What are you drinking right now?

A glass of Laphroaig

Found a bottle of Skyy in my closet. That+ tonic.

This might be old news to some but I just was reading my K&L Newletter last night. Fritz Maytag has sold out his brewery! I know this will be major news to some beer fans. What has me concerned is, did the distillery get sold in this transaction? If so, what is the future of our beloved artisnal ryes and gins?

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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This might be old news to some but I just was reading my K&L Newletter last night. Fritz Maytag has sold out his brewery! I know this will be major news to some beer fans. What has me concerned is, did the distillery get sold in this transaction? If so, what is the future of our beloved artisnal ryes and gins?

It might actually be a good thing. The company that bought them, The Griffin Group, also owns a large chunk of Preiss Imports. PI imports and distributes Springbank, Duncan Taylor, BenRiach and GlenDronach, so they are a pretty decent sized player with nationwide distribution. It might mean that you will be able to buy Anchor Steam stuff in the midwest soon.

Originally Posted by ama

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You have a list?! How much do I have to pay to first?

I had lots of sake tonight at what is supposedly the first sake distillery outside of Japan. Will poast update later.

Not a long list, but definitely need to find more than 36 bottles, since I plan on keeping 12 for myself.

Originally Posted by ama

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It might actually be a good thing. The company that bought them, The Griffin Group, also owns a large chunk of Preiss Imports. PI imports and distributes Springbank, Duncan Taylor, BenRiach and GlenDronach, so they are a pretty decent sized player with nationwide distribution. It might mean that you will be able to buy Anchor Steam stuff in the midwest soon.

Ah, good to know. I love me my Duncan Taylor. My main concern was the continuing production of the gins and ryes. Seems like these folks might understand that marketspace well enough to keep production as is.

Originally Posted by ama

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It might actually be a good thing. The company that bought them, The Griffin Group, also owns a large chunk of Preiss Imports. PI imports and distributes Springbank, Duncan Taylor, BenRiach and GlenDronach, so they are a pretty decent sized player with nationwide distribution. It might mean that you will be able to buy Anchor Steam stuff in the midwest soon.

You've been able to buy Anchor Steam in the midwest for several years.

Originally Posted by ama

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What is the finish one the Caol Ila? Cask Strength?
Um. Dunno. Will get back to you on this.

Originally Posted by IUtoSLU

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How about you guys, how adament are you against using fine spirits in cocktails? Do you ever splurge and do something like this, or are you a strict adherent to the school of 'cheap liquor for cocktails and fine spirits for sipping only?'
Oh, I like to think I take a reasonable approach. It depends on the cocktail. I suppose my 'well' liquors that I use for cocktails are many people's idea of 'top shelf' -- Miller's Gin, JW Black, Knob Creek, Woodford, etc, and I find this appropriate -- using a truly quality spirit for what I hope will be a quality cocktail. However, I respect the nuance that the spirit maker is trying to maintain in his or her product, and the rarity of the product and won't use a spirit with unique nuance in a cocktail if that that nuance is not allowed expression in the drink -- I wouldn't, say, use Pierre Ferrand Ancestrale in a Sidecar. The lemon juice would absolutely obliterate it. Nor do I use Highland Park 18 or another single malt in a Blood and Sand (again, the orange and the Heering would obliterate the nuance), but I might use a malt like Lagavulin if I really need some smoke in a particular drink, say the Laphroaig in a Pennicillin. No blend will carry that smoke like the malt -- in this case it is a quality of the spirit that I need to heighten my cocktail that will cause me to use such a spirit. I use Zacapa and another fine rum in a rum/Falernum old fashioned that a friend taught me to make. It matters that the spirit is a fine one in such a simple and elegant drink -- the qualities of the spirit that make it fine are absolutely apparent in the drink in a way that heightens it above Bacardi. Basically, I just don't waste it. I'll do a side by side tasting if I need to. ~ H

Not a cocktail, but for some... marinating some cherries in Luxardo Maraschino and some in Creme de Violette.

Hayman's Old Tom gin on ice.

Originally Posted by ama

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I had lots of sake tonight at what is supposedly the first sake distillery outside of Japan. Will poast update later.

Please do...I am curious about this.

Originally Posted by Roikins

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Not a cocktail, but for some... marinating some cherries in Luxardo Maraschino and some in Creme de Violette.

As soon as I saw this post, I went and pitted some cherries and put them in maraschino. I can't wait until they are ready.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask...has earned a permanent place in the cabinet along side the Aberlour A'bunadh and Laga. Very good!!

I am also claiming this as my thread. You have been notified.

Originally Posted by IUtoSLU

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As soon as I saw this post, I went and pitted some cherries and put them in maraschino. I can't wait until they are ready.

I tasted one from each today; it's been three days since I started. The Violette ones are definitely good to go, but I'll let them sit longer to see what happens in a few days. The Maraschino ones could use more time, so I'll dip in to try a 2nd one after one week has passed.