Dangermonkey

Actually become a fan of Diep 9 Old Genever an aged genever from Belgium. Has the maltiness a lot of the other imports lack.

Feel free to browse through my obsessive collections of links and newsfeeds at Spirits Review.com (4500 links, about 400 RSS feeds) Also check the Spirits Journal by Paul Pacult (print editions) Good Luck! Chris

NO!

Here are some recipes I came up with years ago for Mezcal before there were so many available. This list was generated back around 2002 when there were about 5 mezcal recipes around (if you include a Mezcal Margarita). MEZCAL RECIPES These are MY recipes - created for my friends and for this website. Mezcal Cafe su Da (Vietnamese-style coffee with mezcal) created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk (fat free version OK) 4 oz strong Coffee (cold or at least not hot) Stir with lots of ice and pour into prepared martini glass rimmed with raw (turbinado) sugar or Stirrings Espresso Martini Rimmer. Enjoy! Mercury created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Gin 6 oz Tonic Water Lime for Garnish Mix Mezcal and Gin over ice, add tonic and lime wedge (bitters optional). Enjoy! Note: The Mercury is basicly a smoky gin and tonic. Malaria created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven Juice of 1 Lime 4 oz Tonic Water Pour into chilled highball glass over ice (you can rim the glass with lime juice and salt if you like). Enjoy! Authentic Blood and Sand created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Orange Juice 3/4 oz Cherry Liqueur (Cherry Herring or Cherry Marnier) 3/4 oz of Sweet (Red) Vermouth Combine in shaker over ice, shake 20 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with Maraschino cherry. Enjoy! Note: The original version was based on the 1922 silent Rudolph Valentino movie about bullfighting. First recording of recipe was 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book which uses Scotch, as no one knew what mezcal was back then if they were north of Texas. This version attempts to address that. Variations on the Theme: Use 1/4-1/2 oz Cassis instead of Cherry Liqueur (Unnamed) Use 1/4-1/2 oz Creme de Yvette instead of Cherry Liqueur (Unnamed) Dryer version of Blood and Sand created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Orange Juice 3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo) 3/4 oz of Sweet (Red) Vermouth Combine in shaker over ice, shake 20 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, garnish with Maraschino cherry. Enjoy! Carmen's Tears (a dry, clear version) created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 3/4 oz Maraschino Liquour (Stock makes a good one) 3/4 oz Dry (White) Vermouth 2 Dashes Oranges Bitters (Regans No. 6 recommended) Combine in shaker over ice, shake 20 seconds. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, Garnish with Maraschino cherry. Enjoy! Gentle Jorge Cocktail created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal 1/2 oz Dry (White) Vermouth 1/2 oz Cointreau, Cointreau Noir, Solerno, or Grand Marnier 2 Dashes Oranges Bitters (Regans No. 6 recommended) Stir with ice and strain into a large cocktail glass (5 oz or more) Enjoy! Fall from Grace created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 1/2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Sour Apple Liqueur 1/2 oz Roses Lime Cordial or 1/2 oz fresh lime juice and teaspoon of sugar or 1/2 oz Agave syrup to sweeten - you choose) Shake 20 seconds with ice Strain into chilled cocktail glass Mother's Milk created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1/2 oz Kahlua or Kona Gold Coffee Liqueur 1/2 oz Heavy Cream 1/2 oz Milk (substitute 1 oz 1/2 and 1/2 if you like) 1Tsp Agave Syrup Shake with ice 30 seconds, Strain into old fashioned glass Dust with fresh grated nutmeg Bruges created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz sweet vermouth 1 oz orange juice (variation 1/2 oz Solerno and 1/2 Luxardo Fernet -no vermouth or orange juice) 1 1 oz kummel ( or aquavit such as Krogstad) 1-2 dashes Angostura Bitters Shake over ice 20 seconds strain into cocktail glass Smoke on the Bog created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Cherry Cordial (Heering ?) 1 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice or Spritzer - If juice shake over ice and strain If Spritzer build or stir Train Spotter created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 tsp honey 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 1/2 Oatmeal Water 1/4 oz Drambuie (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno ) 1/4 Amaretto 1/2 oz Heavy Cream Stir Honey with Mezcal first , add other ingredients shake 30 seconds , strain into cocktail glass dust with nutmeg (Oatmeal water is made by soaking 3 tblsp of oatmeal in 1/2 mug of warm water for 15 minutes, strain off.) Poppa Doc created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 tsp honey 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 1/2 oz Roasted Coconut Juice 1/4 -1/2 oz Clement Creole Shrubb 1/4 Amaretto 1/2 oz Heavy Cream Stir Honey with Mezcal first , add other ingredients shake 30 seconds , strain into cocktail glass Dust with nutmeg Maximillian's Downfall created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 tsp honey 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 1/2 oz Roasted Coconut Juice 1/4-1/2 oz Cointreau Noir (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno ) 1/4 Amaretto 1/2 oz Heavy Cream Stir Honey with Mezcal first , add other ingredients shake 30 seconds , strain into cocktail glass Dust with nutmeg (Variation: Chili Powder) Chiang Kai Shek's Downfall created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 tsp honey 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 1/2 oz Roasted Coconut Juice 1/4-1/2 oz Cointreau Noir (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno ) 1/4 Amaretto 1/2 oz Heavy Cream Stir Honey with Mezcal first , add other ingredients shake 30 seconds , strain into cocktail glass Dust with 5 Spice Powder Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh) created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 tsp honey 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 1/2 oz Roasted Coconut Juice 1/4-1/2 oz Cointreau Noir (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno) 1/4 Amaretto 1/2 oz Heavy Cream Stir Honey with Mezcal first , add other ingredients shake 30 seconds , strain into cocktail glass dust with Vietnamese Cinnamon Cloudburst created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 1 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Aviation Gin 1 oz White Creme de Cacao 1 oz Heavy Cream Shake 20 seconds Strain onto Maritini glass Dust with Vietnamese Cinnamon Paradise Lost created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1 oz Obsello Absinthe 1/2 oz Agave syrup 1/4- 1/2 oz Cointreau Noir (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno ) Garnish Orange Zest (prefer flamed) Peso (Buck variation so play on words) created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 1/2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice top up with Ginger Ale garnish with lemon wedge AIG Bailout Version: created by Chris Carlsson, SpiritsReview.com 2 1/2 oz Scorpion Silver Mezcal or Mijes Joven 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz Cointreau Noir (Variations:St.Germain or Solerno) top up with Champagne garnish with lemon wedge Note: We recommend Scorpion Silver Mezcal for its very smoky profile and Mijes Joven as a very mild much less smoky profile

