Dan Perrigan

Proportions? I'll second that request. Sounds delicious.

Hi Eastgate. a. Entirely up to you. I don't believe there's a flavor difference between the light and dark. b. My first try was also way too sweet. I've settled on: 1 1/2 oz Gin (Brokers or Beefeaters are excellent for this) 3/4 oz Cocchi Aperitivo Americano (so this answers "d.") 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 TEASPOON creme de cacao Yep -- I dialed back the cacao to 1/2 teaspoon and it was just right. I'm using Bols light creme de cacao and have no idea if it's terrible or great -- it's the only one I've tasted. But the drink itself is one of my favorites. It's gin and lemon on the sip -- with a lovely fruity bitterness from the Americano -- and then a slight aftertaste of chocolate (without being sweet or overpowering). c. Good question. I have some too, so I may be experimenting. Have fun, Dan

No. It really is the Cocchi. Now try a Twentieth Century with it. Wow.

A Cognac Old Fashioned 2 oz Louis Royer Force 53 Cognac -- (man, this is good stuff) 1/2 tsp 1:1 simple 5 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters (Build in Old Fashioned glass over one large rock) This HAS to have been done before. It's much too simple and delicious. (But in case it hasn't I'm calling it a 'Louis VI' for both France (Cognac) and the Louis Royer) Why Louis VI? Well, he was known as 'Louis the Fat', and this is one full-bodied and powerful drink. Enjoy, Dan

Thanks, guys. How about Olorosos or Creams? At about 20%, are they more shelf-stable?

Ok, I did it. (Yes, this was a two-Sazerac night). 1 oz Rittenhouse, 3/4 oz Handy, 3/4 oz Templeton's. I'm sipping it now and trying to decide if this is the tastiest Sazerac I've ever had. It may be. It's certainly the most complex. The smell alone is amazing. If you happen to have all three bottles please give it a try. I'd love to hear another opinion (or tweak to the recipe) Dan

...Ok. Sazerac made and tasted. I actually went 1 1/2 oz Handy (129.0 proof) and 1 oz Templeton (80 proof), so if I did my math correctly that's about 109 proof combined. The remaining ingredients were a teaspoon of 1:1 simple, 3 dashes Peychaud's, and 5 spritzes of North Shore Absinthe. This is spicy. More so than any Sazerac I've had in the past. Delicious too. I suppose my next step is a Handy/Rittenhouse blend. Or maybe even a three-way with Templeton. Many drinks have combinations of several rums. Why not a combination of ryes? That way we get the high proof and smooth flavor of the Handy, the deep rye flavor of the Rittenhouse, and the spiciness of the Templeton all in the same glass. Ok. I've talked myself into it. That's my next experiment. Dan

Thanks, Andy. Hmm, I think I'll make myself one right now...

Resurrecting this ancient thread to ask a question about Sherry: I just bought three bottles of Sherry -- Lustau East India (20% alcohol), Lustau Fino (16%), and a cream sherry (19%). I'm assuming that the Fino needs to be stored in the fridge and used within a month or so, but what about the others? Is 19 or 20% alcohol enough at oloroso/cream sugar levels to preserve them at room temperature? For about how long? Would refrigeration be better? Thanks, Dan

Hi there. Does anyone know the exact proportions of PDT's Staggerac (Sazerac made with Thomas Handy Rye) and which sugar they use for it?. I just bought a bottle of the 129.0 proof one and don't want to waste a drop on a poorly mixed sazerac Thanks, Dan

My intro to absinthe a couple years ago involved tastings of Kubler and North Shore (using a traditional drip). The North Shore is excellent. When I started putting together a home bar last year, I bought a bottle of it. Since then, I've tried St George and was blown away by its complexity. When my North Shore runs out I'll be replacing it with a bottle of St George. Has anyone compared St George to the Jades? I'd be interested in how they compare. Dan

I don't think anyone has mentioned Audrey's Old Cuban yet. That one's a winner all around -- aged rum mojito topped with champagne. Dan

Ok. Here are the results of the great Sazerac taste-off. First of all, here is my preferred Sazerac recipe: 2 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded 1 tsp Simple 3 dashes Peychaud's 4 spritzes of Absinthe from an atomizer (Stir, strain into absinthe-misted rocks glass with one large rock) For this science experiment I divided the recipe by three (approximately) so I could do three Sazeracs: Rittenhouse Bonded, Templeton, and Sazerac 6. So it went: 1 oz Rye 1/2 tsp Simple 1 dash Peychaud's 1 spritz of Absinthe (one large ice cube) Rittenhouse: Strong rye scent and flavor. Smooth. Delicious. Templeton: Smooth, but weaker than I'm used to. Perhaps too smooth. Almost seemed watery. Saz 6: Good, but also weaker than I'm used to. The least assertive of the three. After a few sips of each, I made a completely non-scientific move and mixed the contents of the Rittenhouse and the Templeton glasses. This was pretty good, and makes me think the next experiment should be a comparison of Rittenhouse to a half and half combination of Rittenhouse and Templeton's. I have had a few sips of Thomas Handy neat, and have never had Michter's. Those are two that I'd love to try in a Sazerac. So far, though, the Rittenhouse is my favorite. Has anyone out there compared Handy or Michter's to Rittenhouse in a Sazerac? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Dan

