Bellevue’s Chef John Howie is opening a new spirits-centric bar and restaurant called Whiskey, and he swears he and his partners have curated one of the most robust whiskey selections in the state.

Whiskey is located next door to John Howie Steak and inside The Shops at The Bravern in Bellevue. Howie said Whiskey’s proximity to his steakhouse will help serve as an extension of an increasingly busy steakhouse while also offering its own unique ambiance, menu and spirits list.

Howie said Whiskey’s interior was intended to feel like an old-fashioned speakeasy. Its darkly painted brick walls, leather booths, gold tiling and vista-like view make it feel like setting in the “The Great Gatsby.”

The spirits list is one that Howie said he and partners have spent nearly a decade curating, collecting and even crafting themselves.

Howie is a whiskey and spirits connoisseur, and that is obvious if you get him talking about the craft of distillation. He and master distiller and sommelier Erik Liedholm partnered together at Wildwood Spirits Co. in Bothell, where they have produced a series of award winning spirits.

Wildwood Spirits Co. has won state, national and international awards for their Kur Gin, Stark Vatten Vodka, and The Dark Door bourbon, which Howie said is aged in barrels from a notorious cooperage in Missouri.

Whiskey’s list of spirits ranges from traditional Kentucky bourbons to Scotch, Irish, Canadian and Japanese whiskeys.

Howie said the menu is largely based around what pairs well with whiskey. It includes but is not limited to “pickleback” deviled eggs, chicken liver mousse, wagyu brisket flatbread and truffled mushroom popcorn.

Initially, Whiskey will be open from 4-9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but they will be open this Sunday for Valentine’s Day.