400 Bottles

Googled - "best bourbon bar chicago" - came back Delilah's - OMG - was it ever correct !!! -

For business types staying down on Wacker - it might take a small leap of faith to walk into this Lincoln Park space - tattoos would make entry easier -

The joint is packed - music blaring - the bar runs about 3/4 of the length of the room -

Behind the bar - the bottles - hundreds and hundreds of bottles - 3 or 4 deep on the lower back counter - 2 or 3 deep on the 2 upper shelves - every bottle appearing to be different - and they were - the unofficial published number is 400 brown spirits - whiskeys - bourbon - scotches - the counter was covered with vodka and tequila - and only after starting research for this posting did I learn of Delilah's strength in beer -

The space is very dark - impossible to see what's on the shelves - asked for a listing - immediately proffered - but still un-readable - Flashlight (app) on my iPhone to the rescue -

Saw a few of the boubons I might go for - but my evening's drinking partner was hot for Johnny Drum Private Stock - which I have been raving about - (Lov'n Johnny Drum)

The bartender - responded to our inquiry - reaching behind the first row of bottles - moving two others aside - one of which was Johnny Drum Green Label (3 years) - then - voila - 

But wait - less than an oz in the bottle -

• "do you have any more?" -
• "let me ask my manager" -
• "have we got any Johnny Drum Private Stock upstairs?? " -
• "I'll check" -

3 or 4 minutes later the replacement bottle appeared - we were off - first drink of the evening -

Second round - ordered from the list - Delilah's 15 Year Private Rye - awesome - smooth - mellow spice - polished - you could taste the age - great contrast to the sweet cherry flavors of the Johnny Drum -

Throughly enjoying the the rye - conversation moved to the next round - i looked unsuccessfully for Parker's from Heaven Hill on the list - bartender apparently overhead - as - without saying a word - drove his hand into the top shelf - emerging within seconds with Parker 27-Year-Old - for our inspection -

Asking which Parker's he had - the return trip produced all three - now it was - which one to drink -

David - in a flash of brilliance - ordered all three - the bartender pouring - neat - an oz of - Parker's Cast Strength - Parker's Golden Anniversary - and - Parker's 27-Year-Old - into three small rocks glasses -

We looked at each other - were we suddenly sharing ?? - he was drinking neat - I was on-the-rocks - cutting each with a few cubes of ice - slowly melting - to open up and release the bounty of flavors -

Three more glasses - each with 5 or 6 small cubes of ice -

Slowly we sipped - progressing through the flite - finished the Cast Strength - onto the Anniversary - ended with the magnificant 27-Year-Old -

What a trip - what a bar - if you're into brown spirits - this is a mecca - make it a destination -

Tks David - 

Comments

[Peter B]

Bought a bottle of Russel 10 year Reserve for a house party in North Carolina this past Memorial Day weekend. A good mixture of smokey and kick.