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The Proper Old Fashioned — The Proper Old Fashioned at Garden & Gun Club

The Essential Whiskey Bars Around Atlanta

The best bars to sip whiskey, bourbon, and scotch

by Beth McKibben Updated Jan 17, 2019, 11:29am EST

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The Proper Old Fashioned at Garden & Gun Club

| Chandler Bondurant

by Beth McKibben Updated Jan 17, 2019, 11:29am EST

Whiskey, bourbon, and scotch are in abundance at bars throughout metro Atlanta. Some bars carry extensive whiskey collections ranging from American and Canadian to scotch, Irish, and Japanese selections. Still, others focus their offerings on small, independent distilleries based both stateside and abroad. This list includes a few of the metro area’s best bets for whiskey —whether it’s sipped neat, on the rocks, or in a flight.

Don’t see a favorite whiskey bar on the list? Give it some love in the comments or via the tipline.

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Branch & Barrel

Located in Avalon in Alpharetta, this whiskey bar and gastropub has a pretty sizable collection behind the bar which range from well-known bottles like Elijah Craig to smaller brands like Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery’s Bellemeade offerings out of Tennessee. The cocktail program focuses heavily on bourbons and whiskeys here, too.

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Avalon, 4100 1st St, Alpharetta, GA 30009

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Branch & Barrel

Little Alley Steak

This historic Roswell steakhouse is known for its substantial whiskey and Scotch collection, which numbers over 200 selections. There’s everything from George T. Stagg to Basil Hayden to Laphroaig behind the bar at Little Alley. A second outpost opened last year at the One Alliance Center on Lenox Road in Buckhead — the same complex as Mission and Market — and includes over 400 bourbons.

955 Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075

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The Whiskey Project

The Whiskey Project in Roswell, located on Oak Street in the former Oak Street Cafe space, isn’t kidding around with its namesake spirit. There are 16 brown water cocktails on the menu and nearly 1,000 spirits to choose from — most of which are whiskeys and bourbons. They even call the backbar the “whiskey wall”.

45 Oak St, Roswell, GA 30075

Visit Website

Garden & Gun Club

Garden & Gun Club at the Battery Atlanta is an all-day restaurant and cocktail bar which takes its name from the Charleston-based Southern lifestyle magazine. A 21-seat cocktail bar sits in the center of the front room and focuses on bourbon and whiskey and classic brown spirit cocktails, like the old fashioned. There’s over 30 whiskeys and bourbons to choose from here. Order bourbon service for the table for $25. Cocktails are mixed and served table side.

2605 Circle 75 Pkwy #410, Atlanta, GA 30339

Visit Website

Southern Art and Bourbon Bar

Don’t let the Intercontinental Hotel lobby location be the reason for not grabbing drinks here after work. The bourbon bar offers over 70 whiskey selections on its menu as well as live music. There’s a good chance of celebrity sighting, too.

3315 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Local Three Kitchen & Bar

There’s a 10-page list this Buckhead restaurant and bar that includes bourbons and whiskey, scotches and single malts, and even a handful of Canadian, Irish, and Japanese selections. Local Three has a pretty pricey Mitchter’s 20-year as well as a Macallan 25-year that definitely breaks the bank.

3290 Northside Pkwy NW, Atlanta, GA 30327

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Inside Local Three.

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Biltong Bar

After finding success in Ponce City Market, Biltong Bar opened a second, much larger location in Buckhead late last year that includes an expanded and whiskey-heavy bar menu. The cocktails here are meant to pair with the meaty menu and rely heavily on rum, scotch, rye whiskey, and bourbon as base spirits, accented by French vermouth, amari, and sherry.

Open in Google Maps

306 Buckhead Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

The Southern Gentleman

Located in the Buckhead Atlanta shopping district, Southern Gentleman describes itself as a modern American whiskey bar. It carries over 120 bourbons and ryes as well as Scotch, Irish, Canadian, Taiwanese, and Japanese selections.

3035 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

The Southern Gentleman

Also featured in:

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Holeman and Finch Public House

It’s no surprise the bar that helped begin Atlanta’s cocktail movement years ago would also have a great whiskey, bourbon, and Scotch selection. High-ticket offerings include a Chivas regal 25-year and Elijah Craig single barrel 18-year.

2277 Peachtree Road Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30309

Visit Website

Holeman & Finch

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The Pinewood

While Wednesdays are specifically reserved for whiskey deals, there’s never a wrong day to sip brown liquor at the Pinewood in Decatur. Be sure to ask for the bar’s whiskey list which includes budget-friendly bourbons to wallet-busting single barrels and reserves. Flights are also offered and can be curated. Whiskey Wednesdays include half-priced whiskey cocktails around $5 apiece. FYI, the old fashioned is on tap.

