PRESS RELEASE from the Willard InterContinental Hotel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Presidency Viewed Through Anecdotal Cocktails

At the Willard’s Round Robin Bar

“Blue Hawaiian” Among Bar’s Five Inaugural Drink Specials

Washington DC, January 11, 2013 -- Honoring the role of the U.S. President, in this inaugural season, the historic Round Robin Bar’s famous barman and recreational historian Jim Hewes has created a presidential-themed drink menu priced from $5 to $15, which features beverages anecdotally-linked to each chief executive.  For the 2013 Inauguration of president Obama, Jim will serve five, $15 specialty cocktails to honor the occasion.  These include: Presidential Mojito - Dark Rum, Raspberry, Fresh Fruit, Mint, Lime, Electoral Collage - Kahula, Bailey’s Whisky, Grand Marnier, Blue Hawaiian - Aged Tequila, Blue Curacao, Fresh Lime,  Lincoln’s Hot Spiced Cider - Red Stag Bourbon, Cointreau, Spiced Cider and The Camelot Daiquiri - Dark Rum, Triple sec, Fresh Lime.

The historically-based Presidential Cocktail menu includes Madeira for George Washington, who made numerous mentions of this wine in his letters; The Orange Blossom, was created in the spirit of the tea totaling Rutherford B. Hayes, whose wife, “Lemonade Lucy” refused to serve alcohol at the White House (the press men of his time spiked the oranges with gin at his inauguration.)   And for President Barack Obama – the Blue Hawaiian, which combines the president’s penchant for aged Tequila and the cool blue waters of the Pacific. For Presidents who didn’t, or don’t imbibe, Jim’s offering include Calvin Coolidge’s Cranberry Juice and Soda - a gentle New England tonic to fortify one’s constitution, or George W. Bush’s Coca Cola with a slice of lemon - crisp and refreshing to keep even the busiest chief executive active and alert.

According to Jim, for Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian or other, the most important party of the day is the cocktail party – at the Round Robin!  Located off the grand lobby of the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel, the Round Robin Bar’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and Sundays, noon through midnight.  A light bar menu is offered through 11:00 p.m. daily.  Telephone  202-637-7348.  

 
44. Barack Obama – BLUE HAWAIIAN, Combines the president’s penchant for aged Tequila and the cool blue waters of the Pacific.  Features aged Tequila, Curacao and fresh lime juice.  
 
43. George W. Bush - DIET COLA / slice of lemon, “light – crisp” able to keep even the busiest Chief Executive, active, alert, and awake.
 
42. William J. Clinton – TANQUERAY Gin and Tonic a standard on the Washington cocktail circuit
 
41. George H. Bush - ABSOLUT Vodka Martini, Always politically correct, with or without garnish.
 
40. Ronald Reagan - CALIFORNIA SPARKLING WINE, Introduced to Washingtonians at his first Inaugural
 
39.  Jimmy Carter - ALCOHOL FREE WHITE WINE, Served, much to the dismay of the fourth estate, throughout his four years in the White House.
 
38. Gerald R. Ford – GLENFIDDICH WHISKY, over ice, served in the spirit of bipartisanship, Gerry also favored Budweiser “longnecks” in the bottle
 
37. Richard M. Nixon - BACARDI RUM and COKE, Dick would relish mixing and stirring, for his guests aboard the presidential yacht Sequoia.
 
36. Lyndon B. Johnson - CUTTY SARK and BRANCH WATER, a post war favorite of” Cactus’ Jack” Garner and Sam Rayburns’ most famous protégé.
 
35. John F. Kennedy - BEEFEATER MARTINI, up with olives served regally in the White House to those in the good graces of America’s “Camelot”.
 
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower - J.W. BLACK LABEL on the rocks.  An acquired taste from his time spent at Allied headquarters in London during WWII
 
33. Harry S. Truman - MAKER’S MARK and SODA, An aficionado of Kentucky’s finest, both he and Bess enjoyed this long-drink while playing poker at the White House.
 
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt – PLYMOUTH GIN MARTINI, “oh… so cool, so clean, so awfully civilized! “ Often scolded by Eleanor for his penchant for the highball, this elegant elixir was served at the most important political party in DC; the Cocktail Party.
 
31. William Howard Taft - MANHATTAN.  The judge enjoyed his straight with two cherries.
 
30. Herbert Hoover - LONG ISLAND ICED TEA.  Prohibition conscious imbibers relished this enticing tall drink, which contained everything on the bar except “the kitchen sink”.
 
29. Calvin Coolidge - CRANBERRY JUICE and SODA.  A gentle New England tonic to fortify one’s Puritan constitution.
 
28. Warren G. Harding - SEVEN and SEVEN, Popular highball among the “Ohio Gang” especially when served at Speaker “Nicky” Longworth’s poker games.
 
27. Woodrow Wilson - FRENCH 75, A Versailles’ favorite used to toast the “League” and the end of the “War to end all Wars”.
 
26. Theodore Roosevelt - WARD 8, Politically-charged concoction, brought to D.C.  by “Big Stick” Republicans from New York.
 
