The Hunt Club’s Oysters and Absinthe

Roosted against a cool stone ledge of the penthouse balcony at Seattle’s historic Sorrento Hotel, I channeled my inner Oscar Wilde — gazing toward my city with twilight looming and clutching a goblet of wormwood to my chest. “A glass of absinthe is as poetical as anything in the world,” said the 19th century poet. “What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset.”

Not much of a difference, it seems. The hazy aftereffects of the warming sentiment and a harbinger of good night are what bring Wilde’s two kindred spirits together. This hangover was brought to me by the Sorrento Hotel and their “Drinking Lessons” cocktail program.

The second Wednesday of each month brings this series to the hotel, dedicated to drink education and preparation. Presented by the knowledgeable staff of the Sorrento Hotel and its Hunt Club restaurant,  they strive to feature “drinking lessons” on anything and everything from Champagne to Sangria, rum, infusions and beer. The powers that be bring in the city’s elite in the libation world with leading cocktail historians, craft distillers, guest bartenders and their own house mixologists who play their A game to show guests how to use the beverage to its greatest potential and what to pair it with.

Tickets are $35 for a 90 minute class that includes the lesson itself, drinks and bites from the Hunt Club. The classes are limited to 12 participants per session with two nightly seating, advanced reservations required with information on their website.

Story courtesy of Erin Thomas, Seattleite.com