What did you buy at the liquor store today?

[Ufamizm]

The quest for a good everyday scotch continues. This time I ended up with Johnnie Walker Red.

I finally tried Black Bottle today and was pleasantly surprised, one of the better values available. Anytime I taste a blended(with the exception of Compass Box), I automatically expect mediocrity, not the case here. If it's available in your market, I'd recommend trying it.

Hi Roddy. It's good. It won't replace Rittenhouse Bonded for mixing, though, (at least for me) because it's more expensive, lower proof (90), and harder for me to find.

But it's tasty. It's good for sipping and makes a decent Sazerac. I think it's better than Redemption Rye (which I thought was too harsh for sipping) but it's no competition for High West Rendezvous (which has some 16yr old in the mix -- and makes the best Sazerac I've ever had).

Always nice to see more quality ryes on the market -- and at $31/750ml it's not outrageously priced either.

Here in Atlanta, the bars take the allocation for the Rittenhouse Bonded. And even then there isn't enough(we only got 6 bottles for the restaurant the last go-around). A few bottles may slip through but I haven't seen them. Even the 80 is very difficult to obtain at a consumer level. The Bulleit, for my money is one of the better value ryes we can get here (at least so far) with consistency. I love the Rendezvous, but it is a big jump in price here($40 vs. $25). We serve Rendezvous at the restaurant but I have the Bulleit as my day to day at home.

BTW this is my purchase today, mostly restock. Except for the Ramazzotti. Decided to try and incorporate it into a new cocktail (hence the depletions on the bottles already .

So far have really enjoyed :

1.5 Haymans

1.5 Dolin Dry

.5 Ramazzotti

2 dashes Regans Orange

Absinthe Rinse

[Yojimbo]

A case of Casal Garcia vinho verde, to which my wife is addicted, and a bottle of Rittenhouse BIB, to which I am addicted. Everyone's happy!

[ChrisTaylor]

A six-pack of Sapporo.

[kaszeta]

Domaine de Canton Ginger. For some reason I've been drinking a lot of that.

[jsmeeker]

Domaine de Canton Ginger. For some reason I've been drinking a lot of that.

What kinds of cocktails are you making with that? I've always wondered about it, but never have tried it. When I want something with ginger in it, I whip up a batch of a ginger simple syrup.

[Chris Amirault]

I wasn't too keen on it at first, but that Canton has some very interesting traits. It's killer with homemade rhubarb syrup, for example, in a Daiquiri base (white rum and lime, that is).

[Corinna]

I wasn't too keen on it at first, but that Canton has some very interesting traits. It's killer with homemade rhubarb syrup, for example, in a Daiquiri base (white rum and lime, that is).

Oh, I can't wait to try this!

[kaszeta]

What kinds of cocktails are you making with that? I've always wondered about it, but never have tried it. When I want something with ginger in it, I whip up a batch of a ginger simple syrup.

Like you, if I'm just craving ginger, I usually either make up some ginger simple syrup, or ginger infused vodka. But like Chris Amirault says, it has some nice subtle notes. Particularly, I use it instead of ginger beer in a dark and stormy. I've also rather enjoyed it in several drink paired with pear juice, or paired with Cynar.

[Dan Perrigan]

What kinds of cocktails are you making with that? I've always wondered about it, but never have tried it.

One of my favorite uses is a modification of the "Barnum Was Right" -- sub out half of the Apricot Liqueur for Canton. So...

2 oz Gin

1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Apry or R&W Orchard Apricot)

1/2 oz Canton

1/2 oz Lemon

2 dash Angostura

I always associate ginger with sushi, so I call it a "Barnum was Japanese"

Dan

[thirtyoneknots]

What kinds of cocktails are you making with that? I've always wondered about it, but never have tried it.

One of my favorite uses is a modification of the "Barnum Was Right" -- sub out half of the Apricot Liqueur for Canton. So...

2 oz Gin

1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Apry or R&W Orchard Apricot)

1/2 oz Canton

1/2 oz Lemon

2 dash Angostura

I always associate ginger with sushi, so I call it a "Barnum was Japanese"

Dan

Surprised you don't have the lemon doubled up there, Dan

[Chris Amirault]

Agreed on the lemon bump.

Today bought M&R rosso, Citadelle gin (my wife's favorite for the Fever Tree G&Ts I'm planning to make once it warms up), and Dubonnet rouge, which I buy almost exclusively to make one of my favorite drinks, Robert Hess's Rochester:

2 oz rye

1 oz Dubonnet

1/2 oz Licor 43

1/4 oz absinthe

2 dashes Angostura

[FrogPrincesse]

Got a few things at Hi-Times last week...

[patrickamory]

George Dickel No. 8. This is a super-smooth Tennessee whiskey. I've already killed half the bottle!

