05 Mar Cognac Bar Tour Portland

As I travel to cities and visit bars, I am reminded of a great bar tour I took last October at Portland Cocktail Week. What better way to tour the bars of Portland than on a bright red double-decker bus for the Cognac Tour.   Stop 1: Imperial       At Chef Vitaly Paley’s newest restaurant, Bar Manager Brandon Wise served us a Vieux Carre on tap, made with Rye, Hennessy VS, Italian Vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura and Peychaud’s Bitters. Our cocktails were enjoyed with some sliders. Definitely a bar to return to! Stop 2: Central  At Central we enjoyed a cocktail made with Remy, Bonal and yellow chartreuse. This well- balanced cocktail paired well with the cheese platter we were served (along with black truffle duck pate!) Stop 3: Clarklewis     After passing through the open kitchen at Clarklewis, we took a seat at long tables where we enjoyed a Coucher de Soleil with Pierre Ferrand Cognac, fresh OJ, Cherry Heering, Imbue Vermouth, Angostura bitters and Fee Brothers orange bitters (a play on a Blood and Sand).  The kitchen sent out a Beef Tongue Taco made with Carmen Ranch beef tongue, pickled peppers, ricotta salata. Although we had eaten at the first two stops, we couldn’t resist eating a few of these tacos…..each. Portland Cocktail Week Cognac Tour was so much fun!  Three great stops, each offering delicious cognac cocktails and bite to eat.  But, then is was off to Pig & Punch for more food and drinks!