Murray Stenson

1949–2023

Created one of the first cocktail revival programs

Murray Stenson, a career bartender, quietly, and in relative isolation, built (from 2001-2011) one of the first cocktail revival programs from behind the bar at the Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle. The Zig Zag enjoyed many years as the anchor of the Cocktail Renaissance in the Pacific Northwest, and Stenson its dean. Stenson is also credited with resurrecting the Last Word Cocktail.