Henry Clay’s Gift to Washington, DC

By Sandra Scott

Washington, DC, is a magnet for history buffs. There is history everywhere, at every turn and on every corner. The fun part is seeking out the little historical nuggets never included in the textbooks. And if a cocktail is involved so much the better! It is on the corner of 14^th Street and Pennsylvania that cocktail history was made in Washington, DC.

After a day of sightseeing, we headed to the Willard Hotel, which has hosted poets and politicians for more than 150 years. Every American president since 1853 has been to the Willard Hotel. It is where Julia Ward Howe penned the words to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and President Woodrow Wilson planned the League of Nations. A century later Martin Luther King worked on his famous speech, “I have a dream.” And it is believed that the word “lobbyists” derived from the fact that the lobby of the Willard was the place to encounter influential people in Washington.

But it was in the stately atmosphere of the Willard’s Round Robin Bar that cocktail history was made. Here famous Henry Clay, Senator from Kentucky and famous orator, introduced Washingtonians to the Mint Julep.

Jim Hewes, the bar manager since the Willard reopened in 1986 after extensive remodeling, designated the Mint Julep, the bar’s signature drink. “I feel that the Mint Julep, more than any other cocktail, epitomizes hospitality, congeniality, keeping alive the gentle art of conversation and showcasing a truly American invention, Kentucky straight bourbon whisky,” he explains.

Staying true to Clay’s original recipe, Hewes continues, “We take sugar, fresh mint—I like to use a red thin mint—a small measure of bourbon, and a little bit of a sparkling water or what is known as branch water.” It is served with crushed ice, garnished with a fresh sprig of mint, and a little zest of lemon.

We toasted all those who have also enjoyed a Mint Julep in the Round Robin Bar.  On the dark green walls heavily trimmed with mahogany are the sketches of Lincoln, Twain, Hawthorne and other notables who enjoyed the Round Robin. We could almost hear Henry Clay instructing Yankees and others in the fine art of making this truly American cocktail.

The Willard Hotel is now part of the InterContinental family of hotels. For more information check http://washington.intercontinental.com.

©CocktailAtlas.com

Contact Us: Editor Webmaster