Although you can buy blended and some single malt whiskies from just about every supermarket and wine merchant, if you want a really good selection of specialist whisky you need to have a look here. They offer a very good range of from the reasonably priced to the not so reasonably priced and include help and advice for the drinker, collector and the investor. Their list of single malts is amazing and prices go up to (don’t faint) over £2000 but of course there are plenty between £20 and £25.

The main difference between buying from Oddbins or buying from Majestic is that at Oddbins you don’t have to buy twelve bottles and you can still take advantage of lots of their special offers. So if you just want a couple of bottles at a good price (or even two bottles of their Batard Montrachet at £84 each) you should take a look here. It’s a cheerful, colourful and easy to get round website and you can also use their weddings and party services as well.

Laithwaites are an excellent, family run online (and offline) wine merchant, combining a really personal and efficient service with a very good choice at all price ranges. They offer wines and champagnes, mixed cases, a wide range of fortified wines and spirits and there’s also a clever food matching service plus all the services you would expect including bin ends, mixed case offers and wine plans.

You’ll find a comprehensive range of wine, champagne, liqueurs and spirits on this clear and well laid out site. Tanners are a traditional style wine merchant with a calm style (very different from the ‘full on’ style of Majestic and Oddbins’) offering an excellent service and reasonable prices plus lots of advice and information about everything on offer. So you may not always find the cheapest deals here, but you’ll certainly enjoy buying from them.

Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, having traded from the same shop for over 300 years. The business was established in 1698 by the Widow Bourne at 3 St James's Street, London. Today members of the Berry and Rudd families continue to own and manage the family-run wine merchant. Their website is a surprisingly busy one. You can not only find out about the wines you should be drinking now but you can also start a BBR Cellar Plan, use their Wedding List services and join their Wine Club. BBR deliver Worldwide and offer an express service within the UK.

Famous London based grocers and Royal Warrant holders Partridges make it easy for you to buy from their excellent selection online, including their own brand preserves and chocolates, olives oils and vinegars, deli products, wines and spirits. If you know them you’ll probably be delighted to be able to buy from them here throughout the year without having to step out of your door.

You’ve definitely heard of Majestic, but have you tried their online ordering service, which takes away all the hassle of having to go there, load up and then carry everything from your car when you get home. Not only do they make ordering really easy and offer the best prices on bulk orders but your nearest branch will give you a call once you’ve placed your order and bring it to you exactly when you want it. You couldn't ask for more, now could you?

This is a really beautifully designed website from a Cambridge based independent wine merchant and a site that's a pleasure to browse through. You can choose by category and by country, select from their mixed cases and promotional offers and take advantages of their gift and En Primeur services. This is the perfect website if you want one that isn’t too busy and where it’s very easy to place your order.

When you're looking for a special gift you can just walk into your local wine merchant and buy your bottle of bubbly then and there. Or you could do something a bit different and sent a bottle of Veuve Clicquot in it's very own ice bucket with your personalised card, or a boxed mini bottle of Laurent Perrier with a candle and bath essence. If you want to be really popular send a Methuselah of champagne in a wooden crate (the equivalent of eight bottles) and cross your fingers you'll be invited to share it!