marty mccabe
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Posts posted by marty mccabe
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It's kind of hard to recommend Clement in the US. Don't get me wrong; it's a good bottle of rhum agricole...when you buy it outside of the US, where it's sold at 100 proof. Inexplicably, Preiss Imports has chosen to import an 80 proof version, which is just not much to write home about...
Was it ever imported at 100 proof? I feel like I have seen the VSOP at this strength before in a store with some old inventory, if this is plausible I will definitely go check again. Didn't get it when there last since it is still not exactly cheap :-\
I hate to say that it was "never" imported, as I'm generally wrong when I make pronouncements like that...
That said, To the best of my knowledge, as long as Preiss has been importing it, they've only imported an 80 proof version. Having tried them side by side, the difference is noticeable, to say the least.
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It's kind of hard to recommend Clement in the US. Don't get me wrong; it's a good bottle of rhum agricole...when you buy it outside of the US, where it's sold at 100 proof. Inexplicably, Preiss Imports has chosen to import an 80 proof version, which is just not much to write home about...
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In Rhode Island, the distributor that had del Maguey was sold, and their inventory closed out. I have picked up (at different stores) a bottle of Chichicapa for $50 and a bottle of Tobala for $75!!! Hope it helps...
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Has anyone seen Foursquare Spiced Rum in the greater Boston area?
Thanks!
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As a RI resident with retired parents in MA who like going for drives, I want to hear the complicated, stupid story, Marty.
Okay, here goes: in MA, there are franchise laws whereby it's VERY hard for a wine or liquor company to change distributors. They can dual the distributor, in effect, appointing more than one wholesaler in the same state to sell the same product. For instance, a couple years ago, it seemed like EVERY distributor in MA sold Absolut.
Anyway, I don't know what the particular order was, but Laird's has ended up assigning three different companies to sell their products in MA. I think J. Polep got involved because in addition to the apple spirits, Laird's also sells what would charitably be called "low end" or rail spirits. And somehow, probably a couple years ago when the cocktail scene wasn't what it is now, Polep ended up with the Bonded, too. Why Laird's doesn't offer it to one of the bigger houses they deal with, I have no idea!
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Laird's bonded is available in MA; it's just that some strange company that nobody has ever heard of sells it.
Wow, thanks a lot for the information. I will march right down to my local liquor stores with that name.
BTW: Have you seen it for sale anywhere? I noticed Drink has the 7 1/2 y.o., which I've also never seen anywhere -- do you know if that's distributed by the same strange company?
I believe the 7 1/2 year is sold to them by either United or Horizon; probably Horizon. SHould be easier to get.
As for a retailer, that's going to be harder, as they would have to probably start dealing with J. Polep. I'd turn it on its head and call J. Polep and ask them who you can buy it from.
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[Moderator's note: this topic was split off from the Good Enough Spirits for an Average Day topic. -- CA]
Yep, Cruzan white is pretty much swill in my opinion. Not too crazy about their gold either. After that the product line is very good.Look for Brugal or Flor de Caña. I hear Barceló is also quite good, though I haven't tried it personally.
Cruzan didn't used to be swill. It USED to be a nice 2 year aged rum. Now, it's something like 14 months aged rum. And those 10 months make all the difference...Flor de Cana is my default white.
An aside: it's a complicated, stupid story, but Laird's bonded is available in MA; it's just that some strange company that nobody has ever heard of sells it. If I can find the name, I'll post it. Oh hey, here it is:
J. Polep Distributors
Chicopee, MA 01013
413-592-4141
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If you're in Boston, check out Adam at The Boston Shaker. He's got a great selection of barware, bitters, etc., and a willingness to find it for you if he doesn't have it.
If you're not in Boston, well, bug him to get his webstore up and running...
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A little bit in this thread.
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In my opinion, Cruzan Blackstrap doesn't work as a "dark rum," in the conventional sense of things. I'm told it's more akin to the Navy rums of old.
Cruzan Blackstrap is in fact nothing like Navy rums, at least as they were understood by and served in the Royal Navy. Navy rums were a blend of pot-distilled Jamaican and Demerara rums, barrel-aged on the London docks (at least until the Luftwaffe blew those docks to bits in 1940). They were full-flavored, not to say funky, and very dry. I agree with haresfur about this one. A miss.
While I absolutely defer to you on this one (and probably should have thought about it for a sec before I typed that), someone migght enlighten Cruzan: "If you are already acquainted with Navy rum - here's the news: Cruzan Blackstrap Rum is a cleaner, less heavy Navy Rum..." That's off their website.
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Do you think Cruzan Blackstrap has a place? Does it deserve its own super-dark category?
Now that we've established these broad categories, where do all the countries fit into them?
In my opinion, Cruzan Blackstrap doesn't work as a "dark rum," in the conventional sense of things. I'm told it's more akin to the Navy rums of old.
As for where the countries fit in, that's an essay in itself, but I like what slkinsey has to say about it.
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Okay, you gotta take what I'm about to say with a slight grain of salt, as I have about 35 different rums right now.
That said, mkayahara is right from the perspective of, "what do you want to do with them?"
My initial thoughts:
light: one is fine and Flor de Cana is a very good one.
medium (or gold): here, you want something that's more than just caramel coloring. Something like Appleton VX, Cruzan Estate Diamond, or Cockspur Old Gold works great.
dark: now, dark is a funny thing. from a tiki perspective, Goslings doesn't qualify (at least, according to Jeff Berry), because it's got more of a spiced flavor. He prefers Myers; Coruba is also another dark Jamaican. That said, I use Goslings all the time, because I don't like Myers, so...
demerara: Lemon Hart (not 151) or El Dorado 5yr. Totally worth it, and called for in certain recipes. Also works great with ginger beer.
rhum agricole: buy one blanco, preferably La Favorite. Don't buy Clement. Learn to make Ti Punch.
