Embedded content: https://www.instagram.com/p/CPD4aturaI9/What the iconic Black Rock looks like from the outside, taken from their official Instagram account

Wandering a little on the streets of East London will bring you to one of the most exciting places to have your booze nights, be it with a company or by yourself. Tristan and Tom’s masterpiece whisky bar, Black Rock, is one of Shoreditch’s best whisky bars with a remarkably vast selection of whiskies. They are also recipients of the title UK’s Best Specialist Bar by CLASS Magazine for four consecutive years.

Whether you know your drinks or are just beginning to explore different labels, they have something for you. To get an experience in whisky tasting in this amazing bar, we headed down Shoreditch to Christopher street to give our thoughts about the place that named itself the game-changer for whisky bars.

The Venue and Ambience

Embedded content: https://www.instagram.com/p/BeaElxjH7mk/The whisky bar's renowned middle oak table with flowing whiskies inside, taken from their official Instagram account

Black Rock is a London whiskey bar that offers a different kind of atmosphere for whisky lovers. Situated in the basement just above their Black Rock Tavern, the whole layout was nice and cosy.

They were playing hip-hop music when we entered the place. We were greeted by a bartender who explained what the bar offers and showed us the whiskies on their middle table. He was really cool and friendly, too, making the conversation as smooth as it can be. He was friendly and talked us through the drinks selection interestingly.

The 185-year old English oak tree trunk table holding whiskies is uniquely remarkable as well. It was said to be meant to show how vital oak is in the aging process of whiskies. It currently has two kinds of whiskies flowing inside the table and can be seen on top through the glass.

As the oak table acts as a barrel, the whisky ages nicely inside the table. That was a very refreshing and exciting concept and it aesthetically brings a unique charm to the place. You can order a dram of these table wines and we tried a dram that turned out to be pretty amazing.

If you don’t want to sit in the middle long table, you can opt for the high tables on the side. Upon the first look at the bar’s interior, you wouldn’t be able to miss their largest selection of whiskies displayed in their flavour profile. They display hundreds of bottles arranged by flavour. From top to bottom, the whiskies are sorted from the lightest and most delicate to the heaviest ones.

Basically, you can request them to find a whiskey based on the taste you feel like drinking when you order. Even if you have no prior knowledge about whiskies, they will find the drink that suits your preference. It’s definitely a great way to try something different and maybe discover your new favorite drink.

You will find their waiter’s recommendations helpful and catered to your tastes as long as you tell them your preferences. They will ensure that you’ll have a great overall experience. Even non-whiskey drinkers will enjoy this place. The vibe was quiet and relaxed. Overall, their staff is knowledgeable, professional, and very friendly.

There are hotel rooms on the upper floors and the Black Rock Tavern just above the whiskey bar. The Black Rock Tavern is the home for their blending room that allows you to blend your own whisky. The tavern was modelled on a Japanese izakaya pub.

The Drinks and Food

Embedded content: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba6JrIIHwY_/The different dishes that Black Rock offers to complement your dram, taken from their official Instagram account

The bottles available in Black Rock are unquestionably top-notch. For whiskey lovers, you would find rare Japanese whisky and cocktail lists here, priced reasonably to keep you coming.

There are only limited choices for food, but they are really best partnered with your drinks.

Just ask your bartender what they think would suit your meal. We tasted their magnificent Salmon on rye with dill cream cheese paired with our personalized drink mix. There are also a few vegan dishes, such as the Vegan cornish pasty. They also have stellar scotches and pretty decent wines and beers. They have a small menu of nibbles and shared platters, too.

Their knowledge about whiskies was especially exhibited when we walked through the library selections containing bottles from around the world. Their library allows anyone to explore different tastes, smells, and strengths. We recommend you to ask questions to really discover the unknown whiskies, and there are a lot, and you might discover amazing ones from their extensive range of choices.

It was an enjoyable drinking experience. The staff was genuine and enthusiastic, which made the experience more memorable. No wonder it is one of London’s best whisky bars.

Summary

If you live near Christopher Street, this is probably a bar you would go back to as much as you can. We know we will. Especially if you are a tourist, we recommend dropping by this pub even once when you find yourself in London. After one visit, we saw how deserving it was to be called one of the best whisky bars in London.

If you can, it’s much better to book a reservation prior to visiting through their website or through contacting them since the place gets crowded at times. However, these reservations are not compulsory. You can also check out their social media pages to keep yourself updated on their latest announcements and newest bottles.