The buzz: The people behind round-the-clock cafe 24 Owls have been pretty active this year. After relaunching the original spot on Ekkamai Soi 12 as Thirsty Owls, abandoning the 24-hour opening times in favor of a new focus on imported beer and wine, they’ve now also taken up this hidden space on Sukhumvit Soi 61 to open a whiskey bar. 

 

The decor: Like Thirsty Owls, The Owl Society Whiskey Saloon sees a two-story Ekkamai home renovated with a warm and cozy vibe—but that’s where the similarities end. The head designer of fashion label Issue Kai London is responsible for the mature, industrial-meets-gentlemen’s-club style, with all the vintage furnishings are imported straight from England. If you’re looking for a place to host your own party, there are two private rooms upstairs. Reservation and a B3,500 charge is required for the smaller room (capacity 10), while the bigger one costs B5,000 for a maximum of 30 people. 

 

The music: Live bands perform from Thursday to Saturday, mainly specializing in jazz and soul.   

 

The food: There’s a heavy choice of bar snacks to go with your drinks, and Italian seems to dominate here. The thin-base pizza makes excellent bar grub, like the Thin Thin Bacon Truffle Egg (B190), which reminds us of carbonara with its creamy sauce, crispy bacon and egg topping. Other perfect snacking options include chicken wings (B250) and herbal deep-fried frogs legs with ginger and garlic (B400). The mains list is pretty huge too, with steaks, burgers and pasta. We like the gorgonzola and lobster ravioli (B550), which features the Italian cheese and walnut-filled ravioli floating in a bisque soup beside a grilled river prawn and Parmesan foam.  

 

The drinks: The main focus here is whiskey. There are over 100 bottles from all over the world, categorized by country and region. They range from Glenfiddich 12 years old (B280/glass) and Macallan 12 years old (B400) from Scotland’s Speyside region to Smokehead (B350) from Islay. Just check the menu or head over to the bar for a recommendation. Gin dominates the white spirit side with over 30 bottles like Tanqueray, Botanist and Colombian aged gin. Familiar face Suchada “Fahbeer” Sopajaree (one of 2016’s 12 finalists at Diageo World Class Thailand Competition and previously behind Hugo Eatery & Bar) mans the bar here. You can expect all the vintage classics as well as her three signature drinks. We like The Great Grey (Johnnie Walker Black Label, Cynar, Port Cherry and patron XO Cafe, B360), a whiskey-based, spirit-forward creation with a coffee kick to the aftertaste. For something easier, try Horned (B360), a mule-inspired drink which sees Maker’s Mark bourbon mixed with homemade pear and rosemary puree, Southern Comfort, lemon and simple syrup. Fahbeer also said she’ll do monthly special drinks based on different ingredients—be sure to ask before placing your order.