By Kurt Maitland In New York, The Brandy Library has a reputation as the spirits connoisseur’s bar. That makes French-born Flavien Desoblin the owner of a major service institution in a town where upscale tastings and product launches are a fixture of the serious drinker’s circuit. As The Brandy Library is one of Kurt Maitland’s favorite bars, he made a ...

Declaring the Brandy Library as one of my favorite bars in NYC is easy, although saying it actually seems weird, since it does really appear to be a library rather than a bar, albeit one stacked with booze instead of books.  If you are a fan of bourbon and scotch (or cognac, Armagnac, and brandy), it is a must visit. ...

Interview with Matt Landan of Haymarket Whiskey Bar in Louisville, Kentucky By Kurt Maitland Louisville Urban Bourbon Trail has plenty of fine watering holes for the discriminating bourbon drinker, but some stand out even in that grouping. This is what was said about the Haymarket Whiskey Bar when Thrillist voted it one of the America’s 22 Best Whiskey Bars: “The ...

Rob Morton, Owner of Idle Hands in New York, Talks About Running a Bourbon Bar By Kurt Maitland Idle Hands, in my opinion, is one of the best bourbon bars in all of NYC. I had the pleasure of interviewing Rob Morton, one of the co-owners of the bar and talking to him about both the current bar and the ...

By Julia Hughes, Head Bartender at Louis 649, New York City The Ramses was created in honor of two regulars at Louis 649 who courted at the bar.  When they announced that they were getting married, this drink was created to celebrate their union.  They loved both whiskey and Aperol, and the drink incorporates both into a simple, refreshing, and ...