Drink a lot: Whiskycafé, Amsterdam

For the launch of the new album of the lovely ladies of Lois Lane, I ventured into an area of Amsterdam that I usually avoid at all costs: the touristy bit. It's a mystery to me how this part of town, so close to the wonderful Vondelpark, can be so tacky and, well, horrible. Neon lights, coffeeshops (the dodgy weed smoke filled ones) and kebab shops galore. Shudder.

I was quite happy then to stumble across the Whiskycafé, which I am sure has been discovered by many before me; it looked like it's been there a while. It was a sight for sore eyes with its inviting yellow lights, in a place where everything else is bright and shouty and colourful. In we went, for what I presumed would be a whisky.

But actually I drank a nice draught beer, a white trappist, while perching on a bench that wasn't quite at the right height for sitting. The place is tiny with a (relatively) vast bar in the middle, housing an enormous amount of whisky bottles. It's actually only a selection of what's on offer. (They have more than 1801 different ones, apparently.) The rest is locked away in dusty cages around the room, with bits of barrel and pretty packaging lining every remaining inch of free wall space.

The customers? Men. In large groups, in small groups, plus a collection of lonely old farts. Only a few of them were drinking actual whisky, which is sort of understandable given that the cheapest glass is €6. But even without a drop of whisky in your glass, this is a haven of a boozer, a content sort of place. Just the kind of place I could see myself end up on a lonely old fart kind of night.

I just sat there for a quiet twenty minutes or so, listening to some very old blues and contemplating whether I'd ever be crazy enough, or drunk enough, to order the most expensive whisky on the menu. (It's €99 a glass.) I then had to run to make it in time to the album launch. The Lois Lane ladies were great. Have a listen for yourself, this is their beautiful single. (Which happens to have been written by my man. Whoop whoop.)

Whiskycafé L&B, Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 82-84, Amsterdam, open Sun to Thu 8pm - 3am, website