There are a growing number of great bartenders in Seattle. Some of them ply their trade in dedicated cocktail shrines, with hundreds of bottles at their disposal and a cornucopia of bitters, tinctures, and infusions. That’s not exactly the model at LloydMartin, where Tyler Kingdon has built a diverse, compelling, and challenging cocktail list that he manages to change regularly without the options most bartenders have at their disposal. His bar is also noteworthy for almost entirely eschewing well-known mass-produced spirits: you won’t find Grey Goose, Patron, Maker’s Mark, or Captain Morgan anywhere near LloydMartin’s shelves, yet Kingdon and the rest of the staff are ready, willing, and able to steer you to more interesting and often far tastier replacements: obscure amaros, vermouths, and other European spirits that take the place of the usual set of vodkas, whiskeys, and gins, often showing them in an entirely new light. In addition, he’s unassuming and always willing to explain himself and the idea behind a drink—a welcome trait given how daunting the cocktail list can look to a novice.