I was in town for a visit and decided to stop in. I'm a bourbon guy, and I'm always on the hunt for something, but I try to use my vacations for finding new local offerings. This place had quite a few. And instead of steering me to the most expensive thing in the store, the guy I spoke with (whose name I failed to remember; my bad) actually recommended bottles that cost half of what I HAD IN MY HAND!!! Those of you who buy bourbon probably fainted at that last sentence. Let me repeat: the bottle I was planning on buying cost twice what the guy said I should buy instead. Holy f$&k nuggets. I can't recommend this place enough. Next time in town, I'm going. I have friends who live in the area, and I've sent them there. Now I'm telling you: go. You may not find what you want, but their expertise and willingness to put profit behind customer satisfaction is what we all want in a whisky shop. They have a customer for life. I'm even going to order stuff online from them, just because supporting a small business that does it right matters to me. As it should to us all. read more

They have great guests serving tastings of the finest things. They also have Cadbury chocolate and other special goodies from UK

Husband had a great time whisky tasting and came home with a bottle he's very happy with.

Amazing selection of single malts from around the globe, American bourbon, rye and whiskey, as well as spirits from all over. Very helpful staff read more

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Great, very extensive selection of every type of whiskey from every distilling country. Ian is very knowledgeable and a great conversationalist. One of the best selection of Ardbeg. read more

Great selection of scotch/whisky. Staffs are knowledgeable and helpful. They can always help you for selection if you dont have anything in mind. Good to go there pick up something new to try. Will definitely be back. read more

Before this pesky pandemic hit I dreamed of returning to Scotland. Drinking scotch until I lose my wit, all troubles and worries forgotten. But alas, covid, here we are. My house, a penitentiary. But though I cannot travel far I can bring Scotland to me. Enter this fine establishment a dreamy selection of whisky. And the staff, truly heaven-sent. Their persuasion is a little risky! George, thank you for your suggestion the Edradour was the best I've ever tasted. Trust everything George says without question. A visit to the Whisky Shop is never time wasted. read more

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Shopped in store here yesterday and had a pleasant experience. They had a very wide selection and had all my options in stock. The worker was very knowledgeable and honest (I asked him about three whiskey's and he didn't necessarily recommend the most expensive one). In terms of price point, it's typical of what you'd see at a smaller liquor store. A $50 bottle at Total Wine was here for $60. A $57 Total Wine bottle was $70 and a $38 bottle was $50. read more

Amazing little shop with an awesome staff. There was supposed to be a tasting when we went in there but I guess the vendor had something come up. They still cracked open a couple bottles from the vendor and did the tasting and it was awesome. The guy had great information and we ended up getting the California blend of 10th st. So good. Great shop and I'll swing by again next time we're up there from the South Bay. Thanks y'all!! read more

The Whisky Shop - The bag! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was looking for a couple bottles of Hibiki to gift to two friends that were graduating. I needed them for the next day, so online shopping wasn't really an option. Imagine my surprise when I found a place called The Whisky Shop close to work. I stopped by on Friday, May 13th around 12:15pm. I had actually called ahead to see if they had Hibiki Japanese Harmony and they did! The guy who answered the phone was super sweet. And I loved his Scottish accent. When I showed up, I told him I was the one who called about the Hibiki. He went to grab the two bottles, I paid and was out of there. Fast and efficient transaction. The total for the two bottles was $155, so they were $77.50 each. I love Japanese whisky, but it's been harder to find at actual retail shops in SF. Glad I found The Whisky Shop. And even happier that it's by work! read more

The Whisky Shop - Hibiki Japanese Harmony ($77.50 ea) - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great selection with decent prices and friendly sales people who know their stuff. I keep going backfor more.

Floor to ceiling scotch whiskies with knowledgeable staff available to help you pick your next adventure in a bottle. I was looking for a very specific bottle of scotch that you can't find in super markets or liquor stores, so I was very pleased to find this little shop. Can't believe I'd lived in SF for 3 years without knowing about this place! Definitely will be back. read more

This is such a cool spot! I like the plaid accessories, and of course the imported scotch. The Shop's team are also friendly and helpful. I purchased a couple exclusively bottled single malt signatory vintages that were selected for bottling through a taste test by the Shop's team. I'm looking forward to my own taste test event this weekend! I haven't walked this way before but I'll definitely be back read more

