Rye House: Whisky Rules!
Boy, do I love order!
I love order so much that even though tons of time has passed since this event - two months to be exact - I'm going to post this awesome activity before all the moving-to-Boston posts because chronologically speaking that's just what you do! There is a certain peace found in order - let me have it. :)
Meet Choun, the manager/educator at our all time favorite whiskey bar --> Rye House on W 17th btw 5th and 6th, Manhattan.
It certainly doesn't hurt that this place is directly beneath my favorite vintage shop, Shareen Vintage, and in truth we discovered it only because Shareen does not allow boys (there are no dressing rooms - you just strip down wherever you are) and Matt needed a place to be while I shopped.
We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into that first day!
You see, Choun knows whiskey! He knows whiskey like Matt knows steak. And lucky for us, Choun is just as gifted in his ability and enthusiasm for walking aficionados like us through the often times overwhelming world of brown spirits. Taking a seat at the bar when he's in the building is a guaranteed passport around the world in 80 sips. Okay, Okay... that was lofty. 80 sips would rock anyone and certainly that is way too much to ask of any bar, though they certainly have the inventory for it. What I can promise you is that upon introduction, Choun will lock into your personal preferences and start casually pulling bottle after bottle of whiskey off the back bar widening each time your definition of the word whiskey.
Like, get this : Japan makes whiskey!
Who knew? Certainly not me. This brand, Suntory, was founded in 1899 and started as a small wine store. Then in the 1920s, they constructed a distillery and took on the task of bringing Japanese Whiskey into the public eye.
We found this blend of malt and grain to be soft and mellow. It most definitely had its complexities and yet was easy enough on the palate and offered a gentle enough of a finish for this girlie-girl (who traditionally shies from whiskey of any kind) to still enjoy. Matt of course loved it and was thrilled to be introduced to a bottle he had previously never known existed.
Good job, Choun! You nailed us both in one try.
We needed to introduce friends to this place and boy, did we! Enter: Michael Kelly, everyone's favorite photographer (complete with his wildly gesturing hands)...
... my partner in boozie-ness and Mike's girlfriend, Marisa...
... Matt, of course, but you can kind of also see a drunk Diana in the background along with an even newer friend Jarvis...
... and our girl, Erin. (I've been looking for a reason to post this kick ass photo of her!)
Together, when our powers combine, we are Capital Planet.
Let's try some more whiskey!
(in order)
Port Charlotte is the name for this heavily-peated spirit made by Bruichladdich on Islay and is named after a long-defunct distillery on the island. This bottle, the PC7, is smoldering if you ask me. There is a sharp peat/smoke quality to it and a pungent woodiness, while still allowing for a sweet caramel flavor to come through. I'm not ready for this, but who knows, if I keep on practicing with Choun maybe someday soon I will be!
Octomore 2 140 is a sister spirit to Port Charlotte and I dare say is one of the most dramatically peated whiskys in the world - or at least that is Bruichladdich's hope. You can smell the smoke coming out of this glass 10 feet away.
Bowmore 1999 - all I can remember about this bottle is that it is finished in sweet Sauternes wine casks from Chateau d'Yquem. Looks like I'm going to have to take a trip back to Choun to refresh my memory. Shoot.
You know us! Even Matt's drink choice tends to be masculine. Mine is always pretty girlie. So it stands to reason that part way through our whiskey tasting, I would return to my tried and true blue love of specialty cocktail menus. This day's choice was particularly delicious. Meet the Clara Bow : Elijah Craig 12yr Bourbon, St. Germain Liqueur, Grenadine and Lemon. I would give my big toe for one of them right now.
Finish it off with some house-made jerky and you have the happiest group of friends that ever did exist.
I love order so much that even though tons of time has passed since this event - two months to be exact - I'm going to post this awesome activity before all the moving-to-Boston posts because chronologically speaking that's just what you do! There is a certain peace found in order - let me have it. :)
Meet Choun, the manager/educator at our all time favorite whiskey bar --> Rye House on W 17th btw 5th and 6th, Manhattan.
It certainly doesn't hurt that this place is directly beneath my favorite vintage shop, Shareen Vintage, and in truth we discovered it only because Shareen does not allow boys (there are no dressing rooms - you just strip down wherever you are) and Matt needed a place to be while I shopped.
We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into that first day!
You see, Choun knows whiskey! He knows whiskey like Matt knows steak. And lucky for us, Choun is just as gifted in his ability and enthusiasm for walking aficionados like us through the often times overwhelming world of brown spirits. Taking a seat at the bar when he's in the building is a guaranteed passport around the world in 80 sips. Okay, Okay... that was lofty. 80 sips would rock anyone and certainly that is way too much to ask of any bar, though they certainly have the inventory for it. What I can promise you is that upon introduction, Choun will lock into your personal preferences and start casually pulling bottle after bottle of whiskey off the back bar widening each time your definition of the word whiskey.
Like, get this : Japan makes whiskey!
Who knew? Certainly not me. This brand, Suntory, was founded in 1899 and started as a small wine store. Then in the 1920s, they constructed a distillery and took on the task of bringing Japanese Whiskey into the public eye.
We found this blend of malt and grain to be soft and mellow. It most definitely had its complexities and yet was easy enough on the palate and offered a gentle enough of a finish for this girlie-girl (who traditionally shies from whiskey of any kind) to still enjoy. Matt of course loved it and was thrilled to be introduced to a bottle he had previously never known existed.
Good job, Choun! You nailed us both in one try.
We needed to introduce friends to this place and boy, did we! Enter: Michael Kelly, everyone's favorite photographer (complete with his wildly gesturing hands)...
... my partner in boozie-ness and Mike's girlfriend, Marisa...
... Matt, of course, but you can kind of also see a drunk Diana in the background along with an even newer friend Jarvis...
... and our girl, Erin. (I've been looking for a reason to post this kick ass photo of her!)
Together, when our powers combine, we are Capital Planet.
Let's try some more whiskey!
(in order)
Port Charlotte is the name for this heavily-peated spirit made by Bruichladdich on Islay and is named after a long-defunct distillery on the island. This bottle, the PC7, is smoldering if you ask me. There is a sharp peat/smoke quality to it and a pungent woodiness, while still allowing for a sweet caramel flavor to come through. I'm not ready for this, but who knows, if I keep on practicing with Choun maybe someday soon I will be!
Octomore 2 140 is a sister spirit to Port Charlotte and I dare say is one of the most dramatically peated whiskys in the world - or at least that is Bruichladdich's hope. You can smell the smoke coming out of this glass 10 feet away.
Bowmore 1999 - all I can remember about this bottle is that it is finished in sweet Sauternes wine casks from Chateau d'Yquem. Looks like I'm going to have to take a trip back to Choun to refresh my memory. Shoot.
You know us! Even Matt's drink choice tends to be masculine. Mine is always pretty girlie. So it stands to reason that part way through our whiskey tasting, I would return to my tried and true blue love of specialty cocktail menus. This day's choice was particularly delicious. Meet the Clara Bow : Elijah Craig 12yr Bourbon, St. Germain Liqueur, Grenadine and Lemon. I would give my big toe for one of them right now.
Finish it off with some house-made jerky and you have the happiest group of friends that ever did exist.
An awesome day!
I recommend you giving it a whirl.
Happy Weekending!
0 comments:
Post a Comment