Currently aging the Wasmunds Rye Spirit (white unaged) and some Finger Lakes Distilling Glen Thunder (100% corn whiskey unaged, white )in a Wasmund Barrel. Not a problem getting the barrels shipped here. Will write back with tasting notes when they get some more age on them (like a month or so)

Starka ! (Aged Russian vodka flavored with apple and pear leaves, port and brandy. Can't get it here at all - not recognized as vodka here and commercial import not allowed (hand carry OK)

Actually you can bring a lot more than 1 liter in. Duty is about $1.50 a liter and they don't like to make change - so you can usually get through with 10-12 bottles no problem.(If it's under $800 worth they usually tell you to keep moving)

Hi Katie, The Swedes were very touched at your thoughtfulness -"The only person who brought us a present!" - and loved every drop! They were quite fascinated that an American made Aquavit and led to a animated conversation (in Swedish mostly) and the bottle was consumed in a appreciative way in fairly short order. You missed some fascinating single vintage/single variety potato vodkas by the way - and yes each one was drastically different from each other .

I've got a bottle I picked up probably in the late 80's or early 90's. Flask shaped 200ml. Not totally unpleasant - but just kind of a Canadian Beer flavored whiskey. They used to sell this stuff in Upstate New York but it never really caught on. It really was a product in search of a audience - neither fish nor fowl . Never saw the point of it. Keep it for reference/curiosity (like far too many bottles I have)

With any kind of luck maybe the FDA will shut that abomination (the vodka that is) down - Prevent a hangover through some sort of protein in your drink? Get Real ! Doesn't work with Ramos Gin Fizz or Pisco Sours(which use a raw egg white for the froth) - at least not enough to notice a difference.

