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Blanco, Reposado, or Anjejo? I assume Blanco given the price, but I want to make sure.
This is a very personalized collection. I'm guessing that you drink most liquor straight rather than in cocktails. Are you looking for additions that will appeal to you or to guests? If it's the latter, I recommend the following: Sweet and dry vermouth (for martinis and manhattans) Cointreau/Combier (pretty much a staple in most sours) Silver rum (for dacquiris) Silver tequila (for margaritas) Maraschino liqueur (the creme de violette is looking lonely) A nice blended scotch (for lesser friends) Brandy/cognac (can't live w/o sidecars) Campari (acquired taste that I love) Regan's orange bitters (adds a nice punch to martinis)
I'm actually hoping to be doing quite a number of cocktails. Note the Creme de Violette (Hi Huntsman!) so I can make Avations. I've also got to get Chartreuse and Maraschino Liquor so I can make a The Last Word. I was already planning on the Cointreau, JW Black, and Campari. Could definitely use recommendations on the rest of your list. I also need a few good tequilas (blanco, reposado, and anjejo) and any other things you (or anyone else) thinks I might have missed.
Just stopped by the liquor store and bought Maraschino liquor and Chartreuse. **** that Chartreuse is expensive. Huntsman that Last Word better be a kick ass drink!
I can't get Fever Tree or Q-Tonic waters. Any other recommendations on tonics? Same with bitters - I got Angostura and Peychauds. Do I need anything else? Lastly, I could really use a good bartending bible/mixed drink recipe book. Recommendations?
Hibiki 12 year
You are a god amongst men Hunts! That's an awesome list. Q's: What would I mix the Brandy in? I've never been much of a brandy guy (admittedly though I've never tried the REALLY good stuff) so if its nothing but a really obscure drink I think I can save some cash on this one. For the maraschino I picked up something other than Luxardo. Can't remember the name off the top of my head. Should I go with Luxardo instead? A number of online reviews say it really is the best of the bunch. I can't get Fever Tree or Q-Tonic waters. Any other recommendations on tonics? Same with bitters - I got Angostura and Peychauds. Do I need anything else? Lastly, I could really use a good bartending bible/mixed drink recipe book. Recommendations? P.S. - I have no idea about what CdV tastes like, since I've never had it before, so I'm not sure how good a reference I can give you. If there is something specific you want to know about it, let me know and I'll try and figure it out.
My first book was DeGroff's "Craft of the Cocktail," but I think his followup "The Essential Cocktail" is better. Again, he has hangups and modifies things in accordance. Haigh's "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails" IS a favorite of mine, but he uses really obscure ingredients. Other websites I often use are ohgo and cocktailnerd. When I want to make a cocktail (if I know of it), I usually Google and compare recipes. ~ HI've read or had most of the new "old school" coctail books: Degroff, Regan, Felton, Wondrich et al. They are all good books, but all seem, to me, to be handicapped by a particular pet love or peeve of the authors, such as Degroff's dislike of egg white (that a properly-made sour is just as good without it. No, not really). And the old books -- Embury, Craddock, &c, are hard to translate into today. So they are all worthwhile and all fall short to be a bible of the classics. My suggestion is the incredible niche in the blogosphere devoted to cocktails -- just go somewhere like drinkdogma.com, spiritsandcocktails (alter, Jamie Boudreau at this blog has great photos), or artofdrink and read them as well as checking out their links page -- these are the guys on the forefront of the revival of classic cocktails or the reinvention of the concept (molecular mixology). The only thing I have not seen is a site devoted to hard-core classic and nothing but. Rare and precious is the cocktail bar that does so. I'd love to write a book, btw, but don't know nearly enough. Oh, and google "small screen network" to view the cocktail making videos that Robert Hess is putting together. Pretty solid stuff. ~ H
Can't add much to the above but to insist on Grand Marnier as irreplaceable. Maybe Kahlua if you entertain younger guests. Port and Sherry are taken as if liquors -- but I'm guessing you have the wine rack well stocked.
I'd take the Illy liqueur over Kahlua. Rambo, I think you need an orange bitters. Grapefruit if you're into that kinda thing; if so you could pick up the whole Fee Brothers pack on amazon for like 30 bucks and be done with that. +1 to the Campari, and I'd pick up a cheap Cachaca for summer if you're ever to find yourself making caiprinhas or mojitos; cachaca is pretty cheap and therefore good for entertaining...
Mixing of Brandy: My favorite brandy drink is the Alabazam: 2 oz Brandy 1/2 oz. Cointreau 3/4 oz Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Simple syrup Lots of Bitters (six dashes here) It's all orange-and-spicey wonderfulness. Other drinks that feature brandy are the classic, classic, classic Sidecar (the cocktail that introduced me to cocktails), the Vieux Carre, some versions of the Sazerac. Really all I can think of right off. Christian Brothers is like $20 for a big bottle. Maraschino: I really only know of three -- Luxardo, Stock, and Maraska (commonly available in that order). I've never had the Stock, but the Maraska and Lux get the best reviews generally. Tonic: I adore Fever Tree (much more than Q-tonic, even). The only other suggestion I would have would be try to find some 'natural' tonic at some kind of health food store (long shot, I suppose). Schwepps/Seagrams/Everyone else puts literally more sugar in their tonic than in Coke. It's ridiculous! They'll be fine in a G&T, so don't be dissuaded, just pick the one with the least sugar. Might be worth trying to get Fever Tree if you find you really like G&Ts though (this feature of my suggestions, is, I hope out there -- concentrate on stuff you like, as your tastes change you'll suddenly find yourself having....everything). Bitters: I like to have an orange bitters, too, as several have mentioned. Nice in gin drinks. I'm not a bitters nut yet, and get by with those three. Books: From an old post: My first book was DeGroff's "Craft of the Cocktail," but I think his followup "The Essential Cocktail" is better. Again, he has hangups and modifies things in accordance. Haigh's "Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails" IS a favorite of mine, but he uses really obscure ingredients. Other websites I often use are ohgo and cocktailnerd. When I want to make a cocktail (if I know of it), I usually Google and compare recipes. ~ H