VERY overpriced store. I suggest looking at a bottle's average online price before purchasing anything. Selection is good, but better selection can be found 1 mile away at K&L for MSRP. Staff is okay, and their knowledge of the products is fair depending on which one of them you talk to. When here you definitely feel as if you are actively being sold to rather than helped to find something. Last time I was here a couple walked in looking for a bottle of Japanese whisky for their friend, who enjoys Japanese Whisky, as a present. They didn't know anything about whisky, so the salesperson recommended them a bottle of Yamazaki 12. A good recommendation, but the store's price for this bottle was $300 (MSRP is $120-130)! The couple was clearly surprised by the price and made a comment to the fact. The salesperson responded something to the effect of "yeah it is expensive, but good..." and implied this was the normal price. They somewhat hesitantly agreed to buy the bottle and off they went. Never at any point did the salesperson recommend another bottle. I concede this bottle is relatively hard to find at MSRP, and they can charge whatever they want. However, selling it to someone who doesn't know what they are buying seems a bit disingenuous. Many other somewhat uncommon bottles are also 2 to 3 times MSRP. read more

First time ever ordering any liquor online, found The Whisky Shop USA and they have great reviews. Had a very hard time finding our favorite Scotch Whiskey and Eagle Rare bourbon, they had it in stock so we placed the order. Delivered in 6 days, each bottle packaged in a cocoon of bubble wrap for max protection. Prices were fair, about what we pay here so just accept the fact shipping is the deal if you "want what you want". I'd definitely place my order again with this business with confidence! read more

The Whisky Shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been walking by this shop for over a year and finally went in. I love my whiskey- and I've ventured to the distillery's in Ireland and Scotland so I have a little bit of love for the golden spirits. This place has a lot of variety and they are paying for their rent so I understand the overpriced bottles. If you can't get to the other places sure get your spirits here... but beg of ya do go elsewhere. These men here are quite insulting while they make fun of you or making a joke of the city and the people. They try to joke about the Irish, locals but it's more of an insult than fun. Their duty free stuff is also printed incorrectly and I tried to buy crests and fun things here but when the crest logo is printed wrong... they are just wrong. Buy your whiskey at other places, but if your in a pinch and need it now yes play at least 50 bucks more! read more

In a recent trip to Iceland, I discovered the world's best gin - which was actually from Scotland. Desperate to have the gin available to me at all times, I searched for ways to import it. Finally I was able to locate The Whisky Shop in SF, who had the gin and many others in stock. Clad in kilts, the workers were friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the different products. I am assured my beloved gin will be available well into the future. read more

I would be in trouble if I lived near The Whisky Shop. They have the most complete selection scotch I have ever seen in one place. I also really enjoyed speaking to their employees about the varieties, what their favorites are, and all things scotch related. Since I have to lug whatever I purchase back to Hawaii in my suitcase I forced myself to limit my selection to just two bottles. Ended up with the Glendronach 12 and Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 2 as it's impossible to get back home. I am a happy camper but would have loved to grab another 3, 4 or 10 bottles! read more

The Whisky Shop - I am happy with my two selections - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Order a single malt online. Had it picked up at the store. The only issue I had is that I was quoted one price on the phone then was charged more when I did the online purchase. read more

Love this place! I am a big time Scotch guy and this place has a great selection. They have a great selection of blends and other whiskeys also. They have a very cool selection of Scottish apparel and other Scottish stuff. The staff is great and knows their products, they always have some good suggestions. A must visit if you are in SF. read more

All things whiskey and Scottish. We needed to buy scotch as a gift. We don't know scotch from rum so got some help from the staff. If you ever needed a kilt or tartan scarf you can pick that up here too. Or wool sweaters. Or plaid ties. Got the scotch gift wrapped. The recipient was very delighted with his present. read more

The Whisky Shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Whisky or Whiskey....this place has good you covered. Best thing about them they will pick your brain about your likes and dislikes. Then recommend bottles. And if they think the $60 bottle is better they won't sell you a $95 bottle. Also, the selection is fricking fantabulos......just amazing every bloody scotch known to man is represented. read more

I was looking for a place that carries high quality single malt Whisky during our one week stay in San Francisco and found this gem in a Google search. I felt like I won the lottery! The selection was second to none for such a small shop. The authentic kilt donning Scotsmen were more than happy to share their knowledge of whisky. I was looking for my favorite Bunnahabhain. Instead, walked away with a couple of GlenRothes that are now on my favorites list. My husband and I found the Whisky Shop in the morning and as I checked in on Facebook, several friends immediately commented with their "orders" for difficult to find whisky. He had to return to his conference so I went back later in the day to see if I could find the whisky that my friends wanted. The owner(?) helped me this time and I walked away feeling like I had known him for years. He was telling me stories about whisky, about Scotland, and how haggis and such rich/fatty foods need to be eaten when the weather is cold. He teased me that Texas surely cannot get cold enough to eat haggis. :-) I hope to return to San Francisco and this will be one of my first stops. I cannot wait to hear more stories. read more

