Caprichos and cocktails are the name of the game at Jason Stratton’s new downtown Spanish hotspot, where the drinks are overseen by former Il Bistro and Tavern Law rockstar barman David Nelson. Try Los Gintonic, the “unofficial Spanish national cocktail,” with three varieties of gin and fancy mixing agents, like Fever Tree tonic and Bonal Gentiane-quina. Hook your designated driver up with a house horchata and everyone drinks feliz.

Cocktail enthusiasts on the Eastside just scored a new watering hole. Bar Code’s bar manager Evan Martin is a pro at developing delicious drinks using interesting seasonal ingredients and riffs on classic recipes. Get a Bar Code Tonic: carbonated cinchona bark & citrus infused gin.

If good things come in small packages, this place is the best. With only a dozen or so seats, the bar offers a creative menu of drinks, many using vermouth as a main ingredient. Complimentary Lay’s potato chips arrive with your order. Additional selections of superb snacks, like octopus terrine and rabbit pâté, go great with drinks.

Cider is the next big thing and Capitol Cider is where you should be drinking it. They have the largest selection of cider on tap in the states right now. Craft cocktails, beer, wine, a room for games, another for more intimate parties, and a full menu of naturally gluten-free food makes this a perfect hang out.

The tiny back bar (simply called the Back Bar at E. Smith Mercantile) is a favorite spot for those who know it exists. Open since September, the craft cocktails come courtesy of bar manager Craig Schoen and made by E. Smith purveyor Jessie Poole. Consider yourself lucky if you snag one of the 14 barstools.

The newest cocktail bar opened by McCracken & Tough (SPUR, Tavern Law, Coterie Room) is a cozy den dedicated to smoked food and smoked whisky (i.e. Scotch). Even if whiskey isn’t your thing, you’ll be happy you pulled up a bar stool here. But if it is, the Weekly Scotch Experience, with three pours, will introduce you to some fine specimens.

The new juice bar-meets-apothecary-cocktail bar has been hoppin' since opening in the former Old Town Ale House space mid-August. The drink list (with tons of herbal infusions: basil-infused tequila, sage-infused bourbon, dill-infused vodka, etc.) pairs well with the small plates menu curated by chef Dave Lamping (formerly of Bastille and Smith). Percy's comes courtesy of the team behind Cha Cha Lounge, Seattle's Ace Hotel and Rudy's, so the space is a visual stunner.

As the name suggests, whiskey is the focus of the first cocktail bar opened by the folks behind Matt’s in the Market (and just across the hall). Many of their cocktails use the hooch from local distiller 2bar Spirits, so you can support two local businesses from one barstool. While sipping on a well-crafted whiskey cocktail, nosh on their amazing Buffalo-style fried chicken livers.

Erik Carlson of Bastille is now also in charge of the cocktail menu of this new, super-popular restaurant opened by the same team. Punches, barrel-aged cocktails and twists on classics are all on the menu. Order the Colonel Cooler, which uses an Italian amaro as one of its main ingredients.

First time bar owner Greg Holcomb isn’t new to the industry; past gigs include Sazerac and Knee High Stocking Co. In his recently opened Capitol Hill address you’ll find an interior that looks like a small Southern Baptist church, giving you reason to literally worship your cocktail. Well-thought-out cocktails, delicious southern food, and genuine hospitality are all on the menu. The namesake Witness Cocktail is not to be missed.