There just wasn’t a good whiskey bar in Tracy, California, where Kevin Cox was working as a contractor. “I had to create one,” he says. After opening a Purgatory in Tracy, the Colville native unveiled a second location in Spokane. The businesses are named for an area in Colorado where Cox has spent much of his time — outdoors, enjoying the company of friends and family, and of course drinking good whiskey. Purgatory Spokane is in its third year and thriving.
“We have pretty much every type of whiskey on our wall,” says Cox. That’s not an overstatement, with all sorts of international and rare spirits including various iterations of whiskey hailing from Canada, Japan and Australia adorning Purgatory’s enormous lighted wall of spirits. Whiskey not your thing? No problem, as there are also agave-based spirits, a selection of craft beers, wines by the glass or by the bottle, and an expansive cocktail menu.
That kind of variety is what Cox thrives on. “I’ll have a favorite and something else will come in and be my next favorite,” he says.
But with so many options, it can be hard to choose. So why not try a flight? “Our staff is very knowledgeable,” Cox says, noting each bartender has created a namesake set of sips.
As for food, Purgatory’s menu offers rotating selections featuring unique and creative offerings. The menu’s best-selling item is the elk burger with beer mustard and roasted garlic aioli. Sometimes whiskey meets meat, as in the case of the whiskey-crusted smoked pork ribs. Roasted goat cheese with blueberries is a splendid starter, while the honey-fried chicken tacos will have you licking your fingers. For dessert, it’s only fitting to end with whiskey, so dive right into a slice of bourbon caramel sauce cheesecake.
Flavor Explosion
• Purgatory offers over 1,000 spirits and whiskey expressions (bourbon, rye, whiskey, scotch, etc); there’s also an expansive collection of craft beers, wine and a connoisseur’s cocktail menu.
• Purgatory’s serves a selection of its own smoked-in-house meats.