What did you buy at the liquor store today?

[curls]

Very happy to find 375 mL bottles of Chartreuse and to add to my collection of amaros! Any cocktail suggestions for someone new to Chartreuse?

[ChrisTaylor]

Last Word and Final Ward. Tipperary.

[curls]

Thank you for the suggestions Chris, I have the ingredients for all three drinks in house, this will be a tough decision.

[Hassouni]

Make all three!

[ChrisTaylor]

Too, now that you have Cynar, I think you need to make an Art of the Choke.

[blue_dolphin]

Very happy to find 375 mL bottles of Chartreuse and to add to my collection of amaros! Any cocktail suggestions for someone new to Chartreuse?

Nice score on the smaller bottles of Chartreuse! My local shop carries the green in a 375 mL but not the yellow and I've been reluctant to fork over the bucks for the larger one. I vote for a Final Ward. One of those perfect cocktails that's more than the sum of its parts, IMHO.

My haul today:

Accompanied in the photo by an Aprilia to try out the grapefruit bitters and Cocchi Americano

[curls]

Tried the Last Word, interesting and tasty! Tomorrow night, Final Ward. Will add Art of the Choke to the list of drinks to try along with Tipperary. Thank you for the recommendations!

Blue_Dolphin, hope you enjoy the Rittenhouse bottled in bond, it is one of my favorite ryes for Manhattans.

[Bridgemo]

Very happy to find 375 mL bottles of Chartreuse and to add to my collection of amaros! Any cocktail suggestions for someone new to Chartreuse?

My favourite cocktail of all time is the Chartreuse Gator Bite. I found it in one of Simon Difford's early Sauce Guides, and indeed a modified version appears on his online guide. The recipe I follow, however, runs thus:

1 shot Green Chartreuse

1.5 shots Cointreau/triple sec

2 shots lime juice

1.25 shots of sugar syrup [i usually cut this down to 0.5]

0.25 shots lemon juice.

Shake with ice, serve in coupette with salt rim.

It is unbelievably delicious.

I haven't visited this forum for about five years, and I'm so pleased to see everyone in flying form.

[ChrisTaylor]

Last night I tried a Racketeer c/o the beta cocktails thread (that thread inspired me to order the book, too). Anyway. This one's an interesting one. Talisker rinse, then equal parts rye (Rittenhouse) and mezcal (Monte Alban) with sweet vermouth (I use Punt e Mes in these applications, purely because I don't use vermouth fast enough to justify keeping two bottles open), Chartreuse (green instead of the specified yellow), Benedictine and Peychaud's bitters. Just setting all these bottles out on the bench reminded me when, as a student, my housemate would go on monthly trips to the bottle-o and return with shit like cheap butterscotch schnapps and black sambuca and Bailey's. And then, er, make cocktails with equal parts of everything we had, based on the advice of dodgy 'mixilator' sites. But that association aside, the Racketeer is an interesting drink. And interesting in the positive sense of the word.

EDIT

Oh, shit, I thought this was the 'drinks' thread. Anyway. Yeah. Now you can make this, I guess, assuming you own Benedictine (which opens up a handful of interesting things), rye and mezcal, too. I only bought the mezcal yesterday, mostly for the sake of buying this drink and because I kept seeing mention of it in the beta cocktails thread (and maybe PDT, too, which I've also ordered). Didn't have a huge selection, at least not locally, and the only two I could find with decent-ish ratings were the Monte Alban and Don Juan. Haven't tried it straight yet. Might wait until I have something resembling a palate for tequila--it was only a couple weeks ago I was really tempted to upgrade my Espolon reposado to, say, something like a Don Julio anejo, then I actually tasted the anejo ... and it was nice enough, I guess, but to me it just didn't seem like such a big step up from the Espolon (sadly I didn't have the chance to taste them side-by-side) to justify spending, literally, 2.something times what I paid/can pay for Espolon, which has thus far worked just fine in things like tequila-based Old Fashioneds and Margaritas. I'd rather spend the money on nice bourbon. And I did. Russell's.

