There’s a new bar in Poblacion that has a goal to have one of the biggest collections of rare bottles, cocktail books, and bar paraphernalia in Manila. Spirits Library is on a mission to educate Manila about fine cocktails, different types of alcohol and spirits through their growing collection. Standing from across the street, it seems like they’ve downplayed their facade to blend in with the neighborhood. But once you get inside, you’ll be surprised to find how grand the place looks. You pass through a single door and come into a surprisingly large area where there’s a big bar lined with stools. A spiral staircase leads you to more, softer velvet seating and a slightly fancier room dedicated for smoking and drinking, and a retail section for bar tools. But the best part? It has a vaulted ceiling to create headroom for a two story shelving library with quite a number of those shelves filled with different types of alcohol. And a good number of bar-centric books. We had the chance to have a couple of drinks here during Manila Cocktail Fest because they hosted the after party — which is one of the first events Spirits Library hosted in the space since opening only weeks before. Since they were on soft opening, the shelves weren’t filled to their full capacity, but we’re excited to find out how they will grow between then and our our next visit.
