What are you drinking right now?

[venividivicibj]

Hampden direct it looks like.

Their great house releases have been solid. I also liked their 'LROK the younger' (5 year) - tons of bubblegum & fruit.

 

[tdes81]

Their great house releases have been solid. I also liked their 'LROK the younger' (5 year) - tons of bubblegum & fruit.

I need to try some of those. Just had a friend send me a few hampden samples, which I'm looking forward to. Also the rumchester C<>H I have is like, the best rum ever. I managed to snag one of the endemic birds too, but haven't cracked it open yet.

 

[cocostella]

You guys are going richter! I just got the damn Clairins in the other day and you have me fiending for other **** already. I’m still feeding my bourbon Jones too…

 

[tdes81]

You guys are going richter! I just got the damn Clairins in the other day and you have me grinding for other **** already. I’m still feeding my bourbon Jones too…
View attachment 1865794

Yeah boy! Let me know how you like that Rocher!

 

[tdes81]

The clairins are like pokemon at this point. Gotta catch em all.

 

[cocostella]

I will of course taste them both neat, but would be glad to hear each of your recommendations for cocktails you think they shine in… obviously the daiquiri being one! Thx

 

[tdes81]

I will of course taste them both neat, but would be glad to hear your recommended cocktail you think each shines in… obviously the daiquiri being one of them! Thx

Daiquiri and the closely related velvet hammer:

1.5 oz overproof white rum (clairin!)
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orgeat
pinch of salt

shake, strain over crushed ice

Also ti punches. And they can make for a fun split in a mai tai (like going half and half with some kind of funky jamaican rum). I also do a lot of rum ranch waters with them (lime juice, seltzer, clairin).

 

[cocostella]

All sound good. Thx

 

[tdes81]

All sound good. Thx

I even rum & coke the rocher, it's very nice. Oh also just mixing with fever tree grapefruit soda (works better for the non-rocher).

 

[venividivicibj]

I will of course taste them both neat, but would be glad to hear each of your recommendations for cocktails you think they shine in… obviously the daiquiri being one! Thx

either neat a daiquiri for the Le Rocher -
2oz rum
1oz lime
.75 sweetener (I use agave nectar since I have a lot of tequila&mezcal and Costco sells 2 bottles for like $10)

Be careful if you’re mixing in other cocktails, because the clairins are so.. wild? that they can overpower a cocktail if they’re a minor part.

 

[tdes81]

either neat a daiquiri for the Le Rocher -
2oz rum
1oz lime
.75 sweetener (I use agave nectar since I have a lot of tequila&mezcal and Costco sells 2 bottles for like $10)

Be careful if you’re mixing in other cocktails, because the clairins are so.. wild? that they can overpower a cocktail if they’re a minor part.

Swap out that sweetner for 0.5oz orgeat (if you have it). Pretty much do all my daiquiris that way now.

 

[majorhancock]

Rare Liqueurs Taste Test

On the left, Izarra (the yellow version), which was originally created in the Basque region of France in 1906. After a brand ownership change in 2018, it becoming more widely available, although I think not yet distributed in the U.S. This bottle came from London. More on Izarra here.

On the right, the Liquore Mediceo from the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, adjacent to the cloister in Florence which has been producing liqueurs since 1221 AD. It’s the oldest pharmacy in the world. This Liquore Mediceo and their other liqueurs can only be bought on-site in Florence. I was lucky enough to go there in September.

The taste of the two liqueurs is similar, but the Izarra has been recently reformulated with more flavor and much less sugar, which for me gives it the definite edge. The Italian liqueur is very syrupy, with a slight medicinal quality.

Izarra is mentioned in Hemingway’s first novel, The Sun Also Rises. Hemingway evidently did not care for it:
The waiter recommended a Basque liquor called Izarra. He brought in the bottle and poured a liqueur-glass full. He said Izarra was a flower of the Pyrénées. The veritable flowers of the Pyrénées. It looked like hair-oil and smelled like Italian Strega. I told him to take the flowers of the Pyrénées away and bring me a vieux marc. The marc was good. I had a second marc after the coffee.

The is also a green version of Izarra which is too mint/menthol-laden and which I do not recommend.

 

[cocostella]

@tdes81 @venividivicibj Appreciate the responses guys.

 

[stephenaf2003]

Notnsure what is happening right now but seemingly the right spot to post this
View attachment 1865464

You’re killing it man!

 

[stephenaf2003]

A little bit of everything…