The drink-pouring, tin-swirling experts weigh in.
With new whisky releases stretching into the decades (which distillery will be the first to release a 100 year old?) and an onslaught of marketing material to boot, separating the delicious from the overpriced can be tricky. To help you guide your next purchase, we’ve tapped into the minds of those who pour, mix, and crucially taste whisky for work, for their top whisky recommendations right now.
Bartenders’ choices of whisky to buy
Mortlach 15 Year Old — Mehdi Ichedadene, Coburg Bar at The Connaught
The Red Room at The Connaught might be the hotel’s Instagram darling, and The Connaught Bar is where committed martini aficionados head, but for whisky nuts, the lesser-known Coburg Bar calls. Offering over 200 varieties by the glass, the team showcases the ever-changing character of whisky (in particular Scotch, which makes up over 80 percent of the list).
Novices and connoisseurs alike are encouraged to try the Dram Journey experience, which presents three varieties on a bespoke tableside trolley. Among bar manager Mehdi Ichedadene’s current top serves is the Mortlach 15 Year Old, which is “a combination of first-fill and refill Sherry casks and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as a testament to the long standing and unique relationship with Scotland Distillery owners, built up over generations.”
House of Hazelwood — Tom Addy, Bertie’s at the Fife Arms
Secreted away in a far corner of the weird, wacky, and wonderful Fife Arms, Bertie’s Bar has become something of a pilgrimage for whisky lovers (one guest reportedly flew into Scotland for a matter of hours to taste one rare dram).
Amid such a varied selection, naming a favorite proves tricky for bar manager Tom Addy. «It’s very hard to pin down a single dram but we are proud to hold one of the largest collections of House of Hazelwood bottles anywhere in the world,” he says. “They represent a single family’s dedication to Scotch whisky over multiple generations, drawing on casks laid down, bartered with, and collected by Charles Gordon and his descendants.”
“[They] are phenomenal to drink but like so many bottles of aged Scotch the real treasure is in the stories they hold – stories of craft, heritage, and styles of whisky no longer possible with modern production methods,” he adds.
Glenturret 15 Year Old — Andrea Gardiner, The American Bar at Gleneagles
A step back in time to the roar of 1920s New York, in the middle of remote Perthshire, The American Bar at Gleneagles is something of an institution. Cocktails are a mainstay on the menu but, being in Scotland, a dram or two is encouraged. Unlike many bars that list whiskies via location, here they are separated by flavor profile, be it chocolatey and spicy or peaty and mineral.
Amid its extensive collection, bar manager Andrea Gardiner sings the praises of the 2025 Glenturret 15 Year Old. Matured in European and American oak, the whisky is rich with honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and ripe fruits. “I love this decadent and velvety dram from Scotland’s oldest working distillery,” says Gardiner. “It really showcases Glenturret distillery’s traditional hands-on production, shown by the slowly refined texture of the whisky. A perfect way to finish your evening.”
Teeling Blackpitts — Oisin Kelly, The Sidecar
Sultry and nostalgic, 1930s-inspired The Sidecar is The Westbury hotel’s retro drinking den. Its cocktail list is a celebration of Dubliners – not just the one that made the history books, but the everyday folk too – and each drink is listed scrapbook-style alongside archive photography.
When it comes to stiffer drinks, as you’d expect, Irish whiskey takes precedent over Scotch here. «One whiskey we are enjoying pouring right now is Teeling Blackpitts, a peated Irish single malt,” says bar manager Oisin Kelly. “Although Irish whiskey is generally smoother and sweeter, this particular one is also smokey. We are pouring it neat and our guests are enjoying discovering an Irish whiskey that has smoke but maintains its smooth, classically Irish finish.”
Tomatin 36 Year Old Batch 11 — Dario Orsili, 100 Princes Street
An Edinburgh outpost for the family-run Red Carnation hotel group, 100 Princes Street pulls on Scotland’s rich history: tartan covers the walls, tattie scones are the star of the breakfast plate, and, of course, whisky lines the bar shelves.
“One whisky that really stands out right now is the Tomatin 36,” says the hotel’s whisky ambassador and head bartender Dario Orsili. “It is one of the most distinctive and flavorful whiskies I have tasted, with vibrant tropical fruit notes followed by a gentle touch of spice on the finish, which is not what you would typically expect from a whisky of this age.
“That sense of surprise is exactly what makes it so compelling. It challenges preconceptions, and with […] just 1,200 bottles of Batch 11 released worldwide, it is a rare example of confident, thoughtful maturation done exceptionally well.”
Michter’s 10 Year Straight Rye — Jay Reingold, Clemente Bar
Sat above the Eleven Madison Park dining room, Clemente Bar puts a refined, sophisticated spin on drinking culture. The venue is a partnership between chef Daniel Humm and artist Francesco Clemente and the duo’s artistic vision shines through a warm color palette, dotted with vintage furnishings and original works. The drinks program is playful but prioritizes unusual flavor combinations – be it carrot with rum or pickled plum ice cream with coconut.
For his whisky recommendation, bar manager Jay Reingold stays on US shores. “American whiskey is something I’ve loved since I started bartending, both in cocktails and neat,” he says. “Michter’s has been making incredible benchmarks of the category for hundreds of years. Whenever I’m lucky enough to find some, I’m drinking Michter’s 10 Year Straight Rye.
“It’s a single-barrel bottling, so each run is a one-of-one experience, which is a great study into how different whiskey can get. But for an overproof whiskey, it is both approachable and incredibly complex. There’s a good hit of vanilla, coconut, and baking spice on the nose, and the palate starts richer, almost like butterscotch, but finishes quite dryly, with a hint of citrus zest.”
Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky — Steve Schneider, Sip & Guzzle
Aiming to deliver a slice of Tokyo in Greenwich Village, Sip & Guzzle pays homage to the 77 samurai that visited the US in 1860 (and reportedly frequented bartender Jerry Thomas’ infamous tavern.
In a similar vein to this fusion style, bartender Steve Schneider recommends a Japanese single grain whisky, with a profile similar to bourbon. “Its high corn mash bill is akin to American Bourbon,” he says. “It’s very refined and delightful to sip on.”
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