659157 Tue Oct 13 11:15:07 -0700 2009 28 36 Spirits 0 5099985 What have been your best and worst liquor purchases? While I don't drink much of it myself, my best purchase was my first bottle of amaretto. I was able to make quite a few nice drinks for my wife, who then embraced my ever-growing bar. I lovingly refer to amaretto as her gateway drug. The worst? A bottle of Midori. I thought I would be using it more than I have, but so far not a lot of Midori recipes have overwhelmed me. No worries, though, as I'll keep trying until I find a good match. Okay, your turn. Dave Tue Oct 13 11:15:08 -0700 2009 1091686 Dave in the basement 1 5101339 A bottle of Galliano about 10 years ago!!! Tue Oct 13 19:49:49 -0700 2009 5099985 13735 csammy 2 5104663 Best liquor purchase--a liqueur called Bermuda Gold made from the loquat. Dig this video ("some would say...SENNN-SUAL..."LOL!). I don't even know what a loquat is. I do know that when mixed with Black Seal and eggnog, it makes an absolutely fabulous drink called dirty snowballs. Yum! I think part of the draw is I can only get this if I go to Bermuda, which is not in the cards for me at the moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlHt7vfXFeA Worst liquor purchase: I'll admit it--I used to drink Everclear Purple Passion about 20 years ago...grape something and grain alcohol. Then I grew up. Still have that Galliano, btw? Not like it has a shelf life as far as I know...Harvey Wallbanger cake is delicious. I found this from-scratch recipe just now. I haven't tested it yet, but it's from the King Arthur flour site, so it will be on my list to try: http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2008/04/05/harvey-wallbanger-cake-from-scratch/ Thu Oct 15 05:21:13 -0700 2009 5101339 249664 kattyeyes 1 5101824 A few years ago...at a backyard BBQ, we wanted to do roasted marshmellows with sambucca in them. It may sound strange - but it can be very tasty (especially with black sam...but baileys is good too). A friend and I volunteered to walk the block to the liquor store (no one was driving at that point). We bought what we thought was Sambucca...but when we got back to the party, we discovered it was marachino liqueur. It was awful...but it made really pretty colored flames when we poured it into the firepit. Wed Oct 14 05:12:50 -0700 2009 5099985 1110316 katidyd 2 5101991 Maraschino liqueur is actually awesome when used in moderation particularly in one of my favorite cocktails, the Aviation. Definitely a bit much sipped on it's own. Too bad you poured it out. Aviation Cocktail Ingredients: 2 oz. gin Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 Tsp simple syrup 1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liquer 1/4 oz. Creme de Violette Directions: 1) Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. 2) Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Wed Oct 14 06:39:55 -0700 2009 5101824 10169 StriperGuy 3 5102526 Thanks StriperGuy for the cocktail recipe. I couldn't image that stuff in anything...but maybe I will give this a try...all the other ingredients are lovely. Thanks - but you didn't say what your worst purchase has been - or haven't there been any? Wed Oct 14 10:02:13 -0700 2009 5101991 1110316 katidyd 4 5102668 Gosh, there have probably been dozens over the years. I bought a pricey Spanish Brandy (I usually love them) that I was not familiar with and it was just bad. Tasted like it was made from cheap brandy, caramel color, and caramel flavor. Ick. Wed Oct 14 10:49:22 -0700 2009 5102526 10169 StriperGuy 5 5104888 Someone also gave me a bottle of some crappy German booze with gold flakes in it. Tasted like cheap cough syrup though it was pretty. Thu Oct 15 07:10:23 -0700 2009 5102668 10169 StriperGuy 6 5107471 That would be Goldschlager ( i could be spelling that wrong) Fri Oct 16 06:18:18 -0700 2009 5104888 154901 roro1831 7 5107568 Yes, Goldschlager, horrid stuff. Fri Oct 16 06:58:49 -0700 2009 5107471 10169 StriperGuy 3 5105114 Are you using Rothman & Winter for the creme de violette? I had an Aviation at a local (classic cocktails) bar and it didn't have the creme de violette. I made a pretty big stink about it and the bartender told me it's only a variation. Thu Oct 15 08:33:22 -0700 2009 5101991 13592 isadorasmama 4 5105203 Until VERY recently creme de violette was not really available in the USA. Most U.S. bartenders will thus make an Aviation without. I use the R&W but someone did a violette taste test and it was second or third. Can't seem to find the article. There is a Japanese one that is supposed to be amazing. There are also one or two french versions including one from Hermes. After the fact found the article: http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/it%E2%80%99s-a-violette-heaven/ Part two: http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/violette-heaven-part-deux/ Thu Oct 15 09:04:43 -0700 2009 5105114 10169 StriperGuy 5 5105301 Thanks a bunch for the links. I will pour over them after I get the little one down for a nap. Creme de Violette has become a minor obsession of mine lately after having it in a cocktail on a trip to New Haven. You can't find it anywhere in the suburbs where I live so I need to special order it. I haven't done so because of financial constraints (if I get it I'd also have to get marachino liqueur) but now that I've had the Aviation w/o it I need to try my hand