Yes, we’ve had some warm days lately. But while the drinks I want to share are cold, they are definitely primed for the approach of winter. Sometimes a cocktail needs to be suitably spicy to pair well with the rich foods of the harvest season. At other times we crave a drink that is so light and refreshing—a winter vacation punch—that it fills us with nostalgia for the warm summer days we’re not ready to relinquish.
The cocktail menu at Proof (775 G Street NW) manages to fulfill both roles with plenty of examples of fruity and spicy drinks for seasonal moods. Bartender Abby Sexton describes one of her favorites, The Rocks And The Trees as “one of those ‘kitchen sink cocktails’ with so many flavors you would never think to put together.”
Beverage director Adam Bernbach created this drink with the smoky nose of Peloton mezcal and fresh lime juice that blends perfectly with Cardamarro cardamom wine and Clear Creek Douglas Fir eau de vie. Clear Creek is flavored and colored by pine buds from Oregon’s northwest coast; it’s a spirit that Sexton says, “is really a pine tree grappa,” that makes the drink “Christmas-y, or a nice fall cocktail.” A lemon wheel speared with a rosemary stem is the perfect garnish to bring out the herbal and citrus nose of this fantastic drink.
Sherry cocktails are gaining popularity lately, so I tried the Bamboo, a recipe that Proof revived from 1890’s menu of the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan. The knowledgeable Sexton gives me a little mixology history on sherry: “Bamboo is a classic cocktail; one of the first sherry cocktails like the sherry cobbler,” she says. “Initially sherry was in mint juleps before bourbon was used. It was one of the earliest wines imported to America; and it’s nice to see it make a resurgence.”
The Bamboo is a mix of amontillado sherry stirred with dry vermouth and served with a lemon twist. I was expecting it to taste a lot of grape flavor, but it’s not there. Sexton explains that this drink “keeps all the dryness of a Martini without the high alcohol content.” This means that you can easily enjoy more than one sherry drink, which is something I can appreciate.
Sherry, of course, is the theme of Mockingbird Hill’s (1843 7th Street NW) cocktail menu, but that doesn’t mean all the drinks are overly rich or weak. The Manzanilla Margarita, with El Silencio mezcal, agave nectar, and orange bitters is a tropical delight that’s perfect for cooler months. I also appreciated First Aid For Street Fighters, which paradoxically uses fall spices for a drink named after The Rolling Stones’ summer brawl song “Street Fighting Man.” Fino sherry and peated scotch are made into a tropical sour with orgeat and lemon juice. The coup glass drink is topped with nutmeg and smoky lapsang souchong tea powder. This one packs a spicy and alcoholic punch.
It seemed strange to order a scotch drink from the Asian/Andean-themed China Chilcano (418 7th Street NW), but the Monito del Monte was a similarly citrus-y fall drink that I had to try. This time it’s Monkey Shoulder scotch, rocoto chills and juniper simple syrup that give the drink heat and pine flavors. I’ve never had a scotch cocktail with such a balanced finish of chili and earthiness. This one is a must try.
Across the street at Oyamel (401 7th Street NW) I had the Rosa Punche, a bargain for $10 dollars and $42 for a pitcher. This departure from typical tequila drinks has coriander and raspberry syrup as well as St. Germain and a topper of Tecate beer to give it fizz.
Much has been made of Washington’s own simple and elegant Rickey. Gin seems to have supplanted whiskey in many recent renditions, but a well-aged bourbon makes it rich and closer to Joe Rickey’s 1880’s recipe.
• 2 oz. bourbon
• juice of ½ lime
• club soda
Build drink with lime juice and bourbon in a highball glass full of ice. Add soda and stir gently.
