The world’s best whisky bars

Tastefully tucked away in the heart of Auckland, Panacea specialises in rare and hard-to-find whisky (and really, really good cocktails), whether you’re in the warm, cosy main space or the doubly secluded whisky room hidden behind an old industrial locker.

Members, if you’ve not visited the award-winning Pokeno Whisky Company – the country’s largest single malt distillery – yet, now’s the time.

Through the red door beside Caretaker and up the stairs, you’ll find this retro-futuristic bar – complete with an exposed aeroplane fuselage for a back bar, deco touches throughout, and moody lighting splashed across a mural of the eponymous rocket.

Hidden away upstairs on Tory Street, Hawthorn Lounge is Wellington’s hidden gem for lovers of whisky and cocktails – a throwback to the speakeasies and private bars of the 1920s.

Members, if you're looking for your new favourite cocktail pub with an awesome whisky list, look no further.

For the Cantabrian in need of a dram and a cocktail, Austin Club is never too far away.

Akiba’s logo is a red lightning bolt, and it suits. The energy in the Canberra bar is electric. With its neon lights and walls plastered in Japanese street scenes, Members will feel like they’re in a buzzing East Asian food hall. There’re stellar whiskies on offer, and also the largest sake selection in Australia. If you’re having trouble choosing, opt for Akiba’s signature boilermakers. The excitement extends to the Asian-fusion menu, too. It’s designed to be shared—and to get hands messy.

Introducing Ormond’s – and maybe Melbourne's – best kept secret: Arcadia Whisky Lounge.

Buzzing with atmosphere and brimming with jaw-dropping Japanese whiskies — from the big distilleries down to smaller craft distilleries all across Japan, Bar Wa Izakaya is a Japanese whisky lover’s heaven smack bang in between mid-town and North Hobart. With two bars, a whole lot of comfy chairs, alfresco tables out the front and a deck outside (with a toasty wood heater, too), Bar Wa’s the type of venue where you can pop in for a drink or stay for the long haul. The fridge is packed with a tasty range of sake and umeshu, and there're craft beers on tap from near and far. The kitchen serves up share plates — that means you get to try a little bit of everything. Expect Japanese-inspired food with oodles of local and fresh Tassie ingredients. Make sure you order a serve of the miso braised mushrooms — but be warned, all mushie dishes will pale in comparison after you’ve tried this one.

On a whisky road trip around Tassie? Make sure you pop into the Bush Inn Brewhouse in picturesque Deloraine. Flash that Member card to get 20% off drams.

While it's probably best known as the spiritual home of craft beer in Australia, once you get past those famous 24 taps, Carwyn's back bar also boasts an awesome range of whisky (and whiskey) from around the world. 

Cobbler is an ode to malted spirits, and you’ll find quite the collection here. Members can choose from more than 400 whiskies. The interior is plush, and the service is down to earth—Cobbler’s mission is to share new and exciting drams, so Members can look forward to some banter with the whisky-loving staff. BYO is welcomed, so if you’re peckish, you can choose your own adventure from the surrounding top-notch eateries.

If one thing is certain, Members are in for a treat at Death and Taxes. Inspired by the underground bars of Paris and London, this whisky lover’s hot spot is hidden in a heritage-listed warehouse in Burnett Lane. Death and Taxes holds a draw-dropping four-metre-tall back bar lined with more than 600 spirits, and you better believe there’s a strong contingency from across the globe. Food is BYO, so whether you’re after something fast or fancy, Burnett Lane has it all. So members, take your pick!

Who’s up for a little bit of hanky panky? Darwin’s new cocktail lounge Hanky Panky is smack bang in the middle of the city.  There’re more than 100 whiskies to choose from with a strong focus on single malts and Aussie whisky. But the menu’s growing every day, so you’ll never run out of drams to try. With dim lighting, a cool speakeasy-style, and a crazy-good cocktail menu, you need to check this place out.

