What did you buy at the liquor store today?

[brinza]

Went to the specialty store again today . . .

Don Cesar Pisco Puro (we finally have Pisco in PA!)

Rhum Barbancourt 5-Star rum

Appleton Estate Reserve

Cinzano Rosso (three bottles)

big-ass bottle of Tanqueray on sale for $38

[Steamtrain]

I went to Boston and went nuts in the liquor store.

These are all items I can't find in NH, except for the Calera.

[Tri2Cook]

After trying to obtain a bottle or two of St. Germain through my local store both times the LCBO brought it in recently without success, I decided to take a chance on the Chase Distillery version. Can't compare it to St. Germain since I've never had it but this one is pretty tasty to me. Fruity, cleanly floral (doesn't make me think of perfume) sweet without being syrupy. I'm happy with it. If anybody has tried both I wouldn't mind hearing how this one compares.

[Kerry Beal]

After trying to obtain a bottle or two of St. Germain through my local store both times the LCBO brought it in recently without success, I decided to take a chance on the Chase Distillery version. Can't compare it to St. Germain since I've never had it but this one is pretty tasty to me. Fruity, cleanly floral (doesn't make me think of perfume) sweet without being syrupy. I'm happy with it. If anybody has tried both I wouldn't mind hearing how this one compares.

Larry - what is the alcohol content on that?

[Tri2Cook]

20%

[Kerry Beal]

20%

So essentially the same as the St Germain - so I assume will oxidize over time as my first little bottle did.

[Tri2Cook]

Hopefully I won't let it stick around that long. I can think of a few dessert uses for it in addition to using it in drinks. If it was a little less sweet, I could probably just drink it.

[Tri2Cook]

I couldn't resist. I tried to resist but failed. Curiosity got the best of me. I grabbed a bottle of the Highwood Distillery White Owl White Whisky that just made it's first appearance in my local store. Reportedly, from what I could dig up, a 60/40 blend of 8 - 10 year aged wheat and rye spirits that have been carbon filtered to remove all color. It is indeed as clear as vodka. That's as far as I've got with it, I just brought it home this afternoon, but I read some favorable sounding reviews (including this one) leading up to the purchase without finding much negative being said about it. Feels like a gimmick, hopefully it will indeed have some character. Worst case, I'll park it next to the Luksusowa and call it a lesson learned.

[Moto]

Most recent purchases:

Restocked on the Wray and Nephew so more falernum is in order

The armagnac was a big disappointment. Tastes like an oversimplified cognac. If any one has recommendations for cocktails to create with it or other brands I am all ears

The chartreuse!! where has this stuff ben all my life. Truly incredible. Chartreuse swizzle ranks up there with the Mai Tai for me

Banks!? Not sure about this one. Tastes like a lower proof Wray and Nephew to me, hogo galore

Barbancourt - lovely buttery rum. Only one small sip so far, can't wait to explore it further.

ED 15 waiting for cold weather before I crack this sipper open

[tanstaafl2]

Haven't got it yet but was just informed this morning that my bottle of Del Maguey Tobala along with a bottle of the Crema de Mezcal have just arrived. On my way to pick them up this evening if time permits!

Saturday night I managed to snag a bottle of Citadel Reserve 2010 gin and three bottles from the Buffalo Trace Single Oak project. I believe they are 61, 191 and one other that I can't recall at the moment. It will be my first foray into this little experiment. An expensive foray I must admit! Probably some content here about that project that I haven't had a chance to track down yet as a newbie.

Single Oak Project

Will likely use all of these new acquisitions to help celebrate the coming Labor Day weekend!

[tanstaafl2]

Haven't got it yet but was just informed this morning that my bottle of Del Maguey Tobala along with a bottle of the Crema de Mezcal have just arrived. On my way to pick them up this evening if time permits!

Saturday night I managed to snag a bottle of Citadel Reserve 2010 gin and three bottles from the Buffalo Trace Single Oak project. I believe they are 61, 191 and one other that I can't recall at the moment. It will be my first foray into this little experiment. An expensive foray I must admit! Probably some content here about that project that I haven't had a chance to track down yet as a newbie.

Single Oak Project

Will likely use all of these new acquisitions to help celebrate the coming Labor Day weekend!

Never followed up on these from a couple of weeks ago so here are a couple of pictures.

Won't spoil anything with my thoughts on the 3 Single Oak Project bottles (61, 93 and 125). But one bottle is a bit lower so that might be a clue!

Also picked up the Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal and the Tobala Mezcal. The Tobala is quite remarkable!

Finally I picked up two bottles of the Citadelle Reserve gin and am glad I did! While there I also got this bottle of Cold River blueberry vodka I had heard about. The aroma of blueberries is massive when the bottle is opened but it is not a syrupy sweet blueberry taste at all. Instead it is a remarkably dry bottle of vodka that is quiet pleasant to sip on the rocks. A bit like drinking a fresh blueberry muffin.

It has been a couple of weeks since my last trip so I am sure they are starting to miss me at the liquor store! All the talk on the forum the last couple of days on rum and aquavit lead me to head to the store to supplement my meager rum supply which consists of a bottle of Brugal, Myers dark and a half bottle of white Bacardi that could well be over 20 years old. Probably should use it to start my next fire in the fireplace!

Managed to pick up some rums that might be interesting to take for a test ride over the next couple of weeks; Rhum Barbancourt 8yo, El Dorado 15yo and Ron Zacapa Centenario 23yo.

While there I refreshed my Aperol supply since it was on sale along with a bottle of Cointreau that was also for sale. Couldn't resist trying a bottle of Cynar that comes up here in recipes so frequently. Also looked for aquavit and it turns out rlibkind was right. Both the Linie and the Aalborg taffel were readily available on the shelf today. Decided to pick up a bottle of the Linie to try for myself.

