Welcome back to another installment of boozings, where we try all of Philly’s Top 15 Drinks! Next up we go to Distrito, for their take on the Hemingway. This version is made with Hornitos tequila that is infused with chile, grapefruit juice, topped with a maraschino, and served in a very wide-mouthed margarita type glass.

Whoa, when they say chile infused, they mean it. I mean, you can definitely taste the smoky spice, and your mouth kind of feels like campfire with every sip. It’s a good drink though, but spicy, so totally bizarre. But I can definitely say I liked this drink. But the spice was probably exacerbated by the fact that right before this drink, I had a giant vat of pho bo kho, which is also a very spicy dish. So having that spicy soup followed by this spicy drink was probably not the best idear. There’s also a lot to drink here, so you’ll have many many campfirey sips. And yeah, it’s strong too, which seems to be the common thread running through all these Top 15 drinks.

Extra props to Distrito for having the most photo-favorable bar counter, ever. With the built-in uplighting and the resined in scorpions, they made it extra easy to capture cool pics. Also, their glassware for standard cocktails is also quite photogenic.

Ok, 6 down, 9 more to go!

Welcome back to another installment of boozings, where we try all of Philly’s Top 15 Drinks! Next up we go to El Vez, for their Frozen Blood Orange Margarita. This was the only drink on the list that I had actually had before. And I remember loving it the first time (thanks P!) so I was happy to try it again, even if this time, it was in the name of blogging! This drink is made with gold tequila, triple sec, fresh blood orange puree, ice (duh), and yes, it’s served in those corny margarita glasses, just like the ones you’d find at t.g.i. mcscratchy’s or something. Yes, it comes with a straw. But don’t let any of this dissuade you. This is not a girley “I’m at spring break and I want to get loaded at senor frog’s” type of frozen margarita. This drink is good, strong, and not just for ladies.

Although it’s a fruity drink, it’s not overly sweet and fruity. There’s a hint of the blood orange, but it’s quite booze tasting, but in a good way. Like I said, it’s quite strong, and there’s a lot of it. It’s blended well so that it’s completely smooth, there’s no icy lumps or anything. And you can even see some blood orange pulp. It’s well worth the price as you get quite the tequila bang for your buck. Although, this ended up being the most expensive drink I’ve ever had in my life, as I got a parking ticket (thanks PPA!).

Ok, 5 down, 10 more to go!

Welcome back to another installment of boozings, where we try all of Philly’s Top 15 Drinks! Next up we go to The Franklin, for the Silver Monk. The Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company (whew!) is a new speakeasy in what used to be Bar Noir. You remember Bar Noir. It was small and claustrophobic and in a basement. They have no windows here. In fact you can’t see inside the place. I guess it’s all part of the mystique. Once you’re in, it’s pretty nice. There is no standing, so you must have a seat here. Which means if the place is full, the place is full, and you have to wait until people leave. I love the way this place looks inside, especially the wood slats in the ceiling. It’s really dimly lit here. Prepare to use your cell phones for illumination.

They only serve drinks here. It is a drinking establishment only, it even says so on their website. All the recipes for their drinks are from the early 1900’s. The Silver Monk is not even on the menu, but since it was on the list, I asked for it, and happily received it. This drink is made with blanco tequila, muddled mint and cucumber (yes, there’s a proper vegetable in this!), simple syrup, salt, dash of yellow chartreuse (french liqueur flavored with 130 herbs), poured over a giant hand-chipped ice “rock”, and served in a double old-fashioned glass.

Ok, so this is my favorite now. I know, I know, it seems like every time I try a new one on the list, it becomes my favorite. But seriously, this drink is amazing! And it has a vegetable in it! First off, it’s just absolutely gorgeous. The giant piece of ice in it is just beautiful itself, and I love the strong and simple glass. It tastes great, is smooth, and is deceptively strong. It has a hint of mint and a hint of sweet, with a strange but tantalizing vegetable undertone which comes from the cucumber. I suppose if you do not like cucumbers, you would not like this drink! It has a hefty pricetag, but it’s more than worth it. If you drink too many, it will surely throw you on your ass.

Ok, 4 down, only 11 more to go!