What didn't you buy at the liquor store today?

[mkayahara]

Thought I'd start this as a companion thread to this one. What did you look at while out shopping, but then decide now was not the right time?

For me, it was a bottle white Armagnac. It was 92-proof, $48 for a 700 ml bottle. I knew there was a recipe in David Wondrich's punch book that called for white brandy, but I couldn't remember which one. I knew that I'd regret spending that kind of money if it turned out to be one of the ones that also requires ambergris, so I passed on it. (It turns out it's simply Regent's Punch.)

[Dakki]

Flor de Cana rum keeps wanting me to buy it. Unfortunately I have no use for it.

White Horse scotch, which I could use, is unavailable.

[Chris Amirault]

Ardbeg Supernova 2010, Macallan Cask Strength, and Highland Park 18. Sigh.

[mkayahara]

Ardbeg Supernova 2010, Macallan Cask Strength, and Highland Park 18. Sigh.

Yeah, that one's an easy game to play! I didn't buy any Nikka or Yamazaki whisky today, either.

[jsmeeker]

Sweet vermouth.. because I was sure I had it. But I didn't. So.... Back to the topic I started earlier!!!

[Boilerfood]

Batavia Arrack, and Cocchi Americano. Binny's even taunted me by putting them next to one another on the shelf.

[J_Ozzy]

Once a week or so I find myself with a full cart at a certain New York online retailer.

Vizcaya rum; Whistlepig, Handy, Templeton & Redemption rye; Del Maguey Vida.

I hope the Handy lasts until later in the spring (a faint hope, sadly). I can get shipments staged at the Montana border, but the long drive down can be a challenge in winter weather.

For now, I look longingly among the virtual shelves.

[Tri2Cook]

I had the local LCBO order a couple things for me yesterday and Havana Club Barrel Proof was on my list... but I talked myself out of that one at the last minute. I already have the blanco, reserva and 7-year so another seemed like overkill for now. I also have an online cart filled out for some things I want to try from Okanagan Spirits but haven't been able to make myself hit the "order" button yet. As far as grabbing something off of the shelf, I go stare at the Drambuie every time I'm in the store but so far it remains on the shelf. I keep deciding there's something else I want more. Did it again yesterday, walked out with a replacement for my almost-empty El Dorado 12 instead.

[KD1191]

Ardbeg Supernova 2010, Macallan Cask Strength, and Highland Park 18. Sigh.

Yeah, that one's an easy game to play! I didn't buy any Nikka or Yamazaki whisky today, either.

I tried a few Nikka whiskys in Paris last fall and they were really phenomenal, to the point I can't believe no one has started bringing them into the States yet. There was a drink with Nikka from the Barrel at Experimental Cocktail Club that was as good as any drink I've had in the last year.

[mkayahara]

Ardbeg Supernova 2010, Macallan Cask Strength, and Highland Park 18. Sigh.

Yeah, that one's an easy game to play! I didn't buy any Nikka or Yamazaki whisky today, either.

I tried a few Nikka whiskys in Paris last fall and they were really phenomenal, to the point I can't believe no one has started bringing them into the States yet. There was a drink with Nikka from the Barrel at Experimental Cocktail Club that was as good as any drink I've had in the last year.

You're killin' me here... Do you remember which bottling it was? I know I've got at least two available to me, and one is substantially more expensive than the other: the Yoichi is $35 for 180 ml, while the Taketsuru is $70 for 660 ml. (Gotta love those Japanese bottle sizes!)

[KD1191]

Ardbeg Supernova 2010, Macallan Cask Strength, and Highland Park 18. Sigh.

Yeah, that one's an easy game to play! I didn't buy any Nikka or Yamazaki whisky today, either.

I tried a few Nikka whiskys in Paris last fall and they were really phenomenal, to the point I can't believe no one has started bringing them into the States yet. There was a drink with Nikka from the Barrel at Experimental Cocktail Club that was as good as any drink I've had in the last year.

You're killin' me here... Do you remember which bottling it was? I know I've got at least two available to me, and one is substantially more expensive than the other: the Yoichi is $35 for 180 ml, while the Taketsuru is $70 for 660 ml. (Gotta love those Japanese bottle sizes!)

The one I remember most fondly is actually called "Nikka from the Barrel". It's a 50 cl bottle at barrel proof (51.4%).

ETA: From what I can tell, it's a blend, including some of the Yoichi...a blended barrel proof, who'd have thought?

Edited March 20, 2011 by KD1191 (log)

[mkayahara]

Gotcha, thanks, KD1191. I misread your original post. It's a real toss-up for me, since the Yoichi would be cheaper overall, but the Taketsuru is cheaper per ounce. Plus, the Taketsuru has been discontinued, so once it's gone, it's gone.

[Dan Perrigan]

I just posted in the other thread about the amaro I DID buy. The one I didn't (but Really wanted to) was Amaro Sibilla -- only a few thousand bottles are produced each year and it looked pretty delicious... but was $57. Oh well, next time perhaps.