Hope this helps.
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Do any of you have either of these products lying around and would you be willing to post the ingredients?
Thanks so much!
Fee's contains: corn sweeteners, sugar, water, natural and artificial flavor, citric acid, less than 1/10 of 1% Benzoate of Soda as a preservative, propylene glycol, xanthan gum, gum acacia and glyeryl abietate.
I think I need to go make some homemade stuff now...
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I will also say that it's getting harder and harder to find tequila bargains anymore.
I don't think there ever has been, or ever will be a bargain-priced 100% agave tequila. It's not likely we'll be seeing a "Rittenhouse bonded" of tequila, and there are some very good reasons why.
Maybe I should have clarified: there certainly won't be on a nationwide basis. That said--and I work as a territory manager for a wine importer, so I get to go into lots of stores in many states--for about a 2yr period, El Tesoro blanco was $15-$20/bottle in several stores in Massachusetts. I've also been able to find those Herradura liters for as little as $20. In essence, when big distributors need to make a "number" for a big supplier, they generally target a couple stores and dump. That's what I've been missing, that random regional bargain...
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First and formost you get what you pay for. Don't buy the stupid little glass bottled 750 of heradura find the cheaper liter bottle. heradura silver in the liter is probably the best value for quality to price comparison.
If its not 100 percent blue agave don't buy it.
Couldn't agree more. The only problem I have with herradura is that even the blanco sees a month and a half in oak, so it's not quite as punchy as I like my blancos.
I will also say that it's getting harder and harder to find tequila bargains anymore.
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Fwiw, should be in Boston in a week or two, according to their distributor.
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In another post in the Cleveland section (I think), someone listed the ingredients as: good rum (I assume dark?), house-made ginger syrup, a touch of hot spice, some sweet Amaretto, egg white, and a ground cinnamon garnish.
I leave it to smarter people than me to work backwards from there.
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I'm bumping this because I'd like to know if anyone has had much success with Eau de Vies in cocktails. A recent article in Food & Wine called it the, "Mixologists' New Cocktail Essential," and offered a few recipes, too.
I also tried Toby Maloney's "Poor Liza":
2 oz Poir Williams (Clear Creek)
1/2 Green Chartruse
3/4 lemon juice
1/4 simple syrup
3 dash Peychaud's bitters
Needless to say--as most of his cocktails are--very good.
So, what's everyone else think?
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Some great suggestions already. That said, Craigie St. is in the process of moving to a new location and Rendezvous just isn't "all that."
Best stop in Central Square: Green Street Grill not to be missed for great cocktails, and great seasonal NE cuisine.
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I'm bumping this two-fold:
1) finally got my hands on a bottle, and made the "Stormy Weather," from the latest issue of Imbibe. Absolutely outstanding drink, although I'd halve all the proportions. Otherwise, it's one of those, "one and you're on your ear," drinks.
The recipe, in case anyone is curious:
2 oz. amber rum
1 oz. Carpano Antica
1 oz. Canton Ginger
-stir with ice and strain.
-twist a lime peel over the drink, discard, and top with 1/2 oz. of soda (I bumped that up to an ounce).
-Toma Palomino over at WD-50 came up with that, btw.
2) and...because I'm hoping someone else has come up with something in the meantime!
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OK, I just found a place with a whole slew of things I'd never seen, all with very old state tags on them: Campari raspberry (not a typo),
Any chance you're talking about Campari Cordial? Sweet, clear, completely useless. Seriously...I asked Ted Haigh one time, and he told me that I should pour it over fruit...
If it's not that, it's a new one to me...
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It kind of wallowed there, and then I lost track of it. Honestly, it's really seasonal, so I only ever thing about it in the dead of winter.
The last time I played with it, I was reducing the amount of Berentzen by 1/4 oz, to balance it a bit more.
Have fun with it!
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It's a fine substitute. If anything, it might have less of an "artificial" apple flavor that sometime comes out in the Berentzen. I often buy it, as it's distinctly cheaper, and I usually just end up drinking it over ice...
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Needless to say, a LOT of the discussion is predicated on where you live. Being in Boston, I have the options of Boston, as well as New Hampshire state stores, and every once in a while, a bargain out of Rhode Island. One of the great by-products of being a rep for a wine importer is that I find myself in liquor stores constantly, so price shopping is easy.
My picks:
White Rum: Flor de Cana, although Cruzan isn't bad - Flor de Cana wines in both categories, as I can usually find the 1.75L for $20 in the summer
Gold Rum: Cruzan Estate Diamond 5yr. Hard to beat.
Dark Rum: I've got a weakness for Goslings.
Tequila: again, I used to be able (haven't bought in a while so don't know) find El Tesoro for $20. In lieu of that, in Boston, I find a store that carries the Herradura round liters. They're cheaper than the 750mls, around $25-$28 for a liter (it's a bar special that stores can get too).
Bourbon: Evan Williams
Gin: still exploring this category. Used to be able to get Plymouth for $15/bottle retail. Now, I think I need to revisit Beefeaters.
The Holy Grail, for me: Orange Liqueur. I've played around for a while and can't decide. Any thoughts?
Liquor Store Scavenging
in Spirits & Cocktails
Posted
Not sure this is "scavenging" as much as one of the craziest deals ever: El Tesoro 70th Aniversario tequila at Wollaston Supreme Liquors for $29.99/bottle!!! Bought two bottles myself.