Plenty of bars are below ground, reached via narrow, dark, perilously steep staircases, but few subterranean hideaways go so far out of their way to be as welcoming as Lowcountry. Beneath an Old Street corner building that was once a handsome Victorian pub called the Duke of Wellington, Lowcountry is inspired by the American South. That it has a resplendent whiskey selection tracks, but also means it thrives off its own hospitality. Beaming staff, chic boudoir décor, and squealing rock belters on the speakers. But Lowcountry doesn’t rest on its outward charms – its drinks are so boldly, fascinatingly flavoured they can end up blocking out everything else. The seasonally-shifting cocktail menu eye-catchingly name-drops classic American things, from Kool-Aid to banana pudding, and each item is something not just to savour but be actively fascinated by. Popular choice the Jam Sour was a glinting exhibition of different sweetnesses: sharp and silky, tart and creamy. But my standout was the Chow-Chow Martini, crisp and potent with an icy blast of fresh veg. And that’s not even touching on the whiskies, of which Lowcountry has hundreds of bottles.
Order this
The Banana Pudding Sazerac grabs your nose with a waft of fruit, cloaks your tongue with earthy, vanilla-flecked butter-washed rye, then offers a swift kick up the rear with a dash of absinthe.
Time Out tip
Visit during the opening hours of street-level restaurant Appalachia, which sends down truly elite bar snacks. The cornbread jalapeño madeleines are sublime.