Dining on a Prime bone-in rib-eye, it feels right to be surrounded by a veritable gallery of whiskey bottles. At Stock & Bond, beef and bourbon go hand-in-hand, as showcased in The Whiskey Room, a private dining space where more than 500 bottles line the shelves, practically glowing in the warm light. Even the chandelier features whiskey bottle lightbulbs. As bar programs and drink lists continue to diversify in OKC, and as cooler temperatures pair perfectly with darker spirits, Stock & Bond stakes its claim as one of the best whiskey spots in the city.
“It’s the main spirit identity of Stock & Bond,” said beverage director Zak Lindahl, whose collection of rare and small-batch varieties ranges from the esoteric to the iconic. “We don’t just carry things for the sake of having as many whiskies as possible,” he added; “we select things that fit into the kind of whiskey-nerd wheelhouse, focusing on high-quality grains, sourcing and production.”
A vast number of whiskeys and bourbons are available to sip neat or as part of a cocktail, like the Overdraft Manhattan with Bottled-in-Bond rye, the Bonded Cherry Cola with Old Forester 100-proof bourbon or The Old Bond with private label WhistlePig Bourbon, barrel-aged maple syrup and black walnut bitters.
The restaurant also launched an immersive new whiskey experience, “The Bonded Journey,” designed to delve deeper into the world of whiskey. The tasting experience features three Booker’s small-batch bourbons presented tableside in a hand-crafted wooden case. With the last pour, guests receive a combination card and head downstairs to The Vault, where they’ll unlock a vintage safety deposit box to find bread pudding with caramel sauce and salted caramel ice cream.
By putting as much emphasis on whiskey as it does steak, Stock & Bond reigns as a must-sip destination for connoisseurs, but other restaurants and lounges are raising the bar with their own styles and traditions.
Stag Lounge is a cozy, speakeasy-inspired cigar and whiskey bar in Deep Deuce, with an enormous selection of rare whiskeys, bourbons and Scotches, and cocktails that range from coveted classics to cigar-smoked Old Fashioneds.
Tucked away next to FRIDA Southwest, The Daley is a speakeasy-style whiskey library with a spirits list the size of a phone book. Look for hundreds of bourbons and rye whiskeys, along with Scotch, Irish whiskey, Japanese whisky, and even selections from India and Taiwan.
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Shimmering chandeliers, feathered furnishings and velvety couches lend a little luxury at Gatsby Bourbon Bar & Lounge. The Art Deco-style space touts an impressive whiskey selection, used for seasonal cocktails or neat pours.
There’s something that just feels right about a stiff pour in a wood-paneled saloon in Stockyards City. At McClintock Saloon, imbibers can choose from hundreds of whiskeys, bourbons and Scotches, as well as cocktails like Manhattans, Sazeracs and Coffin Varnish, made with smoked Maker’s Mark.
And if you’d like to sip Oklahoma-style whiskey, local distilleries like Woodworks Distilling Company and WanderFolk Spirits make their own versions, available on local menus, in liquor stores and on their own menus.
