Whisky in Nepal comes in three broad tiers: bottles made in Nepal, bottles made in India, and imported bottles from Scotland and elsewhere. Nearly everything on a normal shelf here is the first group. The price gaps between the tiers are driven mostly by import duty rather than by what is in the bottle, which is why a familiar imported label costs several times what a local blend does.
This page is a reference, not a recommendation. We do not rank bottles and we do not tell anyone what to drink — we just get asked what the difference is, often at one in the morning, and the answer is more useful written down.
The three tiers
Made in Nepal. Domestically produced blends are the bulk of what is sold and the bulk of what we carry — Old Durbar, Old Durbar Black Chimney, Golden Oak, Black Oak, Mustang Gold and Gurkha’s & Guns. These are the bottles most people in Kathmandu actually keep at home.
Made in India. A middle tier that shows up in some shops. Availability moves around and we do not stock it consistently, so ask rather than assume.
Imported. Scotch and other foreign whisky is available in Kathmandu, but duty makes it a different category of purchase. We can sometimes source it; it is not something we hold on the shelf every night.
Why the price question has no printed answer
Rates move with stock, duty and what the supplier has that week, which is why nothing on this site carries a fixed price for a bottle. Ask on WhatsApp and you get tonight’s rate for tonight’s stock, usually within a few minutes. That is not evasion — it is the only number that would be true when you read it.
What actually decides what people order
In our experience it is rarely the whisky. It is:
- Who is drinking. A bottle for four people is a different decision from a bottle for one.
- What is going with it. Neat, with soda, with ice. If it is going with anything, order the mixers and ice in the same message — this is the single most common thing people forget, and it is the thing that runs out first.
- What is in stock tonight. The honest answer more often than anyone expects.
If you are working out quantities for a room full of people rather than one bottle, how much to order has the per-person numbers.
Asking for something you cannot name
You do not need a brand name to order. “Something dark, mid-range, for four people” is a complete order and we will come back with what we have and what it costs. The full catalogue is on the menu.
The rules, plainly
You must be 18 or over to order alcohol in Nepal, riders may ask for photo ID, and we refuse orders we believe are for a minor or for someone who has had enough for one night. Never drink and drive. If you are out in Thamel or Lazimpat and the night has run long, getting home safely is the more useful page than this one.