Sipping Gentility

By Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (AKA: TheLiquidMuse.com)

Photography by Moshe Zusman

Well-kempt women in lace and pearls strolling beneath a leaf-fringed sky. Trotting horse hooves clopping along stone-lined streets. Gentlemen tipping their hats as they encounter passers-by around town. Has the calamity of the modern world rendered the gentility of Historic Alexandria a thing of the past?

Well-kempt women in lace and pearls strolling beneath a leaf-fringed sky. Trotting horse hooves clopping along stone-lined streets. Gentlemen tipping their hats as they encounter passers-by around town. Has the calamity of the modern world rendered the gentility of Historic Alexandria a thing of the past?

Not if you’re hanging out at King Street’s newest see-and-be-seen hotspot. The Colonial-style Jackson 20 captures the rustic elegance of an era gone by with brick, stone, leather and wood accents throughout, and is named to honor Andrew Jackson (aka “Old Hickory”), who became our seventh president in 1829. This cocktail is a tribute to the Tennessee gentleman whose face graces our $20 bills, and who had a reputation for enjoying a rousing good time.

The Virginian Gentleman
1 1/2 ounces Gentleman Jack
1/2 ounce honey liqueur
Dash of bitters
Lemon juice
Ginger beer

Shake all ingredients, with ice. Strain into glass and top with ginger beer.

(April 2008)

Tags: bitters, Cocktail Corner, ginger beer, lemon juice, liqueur