Edited June 10, 2012 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[EvergreenDan]

A couple of new amari, an agricole, and a couple of bottles of firestarter.

The amari are both from Varnelli. The dell'Arborista is very nice, quite bitter, and (very lightly) sweetened with honey. Long bitter finish. Blurb on dell'Arborista. Sibilla is also lightly sweetened with honey and is prepared with "herbs and roots" "over a wood fire." Intense long bitter finish. Blurb on Sibilla. Both were quite expensive ($58-$65), but for a 1L bottle.

Not knowing where to start with the amari, I made one each:

1 1/2 oz gin

3/4 oz amaro

3/4 oz lemon

1/4 oz rich simple

I only added the simple because these arami are not particularly sweet and it was just too sour even for me. I would just scale back the lemon and skip the simple next time. Both have intense long bitter finishes. Something of the Black Diamond of amari. I liked them both, but I there is much room for improvement, I think.

Suggestions are welcome.

[Hassouni]

W&N and Ting!

[Kerry Beal]

A few things on sale at the LCBO Anna and I were in today - I have been surprised to discover that even though an LCBO offering isn't discontinued that individual LCBOs are able to clear out bottles at a discount. I picked up a few bottles of Leblon cachaca a while back for about 30% off. So I've found it's always worth seeking out the clearance bin and seeing what they want rid of.

On the left is the first Pisco I've been able to find at the LCBO (not one of the sale items), a bottle of Aperol to replace the one I ran out of (and apparently replaced already), a bottle of Mezcales de Leyenda silver mezcal (a bargain), Booker's bourbon (used it last week in a chocolate course in Scranton and really liked it), a really cheap bottle of Bol's Creme de Banana - (I know, I know, Bols but it was really, really cheap), Cazadores tequila (also on sale), small bottle of PX sherry and Rataffia de Champagne.

[EvergreenDan]

Just to remind you Kerry that God will kill a kitten every time you use that Creme de Banane. If you use Midori, he kills two.

I think you'll find Booker's very helpful in making potent cocktails that also contain non- or low-alcohol ingredient. Pricey, but very flexible.

[Anna N]

Just to remind you Kerry that God will kill a kitten every time you use that Creme de Banane. If you use Midori, he kills two.

I think you'll find Booker's very helpful in making potent cocktails that also contain non- or low-alcohol ingredient. Pricey, but very flexible.

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I ban Kerry from my house or hide my kittens? Kerry, whatever you were going to make with that Creme de Banane - FORGET IT. What was it anyway?

[Kerry Beal]

Just to remind you Kerry that God will kill a kitten every time you use that Creme de Banane. If you use Midori, he kills two.

I think you'll find Booker's very helpful in making potent cocktails that also contain non- or low-alcohol ingredient. Pricey, but very flexible.

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I ban Kerry from my house or hide my kittens? Kerry, whatever you were going to make with that Creme de Banane - FORGET IT. What was it anyway?

A Lewis and Martin.

[Anna N]

Just to remind you Kerry that God will kill a kitten every time you use that Creme de Banane. If you use Midori, he kills two.

I think you'll find Booker's very helpful in making potent cocktails that also contain non- or low-alcohol ingredient. Pricey, but very flexible.

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I ban Kerry from my house or hide my kittens? Kerry, whatever you were going to make with that Creme de Banane - FORGET IT. What was it anyway?

A Lewis and Martin.

OK, Carry on. Sounds very interesting. Be sure to let us all know how good it is!

[mkayahara]

I have to admit that, while crème de banane has never been high on my to-buy list, I'd be curious to try the Planet of the Apes in Beachbum Berry Remixed.

[EvergreenDan]

You sure that isn't really Rowan and Martin

[thirtyoneknots]

I have to admit that, while crème de banane has never been high on my to-buy list, I'd be curious to try the Planet of the Apes in Beachbum Berry Remixed.

It's pretty good, as those things go.

[Kerry Beal]

Oh dear - I guess that means two kittens are going down in the next few days!

