North Charleston Location Offers Whiskey Tasting Vault & Modern Day Speak Easy Ambiance
By: Jeff Walker, Restaurant Review
Although they threw open the doors to their original location on Maybank Highway on James Island a few years back, Paddock & Whisky are hoping to cash in (pun intended) on their much larger food & drink establishment located in a former century old bank, at 1074 E. Montague in the Old Village of North Charleston.
Offering a full lunch and dinner menu, including an old vault serving as an intimate tastings room, Paddock & Whisky features a 48-foot bar, inside a 1,600 square-foot dining hall that is best described as a throwback wood adorned cabaret meets a modern industrial speak easy.
The menu is eclectic and pairs well with the nearly 300 varieties of whiskeys and bourbons they keep in stock. Not a fan of distilled spirits, Paddock & Whisky offer a wide array of signature cocktails alongside upscale wine selections. Beer drinkers have a variety of choices including domestics, imports, and select local craft beers from Edmonds Oast, Westbrook, and Munckle among others.
While their alcoholic beverage list is extensive, it’s their barrel-aged, distilled liquors that are the main attraction at Paddock & Whisky. Enjoy one- and two-ounce shots and or sipping glasses of some of finest bourbons including the award-winning Angels Envy Cask Strength, a small batch smooth aged (approx. 7 yrs) bourbon often with hints of toasted oak, berry, vanilla, and leather.
Bourbon connoisseurs may fancy sipping some of the unique and complex blends from Elijah Craig, a Kentucky based distillery that has been wowing moonshine lovers since 1789. Paddock & Whisky carry four of their signature blends including the ever popular bold and robust Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel. Five stars rated; I recommend tasting with pleasure!
The Pappy Van Winkle 15yr and his younger bourbon brother Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr both carry smoky textures of leather, while embracing the aroma of sweet vanilla with caramel, pecan and oak wood. Surprising how well you can distill bourbon whiskey using Kentucky limestone water. Paddock & Whisky carry several brands from Kentucky’s Buffalo Trace as well as Blanton’s Forsberg Pick and their namesake Paddock Pick.
Not surprisingly many of Paddock & Whisky’s bourbon selections come from Kentucky and Tennessee distilleries, but you’ll discover High West American Prairie out of Utah, and Charleston’s own Virgil Kaine Rip Track. Everyday bourbon drinkers may enjoy the traditional blended options from Benchmark, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Evan Williams, Old Forester, and James Bond’s American favorite, Old Grand Dad! Slightly shaken to arouse the palate but never stirred!
Want to a distilled spirits trip around the globe. Paddock & Whisky carry a half dozen whiskeys crafted in Japan including the emperor’s choice Hibiki. You’ll discover another dozen whiskeys from the Ireland with perhaps their biggest export Redbreast Lustau Finish proudly displayed at Paddock & Whisky. Maybe take a trip south of the border or to the islands with a handful of topnotch scotch, rums, tequilas, and mezcals ready to satisfy liquid refreshment at their 48-foot wooden bar.
Paddock & Whisky may pour a cornucopia of straight up bourbon, whiskey and assorted alcohol infused beverages, but make no mistake their lunch and dinner menu is equally imposing. From 11-3pm enjoy a mixture of handheld edibles, greens, or Broiled Oysters in Sofrito butter (aromatic mix of onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley, and rosemary) presented with shaved pecorino (seasoned Italian Romano cheese) with Maldon (artisan sea salt).
Their straight up burger comes blanketed with caramelized onions and beer cheese (velvety Belgium processed cheese made with craft ales from Trappist Monks). Served on a sesame seed bun with a side of greens it tops the lunch menu price list at $14. Feeling adventurous, then perhaps order the Fried Brussel Sprouts cloaked in champagne gastrique (a fancy sweet & sour caramelized glaze) for a cool $9. Everything on the lunch menu goes great with a craft beer, glass of wine, or a sip of bourbon. Ideal spot for business lunch.
The dinner menu served from 4-9pm adds a splash of panache to their line-up, and mirrors their midday offerings with a few choice additions. The NY Strip steak comes seasoned in herbs, Maldon sea salt and extra virgin olive oil served with chimichurri sauce (finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano basking in red wine vinegar). Your made to order grilled beef entree comes complete with mixed greens. Healthy, hearty, and colorful.
Non beef lovers might relish in Paddock & Whisky’s Market Fresh Fish entree consisting of beer-steamed Prince Edward Island (PEI) Mussels. The top selling mussels in North America provide a healthy option, and arrives at your table with arugula cream (seasoned peppery citrus blend) and tomato, with a baguette from neighboring EVO’s Bakery. An ideal dish with an appropriate wine pairing.
Paddock & Whisky’s dessert menu is singular but provides the wow factor after an awesome repast. It’s hard to pass up their stick to your ribs double scrumptious Donut Bread Pudding laced with pecans under a bourbon butterscotch glaze. Maybe you’ve had dinner and are just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, then it will punch the ticket. I’m certain there’s not many desserts that complement smooth sipping distilled spirits as does Donut Bread Pudding. However, check out their menu, because the desserts change week to week if not daily.
There’s more. If you’re out late and popping in Paddock & Whisky for a nightcap, you’ll be happy to know they serve up five choice menu items 10pm until midnight, all that go great with the alcoholic beverage of your choice. Anytime is a perfect time for a oversized Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast sandwich slathered in Duke's mayo, spiced honey, and a smidge of bonfire bourbon hot sauce to provide just the right amount of kick in each bite. Available lunch and late night.
Damn straight you can have a burger, broiled oysters or fried oysters late at night. Handheld edibles and appetizers that have character, same as the plethora of potables served by their friendly staff.
Have a company expense account and courting that out-of-town client who just happens to be a bourbon enthusiast. Bring them to Paddock & Whisky for early dinner and enjoy appetizers and select whiskeys as you’re working your persuasive powers. Their Fried Brussels Sprouts coated in champagne gastrique will easily help close the deal.
Paddock & Whisky’s wood paneled Woodford Reserve vault is the ideal bourbon grotto, available to set aside for a group social, company outing or an intimate whiskey tasting for two. There are several nice touches at Paddock & Whisky. Enjoy drinking water from glasses re-purposed from wine bottles. While their lunch crowd varies at times, busier around the noon hour, the dinner crowd often overflows, with groups regularly scheduled to secure the vault for an extended bourbon tastings.
Paddock & Whisky offer a variety of menu options to please food & beverage lovers midday, early and late evening. When some old time country & western, jazz or blue music is resonating in the background you get that speakeasy of yesteryear kind of feeling. The food is unique, their ambiance exquisite, and their bourbon menu unequalled in the low country.
You’ll find them at 1074 E. Montague at the intersection of Chateau (French for lord’s manor) which is kind of fitting given Paddock & Whisky’s stately presence in the old village of North Charleston. Their smaller location serves patrons west of the Ashley at 1962 Maybank Highway on James Island and is an ideal drop in before of after a movie at neighboring Terrace Theater. Sip, eat and repeat! For more visit their website at https://paddockandwhisky.com/