Hi Chris. I just got back from Chicago, and one of the bottles of interesting booze I brought back with me was a bottle of Templeton Rye. I agree on the flavor -- it's delicious. But I've gotten used to the bold (and 100 Proof) flavor of Rittenhouse Bonded so I'm wondering if I'll enjoy the (80 Proof) Templeton in cocktails as much I enjoy the Rittenhouse. I suppose that means my (our?) next project is to mix up some Sazeracs and/or Old Fashioneds using each rye and do a side by side comparison. I'll be reporting back.. Dan

... and if you add a dash of Absinthe and a couple dashes of gomme syrup you get an "Appetizer a l'Italienne" from (The Only) William Schmidt's 1891 "The Flowing Bowl". I bought my first bottle of Fernet Branca a couple weeks ago and this has been in my regular rotation since then. Dan

Thanks, Chris. I need to get me some grapefruit bitters. Your variation sounds yummy. (Do try it with the Angostura Orange, though, if you get a chance. I love my Ango Orange almost as much as my Cynar) Dan

This theme is right up my alley. I wrote about this drink in the "Drinks!" thread recently, and am quite proud (and fond) of it. I started with a bitter amaro base, added a brown spirit, and then added some more bitters. The North Star Cocktail (Build over ice in rocks glass in this order) 2 oz Cynar 1/2 oz Flor de Cana Gold Rum 5 drops Angostura Orange Bitters (Swirl or stir gently) What defines this drink for me is the strong scent of the orange bitters so you may want to add the bitters after you stir, so that they remain on top. Enjoy!

This is totally hitting the spot right now... The North Star Cocktail: 2 oz Cynar 1/2 oz Flor de Cana Gold 5 drops Angostura Orange Build in rocks glass (in order listed) over two large rocks. Swirl once or twice. Enjoy. Dan

I heartily second the Daiquiri, Floridita, and (Audrey Saunders') Old Cuban. And don't forget the Mai Tai. Dan

Do you know if Lemon Hart 151 is still available in the States? It disappeared from Astor Wines' website, and I can't find it anywhere else. I've got a bottle and a half left, and don't want to use any until/unless I know I can find it again. Thanks, Dan

Wow. Good question. 1. Light Rum: Ron Matusalem Platino (or Flor de Cana Extra Dry or Cruzan Light). All three are great for mixing, but my very first real Daiquiri was made with Matusalem so they just don't taste the same to me with any other rum. All three can be had for about $15 - $18 each. 2. Amber Rum: Flor de Cana Gold or El Dorado 5 Year (or Cruzan Amber). Also great for mixing. All are about $18 each. 3. Dark Rum: Goslings Black Seal. This is a great rum for punches. They also have a 151 proof version that is excellent. About $18. 4. Aged Rum: El Dorado 15 Year or Flor de Cana Centenario 12 Year or Ron Matusalem Gran Reserva. All are perfect for sipping. I can't decide which is my favorite (although I'm leaning towards the El Dorado). All are near $35. If you're adding a #5. Clement VSOP. It's a Rum Agricole, and has a funky aftertaste that once you get used to you love. Combined with an aged Jamaican rum (like Appleton 12 Yr), it makes a great Mai Tai. If you're adding #6, make it Smith and Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum. I still haven't run out of cocktails, punches, Tiki drinks, etc. that can be improved by a dash of this stuff. It's pretty amazing. This is just my two cents worth. I'm sure others will have completely different lists. I'm looking forward to seeing other peoples' takes on this. Have fun, Dan

I was introduced to Broker's Gin a few months ago and it's now my favorite all-around gin. Strong juniper, 94 Proof, reasonably priced (about $26 for a Liter bottle). It makes a damn fine Corpse Reviver. It's hard to find on the East Coast, though. When I lived in Chicago it was easy to find. Dan

I wanted to try this last week. I didn't have Nonino or Ramazzotti, but I DID have Amaro CioCiaro so I gave it a try. Yes -- very yummy. But then I started tinkering. I wanted a bolder whiskey flavor so I halved the lemon and subbed Rye for the Bourbon. Bullseye! Since it's a bit stronger than the Paper Airplanes (at least in flavor -- CioCiaro is 80 Proof but I don't know about Nonino), I give you... The Balsa Flyer 1 oz Rittenhouse Bonded 1 oz Campari 1 oz Amaro CioCiaro 1/2 oz Lemon Juice This is a Fabulous drink. I actually waited a week to post this so that I could make it again to make sure it was as good as I thought it was. Actually, I think it's better than I remembered. Cheers, Dan

An Applecart. A couple months ago I bought a bottle of Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy. One of the first things I did (besides just drink it) was make a Sidecar using it in place of the Cognac. I named it an "Applecart" and was rather proud of myself... until I saw that the drink had been called an "Applecart" on this very forum by Katie Loeb as early as 2008. Oh well -- great minds... Anyway, since then I've been trying to perfect this drink. With the Laird's Bonded, it always seemed to come out either too "Apple-y", too sweet, or too sour. Well, this weekend I acquired a bottle of Laird's 7 1/2 Year Old Apple Brandy. Now this stuff is NICE. Katie has said that this makes a mean sidecar so I gave it a shot. After a couple of tries I came up with this: 1 1/2 oz Laird's 7 1/2 Year old 1/2 oz Cointreau 1/2 oz Lime 1 tsp 1:1 Simple Syrup This came out great, and I'll make another later tonight. But I'd like your help perfecting this drink. Please let me know if you can think of any improvements or tweaks. Dan

A four ounce (pre-shake) drink (Corpse Reviver #2) will fill it up to within 1/4 inch of the rim. But your question made me curious so I just measured them and they'll hold exactly 6 ounces of liquid. This is the perfect size for me, since just about any classic or modern recipe will fit just right. Anything larger would be unnecessary. Dan