A few weeks ago I blogged about this new liquor called ROOT, which is essentially alcoholic root beer, as a tool of attraction. Now it's time to put it to the test as I use the product for the first time on a date.

But first, a quick back story. . .

ROOT is the first truly American spirit. Made by Native Americans in the 1700s, root tea (as it was then known) was adopted by the settlers of Pennsylvania and then subsequently outlawed, turning into the soft drink we now know as root beer. Courtesy of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (the company that brought you classics like Sailor Jerry's Rum and Hendrick's Gin), ROOT marks a return to our roots. ROOT combines birch bark, smoked black tea, cinnamon, wintergreen, spearmint, clove, anise, orange, lemon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and pure cane sugar to make this concoction (all ingredients are USDA organic).

Now on to the review/date!

After a few hours of sipping on scotch and Stella at a dive bar in Tribeca, we made our way to her uncle's art studio where the magic would take place--the tasting of ROOT, that is. We walked downstairs and we were not alone. Artists were a-brewin', working on nude paintings, abstract scenes, and jewelry. First thing that came to my mind: "Damn, now I have to share this tiny sample vial with everyone."

So the time came to give ROOT a try. Everyone gathered around. I told them the backstory behind the drink, and they were fascinated. (I also ended up repeating this story every time someone new joined us.) Finally the drinks had been poured and we were all ready to dive in.

"Delicious," said my date's uncle. "It brings on fantasies of colonial living."

I'd describe it as a nose-opening experience (which did me wonders since I was quite stuffy that night), with a smooth maple-y bourbon quality to it. The wintergreen and spearmint notes really popped out, leaving your breath minty fresh. One of the students at the studio said he'd place it in the same genre as Jagermeister, but much, much better.  Of course, the most important opinion of the night belongs to my date, for obvious reasons.

"It really warms you," she said. "It gives you a good feeling." She loved the taste, likening it to a coffee a little. Not to mention that she was super impressed with the story behind the drink and described the entire experience as "pretty primal, pretty sexy."

By the end of the night, not only were her friends and family smitten with me, but she was as well. Tool of attraction indeed.

[$40, Hi-Time Wine]