When we heard Maduro was kicking the cigar habit in favor of an all-cocktail focused establishment, 109 & Co., we had our fingers crossed that the result would be another go-to spot for drinks downtown.
Owner Michael Peace did a whirlwind renovation to get his new cocktail bar opened by early December. And while much of the menu and staff are holdovers from his former spot, the environment couldn’t be more different. We stopped by to see how the drinks stack up to some of our other favorites around town.
Smoke free
Until that giant cigar marquee is gone, and probably well beyond, it’s going to take a while for people to adjust to the fact that 109 & Co. is not a cigar bar. Maduro was very popular as one of the few cigar bars in central Arkansas, complete with a walk-in humidor, and it’s not surprising that on both of our visits, people came in seeking out a smoke. Despite going smoke-free and being subject to a thorough cleaning, there is still an odor that hits you when you enter. It’s not offensive, and it goes away after a few sips of your drink. But it’s still noticeable and probably will be for months. Cigar smoke is the kind of smell that gets into the walls. So, if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing, just be warned.
Seat at the bar
Beyond the smoke, there are a handful of other big changes that have helped Maduro transform into 109 & Co. The location is still divided into bar and lounge areas, but both have been revamped. In the main bar section, the bar itself now takes up two whole walls with seating for 17 and plenty of room for two or three bartenders to work without getting in one another’s way. There’s also one small booth in this section and plenty of standing room if things get really crowded. The lounge area will look familiar to Maduro visitors, as some of the seating has remained the same. The expansive room features booths for two to six people, plus large living-roomlike setups of couches, recliners and chairs that form conversation pits. Gone are the garish red walls, now replaced by subdued wallpaper. The large walk-in cigar humidor in the back now serves as a temperature-controlled chamber for barrel-aging cocktails.
The overall theme Peace was going for in 109 & Co. was modern-day speakeasy — dark, subdued and simple so people can focus on the drinks. Yes, there are flat-screens, but on my visits, they’ve never been on. The look is a bit more successful in the bar area than it is in the lounge. At the bar, you get the feeling that you’re in a cozy dive that just happens to serve amazing drinks. The lounge is so expansive that you get a bit overwhelmed by all the decor and seating options. Unless it’s a Friday or Saturday night, grabbing a seat at the main bar and getting to know the people making your drinks is the right move.
Serious sipping
Maduro had an extensive craft cocktail menu, but it was overshadowed by cigars. In fact, the new menu for 109 & Co. only has a few new cocktails. The drinks list here is more of a book than a menu, with page after page of both classic cocktails and mixes invented in-house. These are stiff drinks with a heavy emphasis on the balance between liquors and herbal liqueurs such as amaro, Campari or Cynar and bitters. Some drinks are more successful than others. On my first visit, two whiskey cocktails we tried seemed to lean a bit too much on the mixers, rather than letting the booze shine through. It was a Saturday night, and the place was packed, so the fact that we got complicated cocktails in under 15 minutes at all was a wonder. But our Old Fashioned 109 was just little too sweet.
All that was fixed on our second trip, when I tried the Pig’s Coattail — one of the best gin drinks I’ve had in the city — off the gin cocktail menu. And the Vieux Carre (a traditional mix of rye, cognac, bitters and sweet Vermouth) was near perfect. For a full take on what we tried, check out The Dish.
In addition to the cocktails, the bar offers a small selection of bites brought in from Butcher & Public, including chicken liver mousse, pork rillette and bratwurst, all $12. We’ve had Butcher & Public’s food before, so we didn’t sample it here. But we’d put our money on the amazing chicken liver mousse being a popular choice.
Bottles on bottles on bottles
Beyond cocktails, 109 & Co. has a seriously impressive selection of spirits behind the bar. It’s got Pappy Van Winkle 15 and 20 Year as part of their bourbon lineup, which is a big deal for some whiskey lovers. At the bottom of every page of cocktails, you’ll find a list of a dozen or so different liquors from that category, such as gin, vodka, mezcal and tequila. What does this kind of selection mean? It means you can customize cocktails, requesting your favorite brand. You can also request just about any classic cocktail you’d like, and chances are, Peace and his team have the tools to make it for you.
And then there’s the opportunity to find new favorites. Try a sip of something new without having to buy a whole bottle. Liquor flights are available if you want a chance to compare a few different types.
Final verdict
109 & Co. is well on its way to being a date-night destination and a frequent stop for central Arkansas cocktail fiends. With most drinks hovering around $10, the pricepoint here is more budget-friendly than other cocktail joints around town. The staff here knows what they’re doing when it comes to classics, and it shows.
the Dish
Negroni ($10)
The negroni — a mix of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth— is definitely one of our favorite classic cocktails, and after sampling 109 & Co.’s version, we’ll go out on a limb and say it’s one of the best we’ve tried. It’s not too sweet, like others in town. We’ll definitely try the boulevardier next time, as we’re told it’s essentially the same as the negroni except with bourbon or rye instead of gin. (es)
Handbags and gladrags ($10)
Pitched to me as “like a Cosmopolitan, but not as sweet,” the drink that seemed close to the signature Sex and the City cocktail made me a little hestistant to order. But the second I saw the H&G’s paler hue, I knew everything would be OK. Made with small-batch Botanist gin, cranberry juice, plum bitters, a Maraschino liqueur and something called Adelaide, the pink drink was indeed refreshing and floral without being cloyingly sweet. (sm)
Pig's coattail ($10)
Fans of gin will really want to check out the cocktails here. Made with gin, Cynar, apricot liqueur, a French aperitif wine and rhubarb and lemon bitters, the Pig’s Coattail is a fantastic blend of herbal and floral. You’ll need to be a fan of bitter herbal drinks — Cynar is one of those love-it-or-hate-it things — but this is an incredibly refreshing, complex cocktail that even nongin people will enjoy. (evz)
Vieux carre ($11)
109 & Co. has an impressive list of house-made cocktails, but it’s their devotion to classics that will keep many Little Rock cocktail fans coming back. A blend of rye whiskey, cognac, vermouth, benedictine and bitters, this cocktail is boozy without being too harsh. It was a joy to watch our bartender mix the drink with a bar spoon rather than hack away with a shaker. They’re doing things right. (evz)
109 and Co.
Location: 109 Main St. in Little Rock
Phone: (501) 374-3710
Web: 109andcompany.com
Hours: 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday and Monday, 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Prices: Cocktails $10-$12, food $12
Alcohol: Full bar with a focus on craft cocktails
Kid-friendly: Seriously?
Attire: Business casual. No one will look at you funny if you’re wearing jeans.
Takes reservations: Yes
In a nutshell: After doing away with its smoky past, the former cigar bar has re-emerged with a focus on craft cocktails and a low-key vibe that feels right at home on Main Street.