Drink #34 Gentleman Jack & Coke

3.16.2012

So, I think I stepped into the back of the wardrobe today.

My neighborhood in DC is a mixed bag; it’s relatively clean, but every third building is pretty run down. There is new construction, but for every working barbershop, there is a closed hair salon two doors down. A new bar goes in, a small sandwich shop boasts a “coming soon” sign in the window that’s yellowing and dusty.

You get the picture.

I’m not suggesting we can’t have nice things. But I will suggest it’s rare to have something mind-blowingly nice.

Enter the newly remodeled Lion’s Liquor & Spirits or as it’s now being called, Lion’s Fine Wine & Spirits in Petworth/Parkview on Georgia Avenue.

There were rumors it was nice. I’d read a few articles, seen a few pictures, glanced in when walking by, even. But nothing prepared me for an actual visit to buy some Gentleman Jack and coke.

Picture a high-end bar in a modern area of Italy with rustic tones, slick club lights, sharp edged shelving and every beer, wine and liquor a virgin has never heard of. Now double that, put in seating & bar areas for mixologist and tasting events and then roll the whole thing into awesomesauce.

Yeah, awesomesauce. I’m running with that. Shut-up.

I’m not kidding you when I say it’s one of the largest liquor stores I’ve ever been in. The nicest and, seriously, it’s really beautiful. It’s a really cool addition to the community and–let’s be honest–no coincidence to open shortly after I started my virgin drinking adventure. Happenstance? Neigh. Fate? Perhaps. Destiny? Nailed it.

After walking around the store–like in a dreamy dream–I chatted with the owner for a few minutes and then purchased the largest bottle of Gentleman Jack they had and a couple of glass bottles of coke. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, it just happens to be Joe’s favorite.

If you didn’t know, Gentleman Jack is a “rare” whiskey brand from Jack Daniels. In typical Jack Daniels, the recipe uses a charcoal process to mellow their whiskey. And Gentleman Jack’s recipe is instead twice mellowed through the charcoal.

Apparently Jack Daniels himself discovered this far back in the day, but it wasn’t until 1988 that they decided to follow this recipe and viola, the first new whiskey from the Jack Daniel Distillery was born in more than 100 years of whiskey making.

Joe played bartender last night, so my firstdrink was in his hand. This is probably his favorite drink, hands down. So while I could get it at just about any bar, I thought it would be kinda nice to have my husband make me my first of his favorite drinks.

And, between you and me, if I hated it? Blaming him would be fun.

But after one sip, I knew he was safe from blame.

I’m starting to really enjoy the mild sting of whiskey. In every drink I’ve had with it, it’s nice, warming, caramely, slightly nutty and delivers a pleasant touch of fire in the sinuses. I could taste the cola individually, but the combination with the Gentleman Jack gave off a couple of distinct flavors: coconut? cherry? mild chocolate? Richer caramel, absolutely.

I will note, that at every suggestion of these slight flavors I could taste Joe would look at me, raise an eyebrow and just shake his head side to side.

[its adorable that he thinks I’m asking for permission to interpret things I taste.]

Its a great drinking drink. It’s cold, sweet, sharp, rich and filled with fantastic flavors. Joe might not taste everything I taste, but I certainly like his taste.

Stop. Just stop. Pick your mind back up. His taste in drinks–in this case… you were totally right the first time, otherwise.

And likewise, I appreciate Lion’s Fine Wine & Spirits taste in everything from the floors to the drink selection to the amazing tin ceiling. Like another drink of Gentleman Jack and Coke, I will be back to Lion’s.

I like a good surprise and I like to be wowed. But more so, I like to feel like I walked into a magical place that sells a new Adventure just a bottle away. But don’t worry, I know enough to stay away from anything flavored like Turkish Delight.

Cheers, Ben


PS: Today, I take a drinking break. And then Saturday, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. I have no idea what trouble I will be getting into. I can’t even promise I’ll only have one drink. You’ll just have to wait and see. Er, Read. …Have to wait and read. Oh, well, and see, I guess. …I always have pictures. Ok, I’ll stop now.