db_campbell

13 oz. per person doesn't sound like an over-abundance, so I'd probably shoot for a little north of that. The intoxication factor is likely to stem from how much brandy you slip in there.

This is likely not the most authentic method, and Prof. Wondrich can correct it as he deigns, but what I did on my current batch was to add pineapple juice to the stock, then serve with pineapple chunks (plus cherries and orange slices). For the strawberries, I bought a quart, halved them, and macerated in the stock for 3-4 days before straining out. So the only solids I have in my stock are the lemon pulp-mess. Looking back, I probably should have macerated pineapple chunks alongside the strawberries, and eschewed the juice. The New York mega-producer Taylor has a line of "Pink Catawba" that it generally seems to sell in magnums. I've seen it some in Florida, so perhaps your local wine/liquor store can order it? I'm not expecting anything from Taylor to be the best of its type, but at this point merely obtaining the varietal itself seems to be the primary objective.

You'll definitely have to strain out the lemon solids, which will turn a most unappetizing brown precipitate. You will, however, need a very large strainer for this. A good use for those high thread-count sheets you find just to fancy to sleep on. And yes, the acidity declines as well, but in exchange you get a mellow richness that's pretty fine. ← I've made two batches of Chatham now, and I generally institute a 3 month no-opening rule, which unfortunately does not conform to your purposes here. I also age it at room temp, albeit in a cool, dark place, lemon juice and all; no one's ever gotten sick off it (well, at least not for that reason). Naturally, Prof. Wondrich is quite correct about the brownish lemon gunk. My only advice is to strain out as much pulp-mess as possible as you make it; you'll still have to re-strain later, but it makes the job a little easier.

Took your challenge and last night adapted the last word formula to cask strength Connemara, lime, Falernum & St. Germain, cheating down a smidge on the liqueurs and up on the citrus & whiskey. It was still a bit too sweet, but the 120 proof-backed peat did a good job of cutting through to make the drink enjoyable.

I know of Fragoli, though I've never played around with it.

Haven't tried Stock. I'll have to try that next. Cinzano I don't remember being over fond of. Used to use it quite a lot at the beginning of the stomp, but then got distracted by Carpano. Could revisit, as it is cheap. ← Boissiere is also worth a look, as it seems to possess some darker tones.

Are you referring specifically to the Zuidam Dry or the Zuidam Genever? Or both, I suppose, if you find each to lie at differing points between "London Dry" and classic "Genever."

I don't believe I could have escaped the 25+ yr malt aisle under such circumstances.

I my opinion that inner peace is the final product, the balanced cocktail. ← It seems to me that you both are arguing separate sides of the same coin, accounting for the average of people's tastes. The key term here is, of course, average. In the one instance, we have drinks that are very clearly aimed at hitting this average and being accessible to the greatest number of individuals. In the other, we have drinks that seem to be aimed toward a particular area outside the centre of the taste spectrum, appealing to those who relish in massive flavour contrast. For these individuals, the so-called "dis-balanced structure" of the drink is indeed perfectly balanced and structured to their particular palates. The fact that both philosophies make use of the standard base spirit/acid/sweetener/bitters dynamic, without eschewing any given critical element, seems to indicate that each will result in a "balanced" beverage -- the only difference lies in to which - and what - percentage of the drinking populace this can be attributed. Alternatively, I suppose one could also view the dynamic between these two cocktail philosophies as simply nuanced harmony vs. structured cacophony.

Wouldn't a Creole Shrubb-based Old Fashioned be ridiculously sweet?

According to the press sheets that BT releases, the inaugural 2006 Handy was aged 8 years, 5 months, while both the 2007 and 2008 iterations were aged 6 years, 5 months.

My two recent post-prandial quaffs: 1 oz. Port (Graham's Six Grapes) 1 oz. Dry Vermouth ('new' Noilly Prat) 1 oz. Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded) .................................. 1.25 oz Port (Graham's Six Grapes) 1 oz Brandy (Raynal VSOP) 0.5 oz Blackberry Liqueur (homemade) 4 dashes, Peychaud's

