If you love a drop of ye olde whiskey and are looking for an awesome night out in Tel Aviv, head to the Whiskey Bar & Museum in the Sarona complex!
Opened in 2016, the Whiskey Bar & Museum has fast become a must-drink-in spot in Tel Aviv, with whiskey aficionados and lovers of good food happily keen to splash the cash in this classy bar (it’s not a cheap night out, but it’s so worth it!).
We stopped by on a Sunday evening (one of the quietest nights in Tel Aviv), and were surprised to see the place pick up after 9 pm, so it looks like you need to get there early, or book a table/spot at the bar in advance (see contact details below). Personally, we enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching the very dapper and very professional barmen doing their stuff!
The Whiskey Bar & Museum is a pretty unique little place, with some amazing history behind it (it used to be a wine cellar in the 19th century and was used by the Mossad until just a decade or so ago, so if you feel like someone’s checking you out, you know why (or it could just be a Tel Aviv bar thing!)). It’s also one of the largest whiskey bars in the world, with over 1000 whiskeys to choose from, from a variety of countries (expect some classics from the Scots and Irish, with plenty of support from some very delicious US bourbon, but don’t be surprised if you also fall in love with whiskeys from Hong Kong, India, or even South Africa)! All bottles in the museum are available for tasting and purchasing.
We were under the expert barmen’s guidance, not being particularly big whiskey drinkers, and they didn’t disappoint. You can actually choose from single drams of whatever whiskey takes your fancy – or just take a collection of 4 drams of different whiskeys. We chose the World II option, which meant we were introduced to 4 different whiskeys from around the world (including a special wee dram from India!). You can choose whatever option you like, but at 79 shekels for 4 different whiskeys, we were pretty impressed. The whiskey is also served in 25 ml Glencairn Whiskey glasses, which bring out the aroma and taste of the drink, and the barmen will even show you how to add drops (yes, drops) of water to accentuate the flavor even more, with 3 drops being the magic number apparently.
And then came the food.
The barmen told us that the food options available are specifically designed to accentuate the whiskey flavors and accommodate the place’s atmosphere. And they did just that. I went with a platter of cold cuts, complete with the biggest olives I’ve ever seen, mustard, and pickles. Mrs iGoogled went with the salmon fillet and was also impressed.
All in all, this is a very classy bar that will impress many a whiskey fan. Not so expensive as to frighten your bank manager, but if you’re just after a night of drinks, you probably need to head to the nearby Molly Blooms…this place is here for the experience, with a touch of style, and yes, we can highly recommend it.
Oh yes, and for the kosher fans out there, this place keeps kosher (so is not open on Fridays and only reopens on a Saturday after sundown).
Telephone: 03-9551105
Website