tantalus

A tantalus is a lockable stand holding decanters of liquor, typically with visible glass bottles behind bars or a locked frame.

The design allows servants or guests to see the contents while preventing unauthorized access—a domestic security measure from the Victorian era.

The name alludes to the mythological figure condemned to eternal frustration.

The whisky sat in the tantalus on the sideboard. (Capitalized Tantalus is the mythological figure.)