What are you drinking right now?

Yeah it is a real Japanese bar, they actually started in Chiba and have two stores there, opened a third in Ginza, then went to Singapore, and are finally in Seoul. Seoul location is a little ragtag compared to the others I'm sure, because liquor availability is so piss poor. That picture of Chartreuse jeune I posted before was at this bar, easily the only bottle of that in this country. They have two or three Japanese bartenders, but not many Japanese customers. My girlfriend likes it because she can go in and talk in Japanese, and we get great service, and the drinks are on the top level for here. They have old-label versions of a lot of single malts that make me cream just looking at them, they're so cool. Unfortunately, I don't think I can order liquor from overseas or I'd pay tax or have it confiscated at customs, but my lady is in Japan right now, and I'll have her bring me back some stuff - all this cocktail talk on SF has got me ready to start my home bar now. We have to get a shelving unit anyway so I figure it'll be a nice filler.

Originally Posted by UrbanComposition

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Sweet jeebus, I love that vermouth.

It really is incredible. My favorite use for it is the Vieux Carre.

Originally Posted by harvey_birdman

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A martini. To begin, you will need Dry Vermouth and Gin. The exact type of alcohol will depend on your personal preference. I HIGHLY recommend Gordon's Gin. This is not the time where extraordinarily expensive gin is appropriate, as it is a mixed drink. The vermouth is up to your choice as well, but avoid sweet vermouth. It is not good. You will also need a martini glass and a vessel of some kind to combine the ingredients. DO NOT USE A PLASTIC GLASS. In an emergency a wine glass can be substituted for the traditional martini glass, but if at all possible follow tradition and use the cocktail/martini glass as it was meant to be used. STEP 1 - Combine the gin and vermouth in a ratio of 4:1 in the vessel over ice. Note that the vermouth and gin should be room temperature. This will meld better and also cause a slight melting of the ice which will slightly water down the drink. This is good. The method of combination is up to you. Books have been written on the shaken vs. stirred method. I honestly don't care. If you can really tell the difference then your palate is far more refined than mine. STEP 2 - Pour the combined liquid into the glass. STEP 3 - Garnish with your item of choice. Acceptable garnish includes an olive, a lemon peel, or a pickled onion (perhaps more correctly referred to as a Gibson). STEP 4 - Drink, while listening to appropriate music. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Nice exculpation. I, too, thought believe you need a better gin. I'd say Martin Miller, but I remember you're in PA.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

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Yeah it is a real Japanese bar, they actually started in Chiba and have two stores there, opened a third in Ginza, then went to Singapore, and are finally in Seoul. Seoul location is a little ragtag compared to the others I'm sure, because liquor availability is so piss poor. That picture of Chartreuse jeune I posted before was at this bar, easily the only bottle of that in this country. They have two or three Japanese bartenders, but not many Japanese customers. My girlfriend likes it because she can go in and talk in Japanese, and we get great service, and the drinks are on the top level for here. They have old-label versions of a lot of single malts that make me cream just looking at them, they're so cool.
This sounds awesome, not ragtag, to me.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

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Well, not so much that, they were just two young (18 or 19 by the looks of it) REALLY snooty looking girls out drinking on the one girl's dad's card - and this bar is this great Japanese cocktail bar that has 6 or 7 full pages of single malt on the menu, and they came in and got a whole bottle of Johnny Walker (which costs a G at a bar over here)...

I mean, this is one of the only (if only) independent bar over here serving in Riedel digestifs and cocktail glasses, Baccarat tumblers, they do things very right. You get steaming hot hand towels every time you return from the bathroom immediately when you sit back down, they have another 10 pages of properly made cocktails in addition to the single malt selection, they have a page of cuban cigars. They don't even sell a lot of this good stuff in this country so the bartenders each take turns going back to Japan to pick up bottles and supplies - even the Noilly Prat is black market for them, they bring back fresh fruits and garnishes, it's a bar doing a labor of love. And those two girls.... and funnily enough we went to a club after, and not 10 minutes in, the same two girls walked in, and the girl I was talking to about glassware was ready to hang out and her snooty friend snatched her and walked away.

What a waste. That's just shameful. If you're going to throw that much money around with abandon, at least share it with someone who appreciates it.

Originally Posted by Huntsman

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This sounds awesome, not ragtag, to me.