There was a Wall Street Journal article a while back ( which I haven't been able to find yet) that studied the whole medal awarding business it was about wine but the same rules and statistics seem to apply to Spirits. Basic form - if you enter a product in 9 competitions it will get a gold medal from one of them. Previously rejected as undrinkable entries will get medals from the same group that said it was undrinkable sometimes as early as the second try. Also I think if you are willing to risk not only the money to participate in a paid tasting ( and many small but worthy producers won't) that might say something about how strongly you feel about the quality of your product and its chances for a medal. The obviously bad aren't going to waste the money. But yes, grading on a curve might be a new concept for some groups. Just because something doesn't actually poison you doesn't mean Bronze in my mind

"Personally, I'm agnostic on Pacult and any of the other writers. There isn't much substitute for trying the stuff yourself or at least getting a personal recommendation from someone whose palate you trust. But isn't that precisely what other posters have emphasized? Reviews are valuable once you calibrate your palette against that of a particular reviewer (admittedly, an expensive and potentially disappointing enterprise)." dave viola My thinking on this is that since we are out there drinking and tasting for our own pleasure/amusement/curiosity/whatever, is that if you can research what other individuals have written you can use their opinions if you are in agreement most of the time. It gets far trickier when you have a group making a recommendation. While the blind tasting methodology at the SF Spirits Competition is laudable, there is the point that yes, if it is in front of you in a glass , it paid to be there. But I believe (IMHO) that cuts both ways-they will award medals-but unlike the footrace in the Wind in the Willows not everyone who has run will get medals. But if you haven't paid you wont be in the race to potentially get a medal . Therefore a unknown number of potentially worthy products don't get reviewed/evaluated. The same problem of course exists for other reviewers - no one could review of judge all the spirits of a given type and not potentially die of liver failure before you tasted and ranked them all. You are judging among the group you have - paid or not. The other point is a group review/recommendation - you can't use it like individual reviewers in terms of likes/dislikes as easily as it is an averaged rating among a sometimes disparate group rather than individuals - hence Paul's personally dislike (to put it mildly if you read his review) of Blue Coat Gin but it's getting a Double Gold at SF. I'll assume he was overruled by the tasting group - if indeed he was in the gin tasting group at all ( they all don't taste all the spirits - it's broken into groups of people doing certain types of spirits I understand- never been invited to SF so can't speak from direct experience - only from people I do know who have done it). But my point is you don't get to see individual reviews from it - just average scores which I find less useful personally,but can still be used as a yardstick. And yes, Sorry, I forgot to mention Serge among others there are a good number of reviewers out there who are impartial, but yes there are also plenty who will be shamelessly positive about anything to keep up the flow of booze. Another person to consider is Kevin Kosar of Alcohol ReviewsKevin is certainly not afraid to trash a product if he doesn't like it and has a long history of reviews that you can view online to see if you are in agreement with most of his ratings. One of the most basic problems (IMHO) is that anyone can start a blog, a few can start a website, and any group can start handing out medals. Most of the public cannot tell you who (or their qualifications) is in what group (San Francisco, Beverage Tasting Group, etc, - all good by the way) or how they are compensated. You could easily make up a group and few of the public would know the difference between your groups medal and a reputable one. The spirits industry feeds on these medals as a sales tool. So does a section of the Public Relations industry whose only job it seems is to get positive reviews for a product to justify their fees. So they seem sometimes to pass out bottles to anybody in the hopes of a good review (or one that can be edited to seem positive) This is not to say many of them are disreputable - they aren't- but if a company needs positive reviews for a product that others won't give a positive review to there are plenty of people on their Rolodex who seem to have either no taste or shame or sometime both - which is why you need to look back at someones work and whether you agree with them. And by the way Paul no longer does the San Francisco Spirits Competition , he has set up his own company Ultimate Beverage Challenge with a number of other former San Francisco judges, with a very different methodology than SF further adding to the reviewers to choose from

