Nothing says sophistication quite like your own, at-home whisky room. A must-have for any connoisseur, it’s the perfect place to show off your fine and rare whiskies to friends and family and enjoy a relaxing sip after a hard day’s work.
At-home bars have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years and you might want to go a step further by creating a dedicated space for your favourite tipple.
Whether it’s used just for yourself to relax and unwind during the evening and on weekends, or to host parties and whisky tastings for larger groups of people, here are some of our top home whisky bar ideas to help inspire you.
Similar to a wine cellar, a whisky room is a place where you can store all of your most-loved whiskies from over the years to drink or admire whenever you please. These rooms are often multi-functional too, doubling up as libraries, games rooms or even offices.
Before you start building your whisky room, think about the style and the vibe you want to emanate. From the sophisticated intellect's library where whisky is the drink of choice, or a mysterious and alluring games room where a sip of whisky helps your bluff, the options are endless, and you can have a lot of fun designing the room exactly as you envision.
The first step in creating your whisky room is to include plenty of shelving and storage to display all of your premium bottles. Remember to make sure there's enough space and height for future bottles. You'll no doubt add to the collection too.
For the safety of both you and your whisky, install glass cabinet doors to prevent the whisky from falling. The bottles will be safe but you’ll still be able to see them. Or, if you don't want to include cabinets, a shelf with a guard rail will also do the trick.
A whisky room wouldn't be complete without a modern, state-of-the-art bar where you can pour drinks, serve guests and experiment by mixing some delicious whisky-based cocktails. A bar also greatly increases your storage options while looking ultra-sleek and elegant.
If you're limited on space, a drinks trolley is another option you can use to store and display whisky bottles, serving trays, glasses and utensils. It can be decorated and dressed up to look as sharp as the rest of the room.
You'll need a comfortable place to sit when enjoying your glass or two of whisky or if you have a few guests visiting the whisky room. Add a small seating area with some luxe armchairs and a couple of statement or accent chairs to add extra interest and enhance the overall drinking experience.
If you have a fully-fledged bar, don't forget to add a couple of bar stools too for an authentic bar look. If you need some extra guidance, read our article on How to Choose Statement Occasional Chairs.
Lighting plays a critical role in design as it can instantly transform the look of any room and create the desired atmosphere. It's also a fantastic way of highlighting your whisky bottles and building a moody atmosphere for which hotel whisky rooms are so well-known.
Choose a pendant light to hang above the bar for an eye-catching statement or a decorative wall sconce for a sophisticated way to set the mood. If you have a drinks cabinet or shelving, install spotlights just above to allow your whisky bottles to shine.
You'll want to serve your whisky in the best way possible with beautiful glassware to show off the rich colours and enhance the aromas. Lowball, or old fashioned glasses, are most commonly used with whisky, and there are a plethora of styles and designs to choose from to match the style of your bar.
You can also store whisky in a luxury decanter which will help to improve the flavours over time while cutting quite the fine figure sitting on your bar.
Choosing the right bar accessories—unique coasters and bottle openers, functional bottle stoppers, and practical shakers and jiggers—is essential for a smooth-running home whisky bar. With the required accessories, you'll easily be able to mix, blend and create as many whisky cocktails as you'd like.
These stylish accessories will also help elevate the look of your whisky room while giving it a professional feel.
Browse through our whisky room furniture collection and luxury entertaining essentials to guarantee a successful cocktail hour.
Looking for something fun to do this winter? Take a look at our 10 favourite cosy whisky distilleries to tour.
