Source for hard-to-get ingredients in boston

[Snowy is dead]

I was just made aware that Ideal Wine and Spirits, based in Medford, MA, carries a variety of cocktail worthy ingredients such as creme de violette, batavia arrak, and stone pine liquor. I called my sales rep and he informed me that it is indeed the case. They have had on and off negotiations with a variety of small producers of things like marachino liqueur but didn't really know if there was a market for it so they haven't brought them in. Maybe they will.

These are the sites I was browsing

Drink Boston

Operation 1919

Can't wait to try creme de violette. Does anyone know the proper proportions for creme de violette in an Aviation? I'm particularly curious about how that will turn out.

[Friend of the Farmer]

There's a thread in this forum on the Aviation, so perhaps hop to there for better advice.

So why is it so difficult to find ingredients in Massachusetts? Is there something to the liquor laws?

[Snowy is dead]

From what I have been told, it is partially a result of meging of the major distributors in the state. Most brands in MA are exclusive, so as the companies got bigger, they smaller niche items have gradually been dropped over the years. The corporate accountants presumably eliminated items that the entire inventory didn't turn over in a year. There was a term used for this scenario, but I forgot it. I'm assuming that the demand for things like marachino and creme de violette, being relatively "new" will take a while to get the attention of larger companies and get to the level that they would consider importing them again.

At least that's how it was explained to me.

Sean

[Bricktop]

I picked up a bottle of Creme de Violette yesterday at Julio's on Route 9 in Westborough yesterday.

Tonight, an Aviation.

[bostonapothecary]

I picked up a bottle of Creme de Violette yesterday at Julio's on Route 9 in Westborough yesterday.

Tonight, an Aviation.

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i got liquor land in roxbury to pick up the alpenz line... (besides brix my favorite liquor store...) what a rum selection!

[Scott S]

Cambridge Mall liquors seemed to have an amazing selection. Though I have to admit that I was not looking for such liqueurs - they just had a bunch, and many that I had no chance of recognizing.

[Scott S]

(besides brix my favorite liquor store...)

For wine? Or spirits? I could swear that I once went to Brix after hearing a ton about it, but it was tiny and they had maybe 20 bottles of spirits behind the counter...

I did grab their bottle of Luxardo Maraschino though. I appreciated that.

But did I miss a second floor or something??

[Snowy is dead]

I got around to tasting the stone pine, creme de violette, and Batavia arrak. The stone pine tasted like old pine needles on the forest floor, dirt and everything, but in a good way. The violette was very cool. I mixed up an Aviation with it. I think my proportions are off, but it definitely had the subtle blue hue I've heard hinted at, and the violette came out nicely at the end. I only did one, so more 'tesitng' needed.

I do have to admit the arrak was soooo not my style. I thought my face went numb. I really don't know what to do with that. I know there are drinks with it, but jesus, it's hard to get down. I'm assuming that some combination of ingredients will make it shine in some light, but it's probably the most cocktail unfriendly thing that I've come across. wow.

It was interesting to note that both the stone pine and creme de violette were from Austria.