It's Looking A Lot Like Christmas At Seattle's Rob Roy

As the weather outside gets frightful, the ambiance inside Rob Roy is delightful. The bar stools are topped with Santa hats, festive ornaments hang from the ceiling, and string lights twinkle with holiday cheer. Seattle's classic cocktail lounge has gone from clubby to Christmas-y thanks to Miracle.

Miracle is a seasonal pop-up bar that (literally) gets people in the holiday spirit. Three years ago, bar owner, booze bibliophile, and Cocktail Kingdom creator Greg Boehm's mother suggested he host an over-the-top Christmas pop-up during the construction at his NYC bar Mace. After two successful years, Miracle has set up shop in more than 30 outposts across the globe, including Charleston's The Gin Joint, Chicago's Fox Bar, and Los Angeles' Westbound. Santa's not the only one delivering Christmas treats around the world this year.

Each Miracle bar features a stellar drink list by bartender Nico de Soto of Mace and Danico (Paris). Cocktails like the Muletide — Aquavit, Oloroso sherry, ginger, lime, pumpkin — and Bad Santa — hot milk punch with Barbados Rum, Overproof Rum, Batavia Arrack, pineapple juice, and coconut oil — are served in Cocktail Kingdom's custom Miracle glassware. Think ceramic Santa mugs and highballs decorated with kitschy reindeers.

I savored a Snowball Old Fashioned, made festive with cinnamon-y Becherovka and triple-spiced spirit. Mario, my affable bartender, carved my ice snowball with a giant knife, allowing me to witness Rob Roy's impressive ice program up close. As at Rob Roy, all of the Miracle bars have decked their halls with jolly Christmas decorations inspired by the NYC original. Picture the Christmas cheer of childhood paired with a well-crafted adult beverage. Miracle is a drinking wonderland.

Rob Roy was a natural choice for Miracle thanks to their boozy advent calendar menu where the mediocre chocolates are replaced with killer cocktails. In addition to the Miracle libations, this mouthwatering list includes seasonal sips like a Walnut Old Fashioned— Calvados, Nux Alpina walnut liqueur, and maple — and Rajani's Chai — a hot rum, scotch, and secret Chai blend from Rob Roy's owner, Anu Apte Elford's, mom. A different cold or hot drink is featured each night — collect 12 advent stamps and get a $75 gift card.

Both the Miracle and advent calendar menus will be offered until Dec. 24. Get out of the cold and into the warm holiday spirit!