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Old Fashioned Taste Test - DC

post #1 of 18
1/25/10 at 5:18pm
Thread Starter 
I'm planning on taking a date (she's a scotch and bourban fan) out to tour a few bars that ought to know how to make a proper old fashioned. Any suggestions on where to check out?

We're starting up at the Round Robbin bar at the Willard hotel. I plan on taking her to a few other places - Town and Country, Old Ebbitt, Off the Record... I feel as if I'm missing some obvious and/surprising suggestions.

By the way DC only establishments please.
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post #2 of 18
1/25/10 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jodum5 View Post
I feel as if I'm missing some obvious and/surprising suggestions.
Um . . . how about Bourbon?
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post #3 of 18
1/25/10 at 5:28pm
Thread Starter 
Considered it. But I don't feel like venturing to georgetown or adams morgan. But I won't totally disregard it.
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post #4 of 18
1/25/10 at 5:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jodum5 View Post
I'm planning on taking a date (she's a scotch and bourban fan) out to tour a few bars that ought to know how to make a proper old fashioned. Any suggestions on where to check out? We're starting up at the Round Robbin bar at the Willard hotel. I plan on taking her to a few other places - Town and Country, Old Ebbitt, Off the Record... I feel as if I'm missing some obvious and/surprising suggestions. By the way DC only establishments please.
Central had a good cocktail program under Justin Guthrie, and it was still pretty good after he left. Of course, he's moved over to the W's POV which is a quick walk from the Willard. The easiest way to find a place that's likely going to give you a good classic or artisan cocktail using housemade stuff is to go to a place that's a member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild. And since you're at the Willard already, they have that new Scotch Bar located down the hall from the Round Robin.
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post #5 of 18
1/25/10 at 6:03pm
The Passenger

Apparently, there's no cocktail list. You tell the bartender what base liquor you like and what you want the cocktail to taste like, and he'll whip something up for you.
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post #6 of 18
1/25/10 at 6:07pm
The passenger is alright--I've had a manhattan there (it was a little fancy/sweet for me) and two friends (who drink old fashioned regularly) enjoyed the version there.
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post #7 of 18
1/25/10 at 6:28pm
How about the Caucus Room? That place looks both old, stuffy & gruff.
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post #8 of 18
1/25/10 at 7:01pm
If you take your date to 4 different bars and take in a Manhattan or two at each of them, she is going to be a blubbering mess by the end of the date, and I wouldn't put it past the average man to have some, err, issues.
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post #9 of 18
1/26/10 at 12:50am
Thread Starter 
I've considered that. Will probably do The Willard, Central (for dinner too) and one more. I'm crushing one or two drinks beforehand at a friends birthday dinner too.
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post #10 of 18
1/26/10 at 12:57am
I had a [few] good Manhattans at Bar Pilar on 14th. The female bartender seemed like she knew what she was doing.
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post #11 of 18
1/26/10 at 2:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jodum5 View Post
I'm planning on taking a date (she's a scotch and bourban fan) out to tour a few bars that ought to know how to make a proper old fashioned. Any suggestions on where to check out? \\.
May I just say: Keeper. Am not from DC, but I would be surprised if you can get a proper old fashioned. There are, of course, two variants these days -- fruit or no fruit. The no fruit kind can be done most anywhere that has bitters. The fruit kind (which honestly I prefer) can only be done by establishments that have proper cherries -- say an Amarena Fabrri cherry, or house-made cherries -- if they have those radioactive red things they are useless as a bar and fail at life. ~ H
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post #12 of 18
1/26/10 at 2:18am
Thread Starter 
^ Thanks for the reply. When we met we were tlaking about old fashioneds and how in my experience every bar makes it differently (the best that I can remember, being the one I had at Old Ebbitt) and she said she'd never had one but was intrigued by my "problem" (no consistency). Hence the excursion... I take you were referring to maschiano (sp) cherries as the "radioactive red things".
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post #13 of 18
1/26/10 at 2:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jodum5 View Post
^ Thanks for the reply. When we met we were tlaking about old fashioneds and how in my experience every bar makes it differently (the best that I can remember, being the one I had at Old Ebbitt) and she said she'd never had one but was intrigued by my "problem" (no consistency). Hence the excursion... I take you were referring to maschiano (sp) cherries as the "radioactive red things".
Yes, I mean the marschinos. They are heinous. They will seriously screw up any old fashioned they are allowed to contaminate. Some bars use the Fabbris these days, but it has become a trend for bars to have house-made cherries, and I am good with that. I like the notes the fruit adds to the drink. If you needed recommendations most anywhere else I could probably help, but I know really nothing in DC. ~ H
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post #14 of 18
1/26/10 at 12:12pm
Try the Jockey Club at the Ritz Carleton in West End. The bartenders tend to be older and the clientele tends to be as well. I like the bartenders at PS 7 and they use better quality cherries, so try there.
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post #15 of 18
1/26/10 at 12:31pm
Thread Starter 
You know I've been meaning to check out PS 7, maybe I'll check it out instead of Central... I'll report back in the next day or so with my findings.
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