Say hello to Whisky Business – an emporium where the soup of the day is always… well, whisky.
Run by the same owners of Berry ‘n’ Rye, the name ‘Whisky Business’ was left to fate to decide in a coin toss. This unintentional namesake has worked out well as the store not only does what it says on the whisky glass, but it also echoes much of their portfolio; playful and professional at the same time. The guys like to make you work to find their shops: no leaflets around town, no helpful blackboards, no sponsoring Facebook posts. In a way, this is part of the beauty of Whisky Business; the sense of achievement you get when stumbling across it is all part of the experience. On entering the shop, you are greeted by both friendly manager Murph and the towering stacks of spirits. The theme music is always Motown, played at a moderate volume in the corner, the trumpets echoing off the exposed brick adding to the overall effect. We must warn you, one visit will have you smoking cigars and strutting round town like Don Draper for the day. The sad realisation that you aren’t is heart-wrenching to say the least.
Whisky Business has more spirits than a tea party at Derek Acorah’s house, an ever-evolving collection that would leave Rain Man confused. This isn’t limited to whisky mind you, they also stock Liverpool Gin, local Liverpool craft beers and some very rare rum. It is a heaven for cocktail nerds, a place where you can buy all the fancy paraphernalia to keep your Instagram full of fresh material for months (we reckon an average of at least 6 likes a photo can be expected). As well as selling the tools, they also offer whisky workshops to teach you how to make cocktails at home even without the kit. That’s what we like about Whisky Business, they recognise that you can’t always be bothered heading down to one of their bars and so they allow you to take the glass clinking, whisky magic home with you. Now you’ll always be able to keep good drinks in the hands of good people. Call us old fashioned but that’s our favourite drink, and thanks to Whisky Business, we can make one in the time it takes to make a cuppa. We know which we prefer.
Next time you’re in Ropewalks Area make sure you head down to Whisky Business to spruce up your cupboard with some quality aged malts. You’ll get to have a gander of the pre-first World War till that, although can’t calculate, is certainly beautiful enough to justify its presence. They hold regular whisky tasting events, some of which allow you and your friends to come down for the day and make your own cocktails.