at making it with. The thing is, I bet it is readily available in the area where the bar I recently went to is located. I had an email exchange with the bartender about it and he said they don't stock it because you only need it to make a handful of drinks. That seemed like a ridiculous reason to me, especially coming from a bar that prides itself on having a spectacular rye and gin selection as well as making classic cocktails. They also don't carry St. Germaine, if that tells you anything. Thu Oct 15 09:39:32 -0700 2009 5105203 13592 isadorasmama 1 5104086 Well, I have to say it is a tie between.... Midori and DeKuyper Original Island Blue Pucker Sweet & Sour Schnapps They used to find their way into our "fun' and "summery" cocktails. Now my tastes have changed in favor of classic cocktails with fresh ingredients, and these 2 nasty bottles just taste like brilliantly colored industrial waste. Wed Oct 14 19:46:10 -0700 2009 5099985 71633 jerryc123 1 5104117 Worst was Root Beer Schnapps when I was in high school. I was so sick. Wed Oct 14 19:55:39 -0700 2009 5099985 76025 mojoeater 1 5104606 Best: Four Roses single barrel. Worst: Rain vodka. Pretty bottle. Pretty awful vodka. Thu Oct 15 04:41:55 -0700 2009 5099985 227406 JohnE O 1 5104628 Worst: BOLS brand liquers from Argentina when I lived in southern Bolivia in the 70s. The crazy German, Wolfe, would come by and mix em all up, drink, and start howling. Best: a) cases of duty free Flor de Cana (rum) as part of our yearly allocations, b) Jim Beam to go along with gas station dogs, corn dogs, and "burgers" and US TV while on layovers in the US. Thu Oct 15 04:58:30 -0700 2009 5099985 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 5105176 I followed the marketing and bought myself a bottle of Hendrick's and now cannot get enough of this unique gin. I also followed a cosmo-sipper's advice and bought raspberry Boru vodka. I don't remember much aside from one of us forcing herself to chug it and then asking "Why?" in a very Nancy Kerriganesque voice. Thu Oct 15 08:55:36 -0700 2009 5099985 68363 JungMann 2 5105288 Love Hendrick's! Thu Oct 15 09:33:46 -0700 2009 5105176 76025 mojoeater 1 5105305 I'm not a big liquor drinker, but I do have some fond, and not so fond memories. Best: my first bottle of Campari. Served with just a bit of ice, I still love the herby-spicy flavor of it. Worst: cachaça. I don't care how much lime and sugar you muddle together and mix with it, it still tastes like paint remover. Thu Oct 15 09:41:31 -0700 2009 5099985 186923 Cachetes 2 5105933 You got paint remover? I thought it tasted like antifreeze. My worst was the Tres Anis from Puerto Rico. The bottle is cool- a huge sugar crystal with stems planted in it. And it might be fine if you like that flavor- I can barely tolerate it in anything. At least it looks cool in the bar. Best is a toss up between Ron del Barrilitos, Ron Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, and Guatamalan Zaya. Thu Oct 15 12:45:33 -0700 2009 5105305 97825 Coconuts 3 5105981 Barrilito Tres Estrellas MMMMMMmmmmmmm. Thu Oct 15 13:00:15 -0700 2009 5105933 10169 StriperGuy 1 5105312 Best: many years ago there was a delivery strike in New York City and one couldn't get a bottle of Chivas Regal Scotch for love nor money. My liquor store guy recommended Johnnie Walker Black Label. I switched and never went back to the inferior Chivas. Worst: *every* time we have Chinese friends over I pick up a bottle of Wu Liang Ye or Moutai -- sorghum spirits. This stuff is just awful. Our guests never finish the bottle, and then it just hangs around. I just can't stomach this stuff. I have other worsts: every time I find a wine that's priced waaay too low, but I fall prey to the promises on the bottle, I regret it. Thu Oct 15 09:43:36 -0700 2009 5099985 270888 shaogo 1 5105971 Worst by far was a liter bottle of Sotol for 3.99 at Spec's in Houston. It had an interesting drawing of a campesino and Sotol plant on the label. Absolutely rank taste with a very strong smell that fills the room when the bottle is opened. Best: Bundaberg rum from Australia, love the smoky taste. Thu Oct 15 12:56:14 -0700 2009 5099985 149286 absurdnerdbird 1 5106011 I agree about Midori; it tastes like bottled chemicals. Best: Frangelica. I use in chocolate recipes (no one can figure out why the chocolate is so good), poured over ice cream and simply over ice. It's sublime! Thu Oct 15 13:10:31 -0700 2009 5099985 226739 dawnb 2 5106035 I am getting repetitive here but Frangelico Mmmmmmmm. Thu Oct 15 13:18:08 -0700 2009 5106011 10169 StriperGuy 1 5109010 Thirty years ago I picked up a bottle of grappa. Compared to this marc tasted delightful. It had an intense initial flavour of universal solvent with a long finish - to be more precise, the liquid dishwasher Finish. Most enjoyable? A bottle of Amarone a guest brought. Never quite matched it. Fri Oct 16 14:56:27 -0700 2009 5099985 154622 Paulustrious 2 5109069 Grappa is marc. Fri Oct 16 15:24:00 -0700 2009 5109010 10169 StriperGuy 3 5109113 Made the same way, but they used to taste different. Probably just the grape pomace they used. The French marc had overtones of deisel while the grappa was more aviation fuel. I think they both fell into the category of eau de vile. The modern grappas are a distinct improvement - but I still don't like them. Fri Oct 16 15:54:02 -0700 2009 5109069 154622 Paulustrious