What are you drinking right now?

[Gibonius]



@Gibonius: Hm. Don't you like Campari? Cause if you do, you should enjoy Negronis. I liked 1:1:1.5 Beefeater:Campari:Carpano Antica until I "discovered" the regular 1:1.1 with Cinzano rosso. Obviously with orange peel.

That's one of the ones I've never made at home, so I haven't tried straight Campari. Never worked well enough for me to want to go buy the pieces to make my own.

How do you prepare your Sazeracs? Rye? Might want to try Cognac in that case. 1tsp rich simple, 4dashes of bitters (Peychaud's, maybe some Angostura), 2oz rye/cognac, pastis rinse, lemon twist. Other than that, here's an interesting read (plus a link to McMillian's video) although most of it likely seems obvious to you guys: http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/the-dos-and-donts-of-sazeracs/

Yeah, rye. Was using Sazerac before I killed the bottle. Just felt like rye with anise in it, it didn't blend right for some reason.

 

[denning]



That sounds yummy -- perhaps a bit sweet?

A touch, but the bitters knock down the sweetness a touch and this rye has no inherent sweetness at all. I hadn't had a drink in almost a month and a half, so I figured this would be good to ease me back into things.

But the Ferrand Curacao would likely be fantastic in it though. Nice and simple.

 

[b1os]



Yeah, rye. Was using Sazerac before I killed the bottle. Just felt like rye with anise in it, it didn't blend right for some reason.

Then try it with cognac.

 

[Gibonius]



The Stumbling Monk:

1.25 oz American Rye (preferably a cerealy/chocolaty one like Old Potrero 19th C.)
0.50 oz Benedictine
0.25 oz Cointreau
Several dashes the Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas bitters (substitute three dashes Orange, one dash Angostura otherwise)

Stir over ice in a mixing glass, then serve over a large ice cube in a double old fashioned glass.

Tried this tonight (with B&B ) and Bulleit rye. Very nice. Can see how the chocolate notes would be nice, alas, I don't have anything of that sort.

 

[Huntsman]

That's a good list, a lot of those are regulars on my rotation. I've never been able to make a Negroni, Sazerac, or Jack Rose that I really liked though. Even made my own grenadine for the Jack Rose, made it a lot better but still didn't draw me in. Was using Laird's 7.5 year, I think maybe it wasn't quite the right apple base.

Couple new ones on there, gotta give 'em a try at some point. I really need to get some chartreuse and maraschino liqueur.

Thinking about the Pegu Club, I was playing around awhile ago and made basically that same thing but with tonic water added. It was very nice in the summer when you want something light that you can sip on without getting hammered.
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Haha, yes, well. The Del La Louisianne is also good with Ransom Old Tom gin if you were ever so inclined. I like your Pegu Club Fizz - that sounds very nice indeed in the summertime. I think the Ward 8 is more effective for me than the Jack Rose, so I know what you mean. Many applejack cocktails fall flat for me unless I use Calvados, which is an expensive way to make cocktails. I do not begrudge it in my Widow's Kiss, which is sublime though (I use Yellow Chartreuse though). I find that I reach for my Maraschino FAR more often than both Chatreuses combined -- the Aviation, Martinez, Tuxedo #2, and a few other things, including my signature White Martini. I really enjoy that stuff, though some people, like my father, cannot tolerate its funkiness (it really does smell a bit like damp basement). I hear Lazzaroni is better in that regard.

@Hunts: Definitely try it. Used regular 80 proof bourbon which was great too.
@Gibonius: Hm. Don't you like Campari? Cause if you do, you should enjoy Negronis. I liked 1:1:1.5 Beefeater:Campari:Carpano Antica until I "discovered" the regular 1:1.1 with Cinzano rosso. Obviously with orange peel.
How do you prepare your Sazeracs? Rye? Might want to try Cognac in that case. 1tsp rich simple, 4dashes of bitters (Peychaud's, maybe some Angostura), 2oz rye/cognac, pastis rinse, lemon twist. Other than that, here's an interesting read (plus a link to McMillian's video) although most of it likely seems obvious to you guys: http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/the-dos-and-donts-of-sazeracs/

Tried a Rob Roy with 2oz JW Black and 1oz 2:1 Carpano Antica:Cinzano rosso.

