For a broad choice of whisky and tasting flights in Amsterdam, start with Café ZILT on Zeedijk. Bar Oldenhof in the Jordaan and Vault Bar near Rembrandtplein are alternatives when your group wants whisky alongside cocktails. The well-known L&B whisky café near Leidseplein is currently closed.
Café ZILT for whisky flights and tastings
Zeedijk 49. ZILT has around 450 whiskies, ranging across single malts, blends, bourbon and rye. You can choose a flight of three whiskies around a theme, or book a longer tasting with six samples and matching bites.
A flight fits a pub stop; the full tasting takes around two hours, so give it a proper place in your evening. This is also a useful choice for a mixed group because the café has a substantial beer selection.
Explore ZILT’s whisky selection and tastings.
Bar Oldenhof for whisky and cocktails
Elandsgracht 84-H. Oldenhof offers both whisky by the glass and cocktails in the Jordaan. It opens at 18:00, making it an option for an earlier drink as well as a later evening.
Groups smaller than eight use the walk-in system. Choose it when some people want whisky neat and others want a cocktail, rather than making everyone commit to a tasting session.
See Bar Oldenhof’s drinks menu.
Vault Bar for a hotel-bar evening
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam, Herengracht 542-556. Vault Bar occupies a former bank vault and opens daily at 17:00. Its cocktail menu includes a drink combining Japanese whisky and American rye.
The emphasis here is a cocktail-bar experience rather than working through hundreds of bottles at a specialist whisky pub. It suits an evening when setting and a mixed cocktail selection matter to your group.
L&B and Tales & Spirits are closed
L&B at Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 82-84 still appears in older whisky lists but is currently closed. Tales & Spirits on Lijnbaanssteeg is also closed. Neither is included as a place to visit in this shortlist.
If you are staying near Leidseplein and want an alternative local drink, compare our cafés near Leidseplein. These cover beer, cocktails and piano music.
Choose one part of the centre
ZILT is near the old centre and Central Station, Oldenhof is in the Jordaan, and Vault Bar is near Rembrandtplein. Choosing one area avoids spending your evening walking between opposite ends of the centre.
For dinner before drinks, explore our Leidseplein restaurant guide. For a later dance floor, compare Leidseplein bars and clubs or the wider Amsterdam nightlife guide.
If you finish your evening near Leidseplein, a nearby hotel lets you walk back. Choose a quieter-facing room if late street noise bothers you.