6 top-shelf whiskey bars
• Jul 21st, 2010 • Category: Uncategorized
In our July/August issue, we named a few outstanding restaurants with killer whiskey lists. Want to skip dinner and head straight for the booze? Pull up a seat at one of these tried-and-true whiskey bars.
EXTON, PENN.: The Drafting Room
This taproom in suburban Philly gives equal billing to Scotch and beer: Pints of Left Hand Good Juju Ginger and Petrus Aged Pale Ale share table space with lowballs of 21-year-old Glen Garioch.
OREGON CITY, ORE.: Highland Stillhouse
The 300-bottle-strong whiskey list at this Portland-area pub is nothing short of impressive, with five finishes of Arran Single Cask, a 13-year-old Carigellachue and a 17-year-old Old Pulteney.
NEW YORK CITY: Brandy Library
Don’t let the name fool you: Sure, there’s a mouthwatering list of brandies, rums and other liquors, plus a “spirit sommelier” to boot, but there’s no denying the 21-bottle whiskey menu with offerings like a 21-year-old, 105-proof Edradour and a $220 glass of 40-year-old Tomatin. This is a serious place for serious drinkers; the minimum drinking age is 25, vulgar language is prohibited, and there’s a host of other house rules that keep the place classy.
SEATTLE: F.X. McRory’s
Upwards of 750 bottles of booze (including 135 bourbons) crowd the shelves at this iconic West Coast whiskey bar, conveniently attached to a steak-and-oyster house. The only thing more famous than the bar’s whiskey library is the LeRoy Neiman painting on display; ask a staffer to share its story.
CHICAGO: Duke of Perth
Killer fish and chips, a small but smart list of British beers and a friendly, knowledgeable staff seals this Scottish bar’s place in our hearts. Best of all, it eschews a mile-long list in favor of a well-edited selection of classics like port-wood Balvenie and Bruichladdich Islay.
LOS ANGELES: Seven Grand
L.A. isn’t all foofy cocktails: This genteel tavern plastered in taxidermy pours 300 whiskeys ranging from Auchentoshan to Yamazaki, lights bourbon-dipped cigars and hosts live jazz and blues three nights a week. And even whiskey purists dig the Rye Manhattan.
Where do you go to sip the brown stuff? Tell us below.
