Milroy's of Soho

Great place and huge selection! We had a blast talking to the staff and having a few drams. They know their stuff and made great recommendations based on our preferences. They also recommended places to visit in other cities and all of the recommendations panned out! If you want a fun, laid back atmosphere with a wonderful whisky assortment, this is the place!

Cosy, lovely whisky bar that has all the whiskies you could ask for! It’s a great space to spend a few hours and please look to the friendly staff for recommendations whether you’re new to whisky or an ‘expert’. I found them to be very approachable and I enjoyed their recommendations.

Great atmosphere and fantastic team working here. Thom and Cameron were incredibly knowledgeable and gave some stellar recommendations for a few drams I'd never had before. They have a diverse selection behind the bar and something for every flavour profile and price point. The few people sitting by the bar had a good chat - it's a great spot.

Absolutely lovely whisky bar (or whiskey bar, if you prefer) conveniently located in Soho. Having been here a few times, the staff has always been super friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. The interior is nice and warm, creating a cozy vibe without being cutesy. Overall, just have a rather civilised atmosphere (making for a good contrast to your eventual state upon leaving). They have an amazing selection of whiskies to try, but you would probably not want to go through all of them in an evening, making it a good place to stop by regularly. This is certainly one of my favourite places for some high-quality (and high-percentage) alcohol.

Milroy's is an institution for a reason - it's really fun to have a dram here. The bar selections are curated by a superb and knowledgeable staff. Place yourself in their hands and tell them how what whiskies you have enjoyed and much you want to spend per dram. They will generate tempting options in any category that will allow you to explore and learn. They are particularly strong on IBs (Independent Bottlers) at the bar, including Milroy's own bottlings, Thompson Bros, Living Souls, and That Boutiquey Whisky Co. On my visit, I mentioned Clynelish and was offered a Daluiane 20 year old IB. Pricey but perfect - you only live once, and Daluiane was a new discovery for me that I now seek out. Then I mentioned Ledaig and was handed a Living Souls 99 and 1 (supposedly Ledaig with a teaspoon or so of grain whisky to make it a blended whisky). It was an incredibly strange and daring whisky with a smoky industrial edge that I will remember for a long time. A discussion point but not an easy whisky - personally I appreciated it and it revealed a depth of knowledge on the part of the staff, as well as a playful enjoyment in experimentation. I was the only person left at the bar and while I didn't want to keep them from closing they had zero impatience with me taking my time. Returning with friends who don't drink a lot of whisky, they were treated with the same interest and respect with a welcoming discovery of new flavors that made them wish to return because they had so much fun. The basement bar, which serves cocktails, is not for me (I prefer a dram over cocktails), but the space is a must-visit because you access it through a little library with a fun "secret" door. My London friends had never been here and they said they planned to return. The bar also sells bottles from its shop that are wonderfully curated, from Milroy's own blend, an affordable must-taste gem to rarities with suitable (but not super-inflated) prices.

Stopped in for a drink because they have a speakeasy in the basement which was our next stop. I had a lovely single malt whisky and it was delicious. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They do whisky tastings as well.

Visited the Vault, no booking and they sorted a table out for us no problem. Fast service, even with it being busy. Cocktails made to perfection and every single one of them was delicious! Can't recommend this place enough and would encourage anyone to visit. Selection of cocktails using Whisky, Gin and Vodka (not in the same glass!) so there is something for everyone. If you want something not on the list, ask the bar staff and chances are they'll be able to help you out!

I have been ordering from Milroy's of Soho for years and have always had my bottles arrive promptly and well packaged. I recently had a small issue with an order, but after dealing with Matt everything was sorted quickly and professionally. The correct bottle arrived promptly, and he made the return process for the other one completely hassle-free. As a longtime bourbon enthusiast, it means a lot to have that kind of support, especially from someone who clearly understands and values their customers!

