Image courtesy of Samer Farha

Drink of the Week: Custom-made drinks

The experience of sitting at a bar with a good bartender’s full attention is one of my favorite past times, especially because then you have the chance to order a custom cocktail. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asking for a last taste of summer. I asked Derek Brown at The Gibson, who produced the Peach Monster, which is Compass Box Peat Monster Scotch, peach bitters, Dolin Blanc vermouth, and honey. The first mouthful was filled with the flavor of summery peaches that tailed off into hints of a very smoky fall hinting at burning leaves. It was a perfect replication of the change of seasons.

I also requested a drink for a friend who was departing for Lebanon. What came out was a Lebanese Blonde: arrack, pastis (to simulate arak, a liquor popular in the Middle East), lemon juice, and egg whites. The sometimes cloying taste of pastis was nicely mellowed out by the other elements. It felt like a fitting tribute to her journey, as well as a delicious drink.

There are a number of bartenders around town who enjoy going off menu, and it’s worth taking the time to try something different. If you’re not comfortable asking, Quill, the bar at the Jefferson Hotel, has a cocktail listed on the menu that is specifically for the bartender to make a custom drink. And for any non-boozers, if you’re interested in something that doesn’t have alcohol but isn’t just a soda or juice, many of them can still offer you some interesting options.