Neat Whisky Bar

Neat Whisky Bar is a concept bar within the Terrace Lounge. I’m not even sure Unilocal allows that, but we’ll see. Who says the only thing that matters is material. It goes something like this. Unless you look for it, it’s Terrace Lounge, a corny casino cocktail lounge with some corny, terrible lounge singer. Most people there are visiting gamblers. They don’t give a shit about craft cocktails or esoteric Scotches or bourbons. They order a gin and tonic or Maker’s Mark and call it a night. But if you look carefully, you discover Neat Whisky Bar, and voila, it’s suddenly a cool, hip whisky bar with 150 whiskies on the shelf. I guess it’s pretty hipster that the bar is so obscure it has no material existence and Unilocal may not even allow it to be reviewed. Wow, that’s pretty hipster. I don’t even think Chapel has that many whiskies although I keep imploring them to list their goddamn liquor. You know people just order whatever the hell is popular and corporate like Bushmills, Jameson, Maker’s Mark. Those asshats at Chapel have Elmer T Lee and Rowan’s Creek, but you’d never know unless you ask them. Anyhow, much applause to these guys for listing their whiskies and even better, at the back of the menu they provide a pretty decent short review of dozens of their whiskies. EVERY bar should do that. Educate your customers! I never knew so many Irish whiskies use bourbon barrels. Also, it’s spelled whisky if it’s from Canada or England and whiskey if it’s from Ireland or America. It’s called Scotch if it’s from Scotland. No, it’s not bourbon if it’s from Kentucky. It’s bourbon if it’s made according to the rules (at least 51% corn, aged in new charred-​oak barrels, made in America, bottled at 80 proof) so you can make Nevada bourbon if you wanted.
The prices tend to be on the high side for Reno like $ 9.50 for a Maker’s and $ 8 for Buffalo Trace. They say they pour 2 oz which I guess makes up for it, although most bartenders if they like you will pour 2 oz. The only really rare bourbon they have is the Pappy 15 year for $ 18, although they do have a lot of independent bourbons, surprising for a casino that prides itself on corporate bullshit beer and liquor. They have awful and small ice. I wouldn’t get anything on the rocks here. They only had several cocktails listed and not many classic cocktails. I get the idea they’re flirting with change but not making any commitment. Besides the people smoking at the bar and not giving a sh t that there were 150 whiskies, the only real annoyance was the goddamn singer who was virtually screaming and screeching. It was unbearable. Then she started singing Christmas songs and I had to leave. Christmas songs are terrible enough sung well, sung terribly, they’re a form of torture.