What did you buy at the liquor store today? (2013–)

[eatrustic]

[Moderator note: This topic became too large for our servers to handle, so we've divided it up; the earlier part of the discussion is here: What did you buy at the liquor store today?]

 

 

Picked up a bottle of Canadian Club 20 year. Don't see it everywhere so bought it as a backup to one I've got on the go. Not really a fan of the usual CC products (as above, 40 Creek rings my bell) but the CC 20 is fantastic stuff.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Smithy (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

My latest puchases: Plantation Barbados 5 year rum (surprisingly good for less than $20), Templeton rye (from Costco - very smooth), Landy cognac VS (less than $25, bought for mixing and better than the big brands around the same price point in my opnion, including Courvoisier VS and Remy Martin VSOP), Siete Leguas tequila blanco (discovered during a tequila tasting - full of flavor, should be great in cocktails).

[ChrisTaylor]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

[FrogPrincesse]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

That sounds wonderful... Added to my to-do cocktail list.

[tanstaafl2]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

That sounds wonderful... Added to my to-do cocktail list.

Templeton is rye from what used to be the LDI and is now MGPI distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana who makes a ton of different distilled spirits that they sell to others for use in their own brand. Essentially the same stuff is also found in Bulleit and Redemption rye and quite possible several others. High West uses LDI rye in some of their blends.

Templeton, Bulleit and Redemption don't make any of it themselves, despite what they may claim in their marketing. It is not a bad rye mind you but between the three I would be inclined to buy the one that has the best price. My experience is that it is usually not Templeton.

Edited January 3, 2013 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

That sounds wonderful... Added to my to-do cocktail list.

Templeton is rye from what used to be the LDI and is now MGPI distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana who makes a ton of different distilled spirits that they sell to others for use in their own brand. Essentially the same stuff is also found in Bulleit and Redemption rye and quite possible several others. High West uses LDI rye in some of their blends.

Templeton, Bulleit and Redemption don't make any of it themselves, despite what they may claim in their marketing. It is not a bad rye mind you but between the three I would be inclined to buy the one that has the best price. My experience is that it is usually not Templeton.

I did see somewhere before that Bulleit and Templeton were related, and it's interesting to read in your post that these products are coming from the same distillery. I don't pay much attention to marketing because I am doubtful that a true "small batch rye" could be found at Costco of all places!

In my area, Bulleit (~ $25) is sold cheaper than Templeton (~ $35). Even if they are produced at the same place, their taste is quite different. I've done a mini side-by-side rye tasting recently and here were my thoughts.

Templeton (80 proof) was very smooth and was the best neat. I found it a little thin but it was the most sippable.

In comparison, Bulleit (95 proof) was very spicy and not especially pleasant neat (but I really like it in cocktails and the price is right!).

Rittenhouse BIB remains my favorite overall (~ $25 when I can find it). It's the most interesting one of the three, a great combination of smooth/full flavors with enough spice to make it work beautifully in cocktails.

I like to have different options though based on the type of cocktail that I am making, so it's good to have ryes with different flavor profiles on hand. I didn't have enough ryes in my collections anyway.

Since we are on that topic - what other ryes would you recommend in that price range? I've had Old Overholt which I found OK but a little too basic.

[tanstaafl2]

Templeton is rye from what used to be the LDI and is now MGPI distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana who makes a ton of different distilled spirits that they sell to others for use in their own brand. Essentially the same stuff is also found in Bulleit and Redemption rye and quite possible several others. High West uses LDI rye in some of their blends.

Templeton, Bulleit and Redemption don't make any of it themselves, despite what they may claim in their marketing. It is not a bad rye mind you but between the three I would be inclined to buy the one that has the best price. My experience is that it is usually not Templeton.

I did see somewhere before that Bulleit and Templeton were related, and it's interesting to read in your post that these products are coming from the same distillery. I don't pay much attention to marketing because I am doubtful that a true "small batch rye" could be found at Costco of all places!

In my area, Bulleit (~ $25) is sold cheaper than Templeton (~ $35). Even if they are produced at the same place, their taste is quite different. I've done a mini side-by-side rye tasting recently and here were my thoughts.

Templeton (80 proof) was very smooth and was the best neat. I found it a little thin but it was the most sippable.

In comparison, Bulleit (95 proof) was very spicy and not especially pleasant neat (but I really like it in cocktails and the price is right!).

