Mac McCormack: McCormack's Big Whisky Grill

Mac McCormack probably owns more whisky than anyone you know. The
owner of three Richmond-area restaurants that bear his name, the
McCormack's locations boast impressively-stocked bars with a wide
array of whisky.


"I would guess in the 15,000 to 18,000 bottle [range] right now,"
McCormack answered when asked about his selection across
McCormack's Big Whisky Grill at Regency Square, McCormack's
Whisky Grill in the Fan, and McCormack's Irish Pub in Shockoe
Bottom. "I don't know that anybody has more of a selection than
we do at Big Whisky. I don't see how they could, because it took
me 10 years to put this collection together. Virginia has some
restrictions where we have to buy everything from the ABC. And so
one of the reasons we have so many bottles and backstock is
because of that. So when things become available, I buy as many
as I can, just to make sure that we keep them in stock, because I
have to not think about today or tomorrow, I have to think about
five years from now. And some of the products that we carry, the
only reason we have them is that I stocked them 15 years ago
having no idea that they will become so popular."


When you sit down at one of McCormack's bars, don't be surprised
if he steers you away from his most expensive bourbon pours.


"My job as a bartender here is to show people the ones that they
don't have to pay that money for. If people are doing that, and
it's not the corporate guys in suits and it's not their money, I
say, well, why don't we take a third of that shot price and I'll
show you four whiskies that cost a third of that, that I think
are almost as good or equally as good. And you don't have to
waste a bunch of money," he said. "I understand the value of the
bottles that I have, but I actually down-sell people all the time
from those kinds of crazy expensive pours. We're a restaurant and
I want you to come here once every two weeks, once every three
weeks for dinner, I don't want you to just think of us as the
expensive place."


McCormack recently reopened his new Big Whisky Grill at Regency
Square in Henrico's West End. Learn more about his restaurants
and ascension to the top of the Virginia bourbon scene on this
week's episode of Eat It, Virginia!


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