The Whisky Shop - This is only half of their excellent selection! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They have a very impressive selection, and I'd imagine if you're a regular, valued customer you probably get alerted to fun stuff that they have access to. However their prices are extortionate. Even compared to local competition like K&L. Even compared to buying from Europe and having it shipped to the US. read more

We visited here last month and picked up a few gift items and a new bottle of whiskey. The gentleman working the shop was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We love coming here for the large selection and recommendations given. Each time we've been suggested a whiskey it's just what we're looking for! read more

Terrible service. I ordered scotch. They cancelled my order accidentally. Fine. People make mistakes. The refunded my shipping fee. Then the package still did not show up again. When i called them they told me it was because I entered the information incorrectly, then they called back and told me that THEY HAD actually entered the information in correctly. I asked for a refund of some of the bottle and they told me the owner said no. Two weeks of wasted time to get a bottle of scotch. All i got was attitude from Will and Paul. Nice. read more

Perfect experience after totally disappointing experience with another online retailer. Before finding The Whisky Shop I had tried another retailer that promised fast shipping and great service. They provided neither. Some of the delay was due to the 2020 Christmas rush but even after that when I finally did get my order it was wrong. It took even more of my time for them to figure out they couldn't get what I wanted and refund me. Then I found The Whisky shop. I placed my order and to my joy they created a shipment for my order the same day. My shipment arrived on time as promised and my order is exactly what I asked for. I'm so glad to have found The Whisky Shop and will be telling everyone I know this is the spot to buy online whisky. Reasonable prices and fast shipping is a great combination to keep me as a customer. read more

Everything about this place is great! The selection is extensive, they support local distilleries to ones from all over the world and its my go-to spot for bourbon and gin in particular. The staff is knowledgeable, really cool and they procure extremely rare bottles. read more

Great selection and friendly staff, but if you already know what you want, you're better off ordering online versus here, which is 2x the price. read more

Two guys dressed in kilts are waiting to serve you. Scotch, that is. A fine selection of single-malt whiskeys in the back, thus the name of the store. And a few of the more popular blends. Up front it's the usual baseball caps and neckties, all that sort of thing. You could buy a kilt, too. Up in the front window they have a small assortment of imported foods. Like tinned haggis. Not that I would buy tinned haggis, but there you have it. I'm sure they will let you look under their kilts, if you're a bonnie lass. read more

What a pleasant surprise... I was walking on the street of downtown SF, minding my own business and I smell Scotland. There it is, The Whisky Shop. I have always admired Scots They make booze right, and they drink like fish My kind of people. Admire enuf for me to spend some months in Scotland visiting distilleries and actually went to distilling university there (that's right, there's a college that teach you how to distill) Store keeper here is a real Scot Real Scot enuf, I had hard time understanding what he was saying Here, not only there's a wide selection of whisky but also great selection of kilt and all things Scotland This is a must visit if you're into Scotch. PS) Note -- me no speak Engrish well, though I am a pro boozer enough to spell "whisky" right. For Scotch, it is spelled without an "e". For bourbon and Irish whiskies, it is spelled "whiskey" with an "e" with a few exceptions (such as Maker's Mark bourbon WHISKY because of their Scottish heritage). Why? I don't care. Cheers! read more

Beware on-line shoppers! I placed an order through their web site and received an email notifying that the order didn't go through because "Unfortunately we've declined your order due to our verification system showing possible risks. Please contact your bank for further instruction". A few days later the charge showed up on my billing statement. So I called the shop just to see if the products had shipped, and they hadn't. So I explained the situation and asked them if they could check "the system" as they should have received the payment since I was still interested in the order. Their replay was "no" and that regarding the charge, I should place a claim with the bank. Well, finally, I'm still interested in the order and am willing to put in a great review if someone with a competent costumer service level would contact me to straighten this issue out. Let's just see if someone actually reads this over at the Whisky Shop. Thank you. read more

My absolute favorite place in the city to walk in and indulge in my ridiculously expensive habit. They have a superb selection of Scotch Whisky along with Irish, Japanese, Bourbon, etc, and it is carefully organized by region and type. I will admit I have spent hours after work popping my head in just to browse...and daydream. Hands down, the most outstanding trait that this little shop near Union Square has going for it is the quality individuals they have running the business. Unlike other stores that judge you by appearance and assume someone like me would never spend more on a quality dram than any five-star meal, people like Mark welcome you as you walk in and are close on your heels ready to facilitate your search for the perfect whisky. Rather than just grabbing the most expensive bottle off the shelves, he asks questions to help pinpoint your palette's preference, where things like taste, balance of flavors, and cost-effectiveness are profiled before recommending anything. Every time we navigate the shelves together, I learn a little something, which is why I will keep coming back. Also, I want to give a special shoutout to the lovely lady that assisted me two weeks ago (sorry I didn't get your name). I was on a specific mission to find a specific bottle with specific parameters for a very good friend. She scanned the shelves, filtered through their database, checked the backroom, presented me with several options, answered obscure questions, and ultimately put a bottle on hold for me for two weeks. After making the purchase today, I just want to say thanks so much! read more

