5 ideas to turn your empty whisky bottles into DIY home projects
In short: Empty whisky bottles can be reused as water carafes, vases, candle holders, terrariums, herb gardens or decorative storage containers. After thoroughly cleaning the bottle and removing the label, you can turn it into a practical home accessory rather than sending it straight to recycling.
Finished a bottle of whisky and wondering what to do with it? Empty whisky bottles can be transformed into practical home accessories, decorative pieces and even miniature gardens with just a little creativity.
Our whisky bottles tell countless stories and accompany you on life’s adventures – it’s no wonder that you don’t want to chuck them straight in the recycling.
Luckily, you don’t have to. But if you are going to keep hold of your scotch bottles, it’s a good idea to actually do something with them.
Our bottles are attractive enough for plenty of DIY home decor projects that will remind you of your favourite whisky and great nights, while adding originality to your home.
If you want some easy DIY ideas and empty whisky bottle inspiration, keep reading.
How to clean an empty whisky bottle
Before starting any DIY project, thoroughly rinse the bottle with warm water and a small amount of washing-up liquid. To remove stubborn labels, soak the bottle in warm water for several hours before gently peeling away the adhesive. Allow the bottle to dry completely before using it for plants, candles or drinks.
Water carafe
We’re starting with the simplest DIY home decor idea of all.
Give your whisky bottle a good clean, remove the label and then fill it up with a beverage of your choice to create a carafe.
We recommend adding some lemon wedges, raspberries and mint leaves and then topping up with water. Keep in the fridge and you’ll always have a refreshing drink available – and we all know that drinks taste better when they’re in a cool bottle.
Having friends round? Fill up a few of your empty scotch bottles with beverages and arrange on your table.
Just make sure you also have a full bottle of 12 Year Old single malt, Founder’s Reserve smooth scotch whisky, or The Glenlivet whisky of choice on the bar cart – guests are bound to get a taste for whisky when they see your carafes!
Terrarium
A bottle terrarium is a creative way to give an empty whisky bottle a second life. Succulents and cacti work particularly well as they require very little maintenance and thrive in drier conditions – keep the lid off the bottle to keep them dry.
Simply add a 3-5cm layer of pebbles, followed by compost until the bottle is about a third of the way full, then your small selection of plants. The narrow neck requires a little patience, but the finished result makes a striking decorative feature for shelves, desks or windowsills. If you’d prefer something edible, the same idea can be adapted into a miniature herb garden for cocktail garnishes.
Top tip: use a long spoon to carefully plant the succulents and cacti, beginning with the biggest. You won’t need many, as your plants will need room to grow.
Use a chopstick to fill the soil and make things neat. Add some extra stones to the surface if you fancy, or let the plants do all the talking.
Spritz your plants with water when the soil is dry, and watch them flourish.
Candle holder
This is one of the quickest and most effective whisky bottle DIY projects. Simply trim a candlestick to size and place it securely into the neck of the bottle – they shouldn’t be excessively long or you risk them toppling over. You may also need a knife to carefully taper the bottom of your candle stick so it’ll fit inside your whisky bottle.
An arrangement of bottle candles works beautifully on a dining table, mantelpiece or outdoor entertaining space. As the candle burns, melted wax will gradually coat the bottle, creating a unique finish that becomes part of the decoration itself.
Fairy light bottle lamp
One of the easiest ways to reuse an empty whisky bottle is to turn it into a decorative lamp using battery-powered fairy lights.
Simply clean the bottle, remove the label if desired and feed a string of warm white lights through the neck. The result is a soft ambient light that works well on shelves, side tables or home bars.
It’s a particularly effective way to preserve a bottle from a special occasion while giving it a practical purpose around the home.
Vase
We’re ending with another super simple DIY home decor idea – turning your old whisky bottle into a vase.
You can make this project as easy or as artistic as you like. On the most simple end of the spectrum, just remove labels from your old whisky bottle, give it a good clean, and adorn with flowers or foliage of your choice.
Or if you’re feeling more creative, you could try spray painting your whisky bottle – a metallic colour or matt white can be very striking. Feel free to then decorate your empty whisky bottle vase with unique hand painted designs.
Whether you choose to display a single rose, wildflowers from your garden or some trendy pampas grass in your DIY vase, it’s sure to add plenty of personality to any windowsill or bedside table.
More ideas for empty whisky bottles
- Olive oil dispenser
- Reed diffuser
- Herb garden
- Decorative storage bottle
Keep your whisky bottles forever with these easy DIY ideas, and you’ll always be reminded of the incredible experiences and connections that good Scotch has given you.
Happy DIY-ing!
Explore other ways to get creative with The Glenlivet with our collection of whisky cocktail recipes. Also check out our guide to cooking with whisky and the benefits of using a whisky decanter.
