The best place to buy whisky is by travelling to a distillery and buying your next dram directly. Unfortunately that may not be in the most efficient way to order whisky on a regular basis.
Instead you can order whisky online through a number of reputable whisky sellers. We have tried whisky delivery from four of the best whisky sellers online and rated them on whisky selection, delivery cost, packaging and everything else you need to know.
Read on to find the best online whisky retailers you can order from today.
Master of Malt has been trading for nearly 40 years after starting out as a small bottle seller in the mid-1980s. It is now one of the biggest and best whisky sellers in the UK with a huge range of bottles, tasting sets, and a fantastic choice of affordable and rare whisky from Scotland and the rest of the world.
Selection: The best around. Master of Malt stocks thousands of whiskies and you can filter by region and even flavour. We’ve discovered hard-to-find single malts and Master of Malt is our go-to site for world whisky that can be difficult to find elsewhere.
Delivery: UK standard delivery is £4.95 and express delivery is £6.95. Master of Malt has a handy next day delivery option for £8.95 if you order before 9.30pm. All orders over £100 get free standard delivery. We have found delivery is quick and efficient.
Packaging: Whisky bottles come in inflatable sleeves and are extremely well insulated. There is no danger of breakages and all bottles have arrived in perfect condition.
Overall: Master of Malt is our number one online whisky store because of its huge choice of whisky, excellent delivery options and user experience.
Order from Master of Malt here.
Started in 1999 by two brothers, The Whisky Exchange is another site where the sheer scale of choice is superb. You can filter by distillery, region, flavour and even take a look at the seller’s recommended lists if you are need of inspiration. There are also some excellent offers on site including the wonderful Oban Special Edition 2022 release at £25 off.
Selection: Huge. You will struggle to find a whisky The Whisky Exchange does not stock. We particularly love the ‘Lost Distilleries’ section featuring whisky from closed distilleries.
Delivery: Standard delivery is £4.95 and Express is £6.95, which is next day if you order before 4.30pm. If you are London based you can use the click and collect option free. You can get free delivery on orders over £100.
Packaging: Deliveries come well packaged and we have never had any damages from multiple orders. The Whisky Exchange has a damaged package refund policy that allows you to refuse the package and send it back.
Overall: A staple of our online whisky shopping, The Whisky Exchange is the best site around when it comes to providing inspiration and gifting.
Order from The Whisky Exchange here.
The Whisky Shop has an advantage over its rivals because while it is an online behemoth it also has 22 brick and mortar stores across the UK that allows you to see and talk about the whisky in person. The Whisky Shop is all about interaction and the excellent W Club gets you access to special bottlings, tasting sessions and events, as well as a beautifully-produced magazine.
Selection: Most distilleries in Scotland are covered and there is a real focus on making sure the full spread of whisky options are available. There is a useful option to see the favourite whiskies according to The Whisky Shop if you are short of inspiration.
Delivery: You can get unlimited next day delivery for a £14.95 subscription and next day delivery is standard on non-subscription orders. Customer service from The Whisky Shop is excellent.
Packaging: No problems here. Bottles come in well-packaged containers and we have never had an issue with damages.
Overall: Perfect for gifting, check out the W Club subscription to get join a thriving whisky community and take advantage of the perks it offers.
Order from The Whisky Shop here.
The Really Good Whisky Company has a strong selection of whisky from around the world and a large range of whisky gifts. We have used this site to buy gifts for friends and family and the availability of more obscure whisky from around the world is ideal for the adventurous whisky drinker.
Selection: Not as strong as some of the more established whisky stores, there is still more than enough to choose from and the site has a good user experience allowing you to filter by style and flavour of whisky with ease.
Delivery: A little more expensive than others. It is £5.99 for standard delivery and £9.99 for next working day in Scotland. There is also good returns policy allowing you to send it back within 10 days for a refund.
Packaging: We have not ordered a single bottle yet but gifting tasting sets are well packaged with padding and delivered on time.
Overall: Great for whisky discovery and plenty of options from around the world. The Really Good Whisky Company has an extensive range of tasting sets for gifting and trying new whiskies.
Order from The Really Good Whisky Company here.