I've known Paul for years now and certainly trust his integrity and his reviews- I just don't agree with him at times (O.K.- I agree with him a high percentage of times but we do have our honest differences of opinion/perception - and that is really what matters for choosing a reviewer for me. I chose to follow Paul, Gary Regan and David Broom as they consistently seem to have much the same palette as I do- so if they like a new product I haven't tried I trust I will probably like it too. Choosing a reviewer is like choosing a movie critic- go with ones who you share the same taste with. As to confidence on impartiality, I get free booze all the time (read my disclosure statement here but I don't hesitate to trash something I don't like. I considered it a mark of being taken seriously when I got my first death threat after a review. Free booze ? Hardly a good reason to sell out- lots of it out there but I won't sell out to get it. I've got a lot of companies who will send me products and I will hate some of them and they still send other things as they want honest feedback - others won't touch me after I trashed a product. Still more work/reviews than I want or need either way so I say what I feel about a product. I don't accept advertising ( yet anyway) but I wouldn't accept it from a product I don't like. I do have standards. Most important point to me is to find someone who shares the same palette as I said.If you don't agree with someones taste for the most part no point in using them. Yes,there are people who will shill for free booze or have no taste, avoid them. they are easy to identify and will eventually self destruct as readers will be able to figure them out through experience. But Paul is certainly not one of those. The cost of subscribing to his newsletter each year is much less than the cost of more than a couple of uninformed mistakes/purchases.There are also other people out there to - just takes some time to sort them out.Check out my Reviews links on Spirits Review for a start and look over someones body of work as I call it (their past reviews/writings)to check for bias or plain lack of taste. A lot of us who review spirits are honest, it's whether we share the same tastes in booze that can be the bigger problem. Chris Carlsson Spirits Review.com

On the subject of Blood and Sand I used Mezcal years ago to swap out the Scotch. Worked pretty well. Called it an "Authentic Blood and Sand" (posted on my website Spirits Review btw)

Let's not forget Michters in Schaeferstown PA _ former distillery made Rye and bourbon. Was also located on another large limestone shelf (actually still is and is up for sale BTW)point is it can be done somewhere else if you have the right geology and water.

Did a review on both the old and the new on my webpage (spiritsreview.com ) and I have to say while I much prefer the American version (the clearer one we are all used to here in the states) for certain applications (like my Martini) the other version is very nice for some of the classic drinks when this type was the one in wide use (Noilly said they only started making the American version in the 70's). So it is kind of a mixed bag to me. I do find it unfortunate that NP has decided to end one version rather than add another. As to shelf life, Noilly said 3 years ( on a shelf- not a dark cooler basement where you might presumably get more time out of it - I'll continue to sample mine regularly as needed ). We still have plenty of the old version up here in upstate New York if anyone needs some cases- I already grabbed a couple for myself to stockpile in case NP doesn't come to it's senses and restart production anytime soon.

O.K. I'll probably be pilloried for writing this but I did get one of those things.... Does it help to say at the time I really did need it? I had buggered my shoulder badly and couldn't even lift my arm - shaking was out of the question- even shaking with the other arm was painful from the jiggling. No, Really - I had to get cortisone shots with needles that looked the same gauge as what I used on horses. It is a bizarre machine, but it did work - even the stirring part (but unlike the Chrono Mat it was a alternating rotation of a sealed shaker) and the shaking part worked well. I even made a video of the damned thing: http://www.amazon.com/Waring-WM007-Profess...36828489&sr=8-1 Actually worked well and kept me in drinks during my convalescence. I also featured in a flickr photo group called Monuments to Decadence - a photo study of consumerism gone mad ( "Anything that represents decadence - idealistically or materialistically. No porn, please! Definition: A process, condition, or period of deterioration or decline, as in morals or art; decay. Over the top consumerism, etc.") It seemed a fitting addition. ← have you no shame?! ← If you saw the photos of me from Tales of The Cocktail I'm sure you could guess the answer to that one Actually I was quite intrigued by the machine and sort of wanted to give it a try (even though I am a Luddite about such things usually) but after buggering my arm (and a long recovery) it made some sense . Now it gathers dust in a corner as it should by anyone who , even if they do not have a sense of shame, have some self respect.

