A whisky wonderland from the team behind Caledonia (which, along with The Penrose, Jones Wood Foundry, and JBird, is doing its best to make the UES actually cool), IOS is almost hidden beneath street level under a set of stairs. It'll make you feel like you're drinking on the inside of a barrel that a tiny nobleman outfitted with stone arches, a red lion rampant (that Scottish lion dude you see everywhere), and black slate. "People are going to get married because of these couches -- you think you love the person next to you, but really you just love these couches." The whisky will likely do the same: they're shelving 130+ variations focusing on single malt Scotches, but they also stock French and Japanese bottles, plus plenty o' bourbon. Intimidated by the breath? Give your date an Altoid! Intimidated by the breadth? Get down with the bartender's go-to, a Bowmore 15 neat. For beer, one of the strongest options is this nitro-poured Belhaven Black Stout, which is just one of "about as many Scottish brew options as possible" in the US. Cocktails range from the Laphroaig Project created by Rickhouse in SF to this refreshing Rabbie Burns w/ Glen Grant Reserve, orange bitters, Benedictine, and Doulin Rouge, enough of which should also make you feel like you're on the inside of a barrel.
