Warehouse Liquors

634 S. Wabash Ave., South Loop

Find an extensive whiskey and wine collection in this venerable showroom.

Independent Spirits

5947 N. Broadway, Edgewater

Tour the globe within the map-happy walls of this handsome boutique.
The vintage
Gene Charness founded the shop in 1983. “Most places sell price; I sell knowledge,” he says. It’s worth a visit to chat with him, as well as to poke around the 1895 building with copper-colored tin ceilings and redwood fixtures. No mini-Binny’s, this maverick lives up to its name. “It’s the golden age of small producers,” says owner Scott Crestodina, who opened shop in 2013. “If people want a particular liqueur, there are lots of alternatives to the big brand names.”
The splurge
A few bottles of Scotch here sell for four digits, but Charness points to Glenfarclas, his “house pour,” for $299 and the 17-year-old Tamdhu for $400 as faves. Among varieties of Samaroli Scotch, most under $200, you’ll spot the scarce Ferry to Islay, a $535 blended malt.
Connoisseur cred
In 2023, Charness was inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich, a prestigious international society of Scotch whisky evangelists. Crestodina received the highest qualification from Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and he’s a certified Bordeaux educator.
Mise en scène
On one side of the narrow shop, whiskey bottles nearly reach the 15-foot ceiling. On the opposite, old oak barrels rest on beer coolers. Colorful hand-drawn cards describe the potables. Hand-painted by Crestodina, about three dozen wall maps encourage customers to shop wines by region. You’ll also find pithy and sage handwritten tasting notes for nearly every bottle.
Joie de vine
Charness stocks what’s in vogue: “French whites and Italian reds are hot.” His trend radar applies to spirits, too: He’s been busy procuring single barrels of tequila. “Swiss wines are rare outside of Switzerland,” Crestodina notes — but you can find some here. Beyond vino, he carries everything from Spanish vermouth and Haitian rum to about 200 varieties of bitters.

Photography: (bottles) courtesy of vendors