[KD1191]

Lemon Hart 151...now, where's my swizzle stick?

[Tri2Cook]

Actually yesterday, El Dorado 6 year silver. Not sure how it stacks up in the world of white rums but, since that and Havana Club Anejo Blanco (which I already have) are the only local or semi-local options other than Bacardi and Captain Morgan, I thought I might as well give it a shot.

[Boilerfood]

Cruzan Blackstrap, Flor de Cana 4, and Pimm's. Summer is in full swing as far as I am concerned.

EDIT: I guess I should mention that my Lemon Hart 151 arrived in the mail the other day. That stuff is AMAZING.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Boilerfood (log)

[vice]

Stopped at K&L Hollywood to pick up Vieux Pontarlier absinthe, Campo de Encanto pisco, and Benedictine. Others in my expedition snagged some Whistle Pig and El Dorado 15.

[Dan Perrigan]

Lemon Hart 151. Woo!

Dan

[EvergreenDan]

Was stocking up at the NH liquor store (Bulleit rye, yeah! Fernet at a good price. Whodathunk?). Had heard good things about Root. Artisanal-looking label. Birch bark listed last after many other spices. Expecting a complicated, herbal 80 proof liqueur with a vague flavor of root beer. Nope. Smells and tastes just like A&W. What am I going to do with 750ml of that? So I'll be putting scoops of ice cream in my drinks while the other Dan is playing with LH151.

Edited April 24, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[Dan Perrigan]

...What am I going to do with 750ml of that? So I'll be putting scoops of ice cream in my drinks while the other Dan is playing with LH151.

I can sympathize, though, since I'm still trying to figure out what to do with 1.75L of New Amsterdam "Gin"

Dan

[Ufamizm]

One of the local stores here just ran a closeout special on Karlsson's Gold. While I normally abhor vodka, Karlsson's is the exception, with that earthy, mushroomy flavor. Bought out their inventory at 9.99 a bottle!

[Boilerfood]

...What am I going to do with 750ml of that? So I'll be putting scoops of ice cream in my drinks while the other Dan is playing with LH151.

I can sympathize, though, since I'm still trying to figure out what to do with 1.75L of New Amsterdam "Gin"

Dan

When you figure it out let me know.

[EvergreenDan]

1 juniper berry, muddled

1 oz New Amsterdam Gin

1 oz Campari

1 oz Punt e Mes

Would that work? I've never tasted the stuff.

[brinza]

Sunday, I went to one of Pennsylvania's "specialty" stores. These are simply stores with larger than average footprint that can afford some shelf space to a few unusual products. The PLCB has been trying very hard of late to bring in more products that cocktail enthusiasts are demanding, so I give them credit for that, but not everything is available everywhere. The store I visited* isn't all that far, but there are at least 3 other stores closer to where I live, so I don't go there on a regular basis. So my wife and I took a ride on a rainy Sunday and filled up a shopping cart with:

Hayman's Old Tom Gin (had never tasted before; tried it, love it. Should be loads of fun to experiment with)

Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum (tasted this in a bar and was bowled over; haven't cracked the bottle open yet, though)

Liquore Strega (have tasted it before, but never bought a bottle. It's nicely Chartreusey. Curious to see how it would work in an Alaska or a Yellow Parrot)

Ramazzotti (already have a bottle, but it's nearly gone and I love this stuff)

Plymouth Sloe Gin (finally broke down and bought some)

Herbsaint Original (Hey, it was $13.00 off the regular price!)

Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao (Until now, the only products we had in PA that served as orange curaçao were Grand Marnier and its imitators such as Gran Gala, etc. It will nice to be able reach for this when a recipe calls for, you know . . . orange curaçao).

All of the above are rather new to PA (meaning within the past few months)

we also picked up:

Cherry Heering (been out of this for a while--now I can make Blood and Sand and Singapore Slings again!)

Elijah Craig Bourbon

Cinzano rosso vermouth

For any and all Pennsylvania residents, I highly recommend Nathan Lutchansky's incredibly informative blog PLCB Users Group. It's a godsend for anyone who regularly buys liquor in PA.

Postscript: After all this, doesn't my friend call me last night while driving through Maryland to tell me he's at "this amazing liquor store." Arggh. I tell him I just spent a small fortune on liquor two days ago. He mentions Dolin Vermouth, so I say OK, get me a small bottle of Dolin Dry. Then he says into the phone, "What's this? Bulleit Rye?" Aaahhh, damn you! You know that just came out, don't you? And you know I want it. All right, get that. Don't tell me about anything else! I don't want to know.

* for anyone who cares, it's the Fox Chapel store in the Waterfront Plaza (Rumor has it that this is the store where Mario Lemieux used to buy his wine).

[toolprincess]

6 bottles of Shocktop beer

Leblon Cachaca

Jack Daniels

Absolut Vodka