Molly T.
Yelp
This is the most treasured room in Ron Swanson's heaven.
There is no better way to describe Cooper & Oak than "Whisk(e)y Shrine". Honorable mentions go to "whiskey palace", "golden cavern of whiskey wonder", "that lion cave Aladdin went into with all of those jewels you're not supposed to touch that was actually just filled with whiskey", and "All Hail the Ryenasty". Actually, I kind of like that last one. But Whiskey Shrine sums it up succinctly.
Copper & Oak doesn't quite feel like a bar. It's teeny tiny space that's a bit removed from the Lower East Side craze. As you can see from the pictures, there's not really standing room here - maybe 10-15 bar seats and that's it. They actually have a cute feature here by the door (or incredibly irritating, depending on when you come): if C&O is at capacity, a little sign will light up notifying you of this, and the door will actually be locked. If there's room at the bar, the sign will read "come on in!" and the door will open right up. I suppose they want to keep it intimate and personal here, which I loved. Definitely added to my five-star experience here.
Came here on a Saturday night around 11pm - typically prime time. Given that C&O is off the beaten path, it was pretty much at capacity (meaning there were around 12 people inside). Once we were let in, we were seated almost immediately and the immersive experience was off and running. My allusions to all things royal/regal/decadent are due to the almost religious nature of the decor here. The room shines a brilliant gold and the whiskeys are the objects of our adulation and devotion, elevated and quite literally put on pedestals in all of their glory.
Note on service. Literally one word to describe it (also the word I'd use to describe the selection here): impeccable. I think the folks who run this place are incredibly committed to making one's whiskey tasting experience as pleasant/perfect as possible, and it shows. Our bartender was attentive, personable and mostly importantly, knowledgeable. If I had to choose a favorite whiskey, I'd probably settle on rye, given my love for spice. I gave him an idea of what my current favorites were (top one being High West Double Rye), and he came back with Russell Reserve Rye, which was even better than High West (hard to say - it's all about personal preference), in my opinion. He gave me plenty of options and also asked how I take my whiskey, which he took into account when choosing Russel Reserve for me. Truly couldn't commend this guy enough for this service.
Vibe: Very relaxed (especially for a weekend night), slightly intimate. Like I said at the beginning, it doesn't really feel like a bar. It almost feels like a liquor store/bar hybrid. There isn't one main bar area that people crowd around, rather, the bar spans the entire space with guests directly facing the oodles and oodles of whiskey that C&O offers.
General note about drinks: Unlike many whiskey bars that I've been to in the past (Flatiron Room, Whiskey Ward, Bondurants, Caledonia Bar, etc.), whiskey is the ONLY thing served here. You pay by the ounce, and that is that. No beer, no wine, no cocktails. Just whiskey. What else do you need in life, really?
Come here if:
-You're feeling adventurous and want to explore your tastes with top-notch connoisseurs (bartenders) to help direct you
-You don't want a typical bar experience (and of course, whiskey is your spirit of choice)
-You're on a date and want to go for something different - still intimate, but not at all romantic
-You're with whiskey drinkers who only want to drink whiskey (i.e. very few of my friends, which is why I only just made it here)