Words and photos: Stephanie Breijo
Nothing screams spring like the perfect cocktail to usher in some warm weather. Luckily for all of D.C. Bar Pilar is no stranger to mixing up the most seasonal of spring-y drinks and, even luckier for those at our Bar Pilar/Tanqueray Happy Hour, they’ve got a few new ones we were fortunate enough to try this week.
We’ve got photos from our spring soiree and a recipe below but first let’s visit one of Pilar’s newest, the Freestyle Downfall. It’s a deep, mildly fruity take on a gin and tonic with a pinch of intensity from Amaro. It’s darker than your average G&T, more herbal and lightly fizzy.
“Zucca is an Italian Amaro that’s pretty much always drunk with tonic water and I just wanted to do a variation,” beverage director Owen Thompson said. “That’s where the drink started and I just sort if worked from there.”
Thompson’s build-in-the-glass cocktail is a perfect bridge between winter and spring with an even mix of earthy, herbal flavor and bright citrus and apple–in short, it’s just the perfect cocktail for your weekend ahead.
THE FREESTYLE DOWNFALL
Ingredients
1oz Tanqueray
1/2oz Zucca
3/4oz housemade apple cordial*
Splash of lime
Tonic water
3-4 Apple slices
Procedure
1.) Layer components in a tall glass
2.) Top with tonic water
3.) Garnish with apples
*Because Bar Pilar’s apple cordial takes roughly two months per batch, Thompson recommends Leopold’s cordials.
And now for more photos of our Happy Hour:
