Over the last few months, we’ve been covering the craft cocktail craze that has taken over the bar tops of this city. There is no denying the immense popularity of everything mixed, muddled and served with a maraschino cherry. It was only a matter of time before Calgary followed in the footsteps of other cities like San Francisco and New York by opening up a bar that catered specifically to brown liquor aficionados and lovers of a good old Kentucky drink.
With the opening of the second National came the little gem of a bar we know as the Bourbon Room, which is nestled on the third floor of the grandiose beer hall. This little watering hole has been somewhat of a well-kept secret until recently and serves as a wonderful place to retreat to on a Friday night when the downstairs crowd is in full swing. Once you turn the corner of the top stairwell, you are pleasantly surprised to encounter a ping-pong table and a completely unassuming entrance to another bar.
The Bourbon Room is a fashionable and exclusive establishment that is outfitted with retro red leather bar stools and seats that are all too inviting. It’s the kind of place that you want to host a gentleman’s club. The most intriguing thing about this bar is the collection of exotic and yet very playful black and white nude photographs that grace the walls, looking very similar to centerfolds from a 1960s Playboy magazine. Beyond the beautiful women and the ambiance of a speakeasy, the Bourbon Room carries one of the best collections of bourbon in the city thanks to Stephen Phipps, a fixture in the Calgary cocktail scene.
As we hinted in an article last week, there will be a very special bourbon experience happening in Calgary for one night only during the coming month. Young professionals looking for an excuse to check out the Bourbon Room, mark March 20th on your calendar: Notable is inviting you to join us for a night of juke joint blues, comfort food and handcrafted cocktails. Three of the very best bartenders around will be showing up to share their favourite Bulleit bourbon recipes with guests, giving you a chance to experience one of the coolest rooms in the city while learning trade secrets and enjoying some famous Southern hospitality.
Tickets are $35 and are now on sale HERE.
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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