Already decided to try the Dark and Orangy tonight, probably using the Myers rum, so these latest acquisitions will have to wait for another evening.

So much liquor, so little time...

[tanstaafl2]

A recipe for the the mezcal?

2 oz La Vida

3/4 oz Campari

3/4 oz Carpano Antica

2 dashes Mole Bitters

stir, strain, up, flamed orange

Would a basic Blood & Sand with mezcal to replace the scotch be a good idea? Have a bottle of Sombra I could use for a bit of experimentation.

Guess I will have to give it a try and see. Seems like a natural with that whole bullfighting pedigree!

[Sohoskiracer]

Added to my growing Liquor Cabinet:

Dubonnet Rouge

Apricot Brandy (Meaghers...we dont have Marie Brizzard in BC)

Luxardo Maraschino

La Fee Absinthe

Disaronno

Cynar

Lillet

Boomsma Jonge Genever (all we have in DC for Genever really)

Jim Beam (standard replacement, its my go to if I've already made a few drinks)

Knob Creek Bourbon (Need to branch off from my habitual Makers/Bulleit habits)

Chartreusse (Never used the stuff, but working my way through Haigh's book so ima need it)

Aperol (out of campari at the store and at home and I wanted a negroni, so with some tinkering it worked)

Fernet Branca

Creme de Cacao

Fireball (don't judge me, my friends like to dirnk highballs and take shots...need something for when they're here)

Oh and Fee Brothers Orange Bitters and some Agave Syrup., and with that i am a member of the forums Nice to join yall

[haresfur]

Welcome Sohoskiracer. Sounds like you have a good bottle collection. No Bols Genever? Pity. I love the stuff in spite of the Australian prices. I often to use it in a genever Sazerac. Wonder how the jonge would work in that.

What's Desaronno?

[Boilerfood]

What's Desaronno?

Amaretto

[Tri2Cook]

What's Desaronno?

Amaretto

And so much less tasty than the Luxardo... but that's just my opinion.

[Sohoskiracer]

What's Desaronno?

Amaretto

And so much less tasty than the Luxardo... but that's just my opinion.

Yeah I was actually wondering what brand to use but they use Disaronno in the bar I work in so i kinda defaulted to it. We literally have this ONE genever at the Province Liquor stores, and the two private stores I visited were lacking and Oude Genever, I'm most likely going to pick up a bottle next time I'm at Astor Spirits in NY as that place is fantastic. I'm sure anyone else who lives in Canada knows how extremely limited out options are in regards to more specialty items.

EDIT: So as not to waste posts, in response to the poster below Im in BC, Vancouver specifically, although relatively new to shopping for liquor here so I have not by any means exhausted my options (that and I visit NY often enough to ferry back bottles that get too difficult...like lairds apple brandy etc )

Edited September 23, 2011 by Sohoskiracer (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Yeah I was actually wondering what brand to use but they use Disaronno in the bar I work in so i kinda defaulted to it. We literally have this ONE genever at the Province Liquor stores, and the two private stores I visited were lacking and Oude Genever, I'm most likely going to pick up a bottle next time I'm at Astor Spirits in NY as that place is fantastic. I'm sure anyone else who lives in Canada knows how extremely limited out options are in regards to more specialty items.

Which province are you in?

[Kevin Liu]

I've made a few runs to Corridor Wine & Spirits near Baltimore, MD recently. The take:

Appleton Estate Reserve

Punt e Mes

Lillet Blanc

Jagermeister

Benedictine

And also to a Montgomery County Liquor Store:

Old Overholt Rye

Absolut Wild Tea Vodka

Laird's Applejack

Pimm's

Next up - DC...

[Boilerfood]

What's Desaronno?

Amaretto

And so much less tasty than the Luxardo... but that's just my opinion.

Agreed. Although, they are both too sweet for my liking.

[Tri2Cook]

Agreed. Although, they are both too sweet for my liking.

They are sweet, I couldn't just pour it in a glass and drink more than a few sips.

[Yojimbo]

What I DIDN'T get today: Whitley Neil gin. Went to Gotham wines because they had it listed on their website. Not only were they out, but a quick search discovered that it's no longer imported. I'm bummin'. The cape gooseberry and baobab added a dry, almost roasted citrus element that I totally went for.

What I will get tomorrow: more Casal Garcia vinho verde to keep up with my wife's total obsession with this wine, and a bottle of something for me to balance things out, probably Laird's BIB apple brandy.

[curls]

I've made a few runs to Corridor Wine & Spirits near Baltimore, MD recently. The take:

Appleton Estate Reserve

Punt e Mes

Lillet Blanc

Jagermeister

Benedictine

And also to a Montgomery County Liquor Store:

Old Overholt Rye

Absolut Wild Tea Vodka

Laird's Applejack

Pimm's

Next up - DC...

When you are in DC, I highly recommend that you check out ACE Beverage. They have an amazing selection and if you don't see something there, just ask, its probably in their storage room.

Edited September 28, 2011 by curls (log)

[Sunny&Rummy]

Looking to purchase my first bottle of Creme de Violette. Drillaud or Rothman and Winter? Anyone here familiar with both brands and able to contrast them for me? Thanks.

[tanstaafl2]

Looking to purchase my first bottle of Creme de Violette. Drillaud or Rothman and Winter? Anyone here familiar with both brands and able to contrast them for me? Thanks.

I have the R&W CdV but don't have the Drillaud. I ended up also getting Creme Yvette for comparison to the CdV only to find that those two are kissin' cousins at best.