Chowhound's Latest » Spirits

Generic Triple Sec ==> Cointreau

ncyankee101 — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:24:21 GMT

Did you check that horse for a pulse?

vanilla infused simple syrup - cocktail ideas?

tinnywatty — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:57:03 GMT

I googled and found only one vanilla mojito recipe (not necessarily a good sign, although I did also find a tahitian vanilla bean infused rum) but it sounds potentially good- it uses vanilla extract and adds Angostura bitters. I'd recommend giving those combinations a try before serving, however- I've tried bitters in a mojito before and wasn't impressed. If you use orange or tangerine in a mojito, you'll need some kind of sour ingredient to balance it out or it'll be way too sweet. To my mental tastebuds, vanilla pairs better with lemon, but I think it could be perfectly fine with lime too as tokyopix said. I think that rum goes well with bananas, but you would probably have to infuse them- I think muddling them would be sort of gross. Raspberries might be really good here too- raspberry mojitos can be fantastic. I don't know what kind of whiskey you have, but many whiskeys should combine really well with your syrup, since they tend to have some vanilla notes (especially bourbon). Peach-whiskey-vanilla sounds good to me (cinnamon seems too autumnal but that's up to you). How about orange, vanilla and whiskey? Don't know what part of the country you're in, but here in California we still have oranges on our trees.

What bourbon are you drinking these days?

ncyankee101 — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:51:30 GMT

Well I got that bottle of 1792 - gotta say though there is nothing bad about it, it is definitely not very interesting. Reminds me a lot of Maker's mark, sweet entry no middle decent finish though with some nice wood. I didn't notice the bitterness that Sku did in his review at LA Whiskey society. Very nice bottle, glad I only paid $20 for this. At least it doesn't have the off taste I noted in the Eagle rare 10 yr when I first opened it - I am going to let this one sit a while and see if air helps it as it did with that one.

Has anyone tried Hum Liqueur? Do you like CARDAMOM?

kattyeyes — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:22:46 GMT

Just a little thank you, kathleen440--while I still can't get Hum, from your recommendation, I did ask a local package store to order Small's gin for me and it's fantastic! This weekend, I made a rhubarb simple syrup with cardamom and half a vanilla bean--the syrup is nice-nice in a rhubarb Collins for warm weather sipping. Since I can't get my hands on Hum, I had to improvise! ;)

Found it! Hard to find ingredients and where to find them

johncb — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:24:57 GMT

LONDON - Not exactly practical for USA locals, but I happened to be in London over the weekend, and while wandering around Soho, happened into a store called Amathus (117 Wardour Street -- they also have a branch in the City at Leadenhall Market). I was astounded to find full shelves of a wide range of Van Winkle whiskeys --Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr, Pappy Van Winkle 13yr, Special Reserve 12 yr, Family Reserve 20 and 23yr, and Family Reserve Rye 13yr -- a fully-stocked shelf, multiple bottles of each. Also a shelf full of bottles of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. This is more Van Winkle than I have ever seen in a US liquor store, even in Kentucky! Of course, prices are high: from 60 to 300 (!) pounds per bottle. The Stagg was 3x what I paid for it in the US, the VW FR rye 2x. Counterman said Americans come in all the time to buy the rare bourbons and carry them home. Me, I just got a couple of bottles of Winter Pimm's (no. 3) and some Peruvian Amargo Chuncho bitters. For vicarious (and envious) browsing, try amathusdrinks.com.

St. Germain Elderflower Liquer

curseofleisure — Tue, 15 May 2012 04:33:08 GMT

I just tried this cocktail, with a heavy rinse of absinthe, and found it to be quite nice, and well balanced. The play between the absinthe and the St. Germain was lovely and complex, and the gin and lillet (actually, I had to substitute Noilly Prat vermouth) provided a nice backdrop. One of the few really well-balanced cocktails I have tried with St. Germain.

Could something in Margarita's make me unable to sleep ?

tinnywatty — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:43:17 GMT

Yes, salt washing into the drink probably wouldn't be as big a deal if the rim were salted reasonably, but some restaurants and people dunk the rim into a huge mound of salt, so the last quarter of the drink tastes like seawater. Personally, I like the honey because less salt comes off the rim with each sip, and I don't like a ton of salt at a time.

Anyone starting any summer time liqueurs and cordials?

ChristinaMason — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:53:13 GMT

That sounds awesome!

