Living in D.C. Temporarily (Well, VA Now).

[Huntsman]

Hmm, not sure that PX is the place for a party. Doesn't seem that kind of place.

Have made some more DC observations: In less than a week, I've seen 26 M3's, 2 V-12 S65 MB's, one Z8, several Bentley Conti GTs, and one NSX. Almost all of the cars were beat, especially one of the S65s, so sad.

Good grief the traffic was bad. I've been leaving work at 7, so it has just been heavy. Tonight I left at 5...should have just left at 7.

Did some liquor store hopping: Yes, Shneiders is pretty great, (they have my #2 Whisky, the Douglass Laing Royal Lochnagar--and for cheaper than Park Ave in NYC!). I enjoyed S&R, and some random place I hit had Rhum J.M., which I may need to go back to get. But Bamy's, now that was a great experience! Buffalo Trace experimental collection and single barrel collection, Del Magueys, Woodford's new ryes, Lillet's new Rouge, lots of 21 you scotches, a host of Poli grappas (including the excellent Vespasaiola), and really a whole lot more. Many props to this place.

~ H

 

[Ambulance Chaser]



PX or Jackie's Sidebar (a couple blocks from the Silver Spring metro station) seem like they'd be good spots for a meetup.

Uh, why those? There a ton better places in the city. Unless they changed their policies I believe PX will be a terrible choice (unless it's a handful of people coming).

Second floor of The Gibson or The Passenger are probably the best bets.

Did some liquor store hopping: Yes, Shneiders is pretty great, (they have my #2 Whisky, the Douglass Laing Royal Lochnagar--and for cheaper than Park Ave in NYC!). I enjoyed S&R, and some random place I hit had Rhum J.M., which I may need to go back to get. But Bamy's, now that was a great experience! Buffalo Trace experimental collection and single barrel collection, Del Magueys, Woodford's new ryes, Lillet's new Rouge, lots of 21 you scotches, a host of Poli grappas (including the excellent Vespasaiola), and really a whole lot more. Many props to this place.

~ H

Thanks for the lead on Barmy Wines. (That's the place, right?) I'm going to check them out tomorrow after work.

 

[Huntsman]

Sorry, yes, Barmy Wines. I hope you enjoy them -- spend a minute looking at their window display, which is pretty awesome.

~ H

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I went to Barmy after work. The place is a carbon copy of 1 West Dupont Circle, down to the owners. Nice selection, not so nice prices. They carry Amaro Nonino, but I wasn't willing to shell out $70 for a bottle. I ended up picking up a bottle of pisco that I sampled.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Oh Schneider's, I overrated you. Great selection of whiskeys, gins, and vodkas, but not much else. I think Ace Beverage is the king: Amaro Nonino at a good price and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao in stock. I'm going to see if it is open on Memorial Day and report back if it is.

 

[gort]

Torn between staying home tonight and watching Game of Thrones etc or doing something fun since I've got the day off tmw. Halp. I was out in Clarendon for a little bit last night after a nice family BBQ of amazing food back in MD.

 

[Joffrey]

go out and be a couch potato tomorrow. thats my plan at least since i stayed in on saturday

 

[Huntsman]

...and the DC saga continues. Wow, the Metro is really pretty great. Beats the subway I am most used to by miles. Surprisingly not that much traffic over Memorial Day weekend -- better than usual, I would say, though we did stay away from the Mall around the time of the concert.

Hit two cocktail bars with my gf over the weekend -- PX was just OK. They seem to not be interested in working off the menu, which I am not a fan of. The Gibson, however, was pretty excellent. We were well-dressed, and would have gotten in immediately sans reservation were it not for the sudden downpour that forced their patio patrons inside. The service was weird at first, as if they really didn't want us to order the things we ordered (especially my gf), but later after we started ordering off-menu, we had a much better repor and had a lot of fun with the staff. Great, great night overall. Interesting menu, using a lot of ingredients I really love but have a hard time getting a hold of -- Rin Quin Quin, Cocchi Americano and the Vermouth del Torino (really, the best thing to ever hit a Vieux Carre).

