Smith Tower is the oldest skyscraper in Seattle and its beauty accentuates the ever-changing skyline. In 1914, Smith Tower became the first skyscraper in Seattle and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. For more than 100 years, it has remained a cultural icon of the city, offering breathtaking panoramic views and spectacular architectural allure.
Smith Tower was renovated about a year ago with new exhibits and enhancements to truly connect the story and “secrets” of the tower through the tour. The renovations include enhancements to the 35th floor observatory, which now has a speakeasy-inspired bar with craft cocktails and shareable plates and an updated observation deck.
I recently had the chance to bring my friend Mishana with me to check out the speakeasy-inspired bar and try the Smith Tower’s new barrel-aging program! Smith Tower’s Bill Cole and bartender Mark Sassi took us through some traditional Old Fashioned and Manhattans and we learned that the barrel-aging adds a new depth of flavor to any cocktail in a one-to-two month process (some are aged for six months). Their charred oak barrels are carefully curated to influence flavors from one batch to the next and ensure that no two barrel-aged cocktails are the same! They also serve cocktails made from other distilleries including Copperworks Distilling, Mischief Distillery, Westland Distillery, Lula Distillery, Brovo Spirits, Uncle Val’s Gin and Woodinville Whiskey (to name a few).
The Manhattan (which we ended up ordering) is one of their most popular, reordered drinks and I can see why. The divine whiskey flavor shined through along with the sweet vermouth and the brandied cherry was the perfect ending. They are currently aging 2bar Spirits Moonshine, so clearly I need to come back when that is ready!
We complemented our Manhattans with some tasty appetizers (only $8 per plate), including the Artisan Cheese Plate, the House-Made Dumplings and topped it all off with a slice of their Icebox Cake. Every morsel was absolutely delicious!
If you want to have the perfect happy hour with some of the best views that Seattle has to offer, make your way up to the 35th Floor of Smith Tower and order one (or more) of their barrel-aged cocktails. Sip, relax and enjoy! You’ve earned it.
WHERE:
Smith Tower
506 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received comped drinks and food for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
