Next bottle in the liquor cabinet? (for cocktails)

[Ambulance Chaser]



what would be the next modifier you buy? i think mine would be cointreau and then lillet blanc

Cointreau/Combier, then maraschino.

 

[indesertum]

actually maraschino would be a great choice

 

[Bhowie]

Campari, Cointreau, chartreuse, then maraschino


I really really like campari. I'm not sure if chartreuse is a modifier technically, but this is next bottle. I'd buy green and yellow before st g.

I'd buy cointreau next. I think exploring those classics and the way it interacts is very important.

 

[b1os]

Chartreuse verte before Maraschino?

 

[Bhowie]

Yeah, that's me personally. I think the average person should grab the maraschino first.

 

[b1os]

Gotcha.

 

[turkoftheplains]



My well gin for the Negroni is simply Beefeater, which can be had in a 1.75 for quite a reasonable sum

would NOT recommend it to the OP, who should buy some Cointreau to learn the classics and then add the St. Germain to his repertoire if at some time he wishes to. But not now -- a Triple Sec is more versatile, and in its use, teaches you more

Hear hear on both counts. OP needs to cough up the Cointreau money. It's indispensable.

 

[turkoftheplains]



what would be the next modifier you buy? i think mine would be cointreau and then lillet blanc

In terms of learning to play Mr. Potatohead with drinks, I initially found that modifier-sweetener hybrids were easy to employ and versatile, so:
-Cointreau (the prototype)
-Sweet Vermouth and fridge space for it
-Yellow chartreuse (I love Green but a beginner should not use it as a substitute for anything)
-Maraschino (learning to balance the funk or to cut down is also a useful skill)
-Cocchi Americano (or Lillet Blanc if Cocchi is unavailable)
-Falernum (does this count?)

Substituting any (or multiple) of the above for simple syrup is very helpful in understanding how a cocktail is constructed and provides a huge range of options.

I suppose St. Germain falls under this category too, but its ease of application as a band-aid for lousy drinks makes it a poor (if distressingly-frequent) choice for beginners. Learning how to work with the sweetener-modifiers above first will save you from mixing a lot of insipid crap if and when you finally do get that bottle of elderflower.

 

[Patrologia]



Hear hear on both counts. OP needs to cough up the Cointreau money. It's indispensable.

Yep, Cointreau will definitely be next. No point in pinching pennies, either. I saw Combier while grabbing some wine for dinner the other day, but it was the same price as Cointreau. Still haven't seen Marie Brizard anywhere local, and don't think I'll spend any more effort looking. The Negroni (even with Bombay) is starting to grow on me though.

 

[turkoftheplains]



Yep, Cointreau will definitely be next. No point in pinching pennies, either. I saw Combier while grabbing some wine for dinner the other day, but it was the same price as Cointreau. Still haven't seen Marie Brizard anywhere local, and don't think I'll spend any more effort looking. The Negroni (even with Bombay) is starting to grow on me though.

Buy the Cointreau over the Combier then, the bottle is cooler. They're otherwise nearly (but not entirely) indistinguishable.

If you like Bombay Negronis, you'll love them with Beefeater. Beefeater is my workhorse London Dry gin and is well worth the incremental price increase over per Bombay. More generally, if you have a choice (and in most states, you have a choice for every base but brandy), always choose the 90+ proof base spirit. Your drinks will have stronger bones.

And try a Boulevardier too, you've got the whiskey for it.

 

[Patrologia]



And try a Boulevardier too, you've got the whiskey for it.

Definitely was on board with a Boulevardier - first night I had the Campari. I like it very much.

As for my choice, there has been a rather consistent theme in the answer... I think 7 suggestions of Cointreau.


I'm slow, but I can be taught. Bought the Cointreau. Won't have a chance to do anything with it for a while (beginning of this week will NOT be conducive to drinking) but experimentation and exploration will commence no later than the weekend.