[Brown Hornet]

Bols Genever -- finally able to find it in Atlanta. I'm still a genever novice but the Bols is far superior to the Boomsma genevers I've previously sampled. The Bols Genever is quickly become my spirit of choice for the Pegu Club.

Rittenhouse BIB -- I've got several decent ryes but somehow had avoided the Rittenhouse BIB. Finally picked up a bottle on sale for around $18. Holy crap, is this a fantastic whiskey for the price. Perfect for Manhattans although I still prefer my Redemption Rye which is itself a fantastic buy.

Banks 5 Island Rum -- Still playing with it but finding it to be a really great all purpose rum. Rarely the best rum for a particular drink, but almost always a perfectly good substitute that plays well with others. Not sure, however, if it's worth the premium price.

[Yojimbo]

Rittenhouse BIB -- I've got several decent ryes but somehow had avoided the Rittenhouse BIB. Finally picked up a bottle on sale for around $18. Holy crap, is this a fantastic whiskey for the price. Perfect for Manhattans although I still prefer my Redemption Rye which is itself a fantastic buy.

Funny, I just got a refill on Rittenhouse after finishing my bottle of Redemption's sister rye, Riverboat, which was very good, but the Rittenhouse is just a classic that's hard to beat even as the price creeps up to keep up with its rising popularity. I'm not sure I even want to try some of the higher end ryes like Whistle Pig, because I don't want to know what I'm missing . . . . but I'll get around to it.

[tanstaafl2]

Had the chance to try a really, really nice rhum agricole a few weeks ago but man was it damned spendy!

But my birthday is approaching and dammit I am worth it!

Not exactly the liquor store but my birthday present has just arrived in the mail.

The rhum was the 15yo Rhum JM 1994 vintage. Never had a bottle with a leather label before. The box is pretty swanky as well! I guess that explains part of the cost. The angel's share explains much of the rest I suppose. Anyway, I hope it is as good as the example I had a few weeks ago because that was absolutely spectacular.

Never seems worthwhile to order just one bottle off the internet so I also picked up a bottle of the Chinaco añejo that I hadn't been able to find around here but always wanted to add to my collection. Also threw in a bottle of the newish Ferrand 1840 cognac which I also had not seen locally around here. More pricey than my steple mixing cognac, Chalfonte, but hopefully it will add that much more to my cocktails.

Next week I hope to pick up a bottle or three of the Plantation Guadaloupe 1998 rum.

Happy Birthday to me!

[Christopher396]

I bought a bottle of a locally made gin. Really good stuff! I'm not sure if it's sold anywhere else but give it a try if you can.

[tanstaafl2]

name='Brown Hornet' timestamp='1339692349' post='1881260']

Bols Genever -- finally able to find it in Atlanta. I'm still a genever novice but the Bols is far superior to the Boomsma genevers I've previously sampled. The Bols Genever is quickly become my spirit of choice for the Pegu Club.

I just saw an email from Tower indicating they now have it. Although it looks a bit like a jonge genever (which is more like vodka to me) since it is clear it definitely taste more like a an oude jenever with plenty of malty goodness! I am happy to see it come to town. Now we just have to see if the Bols barrel aged genever will make it as well. Although at around $50 a bottle (at least it is a liter!) it is pretty spendy stuff for genever.

name='Brown Hornet' timestamp='1339692349' post='1881260']

Banks 5 Island Rum -- Still playing with it but finding it to be a really great all purpose rum. Rarely the best rum for a particular drink, but almost always a perfectly good substitute that plays well with others. Not sure, however, if it's worth the premium price.

The PDT Cocktail had a nice relatively simple drink using Banks called the Rhum Club cocktail I think. I first used Scarlet Ibis because I did not yet have Banks but have since acquired a bottle and find it works even better for me (I suppose it should be noted that Meehan is or has been an advisor the makers of Banks 5 Island rum). Worth giving it a try. I have see a few other Banks cocktails as well like the Periodista on the Cocktail Chronicles website.

Edited June 18, 2012 by tanstaafl2 (log)