Dan

[Melissa]

Absinthe. Not sure what brand, but the local Specs wanted $60 for a 750ml bottle.

I want it for making Corpse Reviver #2, but I only need a small amount. On the hunt for a smaller bottle, if such an animal exists.

[Roddy]

Overwhelmed by the low prices for rhums at the St. Maarten duty-free, I neglected to pick up a bottle of Cherry Marnier to try in a Remember the Maine.

[Chris Amirault]

I've never seen that before. Is it more Heering or Maraschino or both?

[thirtyoneknots]

Absinthe. Not sure what brand, but the local Specs wanted $60 for a 750ml bottle.

I want it for making Corpse Reviver #2, but I only need a small amount. On the hunt for a smaller bottle, if such an animal exists.

Sounds like a lot of money but for uses like that it's basically a lifetime supply. The Lucid, like as not the brand you encountered, is sufficient for cocktail use if not thrilling on it's own. Small format bottles of Absinthe are relatively uncommon, I'm not actually sure I've ever seen one in TX, but it works just as well to split the bottle with a friend. Or you could just bite the bullet and think of it as money saved on a bar tab since now you can make you favorite drinks at home.

[thirtyoneknots]

I've never seen that before. Is it more Heering or Maraschino or both?

Cherry Marnier is a sweetened grape-brandy based liqueur, similar to Heering. I don't believe it is currently imported to the US.

[EvergreenDan]

Sounds like a lot of money but for uses like that it's basically a lifetime supply.

Good point.

For something like the tiny rinse that goes into a CR#2, I think Pernod or Ricard would be a fine low-cost substitute, no? Or even ouzo or Sambucca if you had that on hand. Or for the really economical, perhaps a couple of drops of anise extract?

(Harry Craddock, you know you want to roll over onto your left side anyhow. You're welcome.)

[thirtyoneknots]

Sounds like a lot of money but for uses like that it's basically a lifetime supply.

Good point.

For something like the tiny rinse that goes into a CR#2, I think Pernod or Ricard would be a fine low-cost substitute, no? Or even ouzo or Sambucca if you had that on hand. Or for the really economical, perhaps a couple of drops of anise extract?

(Harry Craddock, you know you want to roll over onto your left side anyhow. You're welcome.)

Au contraire, mon frere. Ouzo and Sambuca have far too different of profiles to have the effect that absinthe or pastis. And please kindly step back from the anise extract.

If you're going to spend 2 cents/drink to make all your CRs with Pernod, why not go ahead and spend 5 cents/drink? Not that there's anything wrong with Pernod, but I think that in most cases where absinthe is called for in old drinks, demonstrably better results will be obtained using even something like Lucid or Kubler. Beware things under $50/btl calling themselves absinthe.

That said, if the $60 really is that much of a stumbling block (and believe me I know it can be) go with Pernod or whatever your favorite pastis is (I like Henri Bardouin).

[Chris Amirault]

I've never seen that before. Is it more Heering or Maraschino or both?

Cherry Marnier is a sweetened grape-brandy based liqueur, similar to Heering. I don't believe it is currently imported to the US.

Huh. Some product spec mentioned using the pits too a la Maraschino....

[thirtyoneknots]

I've never seen that before. Is it more Heering or Maraschino or both?

Cherry Marnier is a sweetened grape-brandy based liqueur, similar to Heering. I don't believe it is currently imported to the US.

Huh. Some product spec mentioned using the pits too a la Maraschino....

Could be. But it's not, afaik, distilled from the cherries.

Actually I'd be surprised if no cherry pits were used in Heering.

[Melissa]

I didn't realize Pastis was so close to Absinthe. I have that on hand and will just use that instead. Thanks

[EvergreenDan]

If you're going to spend 2 cents/drink to make all your CRs with Pernod, why not go ahead and spend 5 cents/drink?

If only Absinthe came in 50ml nips. To use your numbers, in order to have absinthe at $0.05 per drink, I need to buy a 1000 drink supply (number of nickels in $50). Just trying to have sympathy on someone who doesn't want to end up with a 100 bottle liquor cabinet.

[mkayahara]

If you're going to spend 2 cents/drink to make all your CRs with Pernod, why not go ahead and spend 5 cents/drink?

If only Absinthe came in 50ml nips. To use your numbers, in order to have absinthe at $0.05 per drink, I need to buy a 1000 drink supply (number of nickels in $50). Just trying to have sympathy on someone who doesn't want to end up with a 100 bottle liquor cabinet.

That's definitely my problem: I don't mind spending the money on products that are going to be used in minute amounts, but they do have a tendency to clutter up my liquor cabinet... and the overflow shelving in the basement. For what it's worth, I have three bottles of absinthe: a 1-litre of Kübler that I don't expect I'll ever use up, a 500-ml bottle of Taboo, and (believe it or not) a 50-ml bottle of La Fée that was sold to me as part of a sample kit that also contained an absinthe spoon.