Mezcal- Gift

ncyankee101 — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:49:31 GMT

Surprisingly enough Vida scored very highly here, and last year was the highest rated of the Del Magueys. I wonder what the judges' criteria are regarding mezcal, because in prior years some of the Mezcals most favored by enthusiasts, such as Minero and Chichicapa, did not score well. On the other hand they have consistently rated Sombra very high and it is my favorite that I have tried so far. I also seriously wonder where they came up with the price of $39 for Ilegal reposado, I see it for ~$70. http://www.ultimate-beverage.com/the-results/2012-spirits-results/

Inexpensive Tequilla - NICE!

ncyankee101 — Sun, 13 May 2012 08:21:46 GMT

Khuzdul, I had the opportunity to try some of the old-style treasure Espolon with the metal foil label - and though I didn't have any newer stuff to try side-by-side, I would say there is no comparison between the two. This one had much more agave then the newer bottle I have at home. I've heard some people talk about the intense agave flavor in the new Espolon, I suspect when they started using the new bottles they still had some of the old juice. My friend who is a total tequila freak said he noticed a distinct difference between the first and second bottles he bought of the new style. He found the espo treasure bottles in Texas and Las vegas while travelling.

Is my vanilla vodka ruined?

jpc8015 — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:13:25 GMT

Drink it. Nothing that can kill you can survive in 80 proof alcohol.

Unclouding my Krupnikas

marymacsept — Sat, 12 May 2012 02:15:56 GMT

Hey thanks Scatman! I fully intend to try this, as the demand for "More Krupnikas!" was heard far and wide among my friends. Here is a shot of my first batch. Tasted amazing; I can't wait to make my nectar! Thanks! MaryMac www.marymac.com

Tub Gin....anyone try it?

TroyTempest — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:20:55 GMT

i have a secret wish that Sam Elliot turned them down for the voice over.

Affordable Blended Scotch Whiskeys

ncyankee101 — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:49:33 GMT

http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-white-horse-blended-scotch.html

Mixers for vodka with specific needs

thatwhileifound — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:42:24 GMT

Yeah, the Amara is a step more towards the bitterness of their chinotto from what I remember when I tasted it. The new-ish to the Canadian market Aranciata Rosso is a nice mixer, nicer than the regular Aranciata in my mind. It's not particularly more bitter or anything, but it's got a slightly more full, complex flavor.

What's the peatiest, smokiest scotch?

GraefenberG — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:46:37 GMT

Bruichladdich: Octomore 4.1/167 http://www.bruichladdich.com/the-whisky/peated-whisky/octomore/octomore-4-1-167

100% agave for $13?

ncyankee101 — Thu, 10 May 2012 06:06:24 GMT

As an update to the great Lunazul debate - I finally decided to give the brand another chance when I saw the Anejo on sale for $19 - and I have to say it is not bad at all, considering the price point. Not sure if the extra aging neutralized / overwhelmed the unpleasant tastes I noted in the repo, or I had just gotten a bad bottle. The anejo has a nice bourbony nose and palate, the finish is not all that great but for the money how much can you expect? Very nice mixer, makes a decent margarita (though I usually use blancos.) I also would like to mention than two other people I have come across noted the same soapy taste in lunazul, one a friend who is a total tequila freak, and the other the last commenter (broker57) on this review: http://www.drinkhacker.com/2011/04/14/review-lunazul-anejo-tequila/

What does 1.75 liter bottle of Markers Mark cost in your City/State

UncleLarry — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:31:56 GMT

Regular Price in St Paul, MN for 1.75 is $34.34 http://www.morellismarket.com/

Japanese whisky question

tokyopix — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:24:13 GMT

Perfect, thanks DavidT and kagemusha. I'll look forward to giving it a try.

The Helena Bonham Carter

tokyopix — Wed, 09 May 2012 00:36:16 GMT

Really? I keep reading everywhere that people find such a difference with the Cocchi A. b/c it still has it bitterness. Several writers mentioned they found the Vesper kind of meh w/Lillet and much better with Cocchi. I haven't tried Lillet, so I guess that will be my next purchase.

What are your favorite new gins?

cacio e pepe — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:22:21 GMT

I'd like to recommend Leopold's Navy Strength Gin. I've got to settle into the bottle a bit more, but my first impression of it was extremely positive. I used it in a Bijou (see recipe below). Some gins can get lost a bit in the Green Chartreuse, but the Leopold's Navy Strength really brought a lot in its own right. It's not just higher proof. It's got a different botanical list and ratio. Bijou Cocktail 1 oz. gin 1 oz. Green Chartreuse 1 oz. sweet vermouth 1 dash orange bitters Stir and serve up. Garnish with a twist of lemon and a cherry.

"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..

latindancer — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:28:32 GMT

Oh so true. There's a story behind the choice and always interesting. For me it's horse racing/breeding and Kentucky.

