The Flatiron Room
37 W. 26th St., nr. Broadway; 212-725-3860
Time stops when you pass through the doors of the Flatiron Room. Fifties-era Italian floral wallpaper, rolling library ladders, and a chandelier that once hung in the Smithsonian set the anachronistic mood; live jazz, performed on a velvet-curtained stage, seals ye olde deal. But what really takes a tippler back is the whiskey. Old, rare, indie, you name it—if it’s distilled from fermented grain, it’s probably here. There are nearly 700 bottles to choose from, including Gordon & MacPhail, the Maltman, and 27-year-old limited-run Glenmorangie Pride (sip slowly—it’s $800 per dram). A private room upstairs offers tastings and classes ($35 to $125), usually led by whiskey sommelier Heather Greene. If you take a liking to a particular spirit, purchase a bottle and it’ll be tagged with your name and stored in a private locker.