Enjoyed: Monday, June 26, 2023

Listed on the menu: Yes, as “Velvet Old Fashioned”

Ingredients: Ray’s “Private Selection No. 2” Old Forester Bourbon, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Lustau Pedro Ximenez “San Emilio” Sherry, chocolate bitters, large rock.

The occasion: We spent our final full day in Seattle with Daughter and Boyfriend. To cap off our visit, we chose the iconic Ray’s for supper. The timing was perfect–we grabbed seats at the bar, then were escorted to a table for four on the edge of the Café deck. We enjoyed the view of Shilshole Bay and the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains beyond. The sunset was breathtaking! We giddily soaked in the atmosphere. And the seafood was top-notch as well–Husband wanted wild Northwest salmon one more time. Even with all this, the best part of the evening was the company.

My rating: **** out of 5. The cocktail’s description initially impressed me–“Private Selection” meant that an entire barrel of Old Forester was made in Kentucky especially for Ray’s. That’s a serious dedication to this particular bourbon! (Perhaps I should have ordered just a single shot to start, so I could have sampled it alone.) This drink promised complexity: I was hoping for some smokiness from the scotch and some sweetness from the sherry. I was not expecting the bartender to pour the pre-mixed cocktail from a pitcher into my glass. Yes, pre-mixed. I understand that Ray’s bar is busy and high-volume, but I believe a $17 beverage should be made fresh for me, right there as I watch. I did enjoy the flavors, but I felt a bit cheated.

Final thoughts: We passed by Ray’s the previous Saturday, on our cruise through the Ballard Locks. The narrator told us that Rays.com is the website for the restaurant, which is a major coup since fans of the MLB Tampa Bay Rays type in the address (expecting baseball news) and instead see this Seattle restaurant. Yes, Ray’s is an institution!