254 W Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Mac McGee Irish Pub

This is the Decatur Square Irish pub is the place to head to for whiskey (and soccer, too). Mac McGee’s offers over 150 bottles of Irish, American, Canadian, Japanese whiskeys, and Scotch. Tasting are held regularly here as well as whiskey dinners.

Open in Google Maps

111 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

The Bookhouse Pub

The Twin Peaks-inspired bar is a regular stop for Atlanta’s hospitality industry employees and locals looking to whet their whistles. Several budget-friendly bourbons, scotches, and a variety of Asian whiskeys are on the list. This list also includes a pricey but worth it Yamazaki 18-year.

736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Edgar's Proof & Provision

Headed to the Fox for a Broadway show or a concert? Stop by Edgar’s Proof & Provision in the basement level of the Georgian Terrace Hotel across the street. There’s plenty of brown liquor to go around here and very strong whiskey cocktails, too. Order the firm handshake with Redemption Rye and fernet.

659 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308

Visit Website

Kimball House

This award-winning Decatur bar may be known for its oysters and killer cocktails, but there’s a pretty impressive line-up of bourbon, whiskey, and Scotch here, too. Order the bottle old fashioned with bourbon, rye, gomme, and cola bitters for the table. It serves four people.

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

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Kimball House

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The Porter Beer Bar

Sure, there’s more than 400 beers on the menu at this Little Five Points bar but it also offers an impressive whiskey collection behind the bar, too.

1939, 1156 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Exterior shot of The Porter

Also featured in:

White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails

Located downtown at the corner of Baker and Peachtree Streets, White Oak Kitchen offers close to 80 whiskeys and scotches behind its bar and a number of solid brown liquor-based cocktails.

270 Peachtree St NW, 100, Atlanta, GA 30303

Visit Website

White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails

Also featured in:

Highland Cigar Co.

For many the most perfect of pairings is that of a whiskey (or scotch) and a good cigar. This cigar lounge on North Highland offers it all, including cocktails and over 200 bourbons, whiskeys, scotches, and single malts behind its bar.

Open in Google Maps

245 North Highland Avenue NE #140, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Red Phone Booth

To enter this downtown bar and cigar lounge, there’s a secret password to be entered via telephone found in, what else, a red phone booth. Once in, the bar offers over 180 whiskeys, scotches, and Japanese selections. Try the rye and cognac-based sazerac here or the Manhattan. There are over 100 different types of cigars, too. The trick to getting in? Ask a hotel concierge or bartenders at nearby bars.

17 Andrew Young International Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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Branch & Barrel

Avalon, 4100 1st St, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Located in Avalon in Alpharetta, this whiskey bar and gastropub has a pretty sizable collection behind the bar which range from well-known bottles like Elijah Craig to smaller brands like Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery’s Bellemeade offerings out of Tennessee. The cocktail program focuses heavily on bourbons and whiskeys here, too.

Open in Google Maps

Avalon, 4100 1st St, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Visit Website

Branch & Barrel

Little Alley Steak

955 Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075

This historic Roswell steakhouse is known for its substantial whiskey and Scotch collection, which numbers over 200 selections. There’s everything from George T. Stagg to Basil Hayden to Laphroaig behind the bar at Little Alley. A second outpost opened last year at the One Alliance Center on Lenox Road in Buckhead — the same complex as Mission and Market — and includes over 400 bourbons.

955 Canton St, Roswell, GA 30075

Visit Website

The Whiskey Project

45 Oak St, Roswell, GA 30075

The Whiskey Project in Roswell, located on Oak Street in the former Oak Street Cafe space, isn’t kidding around with its namesake spirit. There are 16 brown water cocktails on the menu and nearly 1,000 spirits to choose from — most of which are whiskeys and bourbons. They even call the backbar the “whiskey wall”.

45 Oak St, Roswell, GA 30075

Visit Website

Garden & Gun Club

2605 Circle 75 Pkwy #410, Atlanta, GA 30339

Garden & Gun Club at the Battery Atlanta is an all-day restaurant and cocktail bar which takes its name from the Charleston-based Southern lifestyle magazine. A 21-seat cocktail bar sits in the center of the front room and focuses on bourbon and whiskey and classic brown spirit cocktails, like the old fashioned. There’s over 30 whiskeys and bourbons to choose from here. Order bourbon service for the table for $25. Cocktails are mixed and served table side.

2605 Circle 75 Pkwy #410, Atlanta, GA 30339

Visit Website

Southern Art and Bourbon Bar

3315 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Don’t let the Intercontinental Hotel lobby location be the reason for not grabbing drinks here after work. The bourbon bar offers over 70 whiskey selections on its menu as well as live music. There’s a good chance of celebrity sighting, too.