We discovered Milroy's by accident while we were looking to access the speak easy downstairs and sat at the bar and had a drink to kill some time. Our bartender was super friendly and very chatty and walked us through some of his favorite whiskeys that they had available. I'm not a huge whiskey drinker in general and so he asked my preferences and found one that I actually really enjoyed. The bar is definitely no-frills they basically only serve whiskey (neat or on the rocks) one beer or water. Definitely a place to take the whiskey lover in your life

Had a great time both upstairs & downstairs in the speakeasy. Cocktails in the speakeasy were creative & delicious. Bartenders in the store & bar upstairs were knowledgeable & insightful & assisted me in picking out a bottle of whiskey you can only get there. What a joyous evening.

If you enjoy whiskey, then you owe it to yourself to head to Milroys. Their selection is second to none, and the people working there are friendly and knowledgeable (Eddie especially). I've actually never been to a whiskey shop that doubled as a tasting room, but Milroys makes it work (there's also a "speakeasy" style cocktail bar downstairs called The Vault). No matter what you want, they've got it. Some peaty Islays? Yep. Some bourbons shipped from the States that remind you of home? Yep. Japanese? You betcha. In no specific order, my favorites of the night - Benromach Speyside, Glenglassaugh Peated, Bunnahabhain 11. Stop in and discover your new favorite!

My boyfriend is a regular here for good reason. The bartenders know their business. A small but fully stocked bar at the top boasts a huge variety of Scottish and American whiskey. They have regular tastings. If you're a cocktail fan then head to the back and push open the heavy bookcase. This secret door will lead you to a stairwell into a dark abyss. A cosy bar downstairs awaits. With more seating then upstairs but still snug, prepare to wait or make a booking. Finely crafted cocktails or the same delightful whiskey will be yours. Staff are attentive and definitely not pretentious. A perfect date spot or to impress someone from out of town.

Ooh I can't believe I must've walked past this little gem so many times without realising it was here! It's more of a whisky shop by day (I think the oldest whisky shop in London in fact), but makes for an incredibly well-stocked bar in the evenings. I was lucky enough to be brought here for an early bday celebratory dram (or three, ahem) and was already impressed when we arrived that my date had managed to find somewhere that I hadn't heard about before - not an easy feat given how much time I spend on yelp... :-$ There's a cosy speakeasy type bar in the basement called The Vault, which was rammed on a Friday eve (you can't book for groups of fewer than 5) but we went for a nose anyway. The best part was actually the secret entrance to it hidden at the back of the shop that my date knew I would love - through a satisfyingly well-stocked bookcase that got me silly excited. Yes it's a quirk that's been copied elsewhere aplenty now but the novelty value still made me smile. The front-of-house was obviously rushed off her feet and said if we waited at the bar upstairs, she'd come and get us for the next table of 2. We knew we were being fobbed off - and indeed, there was no sign of her for the next couple of hours upstairs at all, just a plea not to let anyone else head downstairs - but it actually worked out for the best. It may well have been less sexy at the first floor bar (as in, no dimly-lit corners!) but it was also quieter, more spacious, and best of all we got plenty of facetime with the two great guys behind the bar. As a whisky aficionado it was definitely the better scene for this visit. I started with something I knew (a Kilchoman) to warm up, then spotted some Japanese bottles in the far corner. I've only tried a couple of suntory whiskies so asked for some guidance; the barman happily obliged with a few suggestions and let me have a good sniff from some of the bottles - much appreciated! I tried a new variety for me which had a sort of sweet-salty taste, that linked back to the islay whiskies that I'd told him I liked at the start. Both the barmen actually had this highly knowledgable but extremely chilled way about them that I really liked. They were also good at warning you when you were about to order something that was £28 a measure eek! There's a cocktail and wine/beer list but no prices on the whiskies, so that was definitely v helpful for us. I was a very happy birthday bunny, and not just because of the cosy whisky glow I soon had! We easily whiled away a couple of hours here eyeing up the well-stocked whisky cabinets, while the bar set-up allowed for some good people-watching and eavesdropping as the guys advised other customers on drinks. My personal highlight was overhearing the berating one guy got for downing a good 12yr old scotch his mate had obviously got him to savour... fail!

