Best Bars in America on Esquire TV

[maybeling]

So, was flipping through channels tonight and noticed this "Best Bars in America" show on the Esquire channel. The show description mentioned a whiskey bar in Portland. I've heard of the Multnomah Whiskey Library but never been, it's quite a distance from ATL. Anyway, great looking spot from what I could tell on the TV. The guys on the show had a HW OMG and an Emerald 1865 from Ransom Whiskey in Oregon. Not familiar with Ransom, any good? But I was surprised that the bartender then said that they have a good wine selection and recommended a Rosé to them, which they ordered. I'm definitely not a wine connoisseur, but come on... you're in a place where the walls are lined with whiskey. And you're gonna order a Rosé? Sigh.

[MonsterMashBill]

Multnomah Whiskey Library is a ridiculously obnoxious, douchey place. There's an hours long wait to get in, unless you're a member. Membership costs 500 bucks a year and confers no benefit other than the ability to make reservations. They order barrel selections, but unlike literally every other establishment in town that does this (Raven and Rose, Pope House, Imperial, etc.) they don't let the public buy the surplus bottles (bars can order a barrel through OLCC liquor stores, and they don't have to buy every bottle. If they don't, the store can sell the remainder to the public. I've gotten some absurdly nice Four Roses cask selections that way.) They're (surprise!) overpriced and have stuff on the menu they won't sell you at all. The food is overpriced and underwhelming. It's a nice space, and they do have a comprehensive selection, I'll give them that, but it's just not worth it.

Pope House is a thousand times better -- it has a very nice bourbon selection, has incredibly friendly staff, and is actually possible to get into. The food and drink is reasonably priced ($4 VOB BIB pours!) And they've selected a Four Roses cask each of the last two years and knocked it out of the park each time (A very nice OBSK in 2012, and an *outstanding* OBSF in 2013.)

Never tried Ransom; I do know it's a 4 grain Irish style whiskey from Sheridan, OR. I want to try it, but a bottle is 75 bucks and I'm not not that curious. I'll have to find a bar that's charging a reasonable amount for a pour (which won't be the MWL, that's for sure.)

[tanstaafl2]

Never tried Ransom; I do know it's a 4 grain Irish style whiskey from Sheridan, OR. I want to try it, but a bottle is 75 bucks and I'm not not that curious. I'll have to find a bar that's charging a reasonable amount for a pour (which won't be the MWL, that's for sure.)

[jmj_203]

Multnomah Whiskey Library is a ridiculously obnoxious, douchey place. There's an hours long wait to get in, unless you're a member. Membership costs 500 bucks a year and confers no benefit other than the ability to make reservations. They order barrel selections, but unlike literally every other establishment in town that does this (Raven and Rose, Pope House, Imperial, etc.) they don't let the public buy the surplus bottles (bars can order a barrel through OLCC liquor stores, and they don't have to buy every bottle. If they don't, the store can sell the remainder to the public. I've gotten some absurdly nice Four Roses cask selections that way.) They're (surprise!) overpriced and have stuff on the menu they won't sell you at all. The food is overpriced and underwhelming. It's a nice space, and they do have a comprehensive selection, I'll give them that, but it's just not worth it.

Pope House is a thousand times better -- it has a very nice bourbon selection, has incredibly friendly staff, and is actually possible to get into. The food and drink is reasonably priced ($4 VOB BIB pours!) And they've selected a Four Roses cask each of the last two years and knocked it out of the park each time (A very nice OBSK in 2012, and an *outstanding* OBSF in 2013.)

Never tried Ransom; I do know it's a 4 grain Irish style whiskey from Sheridan, OR. I want to try it, but a bottle is 75 bucks and I'm not not that curious. I'll have to find a bar that's charging a reasonable amount for a pour (which won't be the MWL, that's for sure.)

