![]() ![]() Aviation Gin Tour hands on with gin botanicals The company was sold to liquor behemoth Diegeo in 2020. In 2018 Reynolds of Deadpool fame signed on as a stakeholder based on his love of Negroni’ made with Aviation Gin and Campari. The founders took 32 tries in making a gin ideal for cocktails beyond a gin and tonic. Launched in 2006, the gin is distributed in 40 countries. The reason for the media fuss was the escape room featuring new owner, actor Ryan Reynolds. The new Aviation Gin tasting room opened in July 2022 to much fanfare. Located nearby, Aviation Gin was our next stop. ![]() Freeland Spirits cocktails flight – Deborah Grossman The Love Club with Freeland Bourbon, black cherry juice, balsamic glaze, dark cacao bitters was the favorite. Though some were pre-mixed and batched, we chose the Fresh Mixed creative option. ![]() The highlight of our visit was the tasting flight of expertly crafted cocktails. The gins range from Freeland’s blue bottle with 13 botanicals including cucumber, rosemary, mint and thyme to London dry and Geneva styles. ![]() I enjoyed samples from teardrop-shaped bottles including bourbon and new Freeland Olea Amaro. She also uses a team to identify what she calls the “art of making spirits-finding the heart of the alcohol,” identifying the best distillate as it flows through the distillation. Troupe uses a unique cold distillation process to maximize flavors of the botanicals. Visible through the window in the tasting room is distiller Molly Troupe’s favorite piece of equipment, a gorgeous copper pot still named Hellbitch. Freeland Spirits Tasting room with view of distillation- Deborah Grossman Kuehler was strongly influenced by Meemaw’s mantra, “All good things come from scratch,” and she sources Oregon grains and local botanicals when available. Meemaw’s image is showcased on the “history” mural on the hallway leading from the tasting room to the production area. Owner Jill Kuehler named her distillery after her grandmother, “Meemaw” Freeland. Morgenthaler’s favorite gin is Portland’s Freeland Spirits. Kex Hotel Pacific Standard low alcohol drink – Deborah Grossman The colorful, mid-afternoon pick-me-up Strawberry-Rhubarb Aperol Spritz prepared by Morgenthaler brought smiles to customers. Intriguing drinks included the non-alcoholic Wandering Path with nonalcoholic hemp spirit and an “All-Day Bloody Mary” with Icelandic vodka, zesty house mix, and dill pickles. I chose the Rosé Negroni, a beautiful blend of gin, bianco bitter, rosé vermouth, sea salt and lemon peel. The cocktail menu includes a picture of the unique glass selected for each drink. The wooden floors are repurposed from a historic railroad station and historic light fixtures are set in display cases. Kex Hotel Pacific Standard lounge area – Deborah GrossmanĪ trained architect, Morgenthaler was attracted to the Kex for the architecture and global travel sensibility of the hotel. He also influenced the food menu which features fresh seafood from the Pacific Northwest and more. Morgenthaler brings unique riffs and local ingredients to a raft of classics. Linked to the Kex website, the description of the bar is fitting: “A modern West Coast drinking and dining hall…which celebrates the hotel bar by aiming to be a living room for the city.”Īn esteemed bartender and bar owner for over 25 years, manager Jeffrey Morgenthaler created all the drinks. The name Kex means cook, and the Icelandic owners of Kex incorporated the bar and dining area on the ground floor, dwarfing the reception area. I was eager to stop by Pacific Standard bar located within the Kex hotel in the Kerns neighborhood. We enjoyed happy hour drinks at Fortune bar conveniently located in the Sentinel Hotel. We looked forward to the city views and Pan-Asian food at Departure Restaurant and Lounge located on the 15 th floor of the Nines Hotel, but timing precluded a visit. Our stay at the downtown Sentinel Hotel afforded proximity to attractions, restaurants and wine tasting rooms, distilleries and bars. There are exceptional breweries to explore which we reserved for another visit. Distilleries have also spring up in the urban environment. The city’s proximity to Willamette Valley translates to the abundance of wine tasting rooms. Portland presents an exceptional array of beverage tasting opportunities along with farm-fresh Pacific Northwest food. ![]()
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