There are plenty of places to pick up a bottle in central London but here are our favourites and the reasons why. For tourists looking to make a day of it these stores and bars can also be arranged into fun walking tours with sights to see along the way.

Without further preamble – onto the list!

Cadenhead’s

Best for: Independent Bottlings

This is the place to come if you want quality independent bottlings as Cadenhead’s is Scotland’s oldest venture in that game. The London store represents their age and history, being set up unlike any other London whisky retailer. The spaces are narrow, old furniture is dotted about among other decorations and the overall aesthetic shouts early 20th century through and through. 

There’s certainly a few whiskies in here that might go back that far too. Given the location opposite Chiltern Firehouse it’s pretty obvious that there’s a high end clientele that visits Cadenhead’s. However, whilst there are eye-watering prices in some of the cabinets their own bottlings are fairly priced and the other stock is generally in line with RRP. The staff are happy to recommend the best products at any budget and profile and all have a wealth of whisky knowledge.

The range of 200ml bottles is the highlight for us. Whilst the larger bottles will offer more bang for buck these are perfect for exploring new styles, gifting, bottle shares. The small size also means that if you’re a traveller hamstrung by customs allowances and suitcase space you can pick up a broader selection too.

There’s more than just Scotch here too. Cadenhead’s bottles and sells bourbons, rums and other spirits too. So if you want a slice of whisky history and some fab drams that Cadenheads should be first on your list.

The Whisky Exchange (Great Portland Street)

Best For: All Round Buying

The Covent Garden and London Bridge locations may be more convenient but this is the spot for whisky. If you have time for only one shop then The Whisky Exchange Great Portland Street is the one. It is not the best in every possible category, but it’s absolutely the biggest. The staff say it has the largest range of all locations and includes the widest selection of independent bottlings too.

Upstairs you’ll find everything that’s not a whisky (we highly recommend a stop by the rum selection). To sniff out the drams follow the big red sign into the wide, and frankly intimidating basement. There’s no such thing as a casual browse on these huge shelves. Start at one end and take your journey through it all. The independent bottling range is a highlight but so too are the single malts. 

Whilst we’ve had mixed experience with staff across Whisky Exchange sites the ones at this store have been happy to help recommend things and chat whisky. We also overheard them dealing with the vaguest of requests from non-whisky fans is a really helpful way. 

There are bargains to be had at The Whisky Exchange but most things are around RRP. This may not be a place to hunt for cut-price unicorns but regular sales and special offers are a thing and often advertised. It is also where we’d recommend you go for that perfect whisky gift at any budget. They stock a healthy selection of glassware, books, miniature sets and other paraphernalia to go alongside any bottle gift. 

The Whisky Exchange Great Portland Street also has engraving as the cherry on top of the gift experience. For those shopping selfishly there’s Click and Collect available too. So if there is a particular bottle you are after and you want to guarantee getting it, this is the retailer for that.

Hedonism Wines

Best For: All things America

The Mayfair location means Hedonism won’t win any awards for value. That said, if you avoid their secondary market products like Weller there are plenty of niche whiskies to be found here at RRP. Prices are clear upfront on little tags. Prices match their website so you can absolutely browse in advance online too before committing to a trip. There are still occasional bargains to be found. A world whisky favourite of mine, Morris Muscat Barrel, was £10 less than the major online retailers when I visited recently. Whilst you’re checking the prices on the site it’s always worth checking their calendar for the free tastings too.

You don’t work in a Mayfair drinks shop without knowing your stuff and the staff are happy to give advice and recommendations or at least help you reach one of the high bottles or hidden ones in the tightly packed ensemble. They can also be very hands-off if you just want to browse what’s new.

The range is incredible with the American whisky and independent Scotch bottlings impressing in particular. Perhaps the only areas of weakness vs the other specialists on this list are grain whisky and Canadian whiskey. The grains get half a dozen bottles tucked away on a top shelf and at the time of writing there were only 3 Canadian whisky bottlings hidden at the lowest level behind the busy till area.

Berry Bros & Rudd

Best For: Novices

The ancient and venerable Berry Bros. & Rudd has undergone a big renovation to make it less old-fashioned and stuffy. Plus they’ve also added a dedicated spirits store that’s dominated by whisky. This new space has the wood panelling that’s typical of most whisky shops but it feels modern. The wide bottle tiers that keep all but the wallet-burning whisky well within arms and allow you to see across the entire store from wherever you’re standing.

Can a bargain be found across the road from a literal Palace? Not really, but it isn’t a rip-off either. There’s a focus on quality spirits from across the British Isles and real support of smaller distilleries too. Some fun World Whisky has nudged its way in too but you’d be better off at other stores for that. Check out their “Under £50” section on their site and you’ll see some of the best drams for the money. 

For experienced whisky drinkers we’d argue that BBR still has a place on your whisky tour of London given their independent bottlings but we’ve really put it here for the newbies.

The staff at BBR have to learn a whole lot about many different spirits and during my visits to the store not only were they eager to chat whisky but they also flipped script effortlessly to help novices and gift buyers too. They are the most willing out of any store we visited to provide a free tasting sample to back up a recommendation. If you’re nervous or just starting out and you want help in your buying then this is where we’d recommend. BBR are making a conscious effort to demystify and welcome anyone despite their location in one of London’s most expensive postcodes.

The Vintage House

Best For: Miniatures & Museum Pieces

Some folks feel The Vintage House is cold and unfriendly. I guess that’s true if you were coming from the likes of Berry Bros or The Whisky Exchange where things are well lit and checking in on you is part of the customer service. Here there’s narrow sections, low ceilings, no windows and the staff generally aren’t chatty unless you ask them directly for something. This makes it an introvert paradise where you can marvel at the unique selection in peace.

There’s a lot of museum pieces here and not just because it’s all behind glass. There’s plenty of secondary pricing and a lot of old and rare pieces too – hence the name. If you are looking for things you won’t see in any other stores (heck, they even had Cadenhead stuff that’s out of stock) then this is the place to come butt there’s no guarantee it’ll be a sane price.

For me personally The Vintage House isn’t about the big and expensive stuff but the small bits. The miniature selection is great and changing often. There’s also a range of interesting 200ml bottlings to peruse too. The latter doesn’t stack up to Cadenhead but it’s a worthy alternative if you’re in the mood to sample or need stocking fillers for a whisky lover.

Bonus Mentions: Milroy’s and Dram Bar#

Best For: Try Before You Buy

London is now blessed with two great whisky bars just a few minutes walk from each other. Milroy’s and Dram Bar have wildly different vibes but both are built for whisky lovers. Both are worth a pitstop for a dram and a browse of the shelves to see what interesting bottlings are lurking. Comparing prices between the two is a bit of a challenge as there’s often little overlap but generally Milroy’s is led by their independent bottlings and mid-to-high end product. Dram Bar has a tightly curated selection of whisky from small distilleries or independent bottlers.

Whisky newbies should also check these two out alongside BBR. Both deal with complete novices every day and the staff know exactly how to ease you in, working with what you like and what’s familiar to you.

What do you think of our picks? We’re sure there’s places we’ve missed so hound us in the comments. We’ll absolutely visit them.