Rittenhouse BIB remains my favorite overall (~ $25 when I can find it). It's the most interesting one of the three, a great combination of smooth/full flavors with enough spice to make it work beautifully in cocktails.

I like to have different options though based on the type of cocktail that I am making, so it's good to have ryes with different flavor profiles on hand. I didn't have enough ryes in my collections anyway.

Since we are on that topic - what other ryes would you recommend in that price range? I've had Old Overholt which I found OK but a little too basic.

I only have Bulleit in my cabinet since as you note it tends to be the least expensive. I have tried all three though. I don't recall Templeton being that much different but it has been awhile. Perhaps Templeton is using a slightly older LDI/MGPI rye

Anytime you see a bottle with a 95% rye mashbill it is reasonable to think it came from MGPI until proven otherwise since they are one of the few places making a 95% rye mash bill.

Redemption tends to be somewhere between Bulleit and Templeton in cost. Templeton is kind of the Darth Vader in the whiskey enthusiast world because for a long time they tried to hide the fact that they were sourcing whiskey and claiming they made it from a "secret recipe" in little ol'

. The history is mostly BS. Instead it comes from a mass producer in Indiana. And I doubt Al Capone every heard of "the good stuff".

Another rye to consider is Jefferson 10yo Rye. It is from the same source in Canada as Whistlepig and Masterson's at usually about half the cost. Unfortunately Jefferson is another non distilling producer and they have recently run out of the Canadian rye. They are putting some other sourced rye, apparently a Kentucky rye but the source is not known at least to me (Maybe Barton's which makes an excellent rye by the way), in the bottles now. But if you can still find a bottle that notes it is a product of Canada it is pretty good juice. it typically runs anywhere from the $20s to the $40s but remember it is much older than Ritt, Templeton or Bulleit. If you can find the Canadian version close to the $30 mark I think it is a good buy. I haven't tried the newer version yet.

Speaking of Barton there is a very inexpensive Barton product called Fleischman's rye apparently sold only in Wisconsin (I have no idea why!). I have never tried it but others rave about it.

Sazerac 6yo, typically known as "Baby Saz" to distinguish it from the Sazerac 18yo rye in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, is also generally well regarded. I have it and think it is superb but it can sometimes be hard to find. It is usually around $30.

Willet, another non distiller producer, puts out several cask strength expressions of LDI rye that are 3, 4 and 5 years old that are generally not very expensive and I find to be quite good. And higher proof is always useful in making cocktails!

I just recently got a bottle of the Leopold Brothers Maryland style rye which is very different but again tends to be hard to find and cost more in the $45-50 range.

The High West Double Rye is also interesting and usually around $35. It is a blend of 2yo LDI and 16yo Barton rye I believe and tends to have a nice spice kick to it. I prefer the HW Rendezvous Rye which is a blend of older ryes but also more expensive.

[KD1191]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

That sounds wonderful... Added to my to-do cocktail list.

Templeton is rye from what used to be the LDI and is now MGPI distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana who makes a ton of different distilled spirits that they sell to others for use in their own brand. Essentially the same stuff is also found in Bulleit and Redemption rye and quite possible several others. High West uses LDI rye in some of their blends.

Templeton, Bulleit and Redemption don't make any of it themselves, despite what they may claim in their marketing. It is not a bad rye mind you but between the three I would be inclined to buy the one that has the best price. My experience is that it is usually not Templeton.

The cream of the LDI crop, in my opinion, is Willett. Not only do they seem to pick the best barrels (for my taste), but they also bottle at barrel proof. I just don't see any sense in paying for the water that's in Templeton. Willett has finally laid down some of their own output, and based on what I've experienced of their palate, I'm looking forward to tasting it in a few years.

Also, the new George Dickel Rye is also LDI juice, which is charcoal filtered.

[KD1191]

Not today, specifically, but here are the spoils of last weekend's trip to Wisconsin...

5 bottles of Wild Turkey 101 Rye, still sparsely available north of the border.

A bottle of Bittercube's limited edition Heritage Bacon bitters

A 12-pack of Spotted Cow and some Jolly Pumpkin white ale (This was all I ended up getting from the unbelievable beer selection at Discount Liquors in Milwaukee, but this place was seriously impressive. I was overwhelmed & will need to do some research/compose myself before I go back.

