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Metropolitan Grill has proudly established partnerships with some of the most recognizable and renowned spirit producers and brands in the country.
While the classic Seattle steakhouse has won top National and International awards for its extensive wine list, it is also known for its custom bourbon blends created in partnership with legendary producers such as Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and most notably Woodford Reserve.
Today, Metropolitan Grill unveils its three latest private reserve bourbon offerings blended at the historic Woodford Reserve distillery.
The Met and Woodford Reserve partnership began in 2013. Each year, an esteemed Metropolitan Grill team embarks on a research and development trip to the heart of Kentucky.
This year’s tasting team included Joshua Anderson, director of operations; Aaron Wood-Synderman, wine director; Amanda Reed, beverage director; and Rob Nokes, lead bartender.
The 2019 excursion offered the opportunity to create three new custom bourbon blends, especially for Metropolitan Grill guests.
“With the guidance of Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, we conducted a roundtable tasting and blending process,” said Reed. “This year, we were presented with eight-barrel selections, each at barrel strength with different fill dates and location in the rickhouse. We tasted each individual barrel and discussed the flavor profiles and potential combination.”
The blending aspect is what makes this process so unique, noted Reed.
“Allowing us to blend our own bourbons creates so much more depth and complexity than what we start out with when tasting the barrel selections alone.”
The blending process required two separate barrels for each batch, creating twelve combinations. The batches were then diluted to bottling proof.
From these combinations, three bourbon blends made the final cut.
“We have a blend that is a good sipper, one that seems more suited for cocktails and a richer blend that would serve the after-dinner category,” explained Reed. “Our sipping blend shows notes of stone fruit, cinnamon and cedar, with a creamy palate and a dry finish. The spicier blend features notes of dark cherry, vanilla, and black pepper, with leather and dried spice on the finish, perfect for creating balanced complex cocktails; and our dessert blend has flavors of sweet caramel, toasted pecans, vanilla, cream, and cinnamon.”
Once the blends are completed, they are sent to the bottling facility where they are hand-bottled and imprinted with the batch number and Metropolitan Grill’s signature.
This year’s Metropolitan Grill Woodford Reserve blended bourbon batches are number 15, 16 and 17 and are available at Metropolitan Grill.
When individually served neat or on the rocks, the exclusive bourbon blends each sell for $14.00.
A flight of ¾ oz. pours of the three different styles is $21.00