3315 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30326

Visit Website

Local Three Kitchen & Bar

3290 Northside Pkwy NW, Atlanta, GA 30327

There’s a 10-page list this Buckhead restaurant and bar that includes bourbons and whiskey, scotches and single malts, and even a handful of Canadian, Irish, and Japanese selections. Local Three has a pretty pricey Mitchter’s 20-year as well as a Macallan 25-year that definitely breaks the bank.

3290 Northside Pkwy NW, Atlanta, GA 30327

Visit Website

Inside Local Three.

Biltong Bar

306 Buckhead Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

After finding success in Ponce City Market, Biltong Bar opened a second, much larger location in Buckhead late last year that includes an expanded and whiskey-heavy bar menu. The cocktails here are meant to pair with the meaty menu and rely heavily on rum, scotch, rye whiskey, and bourbon as base spirits, accented by French vermouth, amari, and sherry.

Open in Google Maps

306 Buckhead Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

The Southern Gentleman

3035 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

Located in the Buckhead Atlanta shopping district, Southern Gentleman describes itself as a modern American whiskey bar. It carries over 120 bourbons and ryes as well as Scotch, Irish, Canadian, Taiwanese, and Japanese selections.

3035 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

Visit Website

The Southern Gentleman

Holeman and Finch Public House

2277 Peachtree Road Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30309

It’s no surprise the bar that helped begin Atlanta’s cocktail movement years ago would also have a great whiskey, bourbon, and Scotch selection. High-ticket offerings include a Chivas regal 25-year and Elijah Craig single barrel 18-year.

2277 Peachtree Road Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30309

Visit Website

Holeman & Finch

The Pinewood

254 W Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

While Wednesdays are specifically reserved for whiskey deals, there’s never a wrong day to sip brown liquor at the Pinewood in Decatur. Be sure to ask for the bar’s whiskey list which includes budget-friendly bourbons to wallet-busting single barrels and reserves. Flights are also offered and can be curated. Whiskey Wednesdays include half-priced whiskey cocktails around $5 apiece. FYI, the old fashioned is on tap.

254 W Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

Mac McGee Irish Pub

111 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

This is the Decatur Square Irish pub is the place to head to for whiskey (and soccer, too). Mac McGee’s offers over 150 bottles of Irish, American, Canadian, Japanese whiskeys, and Scotch. Tasting are held regularly here as well as whiskey dinners.

Open in Google Maps

111 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

The Bookhouse Pub

736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

The Twin Peaks-inspired bar is a regular stop for Atlanta’s hospitality industry employees and locals looking to whet their whistles. Several budget-friendly bourbons, scotches, and a variety of Asian whiskeys are on the list. This list also includes a pricey but worth it Yamazaki 18-year.

736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

Visit Website

Edgar's Proof & Provision

659 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308

Headed to the Fox for a Broadway show or a concert? Stop by Edgar’s Proof & Provision in the basement level of the Georgian Terrace Hotel across the street. There’s plenty of brown liquor to go around here and very strong whiskey cocktails, too. Order the firm handshake with Redemption Rye and fernet.

659 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308

Visit Website

Kimball House

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

This award-winning Decatur bar may be known for its oysters and killer cocktails, but there’s a pretty impressive line-up of bourbon, whiskey, and Scotch here, too. Order the bottle old fashioned with bourbon, rye, gomme, and cola bitters for the table. It serves four people.

303 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030

Visit Website

Kimball House

The Porter Beer Bar

1939, 1156 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Sure, there’s more than 400 beers on the menu at this Little Five Points bar but it also offers an impressive whiskey collection behind the bar, too.

1939, 1156 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Exterior shot of The Porter

Related Maps

White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails

270 Peachtree St NW, 100, Atlanta, GA 30303

Located downtown at the corner of Baker and Peachtree Streets, White Oak Kitchen offers close to 80 whiskeys and scotches behind its bar and a number of solid brown liquor-based cocktails.

270 Peachtree St NW, 100, Atlanta, GA 30303

Visit Website

White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails

Highland Cigar Co.

245 North Highland Avenue NE #140, Atlanta, GA 30307

For many the most perfect of pairings is that of a whiskey (or scotch) and a good cigar. This cigar lounge on North Highland offers it all, including cocktails and over 200 bourbons, whiskeys, scotches, and single malts behind its bar.

Open in Google Maps

245 North Highland Avenue NE #140, Atlanta, GA 30307

Visit Website

Red Phone Booth

17 Andrew Young International Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

To enter this downtown bar and cigar lounge, there’s a secret password to be entered via telephone found in, what else, a red phone booth. Once in, the bar offers over 180 whiskeys, scotches, and Japanese selections. Try the rye and cognac-based sazerac here or the Manhattan. There are over 100 different types of cigars, too. The trick to getting in? Ask a hotel concierge or bartenders at nearby bars.

17 Andrew Young International Blvd NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

Visit Website

Related Maps