We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.

“I just went through a breakup. Make me a drink.”

Location: Smoke & Barrel, 2471 18th St. NW

Bartender reaction: “What kind of drink do you want?”

What we got: Old Overholt Rye with Bénédictine, lemon juice, and a lemon slice

Price: $8

How it tasted: The lemon additions distanced our drink from the most obvious Bénédictine -and-whiskey pairing, the Monte Carlo, and resulted in a strong, tart, totally sippable libation that took our minds off our personal life. At least for a moment.

Improv points (1-5): 3. We’ve railed against Bénédictine as the token liqueur du jour before (and, in fact, our bartender told us he only used the stuff because he’d recently obtained a bottle of it), but it really does do wonders when added to whiskey.

Location: Eatonville, 2121 14th St. NW

Bartender reaction: “I’m really sorry…”

What we got: A French 75, with Brokers gin, Patrón Citronge, lemon juice, and sparkling wine

Price: $8

How it tasted: Like a medicore French 75. Though the Citronge was a nice touch, this rendition of the classic cocktail was missing the sweetest ingredient: sugar. Still, it was boozy enough to staunch the pain.

Improv points (1-5): 1. The French 75 can be found on Eatonville’s cocktail menu and, though it’s a fine drink, it’s a rather boilerplate one to give to someone in emotional distress. Still, thanks for the sympathy, pal!

Location: BlackSalt, 4883 MacArthur Blvd. NW

Bartender reaction: “I’m so sorry. What kind of liquor do you like?”

What we got: A Brown Derby, with Maker’s Mark bourbon, grapefruit, lemon peel, and clover honey

Price: $12 (Note: Our very kind bartender comped it, but we tipped him the full price.)

How it tasted: Sweet, with a nice bitterness from the grapefruit. This was very similar to a previous cocktail we were recommended at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace—another member of the Jeff Black empire. But it’s tasty, and popular for a reason.

Improv points (1-5): 2. We’ve got to give one for sheer niceness (“We’re not all bad,” the male barkeep told me), but the drink itself was tame—we’d prefer something a little harder to drown our sorrows in.

—Alex Baca & Shani Hilton