I am in Chicago this week for work and the concierge at the hotel suggested I try the Berkshire Room. So, last night, I grabbed a cab and headed to Ohio Avenue and a bourbon lovers paradise.

The Berkshire Room feels like you are walking into a Speakeasy. It is small, intimate and very well appointed. What makes it even more special is the bartenders know how to create incredible cocktails. On the menu, you can ask for a “Dealers Choice-Cocktail.” It is fun because you pick the glass style, the type of liquor, and your flavor preference – and leave it to the bartender!

I chose a rocks glass and bourbon. They asked what style drink I like and I said I like Old Fashions and he took it from there. What I got was an amazing cocktail made with the following:

2 oz. Ancient Age Bourbon
1/2 oz. Averna
1/2 oz. Walnut Liquor
1/8 oz. House Falernum
Three Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnished with an orange peel

I was enjoying the drink so much I decided to order the “Pick Any Tree” Chef’s Rotating Artisan Charcuterie & Cheese Selections with Crostini. It was a generous sized appetizer for two before dinner (I made it dinner). I was enjoying the meat and cheese so much I ordered another “Dealers Choice” to enjoy with it.

I like to sit at the bar, especially when traveling alone. You get a lot of conversation and I tend to learn a lot. Several locals were very knowledgeable about Chicago whiskey bars, bourbon, and the Berkshire Room. I found out it is so popular that two guys got a place very close to the bar so they can have a drink after work on a regular basis.

The Berkshire uses a lot of Buffalo Trace products. They had the full Antique Collection and all years of the Pappy Van Winkle Collection. They had a selection of probably 150 bourbons and ryes behind the bar. They also have a selection of very old bourbons from the 80’s, all the way back to the 40’s.

When in the windy city, stop in The Berkshire Room for a unique whiskey experience. You will be taken back in time. It is a very relaxing experience.