Belfast Independent Retailer

‘Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus - What shall we give back in return for so much?’

The Friend At Hand Irish whiskey shop is situated in the heart of Belfast City, Northern Ireland. As Dramface pays a visit, we’ll take you along.

Back at the beginning of Dramface, Dallas brought us a feature that looked at the Dunkeld Whisky Box in the village of Dunkeld. Since then we’ve brought along a hefty dose of whisky reviews, among features on distilleries, indy bottlers, auction flippers and a love note to Ardnamurchan. I think it’s time we pay another homage to the humble independent retailer.

I had an idea on how I thought this feature might look and feel. Having read over Dallas’ piece, it was a pleasant introduction on how crucial independent retailers are to the whisky drinker, enthusiast, casual sipper and newbie alike. Dallas spoke of how retailers have “an identity, style and existence of their own.” This is true for many different reasons and it’s what I managed to experience and find during my visit to The Friend At Hand. I’d visited the store a few times in the past and purchased the odd Irish whiskey from them but not much else. 

Being a fan of YouTuber The Whiskey Novice Jim, I’d seen he’d landed a gig working at The Friend At Hand. To me, no better enthusiast could be hired for such a vacancy. Jim has kept us up to date through the retailer’s Instagram page, with posts about the special edition whiskies they had in stock among other things. It was the retail space and beyond that caught my eye and something I thought would be interesting on Dramface.

Belfast itself has very little in the way of specialist whisky retail outlets, with those non-supermarket spaces stocking only basic single malts, or those strongly representing the portfolio of Diageo that we all know (and maybe sometimes love). 

While The Friend At Hand is an Irish whiskey retailer on the face of it, situated right in the heart of the booming Cathedral Quarter of Belfast City, it was what was housed in addition to the available bottles that sat beautifully on the shelves.

They recently added a large and luxurious tasting room that lies discreetly within the whiskey museum at the back of the retail space. It wasn’t too long ago that visitors could find themselves met with older bottles as they navigated their view on their way down the cabinets at the front of the store. A tiny and authentic glimpse to the Irish whiskey past, as ancient bottles of Dunvilles, Old Comber, Green Spot and Midleton were secured within a glass cabinet tucked away nicely at the back. ‘Not for sale’ labels would adorn the antiquated necks of the bottles on display and I could only look on in admiration.

The store itself is humble in size. Directly opposite the entrance, you’re met with a dark hardwood staircase, with the main cabinets and trinkets furnished with the same look and feel. It reminded me of entering the front room and hall of my grandparents' old terrace house. From the street right into their living quarters, with no in between. You get that same feel here, and the quiet ambience makes you feel quite at home right away. 

Old memorabilia, signs, whiskey-branded mirrors and pictures are prominently displayed and take up every bit of space they can. I was quite overwhelmed with what’s on show when I first walked in. Soaking in this step back in time, I initially forgot there’s whisky inside these beautiful cabinets for sale. With a cask displayed in the middle of the floor, my eye turned to the right where along the perimeter wall, I saw some familiar brands displayed behind a glass cabinet door, locked away like prized possessions. Attractively lit and impeccably clean, each bottle uniformly sports a simple string and cardboard price tag as they sit alongside their ranges of brothers and sisters.

I wouldn’t say there’s a main theme of how these Irish whiskies are displayed, but right away you can spot (no pun intended) the delicious pot still offerings on sale here. From Midleton you have Redbreast, the Spot range and Method & Madness to name a few, even some single cask presentations that are exclusive for The Friend At Hand.

Among the bottles on display are single malts from Bushmills, Dunvilles, Connemara and even Killowen. More throwbacks catch your eye as wooden crates and large glass whisky containers are high above the cabinets, stopping just before the gorgeous dark red pattern ceiling above. Reminds me of The Long Hall pub in Dublin, a real step back in time if you can visit there.

While this shop front whisks you back to an old whiskey age, there are little elements of detail that make this retail space truly unique and they all tie in magically with the museum too. If you pay attention, you can pick out such details.

Old whiskey order forms placed for Dunvilles or Bushmills, Irish distillery football team's letters and most impressive of all is an actual Causeway Stone from the Giant’s Causeway. You know you’re standing among more than just whiskey bottles. There’s an interesting and authentic history to this place and the best bit is the enthusiastic staff will tell you everything you want to know, especially when you ask nicely.

I was taken on the first leg of the whiskey museum tour by Jim after handing over some ‘thank you’ samples. A quick reminder on the tour that the vintage, antique and old bottles on display are real, authentic and not for sale.

While I'm not going to give too much away on my coverage of the The Friend At Hand, because I wouldn’t even do a fraction of justice to what this place deserves. The knowledge and enthusiasm shown by Jim and the staff there is impressive.I can only recommend you visit this place. However, I'll share the bits I found very interesting, as a whiskey geek and a history buff.