I went to Barmy after work. The place is a carbon copy of 1 West Dupont Circle, down to the owners. Nice selection, not so nice prices. They carry Amaro Nonino, but I wasn't willing to shell out $70 for a bottle. I ended up picking up a bottle of pisco that I sampled.

Sorry to have misled you! I am not used to DC prices, and simply think that everything, and I mean everything is 25% higher at a minimum than I should otherwise expect. $70 for Nonino is ridiculous! My price is $45 at home, which is still steep for an amaro.

Oh Schneider's, I overrated you. Great selection of whiskeys, gins, and vodkas, but not much else. I think Ace Beverage is the king: Amaro Nonino at a good price and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao in stock. I'm going to see if it is open on Memorial Day and report back if it is.

Schneider's impressed me because it had a lot of stuff I really enjoy and go out of my way to find -- Dolin vermouths, Cochhi Americano, etc. Service is attentive, but not amusing in any way. Lots of scotch, lots.

But I must thank you. I drove to Ace tonight (in this horrific rain -- I needed some fun after this week). I had so. much. fun. That place is great!! Really, for modifiers, that place blew my mind. Things I saw that really impressed me: The Ferrand dry curacao, massive amounts of Maraschino (Luxardo, Lazzaroni, Leopold Bros), great eaux-de-vie, most every Haus Alpenz (Alspice Dram, Orchard Cherry, the Pine, their new apricot eau-de-vie), all the Clear Creek, most every Del Maguey, several Bitter Truth spirits (EXR, Sloeberry, etc), LOTS of quinquina (apparently the people who make Gran Classico make a white quinquina, as well as Bonal, two other gentians), a non-artificially-colored Creme de Violette (saw that after I checked out right at closing, or I'd have it now), HUGE rum selection, lots of bitters, some decent high-end Calvados and Armagnac (Casterade and Darroze, respectively), Leopold Bros Absinthe, Germain-Roban absinthe, an interesting Mortlach, lots of gin (though nothing that made my heart throb), decent bourbon selection. Scotch was kind of weak, as was sauternes and rye. Bourbon ok. Lots of amaros.

I love that there were dusty bottles in every corner. Even found a $300 (!!!!!!!) bottle of Hirsch 16 in one of those corners. Didn't even get into the wine otherwise.

We're now up to 37 M3s, one each M6 and M5, a Ferarri 599, and a new Aston I didn't even recognize!

~ H

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Thanks for the report on Ace, Huntsman. I'm going to try to make it there first thing tomorrow morning. I need to pick up a bottle of Pierre Ferrand and a bottle of Amaro Nonino. I fear that I will end up buying a lot more. Come to think of it, my bottle of Creme de Violette is almost empty . . .

Glad to see the cocktail bars are treating you right. You definitely need to make it to the Columbia Room before you leave DC. The bartender, Derek Brown, is a great guy and classic cocktail aficionado. He is reputed to make a sublime martini with Plymouth kept in the freezer and a 1:1 gin:vermouth ratio.

 

[b1os]



Thanks for the report on Ace, Huntsman. I'm going to try to make it there first thing tomorrow morning. I need to pick up a bottle of Pierre Ferrand and a bottle of Amaro Nonino. I fear that I will end up buying a lot more. Come to think of it, my bottle of Creme de Violette is almost empty . . .
Glad to see the cocktail bars are treating you right. You definitely need to make it to the Columbia Room before you leave DC. The bartender, Derek Brown, is a great guy and classic cocktail aficionado. He is reputed to make a sublime martini with Plymouth kept in the freezer and a 1:1 gin:vermouth ratio.

