Dram It All: 20 of the UK's top whisky pubs and bars

1236 Cave Bar at Meldrum House
Oldmeldrum, nr Inverurie
What’s more historic than a well-preserved pub? A very old cave! This Aberdeenshire hotel has a bar dating back to the 13th century with many of its cavey qualities intact and a three-figure whisky selection.

Athletic Arms
1-3 Angle Park Ter, Edinburgh
The Gorgie mainstay has a comically long whisky list to the point that the back bar is now three-dimensional; their Whisky Festival of cheaper drams is legendary; their pies are genuinely, actually brilliant.

Bar Lotus
480 Kingsland Rd, Dalston, London
First, we’re reading the words ‘Techno Cocktail Bar’, then we’re seeing pictures of tiny glassware, now we’re hearing about their regular tastings and historical drams and we’re on the train to London, cya.

Ben Nevis
1147 Argyll St, Glasgow
The Ben Nevis has a fantastic range of whiskies on the bar and a nice vibe, plus its location on the main Finnieston drag makes it ideal for incorporation into a whisky-agnostic bar crawl.

Black Rock
9 Christopher St, Shoreditch, London
Have a cocktail, book in a tasting, blend your own whisky (!) or just have a drink around the 18ft tree trunk in the middle of the bar – Black Rock has it all.

The Briton’s Protection
50 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester
It’s been through the wringer a bit in recent years, but the Briton’s Protection is still home to one of Manchester’s most extensive and interesting whisky collections.

Cask & Cue
14-18 Stowell St, Newcastle
A whisky bar with over 130 drams to choose from – classic, good fun, well done. Picture that same bar, directly above a snooker hall but with views onto some historic city walls? Now we’re talking – gold star!

Cask Pub & Kitchen
6 Charlwood St, Pimlico, London
London’s first craft beer-focussed boozer, Cask is an independent family-run pub with a great range on the taps and an impressive selection of whiskies, whiskeys and the like.

Devil’s Advocate
9 Advocate's Cl, Edinburgh
A bit like an extremely trendy cave, the Devil’s Advocate is the place to go for great whisky cocktails, whether in the cosy brick-lined bar or outside on a patio that’s always bigger than we remember.

Athletic Arms. Image courtesy of Athletic Arms.

HopScotch
54 Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, London
Any venue with a dedicated whisky bar is up for inclusion in this bit of the mag, but HopScotch’s offer to put together tastings tailored to your particular spec gives them an extra little push.

McGonagall’s
49-50 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
McGonagall’s makes a big impression – we’re talking vibrant patterns on the walls, bar mirrors everywhere, and a 100-strong menu of local whiskies and gins.

Merchant House
13 Well Ct, City of London
An underground bar in the heart of the City, Merchant House boasts over one thousand bottles across its three rooms, as well as a two-to-four-person private bar you can book by the hour. That’s range!

Òran Mór
731-735 Great Western Rd, Glasgow
At much-loved West End institution Òran Mór, the bar is a spectacular hideaway loaded with great whiskies, and the theatre, comedy and live music programming give plenty of excuses for return visits.

The Pot Still
154 Hope St, Glasgow
A great pub right in the centre of Glasgow, with a whisky selection that runs along the back bar and round the corner. Grab a table in the elevated bit at the back and you’re golden.

Salt Whisky Bar
82 Seymour St, Hyde Park, London
A riff on the old classic that lads who love whiskies also love cigars, Salt is a high-flying whisky bar with a shisha terrace, as well as an extensive North Indian food menu.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society
28 Queen St, Edinburgh; 40 Bath St, Glasgow; 19 Greville St, London
Whisky has its own language, rules and rituals – immerse yourself in the whole business at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, with amazing members’ bars and limited edition bottlings.

Shieldaig Lodge
Badachro, nr Gairloch
Why are we sending you to Gairloch? Well, the Shieldaig Lodge offers at least one whisky from each of Scotland’s post-WWII distilleries. If you’re looking to cross some distilleries off your list, check it out.

The Sun Tavern
441 Bethnal Green Rd, Bethnal Green, London
Want to branch out a bit? The Sun is a classic 19th-century pub with the added bonus of London’s largest collection of Irish whiskey, and the world’s biggest collection of the Irish spirit poitín.

Teuchters and Teuchters Landing
26 William St, Edinburgh; 1c Dock Pl, Leith
Is this all a bit much? Do you want the decision taken out of your hands? Teuchters has the answer – the hoop of destiny. Pull up and throw the hoop at an array of bottles; have a dram from the one you land on.

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This article is taken from issue three of GNAW, the food and drink magazine from the team behind The Skinny. Pick up your free copy at venues across Scotland and beyond, and follow GNAW on Instagram at @gnawmag