Brandy Library
May 11, 2011 § 21 Comments
This past weekend, I was excited to have one of my oldest friends visiting from out of town. When asked what he wanted to do, his reply was simple: “Something whiskey related”
Fan.tas.tic!
We quickly agreed to meet in Tribeca at the Brandy Library. It was one of those perfect spring days where the weather was warm enough to make you not want to be inside but chilly enough that when the wind blew, you were thankful to be able to take the edge off with the help of a beautiful single-malt … or two… or six.
The Brandy Library has an über sexy interior – a dark wooden bar, chocolate brown leather chairs, and the most amazing amber glow thanks to the floor-to-ceiling whisk(e)y bottles that line the walls. They also have a few chairs on their elevated front porch (which is where we were sitting). I like that you’re outside but off of the ground a bit – it gives you the feeling of privacy without blocking your view for all of the people watching you’re going to want to be doing!
Menu: What made the Brandy Library a perfect choice is their extensive menu. Just warning you, it’s a book! But the staff is really helpful and the book is organized with tabs so you can find the different sections really quickly. This was helpful because in our group of four, we had covered most of the world with our choices! Collectively, we ordered a Japanese Whisky (Yamazaki 12yr), a French whiskey (Michel Courvreur 12yr), an Indian Whisky (Amrut Single Malt) and the American Pride tasting … funny that not one person ordered something from either Scotland or Ireland, which where a majority of the whiskies are from.
Aside from the ambiance, what I love about the Brandy Library are their tasting menus. Each of their flights offer 6 different whiskies (hence the “six” comment above!). They bring you a shallow box with the numbers & names underneath the corresponding, pre-poured glasses. They place another page with the names & numbers on top of the glasses for you to keep on the side while you work your way through. (I like this extra copy for note taking… but then again not everyone is a dorky as I am!) They also bring you a 7th (and empty) glass with a bottle of water for you to play & experiment with how the addition of the water can change and enhance the flavors of the spirits. The challenge? They don’t give you the name of the 6th whiskey. They want you to be able to taste, experiment, and enjoy it without any preconceived notions.
Tasting like this can be so educational. I find that being able to alternate between the glasses and compare their smells and tastes really helps me recognize and define the different flavor components in each whisky. I personally find this much easier to do when I have multiple spirits to compare verses drinking them one at a time. Which is why when I’m drinking a whisky at a bar, if I happen to order a second glass and change my choice, I usually try to leave a little in my first glass so I have it to refer back to when I’m ready to compare it to the second.
I should also mention that they do have a full liquor license and serve wine & cocktails … although that’s not why I go! The Brandy Library also has a great hors d’oeuvres menu. My personal favorite is the gougères (think perfect bites of warm, cheesy dough)! De-lish.
The only thing I would have changed would have been to have my friends stay longer.
Have you been to the Brandy Library? Post a comment below!
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Tagged: Brandy Library, NYC, Tastings, Whiskey, Whisky
Great post! The Brandy Library is heaven for connoisseurs as well as those who are just starting to learn about whiskey. You can absorb so much just by reading through its list (you’re right — its actually a book!).
Looking forward to reading more of your whisky adventures!
Thanks Jennifer @ AG Wine! You brought up a great point – Brandy Library is perfect for beginners, experts & everyone in between. They are also really focused on education and even have a “Spirit School” – good job Brandy Library! Now THAT’S the kind of class I wish I could have taken in college (well, for credit at least).
I’ve never been there but will have to change that the next time I am in the City. Thanks for the tip.
Absolutely! Let me know what you think afterwards. While you’re in that neighborhood, you can also check out:
Ward III http://www.ward3tribeca.com
B-Flat http://www.bflat.info
Both make some great whiskey cocktails. Ward III does a stiff pour so plan accordingly and B-Flat usually offer a few good happy-hour bites, like a basket of Chicken Wings for around $7.
Good tips. Thanks!
[…] – click HERE if you missed my earlier post/review on the Brandy […]
I popped into The Brandy Library when I was in NY on business, and took one of their excellent Bourbon tasting classes (which I found out about through http://nycwhisky.com) – utterly engaging session, with a good selection of spirits and top quality information.
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your comment! Love NYCwhisky.com – it’s a great source (I wish other cities had a site like this one!). Appreciate you sharing your experience and so happy it was a positive one!
Thanks,
WW
I agree completely about wishing there were similar sites for other cities – excitingly, I can tell you that there’s one in development for London at: http://www.whiskylondon.com/
That’s GREAT!!! Is this your site? It’ll be a fantastic resource!
Thanks for sharing,
WW
It’s not my site, no – it’s being developed by another member of London’s whisky community (and generally wonderful person). Stay tuned!
Awesome! Very cool. Will definitely keep my eye on it.
Cheers!
-WW
G-LO just hipped me to this review. Brandy Library sounds awesome and I’m planning an evening ASAP.
Meanwhile, kudos for blogging such useful whiskinfo. Your blog is rapidly becoming indispensable reading. I’m following it now and have added it to my blogroll.
Hey Josh,
Thanks so much for such a nice comment! New, interested & active followers are much appreciated!
G-LO and I have talked before about how there is a great community of whisky bloggers all keeping part of the conversation. I think you’re going to be a great addition yourself.
Thanks for including me in your blog roll. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Brandy Library!
-WW
I’ve been surprised and delighted to discover the vibrant community of bloggers. Ryan (Whisky-Reviews.com) wrote about a “whisky brotherhood”. Clearly we have to de-genderize it – call it a “whisky family” of like-minded people sharing a sociable passion.
I’m glad to be part of the conversation.
Whisky-family!!! I love it!!!
Good times to all!
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Your review is just the way I remember The Brandy Library. My fiance and I went there during a trip to NYC a couple years ago. We also tried the American Pride, which I found to be very helpful and educating since I didn’t know anything about whiskey then.
Hi Dave!
Thanks for your comment. Glad you have such positive memories of Brandy Library – it’s one of my favs. I haven’t been to American Pride (not that I remember, at least!) but a quick search on google didn’t help me locate it. Might you remember about where it was in the city? Thanks for the tip!
-WW
[…] you follow this blog at all – you’re already familiar with my love of Brandy Library in NYC. Alas, my heart has been opened further to embrace another wonderful whisky bar here in […]