I will share a secret with you: I drink a lot of scotch. I feel concerned for the future of my liver, but it seems alright for now. I LOVE the whisky shop. Not only do they have an amazing selection, the people who work there are quite friendly and helpful, and will happily recommend you a cheaper bottle if it's closer to your flavor preferences. Somehow I just keep getting bottles of Ardbeg's Corryvreckan no matter what I look at, but I digress. There are a few things you can find cheaper elsewhere, but on most bottles their prices are very reasonable if not a bargain. Bottom line: I love these folks. I get super excited on days I have a trip planned to the whisky shop. read more

[Ok, one must read this Yelp aloud in a Sco'ish accent like a wee lass or lad.] "If it's nah Sco'ish, it's cRRRap!" -- Mike Myers Close to half of the blood pulsing through my veins is Scottish (maybe that explains my temper and my desire for odd foods). So, when I heard about this store, I had to venture a visit. In the deep heart of the village known as Saint Francisco lies the mercantile of all things Sco'ish. The Whisky Shop (which is also connected to the Scottish import company Wm Glen & Son) is a store which has lots of Scottish stuff, but if you venture to the back, you'll find a room dedicated to the water of life. When I happened upon this alcove of Scotland's most famous export, I heard a gentleman trying to describe a drink he'd had before, and I also heard a kilt-wearing man giving lessons in the geography of whisky....and he did so in a Sco'ish accent. I glided past the lesson...I saw what I came here for. I was in search of a bottle with a particular name. A name not well known. A name which reminded me of a tour of Speyside. Summer '08. Benromach. I visited the Benromach distillery as a Scotch rookie (for all intents and purposes, I'm still a novice). Benromach (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/benromach-distillery-and-malt-whisky-centre-moray) was a tiny distillery I had my first whisky tour at. Whisky is definitely an acquired taste, but it's more than that. Memories are poured when it's in a glass. Images of cool & ice are swirled in its amber glow. I was here lookin' to reminisce. And The Whisky Shop sufficed. I was shocked to see many other Benromach choices....and also surprised by their prices. I went with what I knew---"the traditional". It was $35. Yeah, I probably could have saved $5 at Bevmo, but I wanted to support tradition. I wanted to support Scotland. This little store is unique, and if you are in the mood for Scotch, and a tartan. This is your place. The guy working here was cool. Even though he didn't help me, he did offer some cool info about the distillery. I wonder if it's hard for him to wear a kilt at work every day... Oh, another neat thing. They had a Scottish soda I remember drinking while over there: Irn Bru (I ended up getting a bottle) PS It's not like this, but this is worth a chuckle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrQxQPG8JdE read more

Careful and check receipt. The price on bottle did not match what clerk rang up on register. 85% "markup" but I caught it and she corrected it. read more

Very impressive. Came in with an agenda to get my husband a scotch for his birthday. Gave the knowledgeable Scotsman a list of whiskys he likes (Highlands and Speysides-- Balvenie, Acknoc, Talisker etc) and he quickly pulled out some bottles. He knew his stuff and showed me a range of bottles similar to the ones my husband likes, explaining them all from nose to finish. Scored big with my old man too! He's a fan of the Glencadam 15 which is what I chose. read more

The Whisky Shop aka The Scottish Shop has a great selection of single malt scotch, as well as whiskies from Ireland, India, and Japan. I stopped in this past weekend intending to just have a peek. Yeah, good luck! Alex is your man if you want to learn more about the various regions and distilleries. He's very knowledgeable, articulate, and friendly. read more

Whisky shop. Kilts and rare single-malts from all over Scotland. The End (I'll see you there) read more

I attended a fantastic private whisky tasting last night put on by The Whisky Shop. A fellow from Signatory, an independent bottler, gave a very interesting presentation on the process of distillation, and for the reasonable price of $55 we sampled eight different single malts and one blend (Isle of Skye 8yr). The presenter was very knowledgeable and stopped at every turn for questions, the crowd (if you can call ~40 people a crowd) was fun and the scotch was fantastic. The bottles we sampled were available for ordering at a decent discount, too. Once again, I'm super impressed with these guys. read more