What did you buy at the liquor store today?

[tanstaafl2]

Christmas comes early! Of course that can happen when you are buying "presents" for yourself.

Got word that an internet order had arrived and picked it up on the way home this evening. I opened my "present" to find the following:

Clement Creole Shrubb (I do like the orange liqueurs!), Depaz Rhum Agricole, Starr African rum, Amaro CioCiaro and just for fun a bottle of the rather spendy Bitter Truth/Bitterman's Xocolatl Mole bitters. It is interesting how the picture on the Bitter Truth website has a label that says Chocolate bitters but the label on my bottle says Xocolatl Mole bitters. Intended for different markets perhaps? Or a recent change because Xocolatl Mole was confusing people?

Anyway, looks like a little impromptu rum tasting for me tonight!

Edited October 4, 2011 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[Hassouni]

Last purchase was:

Smith & Cross Jamaica rum

Bulleit Rye

Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette (guess who's starting to make Aviations?)

Eagle Rare 10 year single barrel bourbon, my first bottle of bourbon ever, actually. I heard it's really good and found it for $20. Might open it tonight in fact.

[EvergreenDan]

It is interesting how the picture on the Bitter Truth website has a label that says Chocolate bitters but the label on my bottle says Xocolatl Mole bitters. Intended for different markets perhaps? Or a recent change because Xocolatl Mole was confusing people?

This is a Bittermens recipe. They were made under contract by The Bitter Truth before Bittermens started making them themselves here in the US. The The Bitter Truth forumla was adapted for production by TBT, a small departure from the "real" Bittermen's recipe. They could not make Bittermens original recipe in their facility. You purchased a bottle of old TBT inventory (which is fine). When that inventory is sold through, only the current Bittermen's will be available. The two versions are very similar.

It is very powerful stuff. A few drops goes a long way. That "spendy" bottle will make tons of drinks. Great stuff. Considered by some to be a modern "essential" bitters.

TBT has made a new chocolate bitters, which is presumably unrelated to the Bittermen's recipe that they made under contract. I have not tried it. I'm sure they made it to fill the hole in their product line when the stopped making the Bittermens version.

Bittermens Xocalatl Mole Bitters

The Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters

[BittermensAG]

Dan,

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Avery

[tanstaafl2]

It is interesting how the picture on the Bitter Truth website has a label that says Chocolate bitters but the label on my bottle says Xocolatl Mole bitters. Intended for different markets perhaps? Or a recent change because Xocolatl Mole was confusing people?

This is a Bittermens recipe. They were made under contract by The Bitter Truth before Bittermens started making them themselves here in the US. The The Bitter Truth forumla was adapted for production by TBT, a small departure from the "real" Bittermen's recipe. They could not make Bittermens original recipe in their facility. You purchased a bottle of old TBT inventory (which is fine). When that inventory is sold through, only the current Bittermen's will be available. The two versions are very similar.

It is very powerful stuff. A few drops goes a long way. That "spendy" bottle will make tons of drinks. Great stuff. Considered by some to be a modern "essential" bitters.

TBT has made a new chocolate bitters, which is presumably unrelated to the Bittermen's recipe that they made under contract. I have not tried it. I'm sure they made it to fill the hole in their product line when the stopped making the Bittermens version.

Bittermens Xocalatl Mole Bitters

The Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters

Dan,

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Avery

Thanks for filling in the details! I look forward to using it in a few rum and tequila cocktails to try it out.

And I must say I absolutely love the choice of eyedropper style bottles in the current version! It makes me wish I had found that first.

[EvergreenDan]

There is a little more background here on the Bittermens ingredient page on Kindred Cocktails.

A helpful tip: a "dash" of Bittermens bitters is about 1/4 of a full dropper, or about 15-18 drops. I too prefer the droppers; you dispense a consistent amount. So many times I've turned a dasher bottle over to dash out, say, 2 dashes and had a extra dash come out as I'm righting the bottle. Or you wonder if a dash is a big shake or a little shake. With some bitters, that extra dash makes a lot of difference to the flavor.

As for Xocolatl, it means chocolate in the language of the Aztecs and is pronounced a lot like chocolate: sho-CO-la-toel

Edited October 5, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[tanstaafl2]

There is a little more background here on the Bittermens ingredient page on Kindred Cocktails.

A helpful tip: a "dash" of Bittermens bitters is about 1/4 of a full dropper, or about 15-18 drops. I too prefer the droppers; you dispense a consistent amount. So many times I've turned a dasher bottle over to dash out, say, 2 dashes and had a extra dash come out as I'm righting the bottle. Or you wonder if a dash is a big shake or a little shake. With some bitters, that extra dash makes a lot of difference to the flavor.

As for Xocolatl, it means chocolate in the language of the Aztecs and is pronounced a lot like chocolate: sho-CO-la-toel

The dropper bottle would indeed be great for adding drops. I currently have a couple of small dropper bottles I use if I am adding drops and really want to be precise. And of course for my dash I just use a syringe and measure out 0.7 ml. Much easier than counting drops!

[Hassouni]

Amazingly, found a great liquor store (for rum at least, pretty good for other stuff) near the IMF and World Bank in DC today. Picked up these:

I've been out of white rum for a while and am still on my quest to find the best rum for mojitos and daiquiris. My favorite so far is the Brugal, but I have yet to try the FdC - I hear it's a good substitute for Havana Club. Brugal white is surprisingly hard to find in the DC area, too....

