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I drank a lot of things in my travels around the world. I didn't discover scotch until later in life. And I found Laphroaig later still. Laphroaig is a bold Islay single malt Scotch whisky known for its intensely smoky, peaty flavor — often described as tasting of sea salt, iodine, and campfire. Distilled on the rugged coast of Islay since 1815, it carries notes of seaweed, oak, and medicinal smoke that split opinions: drinkers either fall in love or never forget the first sip. It’s unapologetically distinctive — the Scotch that defines “peaty.” And by now, I bet you know where I fall out on that split! That’s today’s Last Call photo.
Get your costumes out, KC, it's that spooky season! If you're up for a real treat, pull up to the bar and ask for two fingers of Laphroaig— and let me know what you think!
Photo by Jonathan Tesmaye Salvador on Unsplash
I’ll see you at the bar.
—Jay, SecretKC editor
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🕯️ The Whisper — Thursday Highlights
🍸 Nightmare on Elms St Pop-Up Bar · Thu, Oct 16 | The Elms Hotel, Excelsior Springs
Haunted cocktails and eerie décor inside one of Missouri’s most historic hotels.
🔗 exploretock.com
🍸 Boo’s & Booze Cocktail Class + Live Jazz · Thu, Oct 16 | VOO Lounge
Learn to craft the perfect fall cocktail while a jazz trio sets the vibe.
🔗 vookansascity.com
🥃 House Favorites
Places that earn a spot in your rotation. A good pour, familiar faces, and that feeling you’ve arrived exactly where you should be.
P.S. Speakeasy (Hotel Phillips)📍 Downtown KC
📸 @psspeakeasykc • 🔗 psspeakeasy.com
Tucked below Hotel Phillips, this hidden bar glows gold. Expect vintage glassware and quietly confident service.
miniBar📍 Midtown KC
📸 @minibarkc • 🔗 minibarkc.com
Eclectic and always on the edge. Indie shows, DJ nights, and a loyal crowd that knows good sound.
Club 1909 (Libations & Co.)📍 Downtown Lee’s Summit
📸 @libationsandco
Swing, vinyl, and meticulously crafted cocktails inside a turn-of-the-century hideaway.
Can’t-Miss Weekend Plans 🎯
🎷 Jackie Myer Trio · Fri, Oct 17 | 8–11 PM | Sherri’s Executive Lounge
Smooth jazz melodies and drinks.
🔗 SherrisExecutiveLoungeKC
🎸 Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty Tribute · Fri, Oct 17 | 8 PM | Knuckleheads Saloon
A full-throttle Petty tribute
🔗 tickets.knuckleheadskc.com
🎷 Lonnie McFadden · Fri, Oct 17 | 8 PM | Lonnie’s Reno Club
The legend himself — jazz, tap, and KC charm. Dinner + show.
🔗 lonnies-reno-club.turntabletickets.com
🎷 Ken Lovern’s OJT · Fri, Oct 17 | Late Set | Green Lady Lounge
Organ-led Kansas City groove.
🔗 greenladylounge.com
🎷 Tim Whitmer Quartet · Fri, Oct 17 | Late Set | Black Dolphin
KC jazz piano legend and his longtime quartet.
🔗 blackdolphinlounge.com
🎡 Kansas City Street Food Festival · Sat, Oct 18 | 3 PM | KC Live! Power & Light District
A full-day food fest with trucks, drinks, and DJ sets downtown.
🔗 Eventbrite
🎡 12th Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration · Sat, Oct 18 | 5 PM | Scarritt Point / The Museum of Kansas City
Cultural celebration featuring altars, music, and family art.
🔗 Eventbrite
🍸 “Ladies of the Night: A Spookeasy Pop-Up Experience” · Sat, Oct 18 | 6 PM | Rockhill (4241 Troost Ave)
A sultry Halloween-themed speakeasy with immersive performances.
🔗 Eventbrite
🎧 SUPER BASS BROS: Dirt Monkey × Smoakland · Sat, Oct 18 | 9 PM | The Truman
Bass-heavy beats and wild visuals in the East Crossroads.
🔗 thetrumankc.com
🎷 The Queens of KC feat. J Love & Baby J · Sat, Oct 18 | 10 PM | The Blue Room. Late-night jazz and local heat at the American Jazz Museum’s bar.
🔗 americanjazzmuseum.org/blue-room
🍸 The New Girl Pop-Up Bar · Through Mar 2025 | Vignettes Bar, North KC
Whimsical New Girl–inspired drinks and photo-ready sets.
🔗 Facebook
🍸 Sanderson Sisters Hocus-Pocus Pop-Up · Nightly through Nov 1 | PH Coffee
Themed cocktails, parodies, and “Amuck, Amuck, Amuck!” fun.
🔗 PH Coffee
🎷 Sunday Jazz Brunch · Sun, Oct 19 | 10 AM–1 PM | The Phoenix
Mimosas, biscuits, and brass downtown.
🔗 thephoenixkc.com
The Last Call
Laphroaig @Embassy Lobby Bar
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whisky is barely enough.”
— Mark Twain
Stay sharp ☾