Edited January 5, 2013 by KD1191 (log)

[Czequershuus]

Templeton. Now that's a delicious rye. Heavy on the oak. Wonder what it'd be like in one of those New York Sazeracs: equal parts cognac and rye.

That sounds wonderful... Added to my to-do cocktail list.

Templeton is rye from what used to be the LDI and is now MGPI distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana who makes a ton of different distilled spirits that they sell to others for use in their own brand. Essentially the same stuff is also found in Bulleit and Redemption rye and quite possible several others. High West uses LDI rye in some of their blends.

Templeton, Bulleit and Redemption don't make any of it themselves, despite what they may claim in their marketing. It is not a bad rye mind you but between the three I would be inclined to buy the one that has the best price. My experience is that it is usually not Templeton.

The cream of the LDI crop, in my opinion, is Willett. Not only do they seem to pick the best barrels (for my taste), but they also bottle at barrel proof. I just don't see any sense in paying for the water that's in Templeton. Willett has finally laid down some of their own output, and based on what I've experienced of their palate, I'm looking forward to tasting it in a few years.

Also, the new George Dickel Rye is also LDI juice, which is charcoal filtered.

I have to agree about the Willett. Absolutely fantastic whiskey.

[Ashen]

40 oz of Tanqueray since the current bottle is getting low.

[campus five]

Not today, specifically, but here are the spoils of last weekend's trip to Wisconsin...

5 bottles of Wild Turkey 101 Rye, still sparsely available north of the border.

Man, good call on the WT101 Rye.

I was so bummed when I saw they lowered the proof on it.

There was a WT Rye shortage in Los Angeles preceding the change-over, so the shelves were already picked clean. Boo!

Was at one of my favorite bars in LA and ended up doing an impromptu rye-tasting.

Rittenhouse still stood out as the favorite to me. Perfectly balanced, 100pf, and reasonably priced.

Definitely beat out the Bulliet, the current WT rye, Templeton, Knob Creek.

They were experimenting with a blend of KC and WT, which to my surprise smelled and tasted overtly "corny." My guess on blind tasting it was "Mellow Corn", Heaven Hill's bonded 100% corn whiskey. There's a "peanut-y" note that I associate with high corn content. That's exactly what I got out of the new WT/KC blend, as well as the KC straight.

The Bulliet, Templeton and Willet all had a similar "high floral" note that I associate with things that are overtly "rye."

The Bulliet and templeton were similar, but the bulleit seemed even more one note, and the templeton seemed more balanced and a bit more mellowed due to age. The Willet seemed far more balanced, while still having a strong "rye floral" note.

[Adam George]

Since Christmas I have picked up the following:

Bols Genever 84 Proof

Beefeater 80 Proof

Bombay Sapphire 96 Proof

Tanqueray No 10. 96 Proof

Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

The Sapphire and Tanq' were presents and I didn't ask for the former so I think I have enough to last me forever!

Next on my list is a 3 litre whiskey barrel to start my barrel-aged martini experiment.

[haresfur]

Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

!!! I can't even imagine what this tastes like. Do tell!

[Adam George]

Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

!!! I can't even imagine what this tastes like. Do tell!

Like slightly sweetened, natural yoghurt!

I'm going to use it in Alexanders and flips a la Erik:

http://youtu.be/hlJOPS8zEZE

[FrogPrincesse]

Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

!!! I can't even imagine what this tastes like. Do tell!

Like slightly sweetened, natural yoghurt!

I'm going to use it in Alexanders and flips a la Erik:

http://youtu.be/hlJOPS8zEZE

I don't know how I feel about this yoghurt liqueur but I really enjoyed the video. Impeccable technique.

[eatrustic]

Very happy to have scored a bottle of the Four Roses Limited Edition 2012 Small Batch Barrel Strength. How it compares to the Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon I'm not sure but at this level they are all excellent.

Also a bottle of the tasty Rabarbaro Zucca Amaro.

[scubadoo97]

Very happy to have scored a bottle of the Four Roses Limited Edition 2012 Small Batch Barrel Strength. How it compares to the Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon I'm not sure but at this level they are all excellent.

Also a bottle of the tasty Rabarbaro Zucca Amaro.

I have not purchased the 2012 4R Small Batch but hear it's excellent. Here is a trusted review site you may want to look at

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2012/10/four-roses-small-batch-limited-edition.html?m=1

[Adam George]

Bols Natural Yoghurt Liqueur

!!! I can't even imagine what this tastes like. Do tell!

