30 Dec Where We’ve Been Drinking: Iron Gate

Where We’ve Been Drinking: Iron Gate

We went to Iron Gate before. It was a 70 degree November day, and we ate lunch on the outdoor patio with Wigle Whiskey; it was as delightful as you imagine a warm fall day on a delightful patio sipping whiskey would be.

We left that day with two goals: drink more of Wigle’s creations, and return to Iron Gate.

We returned for a special Christmas date. Tucked away in a cozy corner in their main dining room with a fireplace burning in the background, we suddenly realized that we’d been too focused on sipping whiskey during our previous visit to take note of their delectable cocktail menu.

We could rave about the food and the service too (absolutely delightful, especially those damn donuts…we could eat those by the bowlful), but today is about their cocktails. We were almost tempted by their wine pairing, but are so glad we chose to try more of their cocktail menu instead.

What we ordered

Maybe On Monday: bols genever, amaro zucca, mancino vermouth

Rattled by the Rush: barr hill gin, amaro nonino, domane de canton, lindera farms honey vinegar

Across the Aegean: denizen, contratto bitters, dolin rouge, allspice liqueur

Carry the Zero: hendricks gin, rothman & winter pear, wigle spice honey, lime

What We Thought

All four of these drinks were well worth drinking. They were all quite pleasant, and each interesting in their own way. We’ve come to expect satisfyingly creative things from Wigle, and their contribution to Carry the Zero didn’t disappoint. Their kind of rum, kind of brandy, kind of mead honey liqueur added a hard to place tangy sweetness to the otherwise sweet and smooth gin and pear mix. Across the Aegean was a slightly spicy rocks drink that was made more easygoing by the use of rum when you might have expected a whiskey base. When we tasted Rattled by the Rush, we fully expected it to be our favorite of the night. The honey vinegar cut the ginger a bit, keeping it from overwhelming the other flavors, and putting it into a very nice balance with the softly bitter Nonino. It was excellent.

And yet it was outshone by Maybe on Monday, a truly delight. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and spicy, but not too spicy, with a long, pleasant finish.

So, Should You Go?

Yes, we think you should. The dining room, the courtyard, and the carriageway are all distinct, cozy spaces to eat and drink. The tasting menu in the dining room was great for a special occasion. And if a tasting menu is more than you’re looking for, just stop into the carriageway for a Maybe on Monday, and some doughnuts, of course.