O.K. I'll probably be pilloried for writing this but I did get one of those things.... Does it help to say at the time I really did need it? I had buggered my shoulder badly and couldn't even lift my arm - shaking was out of the question- even shaking with the other arm was painful from the jiggling. No, Really - I had to get cortisone shots with needles that looked the same gauge as what I used on horses. It is a bizarre machine, but it did work - even the stirring part (but unlike the Chrono Mat it was a alternating rotation of a sealed shaker) and the shaking part worked well. I even made a video of the damned thing: http://www.amazon.com/Waring-WM007-Profess...36828489&sr=8-1 Actually worked well and kept me in drinks during my convalescence. I also featured in a flickr photo group called Monuments to Decadence - a photo study of consumerism gone mad ( "Anything that represents decadence - idealistically or materialistically. No porn, please! Definition: A process, condition, or period of deterioration or decline, as in morals or art; decay. Over the top consumerism, etc.") It seemed a fitting addition.

I'm impressed! I'd never be able to identify all those components. Any suggestions where these could be put to best use? ← Pisco Sours would be best I think. Of course this type of bitter is widely used in a lot of different cocktails, this last release tastes the most like their regular Old Fashioned Bitter by the way (which is what this one is except aged in a whiskey barrel for one year). Manhattans and gin martinis are much improved with them - indeed bitters were considered a requirement for many drinks but many people tend to ignore them - although this seems to be changing a bit thankfully. Also you can use it in cooking and baking.

Here are my preliminary impression of the new bitters and a comparison of all three: Very pronounced cinnamon, followed by ginger, ,gentian, angustora, cardamom, caraway, scents of bitter zest of bark and citrus oils (orange?) also. Nice lingering finish drying finish with fair amount of gentian and other bitter alkali herbs. Cinnamon is a touch much more aromatic, vanilla and orange/citrus are a bit more pronounced than batch one and two. TASTING ROUND UP: Batch One (2007) is earthier with more angustora and bitter herbs with citrus on nosing, more bitter on tasting. Batch Two (2008) is more subdued (and the most subdued of the three) with more clove and bark with ginger sweetnes and zest. Batch Three (2009) has a lot more cinnamon and cassia notes, with a good deal of quinine like notes for finish

Just got the new Fee Brothers Whiskey Bitter ( release 3 or 2009) anyone have it or tried it yet? Going to do a comparative review/taste test of it and the 2 previous releases to see how this one came out. Anyone else doing this?

Trick is to put everything you can into the shaker for transport ! The Germans had some fiendishly complicated bar kits in the 20's and 30's that had all the tools and multiple containers (flasks,garnishes, measuring tools,etc.,) While less elegant , I suggest bringing a larger shaker that you can pack things in - keeps them drier too. As for padding - that's what the first aid kit supplies are for.

For the sake of my research I broke them down into type 1 and 2. Type 1 being bitter tinctures (used in drops) and type 2 bitter tonics (draughts - later known as apertifs). The disntinction seemed to help ( at least for me to have a framework in my mind) when I was doing my research . The differences were of course in the concentrations of herbal ingredients and the dosages (which were a lot larger for the tonics). Many of the tinctures were taken with wine or other alcohol, some of the tonics were made from wine or water.

Actually both potable and nonpotable use many the same ingredients but in widely different concentrations. My piece did cover both types but they were based on the historical bitter tinctures (drops) and bitter tonics (draughts) which both later seem to transmogrify into cocktail items. (much like distillation itself carried over)

Yes that one too. My piece was mostly on ingredients in use today in bitters, if you look through an early Materia Medica ((18th Century Physicians Desk Reference basically) there are a lot of different bitters (tinctures and tonics). My research basically started when a gin distiller friend of mine was looking for new secret ingredients/flavorings and we started combing through the old medical texts looking for forgotten herbs (that would not be a problem with the FDA - which cut the list down quite a bit)