The Roosevelt

623 N. 25th St.
658-1935
rooseveltrva.com

Second Place: Heritage

Third Place: Saison

T. Leggett of the Roosevelt — did he invent the craft cocktail? Although he can’t make that claim, he searches for inventive takes on old — really old recipes — like the Quoit Club punch, made with Jamaican rum, American brandy, rainwater Madeira, lemon and sugar that was once the official drink of a 19th-century social club in Richmond. Leggett’s seersucker, with bourbon, sweet tea syrup, angostura bitters and a frozen, charred half of lemon is legendary and a drink called whiskey over wine combines rye whiskey, Virginia red wine, absinthe and orange citrate. Heritage’s Mattias Hägglund, Leggett’s sometime partner-in-crime, prides himself on house-made everything and slides the creative take down the bar with panache. Saison is the baby of the three — it’s only been around for a year, but it’s a worthy member of this triumvirate of mixology.