25. William McKinley - GIN RICKEY, Lime infused long drink made popular at the Chicago Exposition.
 
24. Grover Cleveland - SAZARAC COCKTAIL, New Orleans sensation, which swept the nation in the 1880’s.
 
23. Benjamin Harrison - RAMOS GIN FIZZ.  Popularized a block from the White House after construction of the first ‘SODA FOUNTAIN’ at the Willard Hotel
 
22. Grover Cleveland - MOET CHANDON CHAMPAGNE, The nation celebrated a White House wedding with the finest of French Champagne.
 
21. Chester A Arthur- THE GIBSON, Popular with Tammany Democrats named for Chester’s mentor Senator Gibson from New York.
 
20. James A. Garfield - DEWARS SCOTCH, Andrew Carnegie had the Scottish Distillers’ send the new president a case for his inaugural.
 
19. Rutherford B. Hayes - ORANGE BLOSSUM, Washington’s pressmen spiked the oranges with gin at the” tea totalling” Hayes inaugural in 1877.
 
18. Ulysses S. Grant - ROMAN PUNCH, It was so cold in DC that this fruit and Champagne refresher froze solid in the bowl.
 
17. Andrew Johnson - BRANDY TODDY, Johnson relied on this potion to cure “various, vicarious, vapors” known to afflict residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
 
16. Abraham Lincoln - APPLE CIDER, Although known to have acquired a taste for corn whiskey  in his earlier years, fresh pressed apple juice would revive his constitution.
 
15. James Buchanan - FRENCH CLARET, This red wine was the spirit of choice in socially astute pre-war DC.
 
14. Franklin Pierce – OACHTEL, This nectar of the Aztec Gods was discovered by the hero of the Mexican War and introduced , first in New England, then in Washington DC.
 
13. Millard Fillmore - BRANDY CRUSTA, All the rage in New York and London.
 
12. Zachary Taylor - MAMIE TAYLOR, This ginger infused refresher was named for Taylor’s corn-cob ‘smokin’ sweetie.
 
11. James K. Polk - JACK DANIELS and WATER, Tennessee ‘walkin’ whiskey is served as a manifest premonition of our nation’s destiny in 1850.
 
10. John Tyler - SOUTHERN STYLE MINT JULEP, Henry Clay mentored our 10^th Chief Executive in the fine art of building this compromisingly elegant elixir.
 
9. William H. Harrison - HOT SPICED CIDER,” Twas a cold and rainy day in March when” Tippecanoe” walked up the avenue of the presidents to the White House.”
 
8. Martin Van Buren - HENNESSEY MARTINI, An aristocratic mixture, first given to “little Van” by the Lafayette in 1825.
 
7. Andrew Jackson - RYE WHISKEY straight, A two- finger pour of Tennessee’s Democratic, frontier finest.
 
6. John Quincy Adams - HOT BUTTERED RUM, a New England toddy with the spiced flavor of the West Indies.
 
5. James Monroe - SHERRY COBBLER, This cool long drink is often called America’s first cocktail, popularized during the Revolution.
 
4. James Madison - FRENCH CHAMPAGNE, First Lady “Dolly” loved all things fashionable and French.
 
3. Thomas Jefferson - MERITAGE RED WINE, Our third president learned to love French wine while in Paris in the 1780’s.
 
2. John Adams – BITTER SLING COCKTAIL, made with a mix of rum and brandy, two of New England’s finest distilled products.
 
1. George Washington - MADEIRA WINE, Our first chief executive favored Malmsey, a fortified wine from this Mediterranean Isle. He was also partial to fruit brandies and Rye Whiskey, which he distilled at Mount Vernon.
 

The Willard InterContinental is located in the heart of the nation's capital on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, the Smithsonian museums and the downtown business and theatre districts.  

The Willard epitomizes world-class hospitality as the hotel of choice for heads of state and leaders of the world's business, cultural, social and political elite.  The hotel's 335 well appointed guestrooms include 41 elegant suites.  Dining options include Café du Parc, the popular French bistro with seasonal outdoor seating, the Occidental Grill & Seafood, traditional Afternoon Tea in Peacock Alley and the classic Round Robin Bar.  The luxurious Red Door Spa offers a wide array of pampering treatments. An American institution, the Willard has hosted nearly every U.S. president since 1853.  It was at the Willard that Julia Ward Howe wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic, where President Ulysses S. Grant popularized the term “Lobbyist,” and where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King finished his renowned "I Have a Dream" speech.  The Willard is also noted for its 100% wind power, recycling and charitable initiatives including Anacostia River clean-up, the hotel’s “Adoption” of a Pershing Park, and support of a school prom for disabled youth.  The classic Willard InterContinental combines heritage and luxury with contemporary comfort and the latest technology. Tel. 202-628-9100, 1-800-827-1747, or Web site:  www.washington.intercontinental.com. Twitter: www.twitter.com/willardhotel ; Facebook:  www.Facebook.com/willardhotel

 

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