FrogPrincesse

Beware of the pirate in gentleman's clothing... Back on topic, my thanks to Adam & Co for recommending the Plantation 3 Star. It does make a great Daiquiri. And as a bonus, it's quite cheap (I paid $16.99 + tax for 1 liter). Here is last night's rendition with Difford's 10:3:2 ratio. I want to say that the flavor of this rum is not very far apart from Flor de Caña, maybe a little fuller/richer when the FdC is a bit more grassy/coconut-y, although I no longer have a bottle of FdC to compare against.

Thanks for the tips PV. Clearly you are more experienced than me. I always manage to get a few flecks of wax inside the bottle, which is really infuriating...

Spröcketbier from Stone (Spotlight Series), a black rye Kölsch. Surprisingly low bitterness for something coming from Stone. Good level of malt/coffee, some fruit and spice, clean dry finish.

Too much stuff, from Bar Keeper, a really cool store in Silverlake in LA, and Hi-Time in Costa Mesa (which doesn't need an introduction, but I am in awe at their inventory every time I go). Liquor cabinet(s) capacity far exceeded. + (not pictured) Cherry bark vanilla bitters from Bittercube, purchased last week. The window display at Bar Keeper was fun and very fitting - It's all chemistry.

Time to take the Hattori Hanzo out of storage then...

The Neisson Extra Vieux was a pain to open (I hate these wax-sealed bottles. Is there a clean way to open them?), but otherwise no complaints. It's really really good with banana, pepper, and cocoa undertones. Homemade chocolate walnut brownie on the side.

This was a 1/2 recipe, so it ended up being just a little squeeze of lemon. That does not bother me - I just wrap the lemon in plastic wrap and I use it in another cocktail the next day, or in some dish that I am cooking.

Great minds...

To Hell with Spain (Ira Koplowitz and Nicholas Kosevich): Cynar, cherry liqueur (Luxardo), rye (Rittenhouse bottled in bond - bottle is nearly empty, the horror..), lemon juice, cherry bark vanilla bitters (Bittercube), absinthe (St. George). (Thanks Rafa for having already added it to the database! You're fast.) Like a slightly bitter maraschino cherry. It's a lighter/aperitif version of Remember the Maine with Cynar as the main player. Good stuff.

I think you are right. The recipe just says "iris" but most likely they are referring to the root, which is also used to make gin.

By artificially colored, I meant that the color had been added and was not from the flowers themselves. R&W gets its color from a mixture of FD&C blue # 1 (E133, aka brilliant blue) and FD&C red #40 (E129). Does Tempus Fugit only use cochineal (which is carmine red)? They would also need a blue dye to get a purple color. Or try changing the pH to basic, cochineal is supposed to turn violet at higher pH.

Based on a quick search in google books, creme de violette used to be distilled from irises and artificially colored with cochineal and indigo blue. This is from a French book published in 1866.

Just a note that the specified rum mix for the 1934 is gold Puerto Rican, amber or dark Jamaican, and 151 Demerara. The white rum in the link is atypical. Oh, and you don't really need a blender. I have one but I just do what you do - shake with fresh ice, and strain over crushed. Works great.

Trader Vic's Eastern Sour from Beachbum Berry Remixed: bourbon (Wild Turkey 101), orgeat (walnut, homemade), orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup. I was a little short on the orange juice so I may actually have made a St. Nick Sour, which is essentially the same thing with less juice. I've been making Eastern Sours regularly in the summertime. There is orange juice in there but it works because there is a bunch of lemon juice too to give acidity. It's a good tiki drink for people who don't care for rum (I have at least one such friend).

Bartenders always have these super cool tricks. Never ceases to fascinate me.

Cherry Mixture Cocktail (what an uninspired name) from the Savoy, which also makes an appearance in the Art of the Shim. In AoS it's recommended for someone in the mood for Manhattan "but really perhaps oughtn't", but of course with just dry & sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Angostura bitters, it's missing its main player. I went with Dolin for the dry and Margerum for the sweet (the book recommends a Noilly Prat dry and Carpano Antica combo, which is also what Erik had done). Unlike Erik, I did not put any ice because I wanted to avoid additional dilution. Not bad but a little too sweet. I may attempt again with Punt e Mes.

Continuing to play with my Bonal. Uffizi (Will Thompson) with Bonal, Cocchi Americano, white grapefruit juice, salt rim (I went with a thin half rim). It's a very nice lightweight aperitif. The Bonal and Cocchi Americano played well together, and even though there was a good dose of juice, it still tasted interesting. A good drink to start the weekend.

Last night, a Bottechia. The story behind this drink created by Kevin Burke was documented in this article (it's also in Gary Regan's Negroni book). I find it impossible to resist an equal parts drink with Fernet-Branca, Cynar, and Campari as the ingredients. I did not have a grapefruit on hand (for the discarded twist), so I used my friend BDW's grapefruit bitters. There is also a pinch of salt in there. I placed mine on the ice cube so it would gradually incorporate into the drink. It tames the drink considerably so you may or may not want to use it depending on your tolerance level for Fernet (mine is high now, I realize; I don't mind it neat). With the salt it's a surprisingly mild drink for something that has Fernet in the forefront. It has a good dose of caramel from the Cynar, and bitter orange from the Campari. Very tasty.

Indeed. I count on Leslie to bring the whole eG Spirits & Cocktails gang tonight.

Agree. It's great and a very original combination. Its creator Daniel Warrilow makes interesting stuff. The Lost Cause also by him is worth checking out if you have the ingredients (aquavit, Banks 5 rum, coconut, lemon, lime). Yeah, but you did not post a photo of your coupe! Regarding the falernum, when using homemade (Elmegirab's recipe), I reduce the amount a bit because it can be quite intense.

Glad you liked it. My favorite Daiquiri is always one with a white rhum agricole. There isn't an agricole that I have met but haven't liked. The aged ones have a completely different personality from the white agricoles though. The whites are grassy and green and full of fresh vegetal notes (which are fantastic in a Daiquiri), whereas the aged ones are more understated but still beautiful and interesting. You remind me that I have a bottle of Neisson Extra Vieux that I bought in Martinique years ago but haven't opened yet. Tonight may be a good night - it's my birthday.

Morgenthaler has spoken... He also seems to like the 30 cm CK teardrop stirring spoon. But he actually favors a multi-tasker that can also work as a muddler (he recommends this one).

I use a lot of olive oil, and grapeseed or sunflower oil when I need something neutral.

Good luck with your entry, Rafa! Here is last night's Negroni with St. George dry rye gin, Punt e Mes, and Campari. I have to say I love Punt e Mes in Negronis, and with the dry rye gin the drink has a briny quality that is very pleasant.

Martinez variation with Cynar, the Grand Street from Death & Co (mentioned upthread). Which, I just realized, is more or less the same thing as Chris Hannah's Amertinez. Gin (Beefeater), sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes), Cynar, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit twist. Ratios for the Grand Street (which will have to be confirmed once the book comes out): 2 / 0.5 / 0.25 / 0.25 Ratios for the Amertinez: 1.25 / 0.67 / 0.67 / 0.25. So it's much lighter on the gin, plus it has the orange bitters & orange twist. I liked it too, at least I am consistent. I tasted grapefruit followed by bitter caramel undertones from the Cynar.