15 Sep Where We’ve Been Drinking: Quarter+Glory + Dr. Blowhard Cocktail Recipe

Where We’ve Been Drinking: Quarter + Glory

A few days ago, we got together for drinks with some friends. One of those friends suggested Quarter+Glory. None of the rest of us had run across this place yet, but it was pretty conveniently located and our friend promised they had good cocktails. We were sold.

Quarter+Glory is on the corner of 14th and U, which is the absolute nexus of late night DC. Pretty much every hot nightspot in the city is either on 14th or on U. So to be on both, well, that says something.

Except for that it didn’t.

Stepping into Quarter+Glory was more like stepping into an almost-empty library than into a bustling nightclub. It was on a Wednesday, and on the early side. Even so, 14th and U. We were expecting more to be going on.

For us, this was completely fine. We had our choice of spaces at the bar or by the window, plenty of room for the six of us, who could easily talk with one another at normal conversational volume.

Plus, the drinks were good.

What we ordered

Quarter+Glory: aged rum; Scotch; Gran Classico; Punt e Mes; tamarind vinegar; salt

Old Blowhard: mezcal; Carpano Antica; Cocchi Americano; absinthe

What we thought

We really very much want to like mezcal drinks; so we keep trying them. But they almost always end up too smoky for us. We were especially hopeful about Old Blowhard, because it has so many of our other favorite things: vermouth, Cocchi, anise. We thought these things might cut the smoke of the mezcal to our preferred levels. Almost, but not quite. We could recognize it was probably really quite a nice drink for someone who likes smokiness just a little bit more than we do; unfortunately we like smoke only exactly as much as we do.

The Quarter+Glory was a very smooth, stiff drink. The influence of the salt and vinegar were quite faint, but we didn’t mind at all since we so much loved the bittersweet mix of the rest.

So should you go?

If you find yourself on 14th, or U, and all of the other places seem a little crazy, duck into Quarter+Glory for a quiet place to chat and enjoy a well-made drink.

Doctor Blowhard Cocktail Recipe

Having learned the trick from Otium LA of adding just a splash of mezcal to a drink, we thought we’d try it on Old Blowhard, to see if we could keep the rest of what we loved about the drink while toning down the smoke a tad. Here’s what we came up with. We liked it. If you don’t try changing the mezcal volume, up or down. Just keep the total of mezcal and tequila to two ounces.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 oz silver tequila
• 1/4 oz mezcal
• 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
• 1/2 oz sweet vermouth (if you have multiple choices, use a vanilla-toned one like Cinzano)
• 1/2 tsp absinthe or anise liqueur

Instructions

• Swish the absinthe around the inside of a cocktail glass to coat it. We call that ‘a wash.’
• Combine tequila, mezcal, Cocchi, and vermouth in a mixing glass.
• Stir with ice until the ice is about half melted.
• Strain into the absinthe-coated cocktail glass.