Now I'm not much of a drinker these days, but I've had enough dances with cocktails into the late hours of the AM in the past to know a good drink when I taste one. My taste buds haven't gone dormant yet. Recently some friends offered to show me some of their favorite places in Uptown BGC, and it's been a bit since I'd been out, so I figured why not.

We had ramen for dinner, and after filling our stomachs full of laughs, noodles, and flavorful broth, we headed over to a place called The Attic. It's a cocktail bar with the speakeasy aesthetic tucked inside Soju Express, a liquor store in BGC. You walk through the store and behind a shelf, there it is.

Now the hidden bar concept isn't new, it's a card that's been played quite a bit. But what makes this place stand out is what they're doing with drinks. They've got your classic cocktails and can do bespoke drinks if you're in the mood for something tailored to your taste. But what really caught my attention was their savory cocktail menu made with unorthodox flavors. Drinks that try to encapsulate the flavors of childhood memories and places once lived and visited. Each drink comes with a story. The owners and bartenders came over and explained each drink, the significance behind it, the flavor profile, how they make it. That level of care and storytelling made the whole experience feel intentional. Every cocktail had its own narrative. I tasted a few of the specialty drinks. Here are the ones that tap danced on my taste buds: