What did you buy at the liquor store today?

[suzilightning]

Picked up :

1 bottle Canadian Club

1 bottle sweet vermouth - Martini

1 bottle Angustora bitters

1 jar marischino cherries

Husband is taking up to Poughkeepsie along with the formula for a classic Manhattan. He will make it up then sneak it into his mom in the nursing home.

[Zachary]

Not today, but Saturday at a hole in the wall liquor store that shall remain nameless:

1x 50 ml Pierre Ferrand Ambre - $3.99

2x 50 ml Pierre Ferrand Abel - $3.99 (one traded away for a 50 ml of Suntory Hakushu 12 yr)

1x 200 ml Bowmore 21 - $12.99

1x 375 F. Meyer Quetsch eau de vie $7.99

1x 375 Aqua Perfecta Poire $9.99

Zwack Unicum

1999 Dunn Howell Mountain CS $80

Thanks,

Zachary

[mkayahara]

Not technically "today", but I just got back from a little trip to NYC, where I picked up a bottle of Rothman & Winter Apricot liqueur, Blume Marillen apricot eau-de-vie, and Smith & Cross rum. Looking forward to some playtime with my shaker in the near future!

[thirtyoneknots]

No-name store in a no-name town off a no-name interstate. "Schnaaple" by W.Wilhelms [sic]. 48 proof, $7, Product of Germany. I unthinkingly opened it and sniffed--smells sort of like sweetened Calvados--but haven't tasted yet. Unsure of the age but it has no UPC anywhere, and was on a shelf along with a few unfortunate looking liqueurs with tax stamps on them. Anybody have any idea what this stuff is?

Also from the same store: El Dorado 12 and 15, in older bottles for older prices. Ramazotti on the same clearance shelf as the Schnapple for $10, and Weller 107 in the older bottle but otherwise nothing special about that. I'll be revisiting this place at some point, maybe try a little deal making.

[tanstaafl2]

The rum fairy returned from overseas this weekend and brought a companion for the Havana Club Anejo Reserva as the Anejo Blanco joins the family. They tell me that is the sum total of the Havana Club options at the Jo'burg duty free so the next time they go I will be looking for someting else to encourage them to get. Perhaps the Captain Morgan non-spiced Black that was mentioned in the "Contraband" thread.

Meanwhile back at the ranch I have been doing a bit of "taste testing" wth scotch liqueurs. Atholl Brose, Glayva and Drambuie were all sampled and I decided to also pickup a bottle of the big brother of Drambuie, the 15 year old, a the store this weekend to see if it was any different.

Right now I think the Glayva is my favorite. I have an admitted sweet tooth and the Atholl Brose is a bit drier than the other two. Glayva is 35% ABV and Drambuie is 40%. Don't know if that is the whole story but the Drambuie seems a bit more fiery for when you want that sort of thing. I will work the Drambuie 15 into the rotation this week to see how it compares.

But all that considered, I think I like my simple little bottle of Agavero tequila liqueur as well or better than any of them for a nice after dinner drink.

[ChrisTaylor]

Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva. Holyshitfuckingamazing.

[tanstaafl2]

Professor Wondrich was in town yesterday for the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival which is happening this weekend (only here for the day since he had to head back to NYC for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic). But while he was here he stopped in at the H&F Bottle Shop for a little book signing and I couldn't resist the opportunity to pop in and say hello!

He was a delightful gentlemen and patiently answered the many silly questions I peppered him with. I also got my copies of both Imbibe! and Punch signed of course.

In the background is Andy Minchow, one of the co owners and superb talents behind the bar at the Holman & Finch Pub. The sign that says "Congratulations Chef" was there in recognition of the James Beard Award just bestowed on Chef Hopkins who runs the ship at Restaurant Eugene and is also a co owner in the growing H&F Family (which includes a bread shop, pub and bottle shop and who knows what else!). So I had the chance to offer him my congratulations and thank him for the lovely evening at his restaurant a few weeks back.

To stay on topic I picked up a few items while there and and during a stop at another store nearby.

The Plantation overproof and Orgeat are for the upcoming tiki part of course. Had been curious about the High West offerings so I picked up the Bourye blend out of curiosity (which I understand has now run its course and has been replaced by Son of Bourye) and the Rendezvous which I have heard good things about.

The Irishman Cask Strength had been ordered at a tasting a couple of weeks ago and finally arrived so I added that to the growing family.

Finally the Parker's Heritage Collection cognac cask finished bourbon is a bit of an outlier. Had it at a bar a while back and liked it and then saw it on DUNY so I decided I might as well get it while I can. It just arrived today.

Another busy week!

[thirtyoneknots]

That Plantation OP is nice stuff, and an even nicer price for quality OP. Not as assertive as Lemon Hart but that's not a bad thing on its own.

[Lisa Shock]

Got a 1.75L bottle of Hendrick's gin at Costco last night. I have never seen this size bottle before. At $53.99 it is cheaper than buying the smaller bottles. I like to save their bottles to use when making my own infusions because of the corks, and because the bottle is so dark.

[Hassouni]

I have a problem...I keep buying rum!

The Barbancourt 5 star is a replacement for the one I just finished, but the rest are all new to me.

Gonna split the LH and make half of it 80 proof, too.

[thirtyoneknots]

Gonna split the LH and make half of it 80 proof, too.

