Locker Room
Personal Scotch Lockers at Againn

All this talk about national security of late—loose nukes, rogue states and such—has got us thinking about the security of the things we really cherish. Like freedom, family…and, of course, scotch.

Now, in our nation's capital for the first time, we bring you the opportunity to draw a secure perimeter around your booze.

Introducing the Scotch Lockers at Againn gastropub, throwing its doors open for dinner tomorrow night.

If you've been longing for a gentlemanly, British-inspired spot to help ease you out of a day of subcommittee hearings, Drudge leaking and international election monitoring, then your happy hour ship has come in. And it's a ship loaded with whisk(e)y—over 100 bottles in fact, from Bulleit bourbon to old standbys like Talisker to some Japanese bottles. But the real stroke of boozy genius is that you can procure one of 130 lockers lining the walls as your own personal cocktail cubby.

Then anytime you visit, your 21-year-old precious is awaiting your beck and call (as is your scotch). And when you're off tippling elsewhere, your scotch bunker will be secured and demarked with a nameplate that bears witness to your good taste.

But we don't see that happening often: once you're with bottle and settled into your hardwood-and-leather booth, you'll look for something to soak up all of that oak-aged goodness. Like house-made bangers and mash, Tamworth pork belly and shrimp by the pint, all served family style with bamboo cutting boards, cast-iron pots and Mason jars.

We don't advise using a locker for the pork belly.