See this is why I say I feel much more at home here. I hate feeling like I'm the grumpy old guy (at 33yrs old!), but I can't stand most bars just because of the douchey-whiskey-hipster/mixologist crowds that seem to congregate at most, and the fact you have how many young-uns freshly of legal drinking age impressing everyone with their whiskey imbibing prowess. Give me a basement home-bar with a few of my drinking friends (and reasonably priced bourbon by the bottle from my liquor store versus rape-style-pricing on pours at a bar) and some shows/pool/darts to entertain me and I'm much more in heaven-bar atmosphere.

[maybeling]

Multnomah Whiskey Library is a ridiculously obnoxious, douchey place. There's an hours long wait to get in, unless you're a member. Membership costs 500 bucks a year and confers no benefit other than the ability to make reservations. They order barrel selections, but unlike literally every other establishment in town that does this (Raven and Rose, Pope House, Imperial, etc.) they don't let the public buy the surplus bottles (bars can order a barrel through OLCC liquor stores, and they don't have to buy every bottle. If they don't, the store can sell the remainder to the public. I've gotten some absurdly nice Four Roses cask selections that way.) They're (surprise!) overpriced and have stuff on the menu they won't sell you at all. The food is overpriced and underwhelming. It's a nice space, and they do have a comprehensive selection, I'll give them that, but it's just not worth it.

Pope House is a thousand times better -- it has a very nice bourbon selection, has incredibly friendly staff, and is actually possible to get into. The food and drink is reasonably priced ($4 VOB BIB pours!) And they've selected a Four Roses cask each of the last two years and knocked it out of the park each time (A very nice OBSK in 2012, and an *outstanding* OBSF in 2013.)

Never tried Ransom; I do know it's a 4 grain Irish style whiskey from Sheridan, OR. I want to try it, but a bottle is 75 bucks and I'm not not that curious. I'll have to find a bar that's charging a reasonable amount for a pour (which won't be the MWL, that's for sure.)

[maybeling]

I have tried the Ransom Emerald and definitely liked it. It is a bit young perhaps but I personally don't think it tastes particularly young. Of course who is to say that Irish Whiskey from 1865 wasn't young anyway! It is three years old and that is the legal minimum requirement for an Irish Whiskey. Of course this one isn't made in Ireland!

But it is rather pricey so that is something to consider.

Irish whiskey is on my to do list... (aside from Jameson years ago). So even though it's not technically/legally(?) an Irish whiskey I probably wouldn't have much to compare it to. Is it on shelves in the ATL area? If it gets sorted with Irish whiskies I've probably never noticed it.

[tanstaafl2]

Irish whiskey is on my to do list... (aside from Jameson years ago). So even though it's not technically/legally(?) an Irish whiskey I probably wouldn't have much to compare it to. Is it on shelves in the ATL area? If it gets sorted with Irish whiskies I've probably never noticed it.

[HD 335]

I recently traveled up to Portland and visited Multnomah Whiskey Library. I hear on weekends it's a zoo but I was there on Wednesday so the crowds were not out yet. The price is higher than other bars but the lady and I enjoyed our time there. The bartender was very nice and we talked about various independent scotch bottlers and their collection is very impressive. I struck up a conversation with a gentlemen next to me and he even offered me a taste of a Tomatin 43 year old Lonach bottling. Personally I suggest trying to drop by and see if it's busy. If you can get in quickly for a drink, I'd avoid the food, it's an experience to see a true wall of whiskey and maybe meet other diehard whiskey fans.

Hopefully my panoramic shows up so you can get an idea of the place.

[maybeling]

I'm sure the atmosphere is nice, and would be interesting to check it out. If I lived there I'm inclined to think that I would feel the same way MonsterMashBill does about it. Makes me wonder about other "destination" whiskey bars and whether there is generally expected inflation due to the specific focus and/or exhaustive menus.

[yemenmocha]

Wonder if the $500 membership is meant to weed out many of the "hipsters" and other groups that are a big part of Portland's "diversity".