A liquor cabinet in which every bottle offers both an ethereal drinking experience and an intriguing backstory will do more than differentiate you from the Cutty-swilling masses. It will make you the subject of great envy. To put a boutique bar together, Jungle enlisted two experts from-where else-New York City's swank Monkey Bar: Scott Carney, master sommelier and an MBA himself, and Tom Lynch, the senior bartender. If you've never heard of the brands they recommend, well, that's the point. These bottles aren't top-shelf-they're on the secret shelf two shelves above it.
Junipero gin, $36
Made in San Francisco by Fritz Maytag, the man who gave the world Anchor Steam beer, Junipero earns Carney and Lynch's vote as the best gin in the world. The prime ingredient is-yep-juniper-berry extract. "The eucalyptus-like flavor of juniper makes a gin dry and soothing," says Lynch. "All gins have it, but none in such generous proportion as Junipero."
Grand Marnier Cuvée du Cent-Cinquantenaire, $138
When this batch of the orange-flavored liqueur turned 150 in 1977, the Marnier-Lapostolle company unveiled it to the world. The oranges were picked in 1827 on a French plantation on Martinique, and the liqueur has spent the last 174 years becoming a perfectly even mix of sweet and bitter orange, with no after-kick.
Lagavulin, 16-year-old Scotch whiskey, $41
The choicest smoked malt makes Lagavulin a wee bit pricier and gives it a complexion that's visibly darker than that of other premium single malts, such as Macallan and Oban. But you'll get what you paid for: a slightly peaty taste, followed after a few swishes by a sweetness you never knew Scotch could have.
Noilly Prat dry vermouth, $6
This is the very stuff that was splashed ever so sparingly when the first martinis were concocted, back in the 1870s. Now, as then, Noilly Prat is distilled from a combination of two fine white wines, Clairette and Picpoul; the two dozen herbs used in the process render it the driest of the premium labels.
Booker's Bourbon, $46
The namesake of this Kentucky bourbon is one Booker Noe, grandson of Mr. James Beam (Jim to his friends). But while Gramps may be good enough for the masses, Booker has created a smoky, high-end sipping bourbon that's decidedly sophisticated but, at 126 proof, still means business.
Midleton Very Rare Irish whiskey, $87
Carney, a good Irishman, deems Midleton the finest whiskey ever produced on the Emerald Isle. The malted barley from which it's made is dried in sealed kilns, not cooked over peat, as is typical. The whiskey itself is aged in port casks, sherry casks, and bourbon barrels-in that order-a process that gives it an incomparably long, smooth finish.
Sundsvall vodka, $25
"Vodka's quality is all about purity," says Carney. "And Sundsvall is as clear as it gets." Introduced stateside a few years ago, Sundsvall has a citrus-sweet aroma, starting off tangy, then striking a slightly buttery note before finishing with a flourish of pepper. Sip it in a manner befitting its Swedish heritage: neat but chilled.