I would recommend against doing that, at least not to so large a % of the bottle all at once. If you really don't have room for El Dorado 5 yr in your cabinet, you can always dilute LH an ounce at a time. But I'm betting you don't have the gear to revert it back to 151.

[Hassouni]

this seems to be a pretty comprehensive guide:

http://www.ministryofrum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5778

[rarerollingobject]

Pretty excited about my purchase of the day: a bottle of Mukai Shuzo 'Ine Mankai' red rice sake. Light rose in colour, slightly sweet, red rice sake is quite unusual and this is a heavenly example.

Also bought a bottle of Alvear Pedro Ximenez 1927, and a bottle of Laird's Applejack, which I believe is around $20 in the States, but $75 FREAKING DOLLARS in Australia.

[thirtyoneknots]

this seems to be a pretty comprehensive guide:

http://www.ministryo...read.php?t=5778

I'm not saying it wouldn't work, I'm just saying a perfectly good 80 proof Demerera already exists in El Dorado 5 yr.

Edit: OK I see lower down that there's a financial incentive for this. I still know a few places to find ED5 for $13, soooo...

Edited May 13, 2012 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[Hassouni]

Well, this is more my incentive:

"I'm trying the diluted LH it against some ElDo5 right now, and frankly the diluted LH blows the ElDo5 away in terms of sheer flavor. Where the ElDo5 has significant sweetness but lacks smokiness and richness, the diluted LH has smoke, spice, and the rich sweetness of classic Demerara rum on the finish."

[thirtyoneknots]

Well, this is more my incentive:

"I'm trying the diluted LH it against some ElDo5 right now, and frankly the diluted LH blows the ElDo5 away in terms of sheer flavor. Where the ElDo5 has significant sweetness but lacks smokiness and richness, the diluted LH has smoke, spice, and the rich sweetness of classic Demerara rum on the finish."

Maybe, but this is also a prime setup for confirmation bias. Comparative tastings should be done at least single blind to be reliable.

If a flavor-mixability compromise is the goal, why not make a 100 proof Lemon Hart? Math is easier that way, too.

[Hassouni]

I could certainly do that - why do you think 100 proof is better? Holds up better when mixed?

[thirtyoneknots]

I could certainly do that - why do you think 100 proof is better? Holds up better when mixed?

All things being equal, Proof is flavor. Unless you want to go all the way to high-test stuff like 151, rum over 80 proof is relatively scarce compared to other spirits categories. In general, when I see a product bottled at 80 proof (the legal minimum to sell in the US), I see a producer telling me: "we would have watered this down more, but it's against the law". Which is not to say I never buy 80 proof, but I do have a bias in favor of anything higher if the price isn't exorbitant.

A few things do just fine at 80 proof. But hey why not exercise the flexibility you have? 80 proof Demerara rum is available, even Lemon Hart if you're properly motivated. If you're going to go to the trouble of procuring the magic filtered water and gradually diluting and all that outlined in the link, why not make something unique and play around with it?

[Hassouni]

Well you've convinced me. Ill do a couple test drams at 100 and 80 and see what's better.

[ChrisTaylor]

Purchases made over the past week or two:

* Jameson's 'limited reserve'

* Ron Santiago de Cuba's blanco and anejo variants

* A box of 3 x 200mL single malts (Dalwhinnie, Oban and Glenkinchie)

* Perique

[EvergreenDan]

Perique

Please do tell us what you think.

I could not tell from their website whether the nicotine has been removed. It only says "a form that greatly diminishes the health concerns associated with tobacco use."

Edited May 18, 2012 by EvergreenDan (log)

[KD1191]

Yesterday I picked up a bottle of this vin jaune that I've been wanting to play around with ever since tasting it paired with the turtle soup at Next's Paris menu.

Oxidized & somewhat sherry-like, but not fortified. My initial reaction upon tasting it was that I'd like to try mixing it in cocktails where a dry vermouth typically gets lost...tonight, it was a Brooklyn, which turned out pretty splendidly.

Edited May 18, 2012 by KD1191 (log)

[Hassouni]

Today's haul:

Discovered a huge stash of old-bottle Plymouth, AND that the Chevy Chase Montgomery County Liquor Store has Myer's Legend!!

[Yojimbo]

Couple of days ago I picked up a bottle of Punt e Mes, plus Batavia Arrack for experimentation and making my own Swedish Punsch -- I know you can buy the Punsch as well, but where's the fun in that?

Also bought a bottle of Taylor's Falernum for a punch I was making for a school fundraiser with Denizen rum, pineapple and lime juice, and odds and ends. Decided to make my own falernum the day before to see if I could top the flavor of Taylor's, probably shouldn't have added so much Lemon Hart 151.

Fundraiser was last night: I carried all my stuff on the subway, got set up, the juice was delayed, and when it showed up way after the party had started, it was . . . ruby red grapefruit and orange juice instead. I did my best with what I had, mainly by putting floats of Blackstrap rum on top, but oh, the rum-anity!

Fairway, you are dead to me.

[thirtyoneknots]

Today's haul:

Discovered a huge stash of old-bottle Plymouth, AND that the Chevy Chase Montgomery County Liquor Store has Myer's Legend!!

That's actually a new bottle Plymouth seems to have recently rolled out for (at least) the 1 liter size. The old bottles look like the one on the right in this picture.