Ok, I will. I love on the Rob Roy with JW Black. Your vermouth blend sounds really good for this drink. I've been working on a drink (for four years or so now) called the Gentleman's Agreement, using JW Black, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering, and Cointreau -- trying to get that quite right is hard. I really like it when it has some wine-y jammy flavors like Dubonnet Rouge provides, but have not yet nailed it.

I use 1:1 rye and cognac in my Sazeracs, incidentally. Right now I am committing serious sacriledge by drinking a Sazerac from a warmed snifter, which is a tip a dear friend of mine taught me. Actually pretty neat, though you have to go easy on the lemon since it is more expressive hitting warm spirits.

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Must try.

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Glad you liked it!

~ H

 

[Piobaire]

Try a premium Canadian whisky in your Sazerac. CC Sherry Cask Aged is great for this. You'll find the drink smoother and to have nice sherry notes.

In general I find that if rye is too spicy or harsh in a cocktail replacing some or all of it with Canadian whisky will smooth it out.

 

[Rambo]



Because the others are twice the price (except the crema) and are so good I would hate to mix them. I particularly love the Chichicapa. When I mixed the La Esquina with the last of my Vida, I had to make the hard decision between mixing it and just drinking it neat. But I have not had the La Esquina in some time, and I am glad I made it. It is a fine, fine, cocktail, though quite odd.

~ H

I realized it after typing that Vida was 1/2 the price. Chichicapa is delicious. Have you ever tried the Minero or Pechuga? If not, I highly recommend giving them a shot, although the Pechuga is really fuckin pricey.

 

[Piobaire]

An Old Fashioned iteration.

2 oz Bulleit
1 oz home made ginger and cinnamon simple
Bolivar Bittercube Bitters
Orange rind muddled

Very nice.

 

[cocostella]

Pegu Club with Tanqueray Rangpur, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, Regans' orange and Angostura bitters.

 

[cptjeff]

Well, I'm trying the Stumbling Monk. I like it, though I made a 4 oz version and kept the amount of bitters the same, 4 dashes just seemed insane for a 2 oz drink. Did use the Angostura and Orange bitters substitute. Real Benedictine, I love being able to actually find the stuff without much trouble around here.

Certainly worth stashing in the Benedictine cocktails file and playing around with in the future.

 

[b1os]

 

[Hampton]

 

[denning]

Went to a tasting with the area rep for Forty Creek Canadian whiskey, Bowmore, Glen Garioch, and Auchentoshan the other night.

Got to try three of the expressions of their Forty Creek lineup: Port Wood, Confederation Oak, and Double Barrell. The Confederation Oak was a revelation. So amazing. I can't really describe it anymore now, being as it is a couple days later, but I know it was one of the best whiskeys period, not just Canadian, that I have had the chance to try.

Pio, I know you and I have discussed your dislike for some of the medicinal, iodine-like qualities of Forty Creek before, but if you get a chance, give the Confederation Oak a shot, you won't regret it. It has none of those qualities that are present in the Port Wood and some of Forty Creek's lesser bottlings.

I also tried the Auchentoshan Valinch, which I was pleasantly surprised by. It's unique character was its "zippyness", somewhat reminiscent of what Gewurtztraminer is to wine. A little punchy, zippy, spicy, etc. It's young, and you can tell that, but I really enjoyed that quality of it. It's almost sold out in my province, but I will be trying to track down a bottle.

 

[gnatty8]

Spent the day touring Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, KY. Oldest operating distillery in the U.S. Very cool place, and these guys have been making the finest bourbon in the land for decades. After the tour and hitting the gift shop, I took the opportunity to ask if they had any of the BTAC or PVW bottlings. The clerk chuckled. ****.

 

[b1os]

TLW