Cognac Recommendations

CCSPRINGS — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:05:27 GMT

Greetings aficionados! Done some research, which is another way to say drinking. Prunier VS is very tasty, great value also. Under $30! Would love to try the VSOP. The Chalfonte that I enjoyed now seems quite sweet. I am going to treat myself to the Hine in the future. Will report back. CC

Bottle sizes for tonic water/club soda

JMF — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:46:18 GMT

365 is in no way even close to the quality of Fever Tree or Q. Where are you? I haven't seen Fever Tree in other than small bottles.

Drink... Diverticulosis?

nlgardener — Sat, 05 May 2012 19:10:01 GMT

Speaking from personal experience, avoid pureed drinks with berries (strawberry smoothies, strawberry daiquiris/margaritas come to mind). I get very sick with raw berries. I have a mild form of diverticulosis. I don't go near any kind of fruit smoothies.

Looking for Tempus Fugit Creme de Menthe and Creme de Cacao in WA or OR

christinaintacoma — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:54:35 GMT

I'm also curious about their Kina L'Avion D'Or Aperitif- do you know anything about that product?

Stirrings All-Natural, Clarified Key Lime Juice- is it like Rose's?

tinnywatty — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:13:10 GMT

That's what I expected. This stuff is much more bitter than I thought it would be- it's actually hardly sweet at all, and very strong in flavor. It tastes sort of like a real lime. The bottle seems to bill it as both a substitute for real lime juice and a sweetened cordial type ingredient, but my guess is that Rose's is much, much sweeter. I made a vodka gimlet (heresy I know) because I was out of gin, and it was unappetizing. However, the product stood up really well in a non-alcoholic cosmopolitan variation I made last night (with real cranberry juice and fresh orange juice)- oddly enough when shaken hard it created a thick frothy foam as if I'd included an egg white.

Refrigerate or freeze amaros?

JMF — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:43:29 GMT

Black balsams really starts to improve at 5+ years. I have a 40 year old unopened bottle. But it feels like it may have evaporated.

best online site to buy bitters?

JMF — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:39:58 GMT

The problem with The Meadows is they severely overcharge. When a normal retail price is $18 for lets say Bittermens or Dutch's,The Meadows charges $26. heck,they charge $12 for a 4 oz bottle of Angostura, which runs $6.49 at my local supermarket. So the place is a total ripoff! The best online place, with a great selection is www.CocktailKingdom.com

Sazerac Cocktail Recipe [moved from New Orleans]

zin1953 — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:14:50 GMT

>>> Speaking of disappearing rye - has anyone noticed that the sazerac 6 yr is becoming rare and creeping up in price? <<< Sadly, yes . . .

Hayman's Old Tom Gin

ncyankee101 — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:09:19 GMT

Yarm - another question on gins, how would you contrast Ransom Old Tom and Bols Barrel-aged? I have an opportunity to get them for about the same price (planning to buy one). From your last post you make it sound as though all the Genevers are a step up from Old Toms, I assume you meant richer / maltier. Hayman's is still the only one I have tasted, other than the very small sample I had of Ransom after dinner once.

Best Way to Store Vermouth - Vacuum Seal, Nitrogen Spray or Decanting

AlkieGourmand — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:26:21 GMT

Lillet sucks.

It's That Time of Year - Make Your Own Cointreau / Triple Sec / Orange Bitters

hawkeyeui93 — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:43:10 GMT

Thanks Striper and JMF .... Now, I have a project for my afternoon off!

Mint Julep time

INDIANRIVERFL — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:06:16 GMT

Totally agree. A top shelf sipping whiskey is wasted in a mint julep. If you want to get back to the original flavor, a raw, assertive rye is more in order. It has to meet the challenge of the muddled mint and syrup. And please don't make them ahead of time, or the mint will overpower everything. You might as well make them with creme de menthe.

What's In California?

EvergreenDan — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:32:05 GMT

Clement Creole Shrubb is full of complex, deep orange flavors over a rum base, and it adds a wonderful bitter element. Senior curacao is a much purer orange liqueur, adding primarily two elements -- orange and sweet. You can't use Creole Shrubb in every application, but when it is appropriate, I prefer it to Senior Curacao or Cointreau. -- www.kindredcocktails.com | Craft + Concoct + Collect + Categorize + Community

This bourbon tastes like rotted fish

MOREKASHA — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:28:33 GMT

Are you on any sort of medication? Sometimes, they'll screw up your taste buds. It's happened to me more than once....

