By AnneMarie Ashburn
During any other season I'm a whiskey girl, but when summer hits, I immediately switch to gin. There's something inherently summery about this juniper berry drink that lifts my spirit. (Pun intended.) Maybe it's knowing that it tastes great with wine, champagne, fruit, syrup, vermouth, juice or soda that leads me to order it everywhere. Or maybe it's the fact that so many places in DC know how to whip up a clever cocktail with the stuff. Why do I love you gin? Let me count the ways....

Bourbon Steak's Comunique. This restaurant's bar, attached to the Four Seasons in Georgetown, gives the United Kingdom Bartender's Guild all the credit for this concoction. But I think it's Jamie, one of the head bartenders who made mine, who gives this drink its style. Served up with a twist of grapefruit, this mix of Plymouth gin, curacao and grapefruit juice is sinfully sweet.

Donovan House's Gin Gin. When I need to de-stress I imagine this: a cool glass of slightly spicy gin with ginger beer on a hot night, in your hand while you're lounging next to the pool. Then Jared, a bartender at the Donovan's rooftop pool bar, makes that dream come true. And yes, it's amazing in every way, down to the fresh lime you'll get on this ice-cold beverage.

Central Michel Richard's Sanguine a l'Orange. Served up in a tall glass, this mix of gin, blood orange, lemon and soda is pretty much all you need to pass the entire summer away in a delightful haze. On the menu this is served with vodka, but order it with gin and you will be pleasantly surprised.

The Passenger's "The Kate". This was a special birthday drink for a regular (which you too can earn if you put your mind to it), but gin lovers can and should order it at anytime, which is super awesome considering it's composed of some truly off-the-beaten-path ingredients. Besides the gin, it's got both yuzu bitters and Kina L'Avion D'Or in it. Let me Google that for you. And because The Passenger is one of the best, I couldn't stop at just one rec. For Round 2, order the Gulick's Guards, a sensational mix on Beefeater 24, lemon and peach champagne.

The Gin Joint's Everything on the Menu. It's not the name of a drink, but this a place all gin lovers should know about. Nestled on the first floor of Woodley Park's New Height's restaurant, this place keeps over 40 types of gin on hand, suitable for both cocktails, tastings and...lollipops. Yup, gin lollipops exist and they're phenomenal.