Introducing Curated Cocktail Lounge

Sometimes, particularly since COVID, it feels like we have a moment of clarity, take stock of where we find ourselves, and wonder how the hell we got here. I blame the lock-downs for this and the total abruption of normal life in an instant. All our plans, hopes and intents, immediately handbraked and indefinitely put on hold. The result, as the pandemic has subsided and we slowly, and twitchingly, crawl from our homes, is to find ourselves staring these deferred plans, hopes and intents in the eye. But life is not the same, and nor are we (not yet anyway); times have changed, and our plans, hopes and intents need to change too.

As a business (soon to be celebrating our 10th anniversary; watch this space), like so many others, the alcohol restrictions kneecapped us and left us for dead. Crawling, we had to relearn to walk, and as the alcohol bans lifted, we had bouts of full-on sprints. Business projects we were planning had to be cancelled, overhauled or replaced by others, sometimes with little more than a single night to determine the "best" course. And in this maelstrom of disruption and replanning, we formed a new concept, something more fun, something more social, something more irreverent. Born of the times. An escape from the same-old, from the franchise, from the uncertainty.

(If you are still with me, thank you for your patience, and I truly hope the melodramatics above resonate with you to a degree, and I haven't actually lost my mind! 🤣 - Marc) 

CURATED

After the final alcohol ban last year, when business had returned with added velocity, we had renewed hope for a future. We were on the hunt for our third (and final Joburg) retail store, when we were shown a space and invited to open another whisky bar. The space was far too big for something similar to our Morningside bar, but it was a great space and its potential got us thinking about something new. I think it can be likened to surviving a near-death experience; your new lease on life demands living to the fullest, getting a little crazy. So we got a little "crazy" and after 12 months of designing, planning, building, stocking, hiring, waiting for another liquor licence and training, we'd like to finally introduce you to our latest project: Curated!

Curated is a cocktail lounge and spirits bar, including a full food offering, cigar room and part art gallery! When you visit, and we sincerely hope you do, you may notice some of the typical WB design elements (including a very familiar circular logo). However, the bar/lounge is more spacious (and audacious) than anything we've done before. Seating 120 people, a much more extensive menu offering, and décor that injects our typical style with more colour, vibrancy and dose of irreverence.

WHAT'S ON OFFER

Curated boasts a specially developed cocktail menu (created by our fulltime mixologist), an incredible array of carefully selected spirits, wine and champagne, as well as over 350 whiskies (of course we were going to load it full of great whisky!). There is also a food menu offering sharing boards, individual plates and desserts, craft beer (tap and bottle) and specially roasted coffee. (Oh, and WiFi if you want to have one of the coolest remote workplaces in Joburg.)

Our intention, like everything we do, is to offer an environment, menu and service, that would not be out of place in any major city in the world. We think we've gotten it right, we'd love you to be the judge.

This is by far our largest venue, and we plan to use the space for tastings; both whisky as well as spirits, wine, coffee, you name it, as well as other larger events that our existing spaces cannot accommodate. (Live jazz, whisky and cigars anyone?) 

Curated is now open, located in Bedfordview, Joburg and we very much hope you will visit. If our hopes are simply not enough, we offer you some enticement...

EXCLUSIVE WB OFFER

As a small thanks for joining and supporting us on our journey, even when a global pandemic drives us a little crazy; for sharing our passion and seeing the value in what we try to do to the best of our abilities, we are offering our WhiskyBrother customers an R800 voucher, that costs R500. This voucher can be redeemed at Curated, towards any bill. (Multiple vouchers are available, strictly for personal use.)

[ THIS OFFER IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE ]

If you are interested and looking for more Curated, you can follow along and find us here:

INSTAGRAM | ADDRESS | WEBSITE | PHONE

For our ardent fans who this doesn't appeal to, not to worry, we won't bother you again with Curated. We did think it was worth sharing the news though, and at least offering an escape from the same-old, from the franchise, from the uncertainty - if you were in need.

Thanks for reading, thanks for the support 🥃