Must Have This: Cocktail

We should confess that, when all is said and done, we must be counted amongst the drinkers of history. We have never shied away from any alcohol, weak or strong, sticky sweet or tragically bitter. Give us your booze, your wine, your exotic spirits yearning to be drunk.

It must come then as no surprise to find that we search out those particular beverages that are, shall we say, Of Note. Beverages Of Note are usually not easy to come-by -either by way of rare and wonderful ingredients, or rare and wonderful bartenders who develop them- nor do they happen with frequency (in our years of conspicuous alcoholic consumption, we can think of but a handful). Needless to say, when one does happen upon our palate, it is a treat and we find it worth touting.

We were delighted to indulge in such a beverage on a recent trip to Houston, that most vibrant and slept-on of Texas cities. If you have never been, or only through one of the airports: we encourage you not to believe the hype. Houston is a fantastic city with a dynamic and incredibly multicultural population, a thrilling food and drink culture, and a climate that, while disagreeable for 3 months in the summer, is sublimely balmy the rest of the year. If you haven't been, we simply insist on a visit.

During that particular jaunt, we found ourselves (as so often is the case) at The Anvil "bar & refuge" as they claim themselves, and we find said claim to be substantiated. Easily a Must Have This topic all of it's own, The Anvil has been a favorite of ours for some time now, with an impressive list of ever-changing beers on tap and a truly staggering selection of liquors and liqueurs. We will save the story (and accolades) about the bar itself for another time, and truly, it is a story and does deserve ever accolade it has received, and concentrate on the particular beverage we found irresistible most recently: the Maharaja Buck.

We find the name itself to be exciting. Exotic and powerful, the Maharaja Buck sounds like a variety of Indian wildlife we would very much want to see and very much not want to vex. Similarly, the drink is spicy, warm, and strong. Cardamom, tamarind, turmeric and ginger flavors are blended to create an energetic cocktail that we would imagine to be as satisfying on a hot summer afternoon as we found it on a rare cool winter evening. Served in a Collins glass (with cubed ice, something else we absolutely love about the Anvil and other craft cocktail bars) and garnished with a lime, the drink presents a striking, mysterious silhouette. (We attempted to take a picture, but the lighting was uncooperative). Make your trip and order one soon, because (yet another reason to love this particular establishment) the menu changes semi-regularly, and after waiting too long, you might find that the exotic Maharaja Buck has eluded you.

The Anvil is located at 1424 Westheimer Rd in Houston, Texas.