We don’t normally review stores. But Straight Spirit is not your average store.
Central Park’s new whiskey ‘shop’ is more like a whiskey den – its slim space kitted out with vintage furniture and tables, its lighting low, despite its shopping center setting. Stop in to buy a bottle for your house, and you just might find yourself spending hours sipping here instead.
Straight Spirit stocks an excellent range of whiskeys, which you can buy by the bottle at retail prices (read: cheaper than in an actual bar). But you can also buy 100ml samples – whether of a whiskey you’re considering taking home, or just of something you’d like to sip in store. Straight Spirit also has several barrels of aged cocktails – the hottest trend in Beijing’s bar scene at the moment – including Manhattans (RMB56) and Sazeracs (RMB46, a steal).
But what really makes Straight Spirit stand out is its service. Straight Spirit’s buttoned-up staffers make us feel utterly relaxed, as they explain the differences between whiskey brands and show us some of their favorites. This is clearly a place made for and by whiskey lovers – and it makes even non-whiskey lovers appreciative of the experience.
Straight Spirit being a store, however, it closes earlier than your average whiskey bar (11pm). But if you find yourself shutting the place down, they’re happy to send you out with a bottle for home.
See a listing for Straight Spirit and read more Beijing Bar & Restaurant Reviews
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