In September 2012, The Flatiron Room began providing rent-paying New Yorkers something they’ve only dreamed of: ownership. Order a bottle from a list of 500 whiskeys; if you can’t muster the resolve to finish it, a whiskey steward will brand the bottle with your name and set it aside in a locker where it will wait for your next visit. If a bottle isn’t your speed, choose a cocktail from the whiskey-heavy list constructed by Miguel Aranda, formerly of Daniel and Apotheke. The drink called The 1920s embodies the atmosphere of the room: simple, perfectly balanced, slightly cerebral and rye-centric, with the trendy pre-Prohibition vibe of absinthe. That said, this place is less about the creativity of the cocktails than it is about spotlighting the raw spirit. Think of it as the distilled-cereal-grain equivalent of the Brandy Library, with live music, instructive flights and an extensive schedule of tastings with distillers. Recently, Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie was on hand to pair his Scotches with food. When’s the last time you had diver scallops in a mint-citrus vinaigrette with a briny Speyside malt?
This review appears in the print edition of the April 2013 issue. Like what you just read? Subscribe now.
This story appears in the print issue of April 2013.
Like what you read? Subscribe today.