Throughout my time here, I was shown and presented with various artefacts and trinkets that owner Willie Jack has purchased over the years. If the item isn’t related to whiskey it’s related to Belfast. If it’s not Belfast, it’s Northern Ireland. If it’s not Northern Ireland, it’s the island of Ireland. It’s all linked in its own special way. But even if it's not, the decor and furnishings of the museum are an opulent mixture of Willie Jack’s other establishments in The Harp Bar, and the Duke of York bar. The luxurious victorian feel with plush furniture mixed in with the historic and traditional Belfast bar. 

Before we entered the main room, Jim was keen to show me a framed picture: A Royal Warrant. One of only two warrants issued by Queen Victoria for the production of whiskey on the island of Ireland. One given to John Jameson and the other given to Henry Thompson of Irish Whiskey. The warrant given to Jameson was handed back after the partition of Ireland in 1921 while this one was kept. As I was shown plenty of memorabilia, historic pieces and old bottles of whiskey, I asked Willie how he came to be in the possession of such historic artefacts and so many antique whiskey bottles. He only replied with a wink and a smile and left it at that.

After such an impressive piece of history, I walked up a small set of stairs into an open and well-lit room that tool my breath away. The furnishings continue with rich dark woods and more glass display cabinets with even more whisky. According to Jim, there are approximately 600 bottles in total on the premises. It’s a real sight to behold. 

Other notable and significant historic items displayed are old leather seats from the Dunville Distillery with the logo etched into the wood frame, a freedom of the city key for the 2nd Northern Irish Prime Minister John Miller Andrews and one for Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, of the Harland & Wolff duo known for the famous dual yellow cranes in the Belfast docks and shipbuilding industry. 

As Jim and I walked around each cabinet that was filled with rare and extraordinary Irish whiskey, I saw a small walkway at the far end of the room with a red velvet rope and the Belfast City coat of arms displayed proudly above.

By this stage, and told what the latin words meant, I was glad I was able to hand Jim some whisky samples as my way of saying thank you.

Jim unhooked the heavy looking red velvet rope, and we entered the newly developed tasting room. It’s not open for public viewing so I felt quite honoured to see it first-hand and found myself speechless as we walked through.

A dimmer room, with a coolness in the air, it was hard to not imagine myself stepping back 100 years into a room that would’ve looked very similar to this but with a lot more pipe smoke in the air. Each heavy chair had three Friend At Hand-branded Glencairns in front on a tasting flight board, surrounded by bottles of old Midleton Very rare, vintage Dunvilles and a centre cabinet display of every Redbreast single cask from around the world. Incredibly impressive stuff and a beautiful surrounding for any tasting.

I managed to get a bit of time with owner Willie while we sat in the quiet and comfortable tasting room. He answered a few of my questions and told me a bit more about The Friend At Hand.

Q&A with Willie Jack

How did The Friend at Hand come to be?

WJ: I noticed a trend happening with the wine industry, and read a few articles regarding a mass of people buying up case after case of wine from cellars with the price of these bottles/barrels going up and up and up. I then read that whiskey cannot oxidise or ‘go off’, when out of the wood and bottled compared to wine that’s corked. So I decided to have a sort of whiskey shop,  more specifically an Irish whiskey shop. I also wanted to tie it to the history of the city, as we had so much history here with whiskey making it made sense to do it that way.

Where does the name The Friend At Hand come from?

WJ: There was one boozer, The Friend at Hand in London. I always liked the name, and the image of a fella having fallen into the water, when suddenly out reaches another hand to pull him out of the sea and to safety. And then also, when Bruce died, my business partner, he was a friend at hand to me. I then thought right, I'm going to name this The Friend At Hand. 

Were you a museum first, or a shop?

WJ: We were a pub first, the Duke of York. Then we opened the Harp Bar and The Friend At Hand afterwards.

What would be your oldest and most historic item you have here on display? Is it a bottle or whiskey or piece of historical memorabilia?

WJ: The royal warrant given to Henry Thompson, and the Freedom of the city items given to 2nd Northern Irish Prime Minister and Gustav Wolff. They’re very special and historic pieces for the city and indeed whisky.

 Are the items here on display labelled ‘Not for sale’, actually not for sale - at all?

WJ: Never, never, never. They are not for sale. 

Tell me what your favourite item is and why?

WJ: It would have to be the Ballon Yeast picture framed. I think it’s superb, and the line ‘Never Done Rising’ speaks to the brand but also the city itself. Back to the Irish Distillery here in Belfast, linked to Henry Thompson. This is my favourite piece.

Given the unprecedented times we have experienced since 2020, did you ever consider branching into an online shop?

WJ: No, not at all, and that’s because I want people to come to Belfast. I don’t want people to view Belfast the same as Beirut or Basra. I’ve received plenty of emails from people around the world asking me to send ‘two bottles of this’, or ‘four bottles of that and I'll pay you whatever you want’. I said, ‘no.’ If you want them, you can come over to Belfast to collect them. I want you to experience our city. Maybe you’ll stay in one of our hotels, eat in a restaurant here, get yourself a taxi and perhaps enjoy a pint of Guinness in one of my bars. Come and enjoy.

