Copper & Oak - A Bar Review
I've fallen a bit behind on reviews, but I'll try to remedy that tonight with a review of Copper & Oak, another Lower East Side whiskey bar located just 5 minutes' walk from The Whiskey Ward. I hit both of these on an early summer day in New York this June and enjoyed them both, particularly because they offer very different experiences.
Atmosphere and Service: In contrast to the laid-back Whiskey Ward, Copper & Oak offers a more intimate, higher-end, chic aesthetic. The Whiskey Ward is the place to go have drinks with an old friend and catch up; Copper & Oak is for date nights.
The bar itself is tiny, perhaps the space of a walk-in sandwich counter or Chinatown dumpling shop. It consists of a wraparound bar that's floor-to-ceiling shelving full of whiskies, and a counter that also goes 270 degrees around the narrow, rectangular space. There's enough room for 1 row of people to sit, and then another row of people to stand. In other words, this is a tight fit, verging on cramped. You're going to be elbow to elbow with other parties, so it's not ideal for those who get claustrophobic or just want a little more personal space.
The bartenders really know their stuff and seemed engaged with educating others in the hobby. On the plus side, that makes this bar a nice place to go if you're looking to learn more about the whiskies that you taste. The downside is that it can take a while to get service because, after pouring, the bartender may spend another 5 to 10 minutes explaining each whiskey's type (e.g., what's the difference between a rye whiskey and a bourbon?) and the tasting notes for the selected bottle.
This place loves whiskey so much that even the door handles are broken-down staves.
Selection: In a word, extensive. Check it out for yourself online. The bar features almost 300 single malt scotches alone, and almost 200 bourbons. That's not to mention blended whiskies, ryes, and other international whiskies. Again, the bartenders are receptive to helping out or making suggestions. The bar's menus come loaded up on iPad minis, although sometimes there aren't enough of those to go around.
Rare Bottles: Any time that a bar has 600-odd whiskies, it's going to have an impressive array of rare or unusual whiskies on offer. I found their coverage of up and coming American whiskies to be unusually broad, even for a dedicated whiskey bar. There were a lot of Westland expressions here, including the expensive and limited Garryana release (named after the West Coast oak tree that they used to make the barrels in which it aged, and which reputedly give it a unique flavor profile) and Peat Week, which I tried. These guys also have a ton of Japanese whisky, including ultra high-end and hard-to-find expressions.
This would be perfect for chemistry geeks or pre-meds: a skeletal formula for the alcohol molecule
Value: Prices here are significantly higher than they are at The Whiskey Ward, but that's the cost of a more upscale atmosphere. That being said, one major benefit to grabbing a drink at Copper & Oak is that the bar will do one-ounce pours for half the price of a two-ounce pour. There are also value pours to be found on the menu for a trained eye.
That being said, some of the prices are absolutely mind-boggling. Yoichi 15 for $55 an ounce, or Hibiki 21 for $39? It's getting tough to pony up the cost for good whiskey in bars nowadays.
***
Copper & Oak seems like the perfect bar to visit twice. Come a week or so before a special date, learn a lot about the whiskies that they offer, and then ask the bartenders to pretend not to recognize you upon your return. The next week, return with a date and impress her (or him) with all of your new knowledge! It also won't hurt that everyone has to get pretty cozy with each other when at this bar.