The Liquor We Hope To See At The New John Wick Hotel Bar
There's a new bar opening up in New York City inspired by The Continental hotel from the "John Wick" film franchise. Not only is this pop-up opening in the same building that serves as the exterior for the famous assassin hotel (82 Beaver Street in the Financial District), but customers will get to order their food and drinks in the same way hotel patrons do in the movies — with gold coins. This bar is a dream come true for "Wick" aficionados and gives them a chance to experience the vibe of the iconic fictional hotel, which will reflect the 1970s style of the upcoming Peacock series, "The Continental: From the World of John Wick."
While there are sure to be some creatively killer (pun intended) options for "John Wick"-themed food and drink on the menu, there's one liquor we all hope will be available, and that's John Wick's favorite drink — Blanton's single barrel bourbon. This whiskey may not have been around in the 1970s, but it is what Wick sips on right after his brutal street brawl with Common's character in "John Wick: Chapter 2," and it therefore deserves a spot on the menu. Not to mention Blanton's is notoriously difficult to come by, so undoubtedly some whisky fans will pay however many gold assassin coins it takes for a chance to taste this white whale of spirits.
Other drinks inspired by John Wick we hope to try
Since the hotel bar will be set in the 1970s, we can expect to see some fun spins on classic cocktails of that era. There is no official menu yet, but some of the great '70s cocktails would fit in perfectly in a bar for assassins. The one thing hired guns are best at is turning people into widows and widowers, which is exactly why one '70s cocktail that should be featured is the Merry Widow(er). Wick is just as dapper as James Bond, and a dry gin martini with some aniseed flavor would feel right at home. "John Wick" fans may be inclined to pour this next one out for his fallen canine from the first movie, but the salty dog cocktail would also make for a welcome addition to the drink lineup.
But what about a possible cocktail that features Blanton's? Some might call it sacrilege to mix Blanton's with other ingredients, but The Godfather cocktail — which typically blends Scotch whisky and amaretto – would be a nice nod to the "John Wick" series since its namesake movie is also full of brooding and murder. By subbing out the Scotch, the Blanton's would get a chance to mingle with the classically Italian cordial while tying into the second "Wick" movie, which partially takes place in Italy. Cheers to you, Baba Yaga.