Take a deep breath. Seoul’s biggest gin selection is here. Ambitious? Sure. Is it needed? Absolutely. Gin & Tonic is such a popular choice and something we might take one or two of during a night out. Yet, in Seoul, we don’t really get a choice for the liquor except for the occasional Monkey 47 and Hendrick's. But, guess what: we can now get more than 70 types of gin — 30 of which have not been available in Korea — and 60,000 varieties of gin & tonic in Seoul in one sitting. That’s right, 60,000. Where at? I’m sorry for those of you who’ve been hoping for one of these on the other side of the city, it’s in Cheongdam (for gin enthusiasts, it’s worth a travel).
At this new bar named White Bar, you can really go through the list all night long. While there are also an array of gin cocktails even aside from the large gin & tonic menu, it’s just so easy to go for shots (as it should be) as well. And once you’re here, it’ll also be difficult to refuse all the experimental liquors with a good amount of gimmicks such as Hophead Hop Vodka and Chase English Oak Smoked Vodka, just to name a few. Well, where to start? For a starter, you can go for the gin & tonic made with Beefeater 24 and homemade jasmine tonic water. And of course, the professional bar staff will go through with you the type of gin, homemade tonic water, bitters, herbs, garnish and even the shape of ice and glass. Can it get more delicate? Not yet, at least in Seoul.
As an upscale bar with an all-white interior, private rooms and private liquor storage specially reserved for its VIP’s (which, you can be one), White Bar also has nice pairing menus. And they’re not just food you’d get for the sake of drinking—their mushroom salad with steamed mushrooms, greens and perfectly-poached eggs is so well balanced with pleasing textures that I wish I could have it as brunch and dinner (and of course, with a nice gin & tonic). There’s also a sashimi course prepared individually, and the thinly cut sea bass sashimi that I tried was not only fresh but also aged to perfection. If you want to broaden your horizon, beyond Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray, that is, White Bar is a nice candidate that’s ready to offer you more than you imagine.