[threestars]

Bought a new bottle of Jack Daniels for a stock. I stock a bottle just in case I need t for guests or just feel like drinking.

[Tri2Cook]

Cherry Heering... finally brought in by the LCBO. Thanks Matt (mkayahara) for the heads-up!

Martini Bianco... because I didn't have one and the Martini is the only one available at the LCBO. Hopefully it's a decent one.

Stone's Ginger... saw it mentioned in another thread, sounded interesting, the LCBO just happens to carry it, so I'm giving it a try.

[Kerry Beal]

I picked up a bottle of green Chartreuse, an Havana Club anejo reserva and a bottle of Fernat Branca.

[Tri2Cook]

I picked up a bottle of green Chartreuse, an Havana Club anejo reserva and a bottle of Fernat Branca.

Good stuff! It looks like the LCBO brought in yellow chartreuse but none has made it's way to stores on this end of the province. I may have to see if the local store will order it for me.

[Kerry Beal]

I picked up a bottle of green Chartreuse, an Havana Club anejo reserva and a bottle of Fernat Branca.

Good stuff! It looks like the LCBO brought in yellow chartreuse but none has made it's way to stores on this end of the province. I may have to see if the local store will order it for me.

I see there are a few bottles in a couple of the Toronto stores.

[haresfur]

Stone's Ginger... saw it mentioned in another thread, sounded interesting, the LCBO just happens to carry it, so I'm giving it a try.

Let us know what you think of the Stones. Can you do a taste comparison with Canton? I'm not sure what people do with it here but you can get it at any grocery liquor store. There's also a higher alcohol version. Way to sweet to drink on it's own IMO, but I've been having fun mixing with it (note to self: I'm out).

[Tri2Cook]

Stone's Ginger... saw it mentioned in another thread, sounded interesting, the LCBO just happens to carry it, so I'm giving it a try.

Let us know what you think of the Stones. Can you do a taste comparison with Canton? I'm not sure what people do with it here but you can get it at any grocery liquor store. There's also a higher alcohol version. Way to sweet to drink on it's own IMO, but I've been having fun mixing with it (note to self: I'm out).

Actually, I think it was you that mentioned it in the other thread that inspired me to check it out. I can't compare it to Canton, I've never had Canton and the LCBO discontinued it before I started looking for it. This is probably going to be my Canton unless someone informs me that it's not at all similar.

[blue_dolphin]

Mostly a fruit basket :

A bottle of Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie (not sure what to try with this), some Cointreau, Bittermen's Xocolatl Mole and Regan's Orange Bitters.

I wanted a bottle of Rittenhouse 100 but it's been out of stock for a while now. My local shop told me their distributor's telling them November.

[thirtyoneknots]

Mostly a fruit basket :

A bottle of Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie (not sure what to try with this), some Cointreau, Bittermen's Xocolatl Mole and Regan's Orange Bitters.

I wanted a bottle of Rittenhouse 100 but it's been out of stock for a while now. My local shop told me their distributor's telling them November.

With that Blume Marillen, try a Culross--3/4 each of the BM, a dry aromatic white rum (Flor de Cana Extra Dry works) and Lillet or Cocchi Americano, plus 1/4 oz or so of lemon. Up. Wow.

[KD1191]

2011 George T. Stagg & William Larue Weller Bourbons and Sazerac 18 Year Rye.

[tanstaafl2]

2011 George T. Stagg & William Larue Weller Bourbons and Sazerac 18 Year Rye.

Wow, those are some real heavyweights! 71.3 and 66.75% ABV on the first two..

Only thing lightweight now is the wallet! But those look like some seriously special investments. Hard to get those here unless you know somebody who knows somebody.

Edited October 15, 2011 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[Yajna Patni]

On the Stone's Green Ginger. My mom used it to make the best icebox cake. mix the ginger wine with whipped cream and use it to sandwich gingersnaps, just like a regular ice box cake. The Stone's is so sweet it does not need extra sugar with the whipped cream.

I have not tasted Canton so I cant compare.

[KD1191]

2011 George T. Stagg & William Larue Weller Bourbons and Sazerac 18 Year Rye.

Wow, those are some real heavyweights! 71.3 and 66.75% ABV on the first two..

Only thing lightweight now is the wallet! But those look like some seriously special investments. Hard to get those here unless you know somebody who knows somebody.

If you think about it, the high proof offsets the high price, to some extent...given the amount of water that you're buying in 'less robust' bottlings. I was lucky enough to be in KY for the release last year, but this year I had to depend on getting my name on the waiting list at a large chain. Thankfully they came through.

Edited October 16, 2011 by KD1191 (log)

[arielle_j]

Took a trip down to Alameda to visit St George Spirits and left with their three new gins (Botanivore, Terroir, and Dry Rye)! All delicious and sippable, dry rye is probably my favorite.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

St. Remy VSOP Cognac.

I think the store's messing up - it was $17.50. All the same, I'll be taking advantage of their mistake and buying several more bottles before they catch on - my fruitcakes will be amazing this year!

[Colleen E.]

Didn't buy today per se, but fairly recently: I surprised to find vermouths at all on the bottom shelf of the wine section in the little bottega up the street from my place, but the obviously older label was intriguing so I grabbed it.

Does anyone have any idea how I can date this bottling?

[Dan Perrigan]

Found these on Saturday. Any idea how old each are? The tax stamp on the Bols puts it before 1985, right?

Thanks,

Dan