Brightest Young Things

All photos by Dave Stroup

Words by Danielle

Thursday night Tryst previewed its new bar menu of hand crafted cocktails and new bartenders, J.P. Caceres and Lana Labermeier. Known more for its laid back Shabby Chic charm, meat marketability and impossible seating, Tryst brought the complex, nuanced flavors of hand crafted cocktails and then some. I can say without any exaggeration that I really, really cannot wait to go back and try them some more.

First up I tried the Bitter Ex, which caught my eyes with Beefeater, Campari, Cynar artichoke liqueur and fresh grapefruit juice. I was in the mood for something complicated and yes, the Bitter Ex fit the bill. At first taste it was sweet but then out of left field it becomes bitter at once and has a finish that reminded me of wax. This isn't an insult. I liked that this cocktail, unlike so many out there, didn't end sweet or tangy but ended flat and with a flavor that I did not expect whatsoever. (for those who think "eww waxy cocktail, this must have been bad" - no. c'mon. expand your palate beyond "fruity", "citrus", and "awesome". thing "grass", "motor oil", "Pinesol". Pretend its Scrabble and use the most letters possible). This is for the adventurous type.

Next up was the Winona Ryeder made with rye whiskey (hah, get it), Averna Amero and truly exciting, house sassafras bitters. Sassafras in large quantities was declared a carcinogen (and I mean large, large quantities) and was formerly used to treat gonorrhea. So if that didn't sell you, the taste will. It's smokey up front, with a bitter licorice finish and an odd tingling that lingered on my tongue. Again, not a cocktail for the girls in miniskirts who crave mojitos. This is the anti-Cosmopolitan.

The Flying Spur is made with calvados (a favorite of mine), Dolin sweet vermouth, cider, cava and Peychaud's bitters. Calvados can be sickly sweet but the vermouth makes quick work of that, cutting down the sugar so you can clearly and cleanly taste the apple.

The Cider House Royale is the one for which I'll be running back to Tryst with open arms (and if I'm feeling like it, or if you pay me $5, singing "Open Arms" at the top of my lungs). Made with bourbon, cider and cava with a cinnamon-sugar rim, served in a flute, it looks like it could fit right at home in a sorority. The taste is anything but. It smells like good, strong bourbon. Amy from Free in DC described it as "bisexual" and "girly looking but tastes like a man drink!" Couldn't describe it better myself. The gold color and delicate sugar rim hide the rough-and-ready bourbon, like a tough talking cowgirl dressed for the prom.

See the full set on flickr.