There is some really, really good stuff in here, but quality definitely comes at a price. I guess you have to expect that kind of thing though, and after all, it is in Soho. The shop is definitely suited to its location, and has the kind of passion towards its quality products that most Soho stores do. I went in there a little while ago to get a birthday present for a whisky loving friend. I found the staff to be very helpful, talking me through all the fine whisky they had on offer. I guess if you are willing to pay the price, you will definitely get your moneys worth in the service.

Super cute cellar called The Vault -- entrance is hidden behind the bookshelves in the back of Milroy's. Push the bookshelf on the right and descend a set of stairs to a casual speakeasy that serves delicious cocktails. They use real library books as their cocktail menus -- was very, very tempted to sneak one home in my bag but resisted. They order their cocktails from light to dark liquors but feel free to ask a server for recommendations. I had the Blood in the Snow-- figs, lemon, egg white, Demerara sugar, and white Armagnac-- highly recommend!

Amazing selection, friendly bar tenders, fantastic vibe. Went 2 days in a row while visiting London and enjoyed the experience.

This place is a must when you're in London especially if you're in the Soho area. The staff has a keen expertise on all their alcohol as well as great suggestions if you're a new comer to whiskeys, bourbon, and the like. They have a speak easy that you have to access by secret door, but unfortunately we didn't get to go in cause I opened at 6 pm. Yes there is a secret door. Go get a drink and find out what you are really in the mood for.

Upstairs is AWESOME downstairs is meh. We had a table booked in the vault downstairs. It's kind of awesome, it's through a bookcase (a bit cliché but I love that kind of thing) and in a higgledy-piggledy kind of room. That's all cool. The cocktails we got were really good, but it wasn't as whiskeyish as I would have liked. There were a few cocktails they didn't have the whiskey for (which surprises me as upstairs there are like 250 whiskeys...) and one of them didn't even turn up. As I said, meh. Now the good news! Upstairs is amazing. The bar staff know their whiskey. They can recommend you good alternatives to whiskeys you know if you want to try something new and they're incredibly friendly. Happily spent an hour or so in there sampling their wares! I would wholeheartedly recommend both of these places. Downstairs because it is kind of cool, but it is a cocktail bar, not a whiskey bar. Upstairs because it's an excellent whiskey bar! Seriously!

I've only recently discovered Milroy's of Soho, despite it being the oldest whisky shop in London, and am rapidly making up for lost time, having visited this place twice over the span of 10 days. The shop itself is a must-visit for whisky connoisseurs (or even just someone who likes whisky) as it stocks ~250 whiskies from Scotland and around the world (including Japan, Taiwan and South Africa), with a number of them available behind the ground floor bar for tasting. You can also request a tasting flight. If you have spare cash - over £200, I believe - you can also purchase your own bottle of whisky and have the the bar keep it in a whisky locker so that it is available for you whenever you visit. Milroy's also organises tasting events which take place every few weeks or so which range from "Introduction to Whisky"-type workshops to events focussing on a specific distillery or region. These can be booked online. As a number of other reviewers have alluded to, there is another bar within this bar - The Vaults - and it is an incredible one. You enter through the not-so-hidden bookcase entrance at the back of the store and head downstairs whereby the wonderful front-of-house staff will try their best to accommodate you if you haven't booked. They are also great at making recommendations if you're not sure what you want to order, although they may not be able to serve you drams of whiskies not on the menu - that's what the ground floor bar is for. In addition to whisky-based cocktails, The Vaults also serves wine, craft beer and other spirit-based cocktails, so there's pretty much something for everyone as long as you like alcohol. If you - like me - need something to line your stomach, then The Vaults offers a cheese and charcuterie sharing board for two which went very well with our red wine.