How does The Friend At Hand and the wider Duke of York area play into the significance of the city of Belfast. 

WJ: The area here has been known before in the history of the city as a place frequented by those who worked in the docks and shipyards. They would have used the old Harp bar for pints. The Dark Horse bar is homage to the horses and betting slips that would have been widely known in this area a long, long time ago.

Even the Bushmills Headquarters was once in Belfast, here on Hill Street. There’s a homage here to Bushmills and their presence (albeit not anymore) here in the city.

The antiques and items all play a part in the story of the city. Even now, the linen bags we sell with the bottles come from a linen company in Banbridge, the copper used in this tasting room was moulded and shaped by a company outside Lurgan, the new tasting flight trays are also from a local company. Let’s support locals. We’re getting some chocolate liqueurs made also by a local company in Waterman house; a Hill Street collaboration. It might cost a wee bit more but it goes back to how industrial we were as a city as a country. Get everyone involved. Let’s show all this off, from whisky to everything else. 

For a new visitor to The Friend At Hand, what is one thing you’d love for them to take away from their visit?

WJ: The love of whiskey and the love of Belfast. It’s as simple as that. Then the love of Irish whiskey.

You are a retailer with a difference. You don’t have to look far or for very long to know your space here is steeped in history, with rich displays of whiskey past and present. Tell me what made you want to expand from museum, to shop to tasting room?

WJ: I wanted to have a location and place where people could enjoy whisky and be immersed in these surroundings. Rather it be in a fancy hotel, host the tastings here and make use of this space. Then it gets more people seeing in here, hearing our story and the history of whiskey within the city.

I will eventually host tasting that will cover liquid from Old Comber, Powers, Old Jamesons’, Redbreast, you name it. I want people to enjoy it! 

Do you foresee any plans to incorporate any other Irish spirit in your shop? Poitin or gin for example?

WJ: No, not really. They are both their own thing, gin especially. I’m not going after the gin market. I have one bottle of gin here. The first bottle of Jawbox Gin here is due to my old friend Jerry White, who used to work for me, started that.

The Friend At Hand special bottlings you stock and sell here, tell me a bit about them.

WJ: It’s all about a story and the history behind that story. I like to have that play a part in each Friend At Hand bottling we have. There’s a number of different bottles we have here, numbered 1 to 14. The story  started with 13 bottles of 13 year old whiskey and then Covid came along and we have an empty bottle in its place. But we’ve a clever story where we’ve stated the Angels have had their share of bottles 1 through 12 and bottle 13 is empty, with the title ‘Is this the journey's end?’. It’s all part of the story.

Other examples of our special bottlings and the story they tell:

Bottle 2 is Bruce’s share. In memory of my business partner… where I could only bottle 700ml of whiskey. So, I give two miniatures extra when you buy a bottle and that means we give back more than what the angels take. A gift set.

Bottle 3 is titled ‘Pride Not Prejudice’ and this is my LGBTQ whiskey. I gifted this to Arlene Foster (formerly of the Democratic Unionist Party, and former First Minister of Northern Ireland). We take pride in who we are and we don’t have any prejudice. 

Bottle 6 is referencing the Spanish Armada. With Gerona gold and the ship that sank off the coast of Ireland in 1588.

Bottle 8 is the 8th wonder of the world, a cask strength bottle that’s homage to the Giant’s Causeway. 

Bottle 9 is the 9 Glens, Glens of Antrim etc. A peated spirit. 

Bottle 11…t here’s a wine finish there, French wine finish that I can link back to the 36th Ulster division and their efforts during the battle of the Somme. 

If you could go back in time and start this all over again, what would you do differently?

WJ: Space. I wish I had more space. I’ve many more bottles and pieces to show off that I wish I hadn’t given up the space above us here and utilised it as well.

Finally, what’s next for The Friend At Hand?

WJ: We’ll be launching our final Friend At Hand bottling in honour of Irish rugby, with the liquid sitting in Belfast Yardsman stout casks. This will be released in August of this year, just in time for the rugby world cup to kick-off. And I feel Ireland has the best chance to win the thing. The bottle is called ‘My Land My God, Your Land Your God - Mo Dia Do Dia, Mo Tir Do Tir’. Using the Irish language there and it’s written out on the carpet there too.

This will be the 14th release, but a 15 year old whiskey. In honour of the XV players on a rugby team. Something that represents four proud provinces of Ireland. It’ll come in a lovely green velvet bag (made locally) with a special poem on the bottle. You’ll have to wait and see what that is.

Thanks again to Willie Jack and his time to answer some of my questions. Big thank you to Jim for helping me out with their time at The Friend At Hand.

Hopefully, if you find yourself in Belfast, take a wander around to the ever-popular Cathedral Quarter of the city where you can see first-hand what the shop and museum has to offer. You’ll not be disappointed by the area The Friend At Hand is in within Belfast. Lively bars full of character, craic and great Guinness. Even more so, I think you’ll be blown away by what’s on display here inside this whiskey space, and the enthusiasm of the staff who want to tell the story.

HF