Experience the Best Denver Whiskey Bars at Whiskey Row Arvada

Looking for a real Whiskey Row Denver experience? I’m not talking about a simple restaurant that happens to serve a few whiskey drinks…yawn. I’m talking about a real 3 block area in Denver Metro where you can experience the largest combined whiskey inventory in the state (and one of the largest in the nation), PLUS, there’s even a nearby whiskey distillery. The answer to where to find the best Denver whiskey bars is in Olde Town Arvada.

Arvada Olde Town is home to the largest and best Denver whiskey bars. They have an inventory combined of over 2300 different types of whiskeys. Not only do they have the rarest of rare whiskeys to try, but they also have barrel-select bottles that are unique just to their bars and pallet.

I don’t think many people know just how unusual it is to have this big of inventory in such a small area, which is exactly why I’m introducing you to it! But first – let’s start with some basics.

What is Whiskey Row

Whiskey Row refers to a block-long stretch in Louisville Kentucky from 101-133 W. Main Street that once served as home to the bourbon industry. Now, many places around the US call themselves whiskey row when there are a couple of whiskey establishments in close proximity. There are also restaurants that have taken the name too. However, the only place you’ll find a real whiskey row in Denver (and all of Colorado) is in Olde Town Arvada where you have Bluegrass Bourbon Lounge, Schoolhouse Restaurant, and the Stockroom Speakeasy all in a 3 block radius.

What is a Barrel Select Whiskey

Upon visiting the Olde Town Arvada whiskey bars, I heard a lot about the Barrel Select bottles, so I set out to learn more about this elite whiskey purchasing process. The first thing I learned is that Barrel Selects (also referred to as barrel picks) are the latest trend in American whiskey – it’s basically a way to get rare whiskey to the masses.

Typically, a whiskey like Woodford Reserve, is made from thousands of barrels combined together and proofed down to 90 proof so they can sell to bars, restaurants, and shops. However, each barrel is like a snowflake, each different in its own way due to the barrel aging process. That’s why serious whiskey bars generally want to be able to choose their own barrel instead of just getting the ‘standard blend’ because they trust their own palette. People who pick barrels generally have a very advanced pallet for whiskey; they know what they want instead of letting someone…