We've found whisky heaven: it's in Joburg

With around 1,040 whiskies currently on their shelves, there must be few places on earth that look more like heaven to a whisky lover than The WhiskyBrother Bar.

This beautifully-lit, ridiculously chic spot in Joburg's Morningside Shopping Centre that's the perfect place to spend an evening sipping.

It was created by Marc Pendlebury, who’s also behind the WhiskyBrother store in Hyde Park. 

"I’ve been fortunate to travel to a lot of whisky-producing countries, and to see a lot of whisky bars," says Pendlebury, who has always wanted to own one.

He opened the bar in December last year, stocking it with more whiskies than you can imagine — including a good few hundred from his personal collection. 

"I’ve tried the majority of them," he says. "We’re adding all the time, so we try to test the new ones when they come in. Sometimes we get 50 new bottles a week, so then it’s a bit hard to try each and every one of them.”

The bar also stocks some incredibly expensive sips, which would be almost impossible to replace, but can still be tasted on request. "If it’s not available, it shouldn’t be here – why have something on display at a whisky bar that people can see but can’t order?!" declares Pendlebury.

When he’s not running the WhiskyBrother shop or The WhiskyBrother Bar, Pendlebury still pretty much eats, sleeps (and drinks!) whisky. He's currently gearing up for the second edition of The Only Whisky show, which is taking place from July 26-27.

"Last year, we had over 200 premier whiskies available for tasting, and it focuses on the smaller independent producers that might not be able to afford to go to the bigger shows. Ultimately, it’s really all about the whisky."

This article is adapted from one originally published in Sunday Times Neighbourhood, a must-read property and lifestyle guide. Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za