The NYC Cocktail Bar With Over 850 Types Of Gin
Gin lovers, we have the bar for you! Designed by veteran bartender Tobin Ellis, the Ivory Peacock in New York City is both elegant and optimized for bartenders to demonstrate their craft. Antique chandeliers cast warm light across surfaces primed for swift and careful work (per Cititour). But work isn't quite the right word, as according to a press release sent to Tasting Table, this particular group of experienced bartenders considers their creations "liquid art."
According to the team, when renovations first began, the picture of an ivory peacock was uncovered beneath drywall and became the establishment's emblem. Now the space is decorated with Louis XV-style mirrors and velvet seating (per Food and Wine), providing a beautiful setting to cut loose after work or spend time with a special someone over the weekend.
Classics served with a modern twist
Of particular note are the bar's handcrafted gin and tonic trays, on which deconstructed cocktails are presented alongside an assortment of botanicals, tonics, and garnishes. As Make Cocktails at Home explains, breaking a cocktail down into its separate elements helps drinkers recognize and appreciate how each ingredient contributes to the overall drink. With 860 gin labels, the team at The Ivory Peacock is well-equipped for experimentation.
"Gin can speak to an era, a time, or a place; it's a canvas for ideas and a backbone of flavor," mixologist and bar manager Hemant Pathak tells MarketWatch.
The Manhattan bar's gin and tonic service starts at $28 and provides guests a chance to sample gins served with Fever-Tree tonics and accompaniments meant to highlight the unique flavor profile of each gin. Try any one of The Ivory Peacock's gin and tonic combinations — the Monkey 47 Gin with tonic, lavender, cardamom, and lingonberries; the Archipelago botanical gin with mango, tonic, black pepper, and lemongrass; or the KI NO BI Kyoto dry gin with lime and yuzu tonic, juniper, red shiso, and ginger — and you'll quickly realize not all gins are created equal.
And it's not only in the areas of gin that bartenders at The Ivory Peacock demonstrate expertise. Using kitchen science techniques and future-forward culinary equipment, bartenders offer unique recipes with playful and creative flair, according to a press release. Libations mixed with oleo saccharum and citric and malic acids not only enhance the taste of drinks but also prolong freshness so you can sip easily as the evening grows long. Described as "magic oil" by Advanced Mixology, oleo saccharum was used by bartenders in the 1800s to add flavor and aromas to drinks and is made from strained sugar and citrus peels.
An order for every taste
The Ivory Peacock also serves cocktails on tap for those in a hurry to get drinking. For $18, you can taste crowd-favorite Handle Your Scandal, a margarita flavored with passion fruit juice and lime garnished with crushed wasabi peas and salt or try the ever-popular nitro-style espresso martini made with the bar's homemade cold brew.
Martinis start at $11 and can be ordered as 2- or 4-ounce pours, which means guests should be able to try a variety of The Ivory Peacock's many martini options. The bar's martini list features a host of gin accouterments, including bay leaf vermouth, Japanese purple onion brine, pandan leaf extract, and garnishes like house-pickled ginger, lemongrass, and acidified orange.
If cocktails aren't your thing, The Ivory Peacock offers a selection of alcohol-free beverages, a carefully curated wine list, and seasonal beers to enjoy. When hunger strikes, traditional French recipes blend with Japanese cuisine to offer a variety of seafood dishes to order in towers: caviar, oysters, tuna tartare, and miso-glazed croque monsieur.
After being presented with plates of food and plied with delicious drinks, it's easy to see how hours could slip away in the cozy setting. If you're ever in New York City, with a taste for gin, you'll know where to go, and maybe you'll stay until closing time.