2. Daddy-O (44 Bedford St.; 212-414-8884)

Why You Want It: The spirits menu is a three-ring notebook, and it’s fat. The Book (as it’s called) holds the names of more than 500 spirits, sorted into whiskey, vodka, gin and genever, rum and cachaça, tequila, mescal, and other. After “other” comes one last section, which is svelte and desirable. It contains the black pages, and they are filled with rare and high-end spirits. We’re talking rent and theatre ticket prices – but oh, so worth each hard-earned cent. Leafing through the digital Book can eat hours of time and spark liquid fantasies you never new existed. The only place to sate them is on Bedford Street.

The Recipient: A person who will get a thrill out of having a noteworthy selection of spirits, regardless of whether you’ve given the value of a glass of unusual gin or have spent enough to cover the parting of the black pages.

Daddy-O can be a peaceful hangout or a shoulder-to-shoulder jam, depending on when you’re there. If sports is on the menu, then bet on a crowd; when its game face is on, Daddy-O is hopping. For those interested in sampling the black pages in peace, appointments can be scheduled. For the less thickly pocketed, curious drinkers, upcoming tastings and events – not black pages, but definitely interesting – are usually posted online.

Daddy-O doesn’t offer gift certificates as a matter of course, but one can be written up for you, which is a great excuse to stop by the bar. What you do once you see that liquor selection¬–it’s going to take time to decide how much you want to spend on that gift. You may as well have a drink or two while you’re mulling that part over.

Photo by CarnsMedia