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The Whisky Room at The Clock Hotel

Callan Boys
Callan Boys

Gentleman's vibe: The Whisky Room at The Clock Hotel.
Gentleman's vibe: The Whisky Room at The Clock Hotel.Brendon Thorne

Modern Australian

It's early Saturday night and The Whisky Room smells like the smoking lounge of a Middle Eastern airport.

The bar, located behind saloon doors inside Surry Hills' Clock Hotel, is small room, decked out with Edison light globes, sad ferns and the kind of vintage suitcases and sporting man's paraphernalia found in the Ben Sherman section of Myer*.

It also shares an open border with the Clock's smoking terrace and on this visit, ciggie smoke from five blokey durrymunchers has killed any chance of a cosy and romantic night with my non-smoking, whisky-drinking date. Cheers, fellas. Cheers, Clock Hotel.

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A shot-and-pot boilermaker combo.
A shot-and-pot boilermaker combo.Brendon Thorne

Anyway, we're here to drink whisky, not to be non-smoking killjoys, and there's a fair bit of it to be had with about 150 bottles on the list.

There's a $25 tasting flight of "three sips from around the world" but I say bollocks to that. You can taste the difference between American rye and Tasmanian whisky anywhere with a pair of wooden skis against the wall these days.

I reckon a better idea is to map your own flight path and order a nip of something, say, from Islay, Speyside and Campbeltown​ to taste the difference across regions. Or maybe go on a Highland fling and get acquainted with subtleties of different whiskies from the Scotland's north by setting up and knocking down a nutty Dalwhinnie 15, fruity Oban 14 and creamy Glenmorangie​ 10.

Tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza.
Tomato, basil and mozzarella pizza.Brendon Thorne
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"But I don't want to put my nose in a glass and faff on about whiffs of sherry and wafts of campfire," you say. "I just want a beer and a shot." No problem – have a boilermaker.

There's a handful of $16 shot-and-pot boilermaker combos to choose from. I go for the suggestion of a 4 Pines Stout and Bruichladdich Laddie Ten. The whisky's long and oaky finish pairs well with the smooth stout. If this is what boilermakers actually drink after knock-off as the tale goes, maybe I should have started a welding apprenticeship after high school instead of wasting time with the arts.

A short list of whisky-based cocktails does a fine job of showcasing the brown stuff's versatility as a base spirit. The "godfather part II" ($18) sees a honey-tinted Aberfeldy 12 mixed with amaretto and amaro liqueurs. It's better than expected, much like its namesake, and stops just short of being cloying thanks to a cinnamon quill smoked in the glass before pouring.

A whisky flight.
A whisky flight.Supplied

The "penicillin" ($17) is a decade-old creation from New York-based, Melbourne-born bartender Sam Ross and it loves to pop up on Sydney cocktail lists in winter. The short drink of blended whisky, honey-ginger syrup and fresh lemon juice with a floating lick of a peaty single malt is made at the Whisky Room with Monkey Shoulder and seaweedy splash Ardbeg and it is very good.

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There's also freshly pressed apple juice with a daily-changing whisky ($9) if you're keen for something cheerful and refreshing and a salted caramel sazerac​ ($18) if you're the mood for a drink that has no reason to exist (I've made feelings known about the silliness of flavoured sazeracs beforehand and stand by my comments).

Thanks to the amount of eau de Winfield in the air, it's not the kind of place where you want eat and there's only a couple of snacks available across the bar if you did. I order a $5 bag of pork crackling, eat the whole thing because pig skin is delicious, and feel disgusted at my lack of control. I notice a chap at the bar has taken the initiative to order a margarita pizza ($18) from the Clock's standard menu and looks chuffed about the situation.

If you're a full-time smoker, you'll probably love The Whisky Room and never want to drink anywhere else. For the rest of us it serves as an OK place for a wee dram and a reminder that the indoor smoking ban of 2007 was a good thing for the senses and getting a second wear out of your favourite jeans.

* If whisky bars want to attract more women (because sales figures show the market is definitely there) moving away from the cookie-cutter gentleman's club "feel" would be a good way to go about it. 

THE LOW-DOWN
Go for… 
a whisky flight across a single style.
Stay for… a boilermaker.
Drink… The godfather part II.
And… there's $10 whisky sours 7pm-9pm on Wednesdays.

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Callan BoysCallan Boys is editor of SMH Good Food Guide, restaurant critic for Good Weekend and Good Food writer.

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