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Washington Distilleries Are Having a Fruity Summer Fling

Plus, a precious PNW whiskey hits the shelves (but not for long).

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While lots of growing things have started to fade with the long hot days of summer, our expanding Northwest distillery boom just keeps on blooming. This is tasty news for those of us who love local spirits and liqueurs. Check out the below new releases and start your list for the next time you visit the liquor store (or just head right to the distilleries).

Salish Sea Organic Liqueurs Basil Liqueur
There are few (if any) basil liqueurs available in the world. But if anyone was going to release one, it’d be Salish Sea’s Sam Desner, who currently has 23 intriguing different liqueurs, all using organic ingredients and made with a cold maceration process to maximize flavor. Basil is his latest, and the flavor is bright and light, with sweet basil and herbal notes. People are already taking notice—it’s rocketed up to their third biggest seller in a short time. Not sure what to do with a basil liqueur? Desner suggests subbing it in for vermouth in martinis, though his current fave is a basil strawberry daiquiri.

Bluewater Distilling Raspberry Vodka
Part of its recently started Limited Series, Bluewater’s 100 percent organic raspberry vodka is made from Skagit Valley berries, sourced via Viva Farms. A non-profit farm, Viva serves as an incubator, assisting farmers with access to land, equipment and capital, and helping them bring products to market. This vodka has a lush summertime taste and would make a thirst-quenching vodka Collins.

Seattle Distilling Strawberry Vodka
Usually released in conjunction with the Vashon Island Strawberry festival, this annual treat wasn’t quite ready last weekend due to the meteorological strange-ness of our spring and summer. But it’ll be out early August. Made with the super red, super ripe small strawberries from Vashon combined with the distillery’s red wheat-based vodka, it’s another limited-edition bottling, so make plans to head out to the distillery when it’s released. It’s memorable solo and ice cold, but you might also try it with Bluewater’s basil liqueur above.

2bar Spirits Corn Whiskey
Another limited release, the best way to corral a bottle of this 100-proof corn whiskey is at 2bar’s SoDo distillery. Aged three years in barrels that once held 2bar bourbon, it has toffee notes and tropical fruit on the front end, and a little smoke and oak at the finish. In addition, whiskey lovers, keep an eye out because 2bar has recently started aging its own rye.

Westland Distillery Garryana 2|1
This has been out since mid-June, but is still worth talking about if you haven’t picked up a bottle. The precious single-malt whiskey (only 2,600 bottles were filled) was aged in casks made from Garry oak (or Quercus garryana), a rapidly dwindling native oak that now only grows in the Pacific Northwest. The Garry oak imparts molasses and smoke, cuddling up with espresso, blueberry and citrus flavors. The first Garryana release won Best American Single Malt at the World Whiskey Awards last year.

 

Restaurant Roundup: 3 Pearls and Restaurant Week Redux

Restaurant Roundup: 3 Pearls and Restaurant Week Redux

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

When something tastes good, you gotta go back for seconds—and that’s exactly what we’re doing for this fall’s Seattle Restaurant Week, Oct. 18-31. Building off a successful spring spread, this edition brings back curated menus at various price points ($20, $35, $50, and $65) at restaurants, bars, cafes, and pop-ups across the greater Seattle area….

House Special: A Taste of Ecuador at Bad Chancla

House Special: A Taste of Ecuador at Bad Chancla

Chef José Garzón brings a coastal Ecuadorian classic to his 335-square-foot Capitol Hill kitchen, where he hopes to introduce more dishes from home. 

There is not much room at Bad Chancla. The bright pink walk-up on East Olive Way seats a handful of people elbow to elbow, mostly outside, and the kitchen behind the counter is small enough that chef and co-owner José Garzón can talk to you while he cooks.  Garzón grew up between Guayaquil and the…

Opening Night: GoodMart Makes Lunch Feel Like Luxury

Opening Night: GoodMart Makes Lunch Feel Like Luxury

Victor Steinbrueck, owner of Fremont’s acclaimed Local Tide, opens his second seafood-centric restaurant in the heart of Ballard.

On a Thursday afternoon I was able to walk right up to the counter at GoodMart on Ballard Avenue and order lunch, which surprised me.  GoodMart is owned by Victor Steinbrueck, who opened Local Tide in Fremont during the height of the pandemic (August 2020) and built it into one of Seattle’s most acclaimed seafood…

Where to Warm Up With a Drink This Fall and Winter in Seattle

Where to Warm Up With a Drink This Fall and Winter in Seattle

From swanky speakeasies to a cozy literary bar, these spots serve inventive cocktails and zero-proof options.

Seattle’s drearier days are slowly arriving, but it’s not all gray and gloom from here. Finding a cozy spot to warm up is part of the trick to enjoying the darker, colder months. The right place lets you bring a friend, a book, a journal, or simply yourself, and let time pass by.  Whether you…