Taste of the Town

Spots to sip, sample, and savor specialty spirits, beer, and wine

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ

Have a taste for a tasting? Seeking to sample a specific spirit? These Valley hot spots each offer a twist on the traditional cocktail menu with flights tailored to fit every fancy.

PHOENIX CITY GRILLE

This Valley staple is best known for two things: Its buttermilk pie and its bourbon collection. In addition to hosting multiple bourbon-centric pairing dinners throughout the year, Phoenix City Grille offers hundreds of selections for everyday sipping. For those who can’t narrow down their choices, several flights are also available, each featuring three 3 oz. pours. 5816 N. 16th Ave., Phoenix; www.phoenixcitygrille.com

WESTIN KIERLAND RESORT & SPA

Located just off the main lobby inside the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa is its Scotch Library, which features more than 300 scotches—more than 175 single malts, 30 blends, and several rare bottles imported directly from Scotland. From open to close seven days a week, scotch ambassadors in the library offer 2 oz. pours, ranging from $12 to $475 per pour depending on the brand, of more than 200 makes and brands. In addition, the Scotch Library has regular tasting events where they bring in a renowned brand and offer a tasting of its portfolio of scotches, paired with small bites. 6902 E. Greenway Pkwy., Scottsdale; www.kierlandresort.com

BARCOA AGAVERIA

The leather-bound menu at BARCOA clocks in at nearly 40 pages and is a beginner’s guide to the world of agave spirits, with background info on the various classifications, processes, species, and the cultural significance of each. These bits of text invite guests to settle in and spend some time learning while imbibing. Every spirit includes three-to-four tasting notes, geographic information, and more. The final two pages of the menu? They are dedicated entirely to flight offerings, giving guests the chance to decide which of the 300 agave spirits on the menu is right for them. Beyond tequila and mezcal, opt for BARCOA to sample lesser-known agave spirits including bacanora, raicilla, sotol, and distilados de agave (unclassified agave spirits). There are also private tastings starting at just $50 per person. 829 N. 1st Ave., Phoenix; www.barcoaphx.com

FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE PRINCESS

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess does not do anything on a small scale. Need proof? There are three unique restaurants on property with tasting opportunities. Located at the TPC Scottsdale, but owned and operated by the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, Richard Sandoval’s Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar features more than 75 rum labels—the most in Arizona. Its most popular flight is the Lux Prima, and for the true rum enthusiast, the locale offers rum lockers where regulars can keep their precious bottles safe and expertly mixed by Toro bar staff. Prefer wine? Choose from nearly 1,000 different wine labels, including three pages of Cabernet Sauvignon alone, at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak at the Princess, each of which is poured by one of seven sommeliers certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers. And finally, there is La Hacienda. The fine dining restaurant features more than 250 different tequilas, including many unique, high-end limited editions, and they are served by Tequila Goddesses, each of whom acts as a tequila sommelier. The Tequila Goddesses work to make tequila approachable to all guests, offering flights and noting tasting differences. 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale; www.scottsdaleprincess.com

BARCOA AGAVERIA

CHÂM PANG LANES

Bubbly and bowling? New to the Downtown Phoenix scene, this combination bar, lounge, and game hub offers nine sparkling wines by the glass, another eight to 10 by the bottle, and then a handful of champagne-infused cocktails, in addition to more standard offerings. Neon lights, champagne-themed art installations, and disco balls add to the vibe, and there really are bowling lanes guests can reserve—plus ample pinball games and a small menu of elevated Asian-inspired snacks and sushi. 903 N. 2nd St., Phoenix; www.champanglanes.com

GREY HEN RX

Tucked in the corner of Century Grand, which is located off of Indian School Road in Phoenix, Grey Hen Rx transports guests to a mid-1800s New Orleans-inspired apothecary. Alongside the concept’s extensive cocktail list, which features original and 23

classic cocktails, there is a massive menu of whiskies, as well as accompanying flight options for guests to enjoy. Bonus: Grey Hen Rx’s latest Spirits Bible outlines an impressive collection of 514 whiskey and bourbon expressions, including special and limited releases from all over the world, each of which may be tasted for a fee. 3626 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix; www.centurygrandphx.com/grey-hen

HUSS BREWING CO.

Though there are copious ways in which to sample Arizona beers in town, Huss offers one of the best given its flexibility. Quite simply, you can build your own flight by picking four 4 oz.pours from anything on draft at its taprooms across the Valley, including its newest location in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. They have 12 beers on tap and 15 beers available in cans from which to choose, as well as the option to mix and match six-packs and full cases to-go. 1520 W. Mineral Road, Tempe; 100 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix; 225 E. Monroe St., Phoenix; www.hussbrewing.com

SANTAN SPIRITS

While a brewery staple for more than a decade, in more recent years, SanTan Brewing Company launched a spirit division. There are both traditional and experimental spirit offerings in their current line-up, notably bourbon, vodka, and gin, plus bottled cocktails, herbal amaro, coffee liqueur, and brandy. Guests seeking to taste a little of everything are smart to book a tour of the distillery and Spirit House, conveniently behind the popular Chandler brewpub. The current distillery tour ($15 per person) takes guests behind the scenes of the brewery as well, altogether showcasing a 35,000-square-foot working production facility, with samples along the way and a chance to purchase tasting flights for an added cost. 495 E. Warner Road, Chandler; www.santanspirits.com

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Postino Winecafé; SanTan Spirits; Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar; Thirsty Lion Gastropub; CRUjiente Tacos.

CRUJIENTE TACOS

Already a beloved spot for authentic and award-winning tacos in the Camelback Corridor, in recent years CRUjiente has also earned praise for its extensive, well-curated spirit program thanks to its founding partner, Jason Morris, who co-founded a local wine and spirit distribution company before opening the modern taqueria. CRUjiente Tacos has create-your-own spirit flight options, and guests can select three to four spirits in 1 oz. pours or 2 oz. pours. There are more than 400 unique spirits to choose from behind the bar, including 200 different tequila and mezcal variations and over 150 whiskeys. 3961 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix; www.crutacos.com

POSTINO WINECAFÉ

crime” mantra by working with over 85 wine producers across the globe, collaborating with boutique wineries on custom blends all in pursuit of delivering the most dynamic wines to guests’ tables. There are 27 hand-picked wines on the menu at any given time, with most offered for just $5 per glass until 5 p.m. daily, making it easy to sip and swirl through several varietals any day of the week. Locations in Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert, Phoenix; www.postinowinecafe.com

THIRSTY LION GASTROPUB

With locations in Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, and Tempe, Thirsty Lion Gastropub makes it easy to visit and experience their bourbon selections no matter where you are in the Valley. There are always more than 20 types from which to choose, including a handful of rare offerings and those from around the world. Locations in Chandler, Phoenix, Gilbert, Tempe; www.thirstyliongastropub.com