Rafa

Reviving this thread just in time for the 5th. I'm about to restock my tequila (thank you, citywide agave sales), and I'm hoping for suggestions. I'm probably going to get a blanco, but I can be talked up into a reposado. Here's a partial list of blancos I've enjoyed: Calle 23 (though I think I like the repo slightly better) Ocho "Los Fresnos" plata Partida Don Julio Patron Tapatio I haven't tried Siete Leguas, but I hear good things. Edit: I'm also curious about the ArteNOM selections, but I'm about to try some at Astor Wines this afternoon. I've enjoyed the Tapatio overproof, but I'm not sure if I want something that strong as my house tequila (although, it's currently $40/liter, which, tequila being tequila, is practically a steal). I'm open to anyone's favorites. Thanks~

The thing with the Dry Martini is that for many it lacks what bostonapothecary calls a "gustatory latch"—something obviously sweet, or savory, or sour to help the imbiber get her bearings. Its goal or effect is pretty much that of the classic cocktail, a magnified version of the base spirit with the spirituous burn attenuated, but without any sweetness to make it more palatable. I would experiment with adding a touch of simple syrup, or perhaps go full umami with some olive or pickle brine (there's a reason Dirty Martinis are popular). Or try it again as-is, and think of it as sipping a super version of gin.

Bacardi would take offense at that. They've worked hard to remove all traces of rum flavor.

Why not wait a few weeks and acquire them at the Rabbit?

Punch has a nice article on the Julep, as well as some good recipes for contemporary spins.

You can probably get away with using another light whisk(e)y in some of those drinks, or a peated Scotch in the ones that call for Connemara.

As a substitute for Angostura, in any drink with some amount of dark rum, in various Old Fashioneds with different spirits, and in drinks with orgeat (Army & Navy, Japanese, Cameron's Kick). Also, of course, in The Dead Rabbit's own drinks. Honestly I haven't played around with them too much myself so I'm open to suggestions. I love the idea of turning bourbon into rye with a few healthy dashes.

I love those bitters. I'm glad they're (inter?)nationally available now.

Agreed with both above re: price. It's good in blends with other rums (like The Dead Rabbit's equal parts house mix of Blackstrap, Smith & Cross, and Banks 7), and in a few drinks that call for large amounts of it but balance against other strong flavors (Campari, pineapple, passion fruit, etc).

Marketwise, I agree, I think interest will fade. Unaged grain spirit is a niche taste, just as any other eau de vie is, and no one to my knowledge has yet made a white dog with the deliciousness or complexity of an unaged agave spirit or rum or fruit brandy. (Again, to my knowledge and taste.) That said, some really inventive people have made tremendous mixed drinks with them, so they have their place.

^^That's what I do.

Tonight, a Stirred Word. 3/4 oz Gin3/4 oz Kirschwasser1/2 oz Green Chartreuse2 ds Orange bitters1 bsp Lime juice (optional) Stir, strain. A salve in these low-lime times.

The overproof is great. I never see it for retail but it's one of my favorite of its style.

Huh, I thought I had added that one to KC. I believe it was equal parts.

I'm finding that the Bonded is rougher than it used to be.

Honestly, the differences are slight, but for the better. The seal is excellent, but easy to break. The stainless steel looks great. I've used these at work before, but they're a marked improvement over my dear departed tins from Target.

I did indeed invest in a real pro shaker, and a few nights ago I shook up a drink in my Korikos in honor of our dear departed founder and OP.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Lost Spirits do this for all of its products?

Having now tried the Lost Spirits rum, I don't get any agricole notes from it. What I get is molasses, caramel, savory-sweet sherry (raisins, salted pork), surprising amounts of rancio, dunder funk, and leather. Basically the same tasting notes as tanstaafl2. It's incredible.

I like it in fancy sours (St. Germain is an obvious and excellent pairig) and paired with some of the lighter kinas and vermouths (Dolin Blanc, Cocchi Americano Bianco, Lillet Blanc). It's also good complementing eaux de vie. Pouring RIbbons' Death & Taxes, named for one of Ms. Parker's books, is a great example of all of the above. For dry Martinis, I prefer the backbone of Perry's Tot, although Pouring Ribbons' current house Martini is a sweet one with Dorothy Parker, Dolin Blanc, and grapefruit bitters.

All those you listed are unaltered. Everything made by Seales is unaltered and pure including Doorly's. All rums by Mount Gay and Appleton/W&N remain unaltered. On the heavily altered rums do note Plantation and El Dorado, which I will never buy again (based on the ALKO government test results). For what it's worth, the master distiller of Ron Santa Teresa repeatedly told me that his Solera 1796 rum has no additives of any kind. He lambasted other rum producers for adding PX sherry and other sweeteners and modifiers (he didn't mention it by name, but it was clear he meant Zacapa, among others). He was also remarkably forthcoming about the actual solera process behind this particular rum. I have found the 1796 to be rather dry and balanced in flavor, and not too dark in color. Their entry level rum, the 2-year old Añejo [sic], on the other hand, almost certainly has added caramel for color (though few aged spirits don't). I'll be buying the Lost Spirits Navy Rum this weekend and giving my impressions.

I don't think this is a case of someone putting spirit into an undersized barrel with little understanding of seasoning, char, etc, which is what happens with craft distillers who think they've discovered a secret shortcut and end up with a mouthful of wood (um, phrasing). But I guess tanstaafl2 can tell us for sure!

Let me excerpt what Bryan Davis, the distiller in question, tells David Driscoll regarding the process behind this rum. Here he is on the "dunder": Now, is this "dunder" in the same sense that the open pits of Jamaica constitute dunder? No, and perhaps the word isn't apt. But, as he outlines, the goal (production of carboxylic acids)* is the same, and the methods are similar. *We can argue that he's reducing the effects of dunder to just one byproduct of many, and that he misrepresents dunder pits by stating that they are ripened "up to a year" before distillation, rather than continuously for decades in the open air. Here he is on oak: When I read Bryan Davis write about his spirits, I get the sense of an idiosyncratic, technically apt if autodidactic enthusiast with a very clear idea of what he wants his spirits to do, and the imagination and technical know-how to devise unusual ways of getting them there. I don't get the impression of someone taking shortcuts to make his own version of a pre-existing product and bragging that his is better, as is the case with some craft distillers. Capn Jimbo's general skepticism about producer claims is warranted, and certainly the color of this rum is unusual enough to merit it here. But overall I don't think this rum's marketing misrepresents it unusually, and I don't think its young age or unusual production disqualify it from consideration on its own terms.

It's worth keeping in mind that DeGroff's heyday behind the stick was during the very nadir of US drinks culture, when his recipes probably seemed fairly dry beside all the neon Hulkgasm-tinis sold alongside them.

Beachbum Berry and Martin Doudoroff have released a sequel app to their Tiki+ called Total Tiki. It features 70 new recipes in addition to the ones from the previous app, and lets you search them based on the ingredients you have on hand. It's also $10 and only available on iOS, and probably not worth it if you already own Berry's most recent books, but I'll be getting it.