Top 5 places to drink whisky

EDV

Melbourne

If you ever manage to find the entrance to this hidden speakeasy-style bar, you'll be glad you did. One of Melbourne's best cocktail bars, EDV is also a whisky lounge for high rollers. Buy a bottle and store it in your own hooch locker, or book in for one of their not-infrequent whisky cocktail matched degustation dinners.

The Woods of Windsor

Windsor

If you only feel right drinking your dram in front of the open fire with feet resting on a giant bear rug, then this is the place for you. These guys are packing an indecent amount of single malts, blends, and taxidermy beasts, and they know how to use 'em (the whiskies, not the beasts – they're just for show). In short, this ain't your average shots-and-stilettos Chapel Street bar.

Chez Regine

Melbourne

The folks at Chez Regine know whisky. They've got 191 of 'em casting an amber glow on the bar and in the near future they will be increasing their reportoire with an additional 100 or so. Consequently they will be going under renovation to increase their ability to house them all, and will be changing their name to Whisky and Alement. Stay tuned, folks, and for now, head in for a measure of Lagavulin with a sugar-salt ice cube.

Cure Bar and Eatery

Carlton

Cheese, cured meats, open fire and whisky? Colour us sold. Leigh Oliver is a whisky fanatic and a straight up dude. His collection includes bottles of gear from distilleries long closed down, and his bar (run with Tom Daniels) is the kind of place where rocking up solo for a Boilermaker (a dram with a beer chaser) is OK, and encouraged.

Bill's Bar

Collingwood

Inside Huxtaburger, once you’ve ventured past the counter, the queues lining the counter, the burgers and the fridge, you’ll find a bar. And inside that bar, you'll find jazz, dusky lighting, and an bunch of whisky for $9 a measure and Murray's Whale Ale for chasers. Boom.