Like slightly sweetened, natural yoghurt!

I'm going to use it in Alexanders and flips a la Erik:

I don't know how I feel about this yoghurt liqueur but I really enjoyed the video. Impeccable technique.

That entire series of videos is brilliant. All worth a watch. They are all drinks that Lorincz entered into World Class when he won in 2010.

I will make the drink up sometime and see what I reckon.

[tanstaafl2]

A few odds and ends over the past several days.

First time i have seen Kummel in the area that I can remember. I think I will try a "Stomach Reviver" first.

1 Cognac

1 Kummel

0.75 Fernet Branca

5 dashes of Angostura

Instructions suggest shaking with ice but seems like it could be stirred. Either way it should prove interesting...

The Banks 7 Golden rum is the relatively new companion to the Banks 5 Island rum. Also picked up Oronoco rum which is from Brasil, Leopold Brothers Maryland Style Rye (which is an interesting tasting rye on the sweeter side with a nice raspberry jam kind of undertone) and Kilchoman Machir Bay whisky which is the young Islay distillery's first ongoing release. It just recently made it to Georgia.

Got the 100 proof "Hawaiian Moonshine", known locally as "Okolehao" (which means iron bottom, or more precisely bottom iron, to describe the rounded bottom iron three legged pot first used to distill the spirit in the 1790's), and the Okolehao liqueur on my recent trip to Hawaii. The liqueur is very sweet and tastes like a coconut rum (both are cane sugar based products) but the 100 proof Okolehao spirit is quite interesting. It is flavored with the root of the Ti plant and tastes a bit like a sweet tequila with an interesting vegetal component. Quite good on its own as well as a mixer. But not readily available outside of Hawaii that I know of except online (the liqueur may be in a few places in California).

The tiki possibilities seemed immediately obvious! A bartender acquaintance quickly came up with a delightful cocktail which we named "Bottoms Up".

1.5 Okolehao

0.5 St Germaine

0.5 pomegranite juice

Stir with ice and then pour over fresh ice.

Top with ginger beer (about 3-4 oz) and then squeeze a lime wedge in the drink and drop the wedge in.

We also made a Doctor Cocktail subbing the Okolehao for rum which became a Kauka Cocktail.

[ChrisTaylor]

What do you think of the Banks 7? I ordered some of the 5 from overseas and really like it. Tempted to put in an order for the new kid on the block.

[tanstaafl2]

What do you think of the Banks 7? I ordered some of the 5 from overseas and really like it. Tempted to put in an order for the new kid on the block.

I have only tried a small sample of it so far. I think of the Banks 5 as a mixing rum and not really a rum to drink neat. The Banks 7 has that same smokey vegetal quality imparted by the Arrack but it has been smoothed out a bit in this rum. Don't know if there is less due to the increased number of rums in the blend or if some older and sweeter rums help to smooth it out a bit. Reminds even more of a nice rhum agricole with a hint of smokiness in the background.

I would still likely use this for mixing rather than drinking on its own but if you like the 5 then I suspect you will like the 7 as well.

[KD1191]

Leopold Brothers Maryland Style Rye (which is an interesting tasting rye on the sweeter side with a nice raspberry jam kind of undertone)

Do you get a bit of cocoa, as well? As a former brewer, Todd knows his malts. He said he only uses about a handful of chocolate malt in each batch of rye, but its presence is an intriguing foil for the berry fruit (apparently the result of esters that come from the secondary bacterial fermentation).

What do you think of the Banks 7? I ordered some of the 5 from overseas and really like it. Tempted to put in an order for the new kid on the block.

When I first tasted the Banks 7, my initial thought was that they'd taken the 5 and aged it. It had all of the characteristics I associate with the 5, but mellowed a touch and rounded by age. Clearly that's not what they've done here, but I think it's still a way to think about it if you've had the 5 and are wondering if you'd like the 7.

[tanstaafl2]

Leopold Brothers Maryland Style Rye (which is an interesting tasting rye on the sweeter side with a nice raspberry jam kind of undertone)

Do you get a bit of cocoa, as well? As a former brewer, Todd knows his malts. He said he only uses about a handful of chocolate malt in each batch of rye, but its presence is an intriguing foil for the berry fruit (apparently the result of esters that come from the secondary bacterial fermentation).

What do you think of the Banks