Rather than entering one of the best stocked Cape Town cocktail bars, stepping into the Bascule is more like chancing upon a spacious below-deck cabin that’s been transformed into a handsome lounge, stocked with a gratifyingly large assortment of whiskeys (over 400 at last count, including a 50-year-old Glenfiddich which sells at R18,000 per tot). One of the most sociable and refined drinking spots in the city, the Bascule is right at the edge of Cape Town’s international yacht marina, and you can easily spend all day soaking up the good vibes on the waterside terrace. Enquire after one of the regular whisky tasting events, in which you’re taken on an enlightening journey through the history and experience of (primarily) Scottish single malts. Some are paired with food (discovering that Laphroaig goes with gorgonzola, for example), and the sommeliers are brilliant-a fantastic way to kick start one of the most memorable nights you’ll have in Cape Town. You can also sign up for membership of the city’s most exclusive whisky club, making this forever a bar that you’ll feel at home in.