Greyhound History

JMF — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:00:39 GMT

History is vague. Traditionally it was made with gin, and the recipe was known since at the least 1930's, but has also been made with vodka since possibly the late 50's and definitely the late 60's/early70's. The Salty Dog is the same cocktail, with a salted rim. Interestingly enough, the Salty Dog tastes less sour because of the salt.

looking for simple, good vodka drinks that are not loaded with calories

coll — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 09:45:12 GMT

I haven't even tasted it, I just got it for BIL, but now you're making me want to try it. I will report back. What do you think about mixing it with Fresca, I don't keep grapefruit juice on hand.

caledonia spirits - barr hill gin

Dan Holway — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 05:56:50 GMT

Lemon and honey are a natural match, so I figured that a honeyed gin and tonic with a splash of lime would be nice. I'm having one right now...and it's a tasty treat. Now I'm wondering how something minty would meld with this stuff.

Fat Washing

davis_sq_pro — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:34:32 GMT

I ended up throwing out the rest, and doubt I'll ever make it again. I've decided that fat washing is something best left to the pros. It's a pain to do at home, and no one wants to drink more than one or two glasses of the end product so it's difficult to use up.

carbonating liquids other than plain water (sodastream)

TeRReT — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 08:45:11 GMT

I routinely successfully carbonate tea, carbonated jasmine tea is quite refreshing. Just brew the tea, let it cool in the fridge and then use like water. I never put sugar in, that might cause it to fail, but straight tea and I've had no trouble.

Harlem Kruiden Liqueur - any opinions?

ncyankee101 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:11:08 GMT

Anyone?

Anyone try the BarConic glasses from barsupplies.com?

Monch — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:02:19 GMT

We have a bunch (BIG New Orleans party every year) from www.barsupplywarehouse.com They are bar quality and not high quality...but they stand up to wear and tear like bar quality. We've also begun replacing broken glass hurricanes with plastic, from the same source...but that's another story.

Green Chartreuse - what recipes are out there?

Dapuma — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:43:12 GMT

hmm, ok ill give that a try next time i make it, ill go back to using the beefeater 24 and try that ratio

Buying six bottles at once- what would you get?

ncyankee101 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:30:35 GMT

I find that some spirits need water, some benefit from it, some just become different, and some drown, it varies on a case by case basis. High proof rums such as Smith and Cross (114) tend to be very hot when neat, but oddly enough Old Grand dad 114 is quite drinkable - and it is one that completely changes character with some water, though it is still quite good. Glenlivet 12 and other mild Scotches tend to lose whatever flavor they have when neat, so I don't add any water to them. Wild Turkey rare breed (108 pf) is one that I feel improves with water, or even an ice cube. It is also good neat but becomes amazing when tamed a little, and the same goes for Old Weller 107 - whereas I actually prefer the OGD 114 neat. Thomas Handy Sazerac is 129 proof but honestly doesn't seem much hotter than the OGD 114. I always take a couple small sips neat before I add water, just to get the full-on impact of all that rye spice.

Luxardo Maraschino cherries not at all worth the price

alphanumeric — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:23:57 GMT

Thank you for the delicious-sounding recipe, Striper. But damn you for giving me another reason to hate it not being summer.

How To Spend Money Wisely

ncyankee101 — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:58:16 GMT

Macallan isn't bad it's just nothing special, a very straightforward sherried Scotch .I've had it several times in a bar, in generous "double" pours that were probably 4-5 ounces. I have nearly bought a bottle online a couple times at around $40 ($55 here in NC) but just always settle on something else, usually the doublewood which I find similar but a little more interesting and complex. I have also had minis of the Balvenie 15 yr and 21 yr, both were excellent. I see the 15 yr is creeping up in price, I got a bottle for a friend last year for $50 at merwin's and now it is $70 there, and over $60 everywhere else I see. Same for the doublewood, not long ago I often saw it in the mid-high 30's now mid-40's seems to be the lowest. I went through a whole 750 of Glenmorangie original, and I kept trying to like it, I just didn't. Same for the Auchentoshan. I like the strong taste of Islays but there are several milder Scotches I do like - Aberfeldy, Glen Garioch, Glenlivet, Lismore.

Mirto?

corngrits — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:17:49 GMT

Thanks for the links. It's pretty good stuff!

Sweet Vermouth

The Big Crunch — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:08:57 GMT

Yeah, the price per ounce is no doubt more expensive, but at least for dry vermouth, I feel like it's negligible. It takes me about a month to go through a 375 bottle of dry vermouth, but it would take much longer for a 750 ml. I've tasted the results of a nearly two-month old bottle of Dolin Dry (refrigerated and vacu-sealed after each use) and it had noticeably turned - the aftertaste had definite off notes amounting to mild vinegary-ness. So, if I'm going to need to buy a new bottle every four weeks anyway, might as well pay less per bottle. I do agree though that sweet seems more forgiving of an extended shelf life. I also agree that I should just go ahead and buy a bottle of Carpano and treat myself :)