clumber

I have been an intermittent lurker for years but after being redirected here by one of Chris Amiraults tweets I figured I might as well join the fun. I have always enjoyed Absinthe as a complimentary cocktail puzzle piece. When I stumbled across the "Tuxedo Cocktail (No.2)" from the Savoy Cocktail Book, it started me thinking about this drinks common ground between the iconic "Martini" and the venerable "Martinez". After digging in the cabinets I came up with... The Tailcoat 1 1/2 oz Genever (Boomsma Fine Old) 1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica) 1 bar spoon Maraschino (Luxardo) 1 bar spoon Absinthe (Kübler) 1 dash Peychaud's 1 dash Aromatic Bitters (Fee Bros. Whiskey Barrel-Aged) 1 generous Orange Twist Stir, Strain, Shpritz of orange oil, Sip. I thought the Genever did a better job complimenting the spice from the bitters and the vermouth without the sharp juniper hit of a London Dry. It also kept with the antique style of the drink without trying to dig up some Old Tom. The Absinthe plays a similar complimentary role as it does in a Sazerac. It might not be Absinthe-centric enough to belong here but what the hell. Certainly nothing groundbreaking but pretty tasty. (Chris, As a nearby resident of Rhodechusetts I am looking forward to March 17. We are eager for a trip to C&B.) Thanks, Eric Kingman

Speaking of the whole Tequila/Mezcal thing, does anyone out there drink Sotol? I realize its a different beast altogether. Agavacea vs Agave. Never tried it, but it looks interesting and at a reasonable price point. Anyone carry it up here in New England??

The discussion of the value of pricey high end grappa and its inexensive cousins only help to emphasize my dilemma. I would love to give grappa a try. Its hit or miss reputation keeps scaring me off. I don't want to blindly grab a spendy bottle I will never enjoy/appreciate. At the same time, I don't want to buy a "cheap" bottle and think that is what grappa brings to the table. The smaller bottles of Nardini cross my path every so often, and I thought that might be a place to start. I assume that the Bianco and Riserva styles would be similar to Blanco and Reposado Tequilas. The Bianco being fiery and more "grappa"y while the wood would mellow, round and flavor the oaked versions. The Ruta also looks interesting also considering my fondness for bitters. (One of my favorite sodas as a kid was tonic water) I have a decent brown liquor background and there seem to be plenty of $25-45 bottles of scotch/bourbon/cognac that give you a real good idea what your getting into. Sure, maybe the clouds won't part and the earth won't move, but you won't swear off the stuff either. Do any of you have suggestions for a decent introductory grappa?