I feel, perhaps, we are ourselves the victims of our own desires and/or expectations when it comes to the Ri1. I think we could all, for the most part, agree that Rye is among the more intimidating spirits in the cocktailian's cabinet for the uninitiated. Therefore, why do we seemingly find it surprising - and even dismaying - when a rye whiskey marketed toward cocktail newbies is largely devoid of those aspects of rye that we find so endearing - namely, the spice and character. Especially considering Ri1 is a product that we freely admit seems marketed toward the 'trendy' vodka crowd, why are we surprised when it downplays the more rye-centric characteristics that we love? The bottle itself indicates that the product is to be the most "vodkaic" (if that can enter the lexicon) rye on the market. That the palate confirms this seems simply academic. Of course, I lament alongside everyone else that Beam has decided to release Ri1 in lieu of a Bonded Overholt, and I certainly don't mean my comments to be a criticism towards anyone; I suppose I'm merely caught slightly incredulous by the seeming hub-bub surrounding the product's relative disappointment. As a matter of reference, this post was prefaced by my own mixing of a Ri1 Manhattan (8:4:1) w/ Boissiere & Angostura, which seemed to highlight the softer characteristics of the vermouth & bitters -- something I imagine the non-classic cocktail crowd would treasure if venturing out to try such a beverage.

I'm fond of Citadelle's restrained botanical interplay when sipped neat; but you're quite right, it can never rest upon the shelf of versatile mixing gins. It simply doesn't get too many classic gin recipes (or vice versa). Citadelle is, in a way, the Hideki Okajima or Damaso Marte of gins: fine in its own right, and great for particular situations, but you'll never see it in the rotation.

While I'm in general concurrence, I have a bottle of Cascade Mountain gin that at every tasting session, each of my friends has independently panned as nothing more than swill; unfortunately, I'm inclined to agree. What's interesting is that I have yet to read even a marginal review of the stuff, which leads me to think I merely picked up a bad bottle/batch, though I certainly won't be ponying up the $24+ to find out.

I suppose that would depend whether the creator had in mind the Chambery or Marseilles style.

I've been trying to decide what to infuse a bottle of Soju with for a couple weeks now; had been leaning persimmon, but this may be the answer -

While I know Jim McEwan makes fine whisky, I've stayed away mostly because - and perhaps this is my own failing - their naming habits and line extensions confuse the tar out of me.

I like! But wouldn't you call St. Germain an alto? Maybe a mezzo? It's pretty full-bodied in its own right.... Christopher ← I have to concur with your assessment; I suppose I thought of it as more soprano-like since I was conceptualising the St. Germain and valencia juice as one amalgamative (is that a word?) flavour element (it being a tropical kinda drink for a BBQ last summer).

You too? The very same played out for me last month.

I've had good success infusing Appleton V/X with Lapsang Souchong. I've used it as a basso foil to the more soprano notes of valencia juice + St. Germain (sorry, I oftentimes think of spirits and cocktail ingredients in terms of musical pitch), and also construct Asian-themed sours with it as the base alongside lime and one of Domaine de Canton/Batavia Arrack/Soju. Any ideas on how I can retain the necessary acidity, while using a more authentic Eastern fruit?

I was impressed with Laphroaig's quarter casking, haven't happened upon Ardmore's unfortunately. It seems like distillers are coming up with more creative ways to bottle & ship younger - and excellent - whisky with no age statement.

As you work your way through a bottle, the increasing amount of air being left after each pour can cause some measure of oxidation. Opinions seem to differ on exactly how much; I've found it to really be the case only when I'm down to <300 ml, and even then it doesn't necessarily harm the whisky, it just differentiates the flavour profile. If you want to try various whiskies to see what you like, I'd seek out a more sherried one (e.g., Macallan, Glenfarclas) and a more peated one (Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Lagavulin). If you want to keep purchasing 12s for a more apple-to-apple comparison, unfortunately none of the latter 3 produces a regular bottling at 12 yr, so I'd opt for the less medicinal Caol Ila. Highland Park is also very well regarded, while Talisker & The Balvenie are my 2 favourite distilleries right now. You should be able to locate 10 or 12 yr iterations of each of these for $50 or under, with the exception of the Lagavulin. You could also try a lowlands whisky, though I personally find them a bit thin for what I'm seeking in a SM. Hope this helps

Taylor of NY makes a Catawba that some Total Wine locations carry; I've also seen it in an out of the way liquor store in unincorporated Newberry, FL. I imagine most anything from Taylor ought to be orderable online, or if a local wine shop has a distribution deal w/ Taylor, I don't see why they couldn't special order it for you. The question then becomes, given Taylor's status as an industrial wine producer (the Catawba itself comes in a magnum), is it any good? Hard to say, as it's the only one I've ever had. Prof. Wondrich is quite right in comparing it to White Zin, though. Incidentally, I layed down a batch of Chatham last Wednesday, so I'll be able to report back around time of the Final Four I'm thinking.

I use it as one would a Curacao. I once failed to convince an ABC store employee that the new "rhum" she was stocking was indeed a liqueur, despite the descriptor "Liqueur d'Orange" emblazoned across the front label.