I mean, I don't realllly like whisky but when I heard there was a secret door leading to a basement bar which served cocktails, well, LET ME IN! The whisky shop itself is cool - spacious, light, with cabinets full of whiskies (as you would imagine) ranging from the reasonable to the expensive, a bar to prop yourself up against and a few tables and chairs, including 2 cool seats made from barrels turned on their side - fun! At the back is a book shelf that when pushed opens and there you find a staircase down to a dark, broody bar with lots of shabby sofas, stools and tables. Luckily we got the last space for a couple as all the rest were occupied or reserved. There is waitress service and a friendly lady came over to take our order. My bf just went for a beer and I picked from their interesting cocktail menu (don't worry there is plenty of non-whisky cocktails to choose from). I went for Holy Trinity (Home Spiced Rum, Engine Oil Stout Reduction, Muscavado, Prosecco, Egg White & Dark Chocolate). Sounds odd but tastes delicious - not too sweet and a lovely smooth finish. All the seasonal cocktails (about 12 of them) are £9.50 and there is no happy hour or deals however the place, the drinks and people make it worth it so definitely give it a go! They also have a larger whisky cocktail menu which range from £11-£14. For those of you who may get peckish they have a small menu of nibbles - nuts, olives, bread, cheeses and meats. AND of course they serve drams of whisky as well as whisky tastings. Tip: they do take bookings so if there is a group of you I would definitely recommend giving them a ring.

Great service, great selection, and great prices. Yes, quality whiskey is expensive, but the prices at Milroys are cheaper than Duty free, that whiskey shop in the airport, all the other specialty shops I priced out in central London, and even a bit cheaper than Astor Wines in NYC. If you don't have anything specific in mind then do yourself a favor and ask whoever is working what his/her favorite bottle is. When I did that the clerk's eyes lit up and he ran over to his favorite bottle: GlenDronach 15yr. Beautiful bottle, I'm happy I went.

A whisky shop with a hidden bar, I won't spoil the surprise, but there is a hidden entrance at the back of the store that leads to an atmospheric basement bar. We were here to attend a Chivas whiskey blending experience, unfortunately the session was limited to an hour, but it was all you can drink for that time, we also got to go home with a small bottle of our own blended creations.

Excellent. Fantastic whiskey. Great staff. Great hidden gem.

Love The Vault downstairs. Newly opened it is a fantastic place to escape the hustle and bustle of Soho. Plus the cocktails are delicious, perhaps have 1 or 2 though as they're around the £9.50 mark! I got a little confused when I went into Milroy's to try and find the'secret bar', luckily a nice couple helped me find it. Helpful hint......you know that thing the books are on, give it a gentle push.

This place is a great surprise for a girlfriend or a friend. Plan on taking my French friend who's visiting so he can experience a real speakeasy joint. Great cover! I'm not telling the secret on here though!!

Go for a drink at THE VAULT- the new cocktail bar that has just opened up underneath Soho's no1 Whiskey shop. Amazing cocktails for a great price, right in the heart of Soho!

The guys were really nice here. I don't know squat about whisky and they helped me pick a good one to sip on while giving me a bit of non-patronizing education (wholly at my request). So much good stuff on offer here.

Recently reopened and has a wonderful traditional feel without any pretensions. Staff were super friendly. Hope to become a regular here :)

What a great place. Excellent single malt Scotch selection- and more broadly, great whisky selection with a good price range (not just expensive). The bartenders definitely know their Scotch and can speak to the character of each single malt that I asked about. The crowd also had a good vibe. I spent my time upstairs, but there is a speakeasy entrance to the downstairs cellar bar.

Fancy a wee dram? Don't know you're arse from your elbow when it comes to whisky? Neither do I. Milroy's is the place to be educated. I popped in the other day. It was cold, it looked welcoming and the Scots in me has finally emerged giving me a liking for this stuff. I wondered around marvelling at the variety and the price tags, quickly realised I was likely to be leaving empty handed. Whisky is a serious business. All good things in life are expensive or better still free. Keen to educate the taste buds of us all Milroy's are holding free shop tastings in the run up to Christmas. It's the perfect way to warm up post last minute Christmas shopping. Go marvel at the variety, Milroy's are serious about this liquid gold and they're sure to treat us with some smokey delights. They also have a nice selection of wines and the best bit, in my opinion, is their selection of miniatures. Forget the usual Bells and other muck, these are miniatures of some really good whiskies. Great little stocking fillers and surely, like me you'll want to leave the shop with something rather than nothing!