If they have the The Bitter Truth CdV, you shouldn't get it for the sake of trying something new. It's too light. Nonino is 20€ here for 0.7l, 11€ for 0.35l. I wouldn't pay 70$ and I don't think I'd pay 45$. How much is Ramazotti or Averna?
Oh, the Martini. Still no fan of it, neither of the Vesper. And IIRC H- is none either, so you need to lure him with some other speciality.

 

[Huntsman]

Thanks for the report on Ace, Huntsman. I'm going to try to make it there first thing tomorrow morning. I need to pick up a bottle of Pierre Ferrand and a bottle of Amaro Nonino. I fear that I will end up buying a lot more. Come to think of it, my bottle of Creme de Violette is almost empty . . .

Glad to see the cocktail bars are treating you right. You definitely need to make it to the Columbia Room before you leave DC. The bartender, Derek Brown, is a great guy and classic cocktail aficionado. He is reputed to make a sublime martini with Plymouth kept in the freezer and a 1:1 gin:vermouth ratio.

Indeed, they are. My gf and I really had such a great time at the Gibson. I totally will stop at the Columbia Room! No way I'd miss that. b1 is right that I am not a huge martini fan, but 1:1? I'd try that.

I hope you have fun at Ace. I had about :20 before close, and though they did not pressure me, there was no time to look in all the nooks and crannies and all the dusty bottles. Like I said, its the modifiers where they really rule (and rum). I'd draw your attention, particularly, to the last cabinet to the right when you are looking at the gin. There is some cool stuff there -- the Lazzeroni maraschino, Leopold absinthe, G-R absinthe, etc. Also, just behind you as you are facing the rum is a low counter with other interesting amaros and rums (including the kwilk favorite Dos Maderas). But the spot I didn't see until I had already paid was perhaps the most interesting -- there is a large post between two of the checkout registers, and on the inside (best visible to the cashiers) is a bunch of really weird stuff -- that's where they have some interesting quinquinas, the CdV I spoke of, and all sorts of other interesting things (including, of all things, truffle liqueur -- please tell me what that is for).


Oh, and if you like Sauvignon Blanc, they stock Merry Edwards, who's SB I really enjoy, even for $40ish, which is about what I paid at the winery.

Quote:
No, its not bitter truth, but it is very pale. Averna is about 25 USD where I live, no idea about DC, and I don't really know what Ramazotti runs. I made one Vesper that I enjoyed once, must try it again.

~ H

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I had a very nice visit to Ace this morning. Pretty good selection of the major base spirits, although as you note, the modifiers and the less popular spirits are where it shines. I picked up the Pierre Ferrand dry curacao, the Amaro Nonino, and the Liqueur de Violettes. (Thanks for the recommendation!) It took all my willpower not to buy the Clear Creek pear brandy, which for $39.99/750 mL is much cheaper at Ace than elsewhere. It's kind of a pain for me to get to Ace, but the incredible selection and prices are going to lead me back sooner rather than later.

I also made a stop at the Spice & Tea Exchange in Georgetown (Wisconsin, one block south of M). They have a great selection of possible ingredients for infusions, if you're into that. I picked up two whole vanilla beans in anticipation of making a banana-vanilla rum next week.

 

[Huntsman]

Oh, good, glad you enjoyed the visit. Also glad to hear you approve of their prices, as I really want to go back....but next month! There really is so much there I am interested in! Tell me what you think of the Violette, and your other purchases.

 

[Huntsman]

Adams Morgan after midnight is craaaaazy. Police officer every 20 feet, and five outside of Heaven and Hell. Love how every one is connected through the one ritual of eating Jumbo Slice pizza. Weird scene.

Up to 57 M3s spotted now.

~ H

 

[Ambulance Chaser]



Adams Morgan after midnight is craaaaazy. Police officer every 20 feet, and five outside of Heaven and Hell. Love how every one is connected through the one ritual of eating Jumbo Slice pizza. Weird scene.

I live in Adams Morgan and avoid it like the plague on Friday and Saturday nights. Too young, too drunk.

Did you make it to Jack Rose?