Coalition of the Swilling: Bourbon
Written by DCist contributor Eric Denman
The strip of 18th Street between Kalorama and Columbia is notorious for bars serving cheap beer, takeout joints serving huge slices of pizza, and the resulting explosion of drunken sloppy pizza inhalation. A few places on this strip break the mold, though, and Bourbon is one of them. An outpost of the popular spot in Glover Park, Bourbon is a haven for those seeking to escape the monotony that Adams Morgan can offer. As its name would suggest, the bar has a wide selection of whiskeys: around 140 varieties of bourbons and whiskey, plus 20 varieties of rye whiskey are at your disposal. The offering is far from exclusive to whiskey, though; they also carry eight wines by the glass and have ten beers on tap (including local favorites Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA and Victory Prima Pils). The food isn't bad, either, and their brunch on Saturdays and Sundays is one of the best in the area.
As far as the actual whiskey goes, the rye whiskey is best for most purposes: the spicy edge of rye lends a welcome balance to the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan (try the Rittenhouse 100 proof) and ryes can be stellar neat (or with an ice cube or two; try the Sazerac brand 18-year). Due to the relatively sporadic availability of rye, you may not always see the same bottles at the Glover Park and Adams Morgan locations, but the bartenders can guide you to a winner in any situation.
Bourbon will also be the first in the area to carry a new brand of Kentucky-based bourbon and rye: Willett. A six-year bourbon and a 23-year rye are among the planned offerings, and their arrival (scheduled for seven weeks from now) is just another sign of the dedication that this establishment has to advancing the whiskey culture in the D.C. area. The downside of all of this is that several of the better ryes can run you upwards of $15 per drink. A comfortable compromise is to go during happy hour (until 7:30pm every weekday), when the draft beers are all $3. Due to Bourbon's Adams Morgan location, happy hour is rarely packed, and generally a barstool is not impossible to come by.
Numbers aside, Bourbon has a unique niche as a comfortable mix between local hangout and destination bar. On the average weeknight, patrons are almost as likely to be visitors from outside of Adams Morgan as they are to be people who live or work in the immediate vicinity. Weekday nights tend to be slower and more casual, with weekend nights experiencing a large influx of visitors from outside the neighborhood. Bourbon is still a viable weekend night option, but you might be better served by arriving early if you want to avoid waiting at the door.
Bourbon Adams Morgan
2321 18th St., NW
202.332.0800
Metro: Dupont Circle or Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan