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eas

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Everything posted by eas

  1. Just look for the shapely new bottle and you'll have the new (to us) product. As for the change in title, it may reflect the change from what we would associate with a French Dry Vermouth to what is unique to Noilly Prat.
  2. Is that Paradisewine the product from Rutte & Zn? I've been looking for ways to put my bottle to use. Please do post your recipe for the Penicillin. Any idea when/where we'll find the revised Bols Genever in Holland? I had no luck at Albert Hein or Schiphol Duty-Free.
  3. It's been interesting and fun when testing the Dolin Rouge through traditional cocktails side by side with other vermouth, and most often it's being done with the Manhattan. Where the Dolin Rouge has a dry finish where the spirit comes through, the M&R leaves its characteristic cherry finish, Vya a heavy cherry, and the Antica is all yummy rich Antica. Many have commented on how the spice shows more on the Rouge. The experimenting continues...
  4. For Thanksgiving we did a batch of Bombay Government Punch to the recipe handed out at Tales from D. Wondrich and A. Katz (and I think is much the same as posted on Chowhound). Yum... Depleted our house stock of H cognac, so our shopping list grows.
  5. Our house version does go with equal portions of the Hayman's and Dolin Rouge (though Noilly Red is ok too), teaspoon Maraska Maraschino and two dashes orange bitters. As much as I adore the Antica, it doesn't balance well for me in this drink.
  6. eas

    Old Tom Gin

    Feel free to PM me with local availability questions for the Hayman's Old Tom Gin. As a rule of thumb, it's always best to let your local store manager know you want a product, whether it's the the Hayman's Old Tom, the new Bols Genever or other; as not all are clairvoyant or sensitive to the needs of the cocktail enthusiast. Also, if you tell the store's buyer the name of the product's local distributor, which most suppliers list on their websites, it helps expedite the retailer's order process.
  7. It's an interesting perspective, but Malacca is and was not Old Tom. It's an interesting Gin with some unique botanicals that mirror certain gins of the age. Nonetheless, even if you add some slight sweetness, you still get more of the angularity of the later London Dry rather than the rounded characteristics of early and late Old Tom. You should also consider that, whether early or late, Old Tom was not always sweetened. More interesting is the East Indies reference in naming the gin Malacca. Some 'Town' gins of the 19th century did add nutmeg, a prized spice that traveled the Malacca Straits from the East Indies, and I speculate could be among the principal differences between Malacca and the standard Tanqueray London Dry.
  8. The Cherry Heering brand was sold a year or two ago from the Absolut Spirits Co (then V&S, now part of Pernod) to Kindred Spirits of Miami FL. The same company also handles import of Martin Millers Gin, which they picked up from Skyy Spirits last year as well. They are a nice group of people doing some fine work. So while asking for your Heering you should also try pulling for some Westbourne Strength Millers.
  9. Old Tom Gin is a botanically-intensive style of gin that was/is lightly sweetened to round out what would otherwise be bitter. The resulting richer mouthfeel in some ways mirrored the Hollands (oude) gin. In the historic progression to the London dry style, the botanics were dialed back and the sugar all but eliminated.
  10. eas

    Vermouth

    Noilly Prat is retiring the dry variant produced for the US and will have a common product for US and ROW. I'm unaware if the Sweet/Rouge is changing. Proof level on both dry and sweet stay the same as before, 18% and 16% respectively. Like M+R, Bacardi's Noilly Prat is trying to step things up with some modern new packaging and labels. If it helps broaden the appeal of vermouth, more power to them. If Bacardi has plans to bring the Noilly Amber stateside, they've not yet filed for label approvals, which have been in place for the new Noilly Dry and Sweet since January.
  11. I couldn't agree more! The fact that, despite the pressure to slop everything together or cut corners, every drink I tried was perfectly made, was truly astounding--as was the fact that the crew cared enough to actually fiddle with one of my recipes until it came out right. Thanks! And special thanks to Mr. Deragon for assembling a big-ass bowl of Rack Punch on Sunday morning, at which point he had every right to be dead drunk in a gutter on Bourbon St. ← So true - what this troop did was just extraordinary. So many thing you might never have seen or heard - flying down a death+co juicer, converting recipes spec'd in fractions of bottles, adjusting for differences btw simple and the req'd rock-candy syrup, finding spirits amid the beehive of the storeroom. And in presentation - just image shaking rounds of fizzes without pause for over an hour. Of memorable tastes, definitely that Bombay Government Punch, the many Ramos Gin fizzes, the Sazerac at Arnaulds, housemade Orgeat and Creme de Cacao, and the swigging some bourbon with Matty before LeNell did the Prairie Oyster with him onstage.
  12. I reviewed this in detail with Stephan, and the BTB Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters uses Black Cohash (Cimicifugae racemosa) in lieu of Virginia Snakeroot. The aroma and flavor profile is near identical, but while Snakeroot was banned by the FDA for risks of renal (aka kidney) failure, the Black Cohash is EAFUS safe and considered a dietary supplement. It apparently helps with hot flashes, even before that first cocktail. If you're thinking a tiny amount of Snakeroot might still be safe, consider that FDA ban goes beyond any allowance as a controlled substance. It's just plain toxic. By contrast, there are FDA banned substances such as Calamus (Sweet Flag), banned due to abuse as a pyschoactive in the 1960's. It's an essential in a number of classic bitters, but consumption won't put you at risk of dilating much more than your eyes. If all this disappoints, remember there's an big wide world of amazing and safer botanicals well and more deserving a home in bitters than these.
  13. eas

    John Collins

    Is there no Phil Collins?
  14. The celery note in Torani Amer doesn't come from gentian. Check against Suze for some point of reference. The current Amer Picon has a burnt sugar/caramel note not so strong in older versions. While maybe not fitting for cocktails, the note is nice if enjoying a Picon Biere!
  15. eas

    Old Tom Gin

    Don't forget the Martinez and Ramos Gin Fizz...
  16. There is such variation even within the commercial punches, I'd highly encourage you to scale down the recipes. They are easy to make. The modern commercial products have a great deal of variation. The Facile Punsch may have the most complex (think vanilla and tea) flavor. The Grønstedt's is much more forward with the Arrack's smokyness, and for that you'll want to experiment in the sugar world. I've recently tried a variation using carmelized sugar, and it made quite a positive impact to the profile. And now that you have some Batavia Arrack, don't forget to make some chocolate mousse.
  17. I finally tried the St. George recently as well. Ditto on the taste and louche; a very thoughtful production. Nice botanicals - made my nose itch a little!
  18. I can't wait to return to VTR... "All this energy calling me Back where it comes from" - Ian Hunter
  19. eas

    Aviation Gin

    In an Aviation Cocktail, you do get a really nice garden effect between the lavender and violet notes. It's among my favorite Aviation variations. At Elettaria, Lynnette and Brian have a drink on the menu with the Aviation Gin, as below. Quimby Fizz Aviation Gin, Lime, St Germain, Lime Curd, Orange Bitters, Egg White, Soda
  20. eas

    Highballs

    My first introduction to the highball came while visiting a good friend in college, and what an introduction as the sound surrounded me... http://dolphin.upenn.edu/~gleeclub/sounds/highball.mp3
  21. Aside from switching from cochineal to FD&C Red #5, what other differences can you identify?
  22. Back in the kitchen today and prepared a fresh batch of Punsch liqueur. The commercial variations made in Sweeden all have a Brix ranging from 35 to 42; today's batch clocked out at a Brix of 37. It's flavor profile is in the style of the Facile Punsch. Clock yourself, it should take no more than ten minutes. If you don't have or can't be bothered with the spice, it's still great. Punsch "Josephine" Liqueur, 375ml @ ~24% 180ml Batavia Arrack 100ml Water 135g Sugar (Bakers) 3/4 tsp Natural Vanilla Extract (Penzey's) 6g Tea Leaves (Assam; equiv to 2 typical teabags) Lemon peel, fresh ground cardamom Prepare the cardamom: open the pods and crush the seeds. Either add to loose tea leaves or, if you want minimal sediment, place into a tea bag/sachet. Prepare the tea with the cardamom and lemon peel - by this amount it should brew to twice normal service strength. After 4 minutes, remove the cardamom, tea leaves/bags and peel and mix together with the sugar, stir until syrup-like, then add the Batavia Arrack and vanilla. Give a quick stir to further dilute then immediately bottle.
  23. A number of the Swedish and other punches use tea in lieu of plain water. The sugar by weight in commercial Swedish Punches can range from 30% to upwards of 40%, so a 1/2 oz simple won't do it. The sugar really does help mellow that funk factor and give you something more smoky and delightful. I'll try to dig up another recipe and post.
  24. After Violet Hour, when can you open Breakfast at Toby's? For those in or near NYC, the White Russian infused Rice Crispies now on Eben Freeman's Solid Cocktails plate at Tailor was truly delicious. Reminds me of how much I enjoy that last spoon of cereal, when the milk is so well flavored.
  25. eas

    Old Tom Gin

    I've been playing around with a few bottles and I think it's interesting. What's good - and perhaps most important - is that the botanics seem balanced for the added degree of sweetness. Take note - it's not a gin liqueur - maybe 10% to 15% sweeter than the Tanqueray and Beefeater, respectively. So far I've tried it in a Martinez, Ramos, and Tom Collins. Still going. Mine is but one palate...
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