Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Hart/DOWNTOWN Magazine
Whiskey overload, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!
The 1st annual NYC Whiskey Walk kicked off on Saturday in downtown Manhattan, selling out tickets and bringing in approximately 700 whiskey-tasters together from all over. DOWNTOWN had the privilege of attending the event by tasting eight different Irish whiskeys at eight different downtown bars, and it was a blast!
Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Hart/DOWNTOWN Magazine
The first bar where things kicked off was Nevada Smiths, located on 3rd Avenue by Union Square. It was a fairly large sports bar, with three floors and a giant screen located by the main bar that immediately caught your eye as soon as you walked in the door. Nevada Smiths is mainly known as a soccer bar, with multiple TVs airing different soccer matches from around the world.
We checked in, and received a pass on a lanyard that had all the participating bars and a map so we could find them. All the bars were within walking distance; however, some were a bit of a hike from the others. At Nevada Smiths, the whiskey they were serving was Jameson Black Barrel Select. Some bars would only allow shots, while others offered it on the rocks or mixed with club soda. Nevertheless, you still got the full whiskey tasting effect, no matter which way you ordered it.
Paired with the whiskey (and whatever other drinks that your ordered), Nevada Smiths served complimentary finger food, such as wings, onion rings, fries, and chips with salsa, guacamole, and queso. It was a great way to kick things off and set the mood for the rest of the day/evening.
Following Nevada Smiths, we made our way to Shades of Green, Jukebar, The Copper Still, Dempsey’s, Mama’s Bar, Libation, and Thunder Jackson’s. Each bar had a different whiskey, so we tried the Cu Chulainn at Shades of Green, 2 Gingers at Jukebar, Powers Gold Label at The Copper Still, Paddy Whiskey at Dempsey’s, Bush Mills Black Bush at Mama’s Bar, regular Jameson at Libation and Bush Mills at Thunder Jackson’s. Some of our favorite whiskeys included the Jameson, Paddy’s, and the Bush Mills Black Bush whiskey selections.
The bar at The Copper Still Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Hart/DOWNTOWN Magazine
Some of our favorite bars were Nevada Smiths (where we checked in), Mama’s Bar, and Thunder Jackson’s. Though the last two were a bit small, they had an energetic and upbeat atmosphere that made for a fun and enjoyable experience.
Overall, the NYC Whiskey Walk was an awesome, all day experience that we definitely recommend! Craft Hospitality Group, the organization that hosts both this event and the Whiskey Walk in Washington D.C., had a great turnout for their first year doing this event, and is already looking into the future to make it even bigger and more successful. It was a great way to meet other people while enjoying premium Irish whiskeys at some of New York’s hottest bars downtown.
Be sure to join the Craft Hospitality Group for next year’s Whiskey Walk and book your tickets to one of their other events, the NYC Craft Distillers Festival, coming up on March 28! You won’t want to miss either of them!
– by Jackie Hart
