-class whisky bar, which should persuade most of the benefits to paying it a visit. Described as owning a “12 metre long glowing amber wall of liquid gold” Boisdale is not to be missed when looking for the best whisky bars in London. From Chieftans to Johnnie Walker Gold Label, there’s bound to be something that takes your fancy among the thousand or so bottles on offer.
Located in the confines of the impressive St Pancras Station, the Grand Whisky Bar matches its location with its selection of single malts. Split geographically, you can tour the world in a tasting with bottles from Scotland to Ireland, Japan to the USA. And even if you’re not in the know the staff will guide you.