3 Great Whisk(e)y Shops in Berlin

I try to make it a habit of stopping by a local whiskey shop every time I visit Berlin. After about one year and a half of visits, I recommend the following three locations if anyone is ever in the neighborhood and running a thirst for whiskey.

Whisky and Cigars
This place is so high class they sport a door buzzer to keep out the rabble.  Equally knowledgeable of both world whiskies and cigars, the staff here is very friendly and most speak English well. Interested in tasting a whiskey before buying? They have a complete bar in the back with hundreds of bottles on hand for tasting. Whisky & Cigars tends to market to collectors and upper class whiskey drinkers who can afford the limited bottlings and imported items they sell here. Though not cheap, they usually hold items in stock that you will not find anywhere else. Call ahead or e-mail them if interested in a particular whiskey.




Whisky Market Berlin
This was the first spot in Berlin that I went to for whisky. The shop has plaid wallpaper in the back tasting room so it's no surprise that their selection is biased towards Scotch and Irish whisky. The staff here is very friendly and usually will pour you a glass or two to taste while you peruse. They tend to have a very well stocked selection of 0.33 L bottles, meaning you can try some higher end whisky for cheap if you catch the selection at the right time. This is how I tried Talisker 57 North for the first time, so it's a nice way to sample some of the more expensive NAS whiskies before buying the full 0.7 liters. Now and then they host a whisky tasting evening in German with a cover charge.




Getränke Berlin Wein & Whisky
This last place has a limited online presence (only Yelp) and sells wines, gins, rums, vodkas, brandies, as well as whiskies, but somehow their whiskey selection is the most thorough of any other shop in Berlin I have found thus far. Among some of their more interesting offerings is basically the entire Balvenie and Laphraog lineup as well as the Green Spot AND 12yr Yellow Spot. Their Japanese whisky selection is the best of Berlin as well as their American whiskey selection (the only place outside of the Eastern USA that I have ever seen Copper Fox carried). The downside here is that tastings will cost you and the help is a bit subpar. The upside is you can have a seat on their small patio and enjoy a glass of wine and it's right across the street from the historic Kulturbrauerei!