From Home Bar to Home Decor: Repurposing Empty Whiskey Bottles
So you just finished off your favorite bottle of whiskey. You are about throw it away or recycle the empty bottle, remembering that you are no longer at university, and keeping empty bottles all over the house is no longer acceptable as an adult. You pause to think, “Are there any ways of repurposing empty whiskey bottles into something new that my wife will let me keep?”
We at Abov have asked ourselves that same question. There are some bottles that truly have some sentimental value, or maybe just look damn cool, and we have a hard time parting with them once the whiskey that was inside is long gone.
So you can discard that bottle if you want, but why not let your favorite Bourbon or Scotch reincarnate as a lantern, soap dispenser or bird feeder? These are some of the most creative ways of reusing and repurposing empty whiskey bottles.
Turn it into a Lamp
An upcycled whiskey bottle can be turned into the perfect lamp for your home bar, office, or man cave. Clear, minimally labeled bottles obviously give the most flexibility if you are planning on inserting your light source into the bottle, but other style bottles could also be used as the base of the lamp. As you can see from the images below, the possibilities are endless, and it really depends on where you are trying to place your new whiskey lamp.
As far as creating your lamp goes, you can do this the hard way, by cutting up a bottle and using a bulb and wire, or use one of these rechargeable LED cork lights.
Use it as an Outdoor Lantern
Repurpose your empty whiskey bottle as an outdoor lantern without using a glass cutter. If you have ever used a kerosene burning tiki torch, it is the exact same idea. The resulting aesthetic is less island Rum Runner, and more Whiskey Neat.
Simply follow these instructions, and you’ll have the coolest outdoor lighting in the neighborhood.
Create a Unique Set of Whiskey Tumblers
Pour the contents of your favorite whiskey bottle into glasses made from your favorite whiskey bottles. Drinkception! A standard size, cylindrical bottle is the perfect shape and size to be cut down to glassware that properly reflects your personal style and taste.
Cutting and sanding glass so smoothly you can drink from it can be quite difficult, so your ex-bottle tumblers are probably used best as decorative glasses. Or order them as a set on Etsy.
Looking for more glasses will elevate your whiskey experience? Check out our list of the best whiskey glasses here.
Give it a Second Life as a Soap Dispenser
A great addition to a home wet bar sink, kitchen, or for every bathroom in the house. Don’t limit your ambition! All you need is the top part of a regular soap dispenser – preferably with an extra long tube – and mount it on top of the empty whiskey bottle. Works great for hand lotion too!
Take this approach to repurposing empty whiskey bottles one step further; Pick up some of this Whiskey Reserve lotion from Bath & Body Works to fill your dispenser. Whiskey lotion pumping our of your whiskey bottle dispenser? Now everyone knows just how whiskey obsessed you really are!
Turn it into a Candle
A classic DIY hack for upcycling any old bottles, But one of the easiest ways to re-use an empty whiskey bottle is to turn it into a candle.
Cut the glass and fill the bottom with (perfumed) candle wax and a wick, and you’re basically done. You can even use the top half of the bottle as a candle holder, although the glass will turn dark very quickly this way.
Source: Etsy.com
Fill it Back Up and Create an Infinity Bottle
This one is a little less crafty and a little more practical, but hear us out. The concept of Infinity Bottles is slowly gaining steam in the whiskey community. In short, the idea is you pour a small sample of your nearly empty bottles together, creating your very own, unique blend.
Whether you want to be a master blender or are randomly adding from your collection, you can keep your favorite bottle around and filled with whiskey forever. Or if you are using a more generic looking bottle for your Infinity Blend, create a custom label to show off your new house whiskey to your guests.
Use it to Store Old Corks
Although rare, it is not unheard of to crack open a whiskey bottle for the first time only to have to cork break. Or if you are re-opening an older bottle, mold and other damage to the cork is quite possible. In any of these scenarios, you will want a way to reseal that bottle to keep the contents inside safe.
Therefore, it’s always useful to have a few old corks laying around, so you can replace a broken or moldy cork when you need to. And why not store them in an empty whiskey bottle?
Create a Whiskey Birdfeeder
“Whiskey is for the birds” is probably a saying that has never once been said. In this case, however it may be true if you attempt what is maybe the most creative way of repurposing your empty whiskey bottle. Build a whiskey birdfeeder yourself, or buy one on Etsy.
There are a lot of clever and unique ways to give your empty bottle a second chance, and repurpose it for something new. Aside from looking cool, upcycling is always a great way to reduce waste. Enjoying your favorite whiskey while helping the planet sounds like a win-win.
Have you ever tried repurposing empty whiskey bottles to keep as home decor or some other use in your home bar, man cave, or elsewhere? Leave a comment describing one of your favorite uses or projects, and we may be able to publish a part 2 to this article!
3 Comments
Thanks for the great ideas, I love em’.
i am never seem somethings before like this. creativity level on his top. so i hope you to add some more in future also. thanks for sharing
We wash ours out and use them as water carafes. We keep a bunch in the back of our fridge filled with water, they look great on a dinner table!