Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a good whisky bar?
You need a whisky bar to be operated by people who are passionate and knowledgable about their craft. We opened HopScotch Liverpool because we love whisky, and every bottle on the shelves is there because we were personally excited to get it in. In short, go to the whisky bar where the recommendations will be from bartenders who also want to drink what they recommend - not because they have specific bottles to push.
What sets HopScotch apart when it comes to whisky bars?
When people think of whisky bars they think wingback chairs, jazz playing in the background, and familiar bottles. This type of bar has it’s place, we’re not hating on that, but we wanted to go in another direction.
From day one we’ve been focussed on independently bottled whisky. Independent bottlers are small companies that purchase casks from distilleries, some of the distilleries are not very well known, as they primarily produce whisky for blending.
The indies bottle casks that give us an insight into single malt distilleries that you won’t get to try otherwise, but they also bottle whiskies from the more well known brands too, like Macallan, Laphroaig, Clynelish, Glenlivet, etc, but the independently bottled versions are often cask strength, single cask, non-coloured, and non-chill filtered. These are the whiskies that we find the most intriguing and exciting, and we’re dying to share with you what are essentially the most niche whiskies in the world.
When it comes to the vibe, we’re very relaxed, there’s no dress code - think of us more like a whisky bar with the vibe of your local. There’s generally no jazz, but you will find us playing anything from 90s rap to sludge metal, and everything in between!
Where should I go for a private whisky tasting experience in Liverpool?
Whether you’re new to whisky and would like to be led through an introductory whisky tasting or if you’re a seasoned whisky enthusiast who knows what they like, then at HopScotch Liverpool we can curate a whisky tasting specific to your requirements.
We have three separate options for whisky tastings which are £35, £50, and £80 per person, with the price reflecting the age and rarity of the whiskies. You can let us know in advance of your likes and dislikes, so we can better select your whiskies.
Whether you want a tasting for one person, a group of 6 friends, or a large group of 25, we can do it all!
Drop us an enquiry at
contact@hopscotchliverpool.com
Is the whisky selection at HopScotch Liverpool well priced?
We always wanted HopScotch to be a place where amazing whisky is as well priced as we could possibly make it and accessible for all.
To this day the average dram price is around £7-8, which for the calibre of whisky is exceptional value.
That being said, there is still a good 20 or so whiskies available for £5-6 a dram.
An £8 dram in HopScotch has come from a bottle with an RRP of around £80.
A £4 dram of Jameson in most pubs has come from a bottle with an RRP of around £25. When you look at it like this, the value of whisky at HopScotch is fantastic.
What are the best whisky bars in Liverpool?
That's all down to personal preference, and we wouldn't say there is a "best", just different styles of bar for different preferences. What I can say is that if you’re specifically after a more low key, casual whisky bar, with a focus on independently bottle whisky and more alternative background music…then I’d say HopScotch Liverpool is the best at that!
We wanted HopScotch to be a really laid back whisky bar - an excellent selection of really rare whiskies, but at good prices and in an environment that feels more like a pub.
Do you have other drinks for people who don't drink whisky?
Absolutely, we’ve always got some great cocktails if you fancy a Spicy Margarita, Old Fashioned, Manhattan, or something else. We’ve always got draught beer, bottled beers, wine, and a solid range of spirits and mixers.
Where to take a stag party for a whisky tasting in Liverpool?
While some places may refuse to take stag groups, if you’re all well behaved then we’re more than happy to accommodate you at HopScotch Whisky Bar Liverpool.
We have three levels of tasting which are £35, £50, or £80 per person - these price brackets reflect the age and rarity of the whiskies.
We can accommodate groups up to 25 people. Tastings generally take around 1.5 hours, and for large groups we prefer to book these in for earlier in the day (around 3pm.
Feel free to drop us an email if you wish to enquire about booking a group tasting.
contact@hopscotchliverpool.com
How many whiskies do you have?
At any one time we have over 200 whiskies on the backbar, these are rotating all of the time. While we don’t have the largest range, we have a very carefully curated range that we’re always monitoring to make sure everything is keeping well.
Where can I get a rare whisky in Liverpool city centre?
If it’s rare whisky or Bourbon that you’re after, then HopScotch Liverpool has you covered!
We have some seriously hard to find whisky on the bar at any time, so whether you’re after vintage Springbank, Pappy Van Winkle, single cask releases from Thompson Bros, or expressions from tiny distilleries like Dornoch & Killowen then look no further.
Does HopScotch have any accolades or praise in general from the whisky community?
This is something we don’t try to force, we don’t heavily market ourselves, nor do do pay people to write nice things about us. Our reputation has spread via word of mouth, and visitors to HopScotch sharing their experiences online with other whisky enthusiasts - sometimes this gives us a pleasant surprise especially when people come from other countries and already have us on their radar.
Occasionally someone will write something nice about us such as this excellent piece from the Whisky Wash.
Read article HERE
If you check out our Google profile, you will see that we’re currently 5 stars out of 5 with over 200 reviews. These have all come organically over our 6 year life, and we’re very proud of this praise.