It's nice - but we're a city of 20 million current and to-be alcoholics, so I think we who can appreciate a decent drink should have a place to get one.
I don't know SF-approved levels of knowldege on scotch, but I've always liked drinking whiskey from the time I was in high school and took a trip abroad, and the duty free person had a brain fart or something and let me buy a bottle of Glenlivet unchecked; this year though, now that I've found some good drinking spots finally, I am making it a new hobby. I have this bar and a hotel bar that have huge scotch selections that I can go to and sip 3 or 4 a night and enjoy myself, and not have to blind myself on cheap beer or mixed drinks at a club, so as I turn 29 it's a nice change for the better.

Macallan and Caol Ila old labels are beautiful btw, truly something a baller should have.

I am really inspired by the Japanese cocktail/whiskey bar concept as well, no wine or beer, just good drinking - if I can raise funding for it I'd like to have my own someplace in this world. I want to have my own in-house otsumami snacks, have old Japanese bartender guys who are tuxedo'ed and serve drinks with personal style points that are completely necessary and not at all overdone. I really want people to sit down and get a great scotch in a tumbler with a good hand feel, serve them a tiny plate of french blue cheese and chocolate, or something salty/creamy like comte grilled over avocado, sardines, capers, and honey, something like that. Let the women have great purist cocktails, it would be the best for the best. NYC maybe?

Quiet Saturday evening at home with Talisker 25yr Cask Strength before we toss some steaks on the cast iron skillet:

Originally Posted by I<3Bacon

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Quiet Saturday evening at home with Talisker 25yr Cask Strength before we toss some steaks on the cast iron skillet:

I wub all things Talisker

Knob Creek. I am starting to get bourbon.

^^^ wait till you try Eagle Rare and Baker's
Having a Whiskey Sour with Buffalo Trace

Thanks to this site last night I had a Last Word for the first time. Hell of a drink, much sweeter then I expected.

Originally Posted by Magician

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Thanks to this site last night I had a Last Word for the first time. Hell of a drink, much sweeter then I expected.

So jealous, still haven't gotten my hands on the maraschino although I'm ripping through the Chartreuse just fine.

Probably gonna have a dram of crag 12 in a bit.

Originally Posted by Aaron01

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I wub all things Talisker

+1

No surprise (first one I've made with Martin Miller's however):

Originally Posted by UrbanComposition

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Do let me know about Mikkeller - I've seen it, but my fellow beer snobs tell me US beers are the same quality (if not better) and cheaper, due to the importing. So I'm torn. The two in the middle tho - I've seen them and was intrigued. Let me know how they are. The other day I went on a DogFish Head spree, and here are the results: Theobroma: meh. The cocoa is barely perceptible, as is the chile flavor. Wasn't anything special. Red & White: awesome, especially if you like lambics. Not as sweet or tart, but very delicious. Like a Belgian white (citrusy) with a round fruit pinot flavor in the background. Super drinkable. Sahtea: get this now. Like chai tea, but a beer. SRSLY. Cardamom, ginger, cloves...this stuff goes down wayyyy too easy. All 3 are 9% or higher, so watch that you don't start any fights with your drinking buddies

The only thing special about those Mikkellers is that they used a different type of yeast for each different style of beer. Otherwise, they're nothing spectacular, but these 3 I had yet to try, so I decided to make a trade for them. I've had all those DFH beers, Sahtea was my Summer beer besides Apocalypse Cow and Lagunitas IPA. All are good, but Punkin' Ale is my beer of choice at the moment, I've needed a bit of a change from all the Imperial Stouts and Oak/Bourbon Barrel Aged beers. Lagunitas Lil' Sumpin' Wild is a hops-tastic change of pace as well. This was from a Brew-B.Q. event we held this past Saturday and my god that Cigar City Marshal is probably the BEST Russian Imperial Stout I've ever had (and we had a '10 Dark Lord)! The Cascade was also a super glorious sour that I wish I was able to get on a regular basis. It's the perfect balance of sour with a sweet cherry undertone. The Moloko Milk Stout is a solid beer, but it's nothing special just a filler since I have a couple of cases of it. The Kentucky Breakfast Stout is worth all the hype, so balanced for a bourbon coffee stout, I wish I hadn't shared any of it...

1.5 CC Sherry Cask
0.5 Sweet Vemouth
0.5 Dubonnet
3 Dashes Cherry Bitters
3 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Stirred with three cubes, in a rocks glass, no garnish. Didn't really labour over this one, just quick and easy and delicious.

dill muddled w/juice from a myer lemon + angostura bitters + cayenne pepper, mixed w/tequila (bad choice, maybe?), poured over ice w/a splash of lemonade + a splash of soda

not sure how I feel about it, would serve as a palate cleanser if not for the tequila. thinking about trying it with vodka + no lemonade :-/