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Tell Poseidon to get his own, this cocktail’s all yours!

Mockingbird Hill | Carpe DC Food Tours Washington DC

Now, I love the classics as much as anyone- give me a Gin & Tonic or Manhattan, and I’m one happy camper.  Really, there’s a reason they’re called classics.  But every now and then, you’ve got to

CRAWL out of your COMFORT ZONE and try something NEW!

That’s why I love finding and sharing new drinks when I come across them and this one is definitely worth sharing (…tweeting, posting…you get the idea).

So without further ado, I’ll let you in on a new found treasure- the Trident.

 This is the latest, limited edition cocktail from

 Mockingbird Hill,

 

 the restaurant that brought you the best kept secret Frasier, and arguably your grandmother have been hiding…Sherry!

 And like so many things at MB Hill- this exotic cocktail has an interesting history behind it.

It was the original creation of Robert Hess, a hero of the cocktail world for the last few decades. Hess decided to reinvent a drink called the Negroni with lesser known nautically-inspired spirits.

While the Negroni’s goal is to combine equal parts Campari, Gin and Sweet Vermouth into a bright, bitter burst of flavor-

Hess’ Trident borrows the same equation, swaps out ingredients for similarly flavored, yet more obscure, members of the spirit family, and throws in a little peach bitters to top it off.

The Gin was replaced with Aquavit, an herby Scandinavian spirit with made with caraway seeds and anise, that gets its name from the Latin phrase meaning “water of life” (I can totally relate!).

The Campari is swapped with Cynar, a bitter Italian liquor, and the Sweet Vermouth is switched out for Sherry, from none other than the Jerez region of Spain.  All these ingredients were from people known for their oceanic adventures.

Ok- if I just got a little too in the weeds for you with that, what you want to know is that once again, the MBH team has done their due diligence finding not only a cocktail that opens your eyes, and palate to a

 voyage on the high seas of flavor

 

 but has brought that journey home to the district by swapping out for some local ingredients.

Their Trident magnifies the trifecta of localities by swapping the Aquavit for Ginavit a seasonal variety from the district’s very own New Columbia Distillery, the makers of Green Hat Gin.

What is a Ginavit you might ask? It’s a seasonal edition of Gin that’s flavored with caraway (just like the “water of life”)

And vit’s fantastic!

This classy concoction is so mellow and smooth that just drinking it made my coolness level jump 5 points. Ok, at least it felt that way against the minimalist décor, low lights and punk music in the background.

It’s got a great herbaceous salutation (don’t get to say that too often!), light rosy color and savory gin aftertaste.

And if you’re looking for something to nibble, as you enjoy your Trident, it pairs great with their Bella Bella “Duck Prosciutto”– the buttery saltiness is also a must try if you aren’t already in love with it.

This puppy warmed me up like a thick wool sweater on a cold winter’s night and left me with a bright send-off saying

don’t worry, spring is just around the corner!,

a perfect addition to the menu that spreads the love on thick this February.

The Trident will only be around for a limited time, so in the spirit (get it?) of love go get some soon- before it ships out!