Stone Oak Liquor has what people want

With an exclusive selection of products that includes premium rums, tequilas, vodkas, gins and cognacs, as well as a huge range of single malt scotch whiskies, Stone Oak Liquor has differentiated itself by offering the quality that customers look for.

With years of experience in the alcohol industry that began at age 19, owner Ian Rettie, or “The English Guy” as he’s known to locals, bought the shop in October 2010. Originally from the UK, Ian said he noticed a major difference in what people preferred in America.

"I would drink vodka and coke all the time and I came here and people only drank whiskey and coke," he said. "I had been in the liquor industry for 25 years and I had never once heard of that!"

An advantage Ian did have from home was a unique knowledge of scotch, which he gained from his Scottish father. To accentuate his collection Ian proudly displays a one-of-a-kind custom graph of scotches based on their richness and smokiness. Ian said he discovered a great deal of people were uninformed about the whiskey, and thought it would be great to visually display the flavors for customers. With some collaboration with a journalist in UK, he continues to improve the chart by adding new scotches or changing the current ones to match their ever-changing taste.

Despite his expertise, Ian is not a fan of scotch and said his favorite cocktail is from much further south. "My favorite drink is a margarita, any margarita," he said.

Although Stone Oak Liquor's scotch selection is favorable, Ian offers a comprehensive range of premium liquors to meet the demands of Stone Oak customers. “You have to have a good variety of products to satisfy the variety of customers,” he said.

As far as his long term goals, Ian said he would like to develop a reputation that lets people know they can ask an honest question and expect an honest answer. "I'm not trying to up-sell customers," he said. “My favorite part about this job are the customers, it always has been.”

If you're looking for exceptional service and superior products, or you just want to learn more about a specific spirit, pay Ian Rettie a visit at Stone Oak Liquor, located in the Stone Oak Square shopping center at Huebner and Stone Oak Parkway. For more information visit their Facebook page or call 210-404-1166.