Named for the year Spain repealed its short-lived ley seca, 1862 Dry Bar occupies a narrow Malasana townhouse where cocktails are built with the quiet precision that makes you realise most bars are guessing. Exposed brick, vintage furniture, warm lighting suggesting a private apartment rather than a commercial space. The classics — Negroni, Old Fashioned, Daiquiri — are rendered with a textbook balance that serves as both satisfaction and education. The seasonal menu introduces originals, but the heart of 1862 is the conviction that a well-made classic needs no embellishment.
Location
Malasana, Madrid
Map
Insider Intel
A Negroni for benchmark balance. An Old Fashioned to test stirring and dilution. A Daiquiri for proof that three ingredients can be perfect. The seasonal menu is worth exploring — ask what they are most proud of this rotation. The whisky selection is deeper than the room suggests.
Early evening from 8pm for a seat at the bar and the bartender's attention. Later from 11pm the Malasana crowd fills the townhouse and the atmosphere shifts from contemplative to convivial. Weeknights for conversation; weekends for energy.
Calle del Pez 27, Malasana. Noviciado or Callao metro. Cocktails EUR 10-13. No reservations — the room is small, so arrive early for a bar seat. Malasana is Madrid's most walkable drinking neighbourhood, and 1862 is the anchor. Cards accepted.