Once every few years, we reinvent the wheel. Pink (or orange) is the new black. Macarons are the new cupcakes.
Now, it’s evident, bourbon is the new tequila.
Barkeeps and restaurateurs have been racing to build their stores of premium and unusual American whiskeys—and a few on the Gulfshore are really raising the bar.
In Lee County last year, Twisted Vine Bistro launched The Barrel Room at Twisted Vine Bistro, a bar next door to its larger sister restaurant in Fort Myers’ River District that boasts more than 40 rare bourbons and live blues and jazz acts.
Last month, Café & Bar Lurcat in downtown Naples developed a bourbon program featuring 21 different types of the American whiskey and a list of classic cocktails, like the Manhattan, Sazerac, old fashioned and Boulevardier—and allowing guests to pick and choose what spirit, bitters and aperitif or vermouth they want (with house suggestions, of course).
And let’s not forget Whiskey Park, a saloon-style bar and restaurant with a Cajun accent that debuted last year in the trade center near the Naples airport. There’s 1792, Bulleit, Old Forester 1897 and 40-something more selections from the U.S. alone, not to mention Jack Fire (a Jack Daniels cinnamon whiskey) on tap.
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