J&M is an intimate whisky den and cocktail bar perched above Sydney’s historic Angel Hotel. And it was recently named one of the country’s best whisky bars. Check it out for yourself and you’ll see why.

You’re never far away from one of our Clubhouses. Two hours out of Perth, you’ll find Lost Bills, smack bang on the main strip of Bunbury’s CBD.

Just like the name suggests, this Adelaide venue is packed full of things made from malt and juniper. Members can get their hands on drams from across the globe—including near-impossible-to-find (or afford) offerings. There’s also a delicious range of whisky and gin-based cocktails. The Peel Street building has been architecturally designed, which makes it easier to lose yourself in the timber-rich, cosy cladding and leather booths this intimate whisky watering hole provides. Photos: Meaghan Coles and Brendan Homan.

<p>Put this on your bucket list, and get ready to lap up those Member perks! Nestled in the heart of Victoria’s wine country you’ll find Morris of Rutherglen, one of Australia’s most-awarded wineries and favourite distilleries.<p>

<p>Dedicated to great whisky and top-tier cocktails, Plaza Bar boasts the best range of whiskies – from single malts to Bourbon, blends and beyond – in Townsville.</p>

Treat yourself to a dram at Saltbush Restaurant & Whisky Bar. Here you’ll find more than 100 whiskies and liqueurs. And remember, flash that Member card for 20% off drams!

Although the 750-bottle-strong back bar glowing behind an opulent chandelier might seem like the star of Savile Row’s show, you are. Brisbane’s relatively new kid on the block aims to deliver a bespoke experience. So Members, sit at the sturdy mahogany bar or perch yourself upstairs and look down on the magic happening behind the bar and choose from hundreds of whiskies and a huge range of wines by the glass. Whatever you’re in the mood for, the friendly crew at Savile Row are happy to oblige!

Tucked away just off Sydney Road in Brunswick, Sig. Enzo is all about whisky, good vinyl, tasty Italian-inspired snacks, more whisky, and cocktails.  Much of the focus of the back-bar is on Victorian and Japanese drams (as well as wines, amaros and aperitifs), but you'll find a healthy selection of Club whiskies and other rarities for your sipping pleasure. Duck in for an aperitif and a dram before dinner (and maybe a bar snack or two) or settle in for a longer session in one of the comfortable booths – just be sure to try the house-special Sicilian meatballs between drinks!

If you're a lucky enough to find yourself on WA's gorgeous south coast, be sure to swing past your local Clubhouse – Six Degrees. A welcoming bar (and restaurant) with a dedicated whisky room / speakeasy in the works, it's equally suited to sheltering from a chilly winter evening with a warming whisky or settling in to catch some sun in summer over a dram and a beer. Industrial-chic decor, indoor and outdoor options to sit, a full food menu, plus live music galore, and you've got yourself a darned good local. And don't forget to show your Club Member card for 20% off whiskies – that's what you're really there for, after all!

Arguably Australia’s leading craft whisky producer, Starward started out in an airport hangar in Essendon Fields, but they’ve since moved to their current, more-central digs on Bertie Street (no relation) in Port Melbourne. Tucked inside a former warehouse, the distillery is also home to their buzzing bar and cellar door, where you can dip in for a dram – it’s the only place in the world where you can taste the entire Starward range – or go deep on the distillery itself with a tour or masterclass. There are snacks and small plates for the hungry, cocktails and plenty of other drinks for those who’re not feeling whisky-y, and as many flight options as you’d expect from a distillery that began in a hangar (heaps). And when you’re done, it’d be rude not to take a bottle home – you can even fill your own.

In Perth? Welcome to your new favourite bar — a multi-level luscious green haven in the heart of the city. Established in 2022 by one of Perth’s best bartenders, whisky-nut David Stucken, Terrarium is your one-stop shop for a good time. Get set for a hefty range of whiskies, a cocktail menu to tip your hat to and a refined bar snack menu that’ll keep everyone full and happy. Sit and sip on the roof-top terrace and enjoy 20% off drams at one of the best bars in Perth.

Dram and a Philly Cheesesteak, anyone? 
The Catfish is Melbourne’s go-to for independent craft beer and live music. And its back bar is sporting some seriously good whiskies from around the world with a monthly rotation of feature distilleries. In fact, the whisky list is curated by an alumnus of one of Melbourne’s best-known whisky bars. And if you’re in the mood for a cocktail, The Catfish’s menu includes the best Bloody Mary in town.

How good is a good pub? Hidden in the beating heart of Sydney’s CBD, The Duke Of Clarence an 18th-Century inspired London Tavern dedicated to cocktails, cask ale & unmistakable British eats. With bespoke cocktails, more than 500+ spirits, cask ales and beers, whisk(e)y flights and a good selection of boilermakers, The Duke Of Clarence is your new favourite pub. The menu’s packed with main meals to snacks. Feast on the likes of a good old fashioned Scotch Egg, Prawn Cocktail, Fish Finger Sandwiches, Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash and all the hits from the Brits. Settle in by the fire in the library with a dram and soak up the impressive surroundings; a lot of The Duke’s design elements are imported from the UK. Definitely check this place out, whisky lovers.

Like to pair your dram with a bit of Jazz? Step right up to The Jazzlab. Melbourne's best live jazz venue, this intimate spot presents live music every single night. Tune into world-class music from up-and-comers to household names. And if all those sweet tunes get your appetite going, there’s snacks available and of course an extensive selection of drinks on offer. Strike a chord? Dance on in for 20% off drams.

Nestled in Sydney's vibrant Potts Point and home to one of the most impressive whisky collections in the city, The Roosevelt has been part of the city's culture for generations. First opened in 1943, this notorious jewel in the Kings Cross crown has hosted everyone from American WW2 servicemen, to global stars like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr, through to a who's who of modern Australian celebrity. With an exhaustive whisky list and lavish cocktail repertoire, Club Members have regularly chosen it as a haven for drams, food... and maybe a sneaky back-room poker game.

With more than 150 local whiskies on offer, you’ll find the country’s largest collection of Tasmanian whiskies side by side at The Still, Hobart’s uber-cool whisky bar opened by Aussie whisky founders Lark Distilling Co. Book yourself a guided tasting session and you can sample whisky straight from 20-litre barrels suspended over the table. Heck, yes! And for your non-whisky drinking mates, there’s also an extensive wine, beer and cocktail list. There’s also a retail space chock-full of top-notch whiskies. Snacks, you say? There’s an awesome menu jam-packed with local produce. This is an unmissable whisky experience, whisky lovers. Get on it.

Members, if you want to stay in the peak of luxury in the heart of Hobart, have we got a perk for you.

The is an absolute gem. The Vault Café Bar is tucked away inside a repurposed, heritage-listed bank set on Tassie’s Inglis River. Do yourself a favour and pull up a pew at this eatery, wine and whisky bar the next time you’re cruising along Tasmania’s gorgeous North-West Coast. There’s an awesome (and rapidly growing) selection of whisky and wine to choose from, too. (We hear there's also plans for a whisky shelf extension. Delicious.) The menu’s packed full of classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But if you can’t decide, we recommend the calamari. We also recommend you check out the bathroom. Trust us, it’s cool. 

Three Wolves is an intimate bar and restaurant hidden down a laneway in Cairns' CBD—a frequented haunt by those who know where to get their hands on a good tipple. Members can look forward to a broad range of spirits, speciality wine and beer as well as a seasonally rotating cocktail menu complemented by Spanish street food style tapas—think queso croquettes and sweet potato bravas. Delicioso!

Perched on the beautiful and bustling Mooloolaba Esplanade, WAT Den is the Sunshine Coast’s very-first specialist spirit bar with more than 300 whiskies on offer, along with crafty cocktails and a whopping Tequila menu.

<p>Settle into a journey of whisky and cocktails at Whiskey@59, a cosy, old-school speakeasy with a modern twist in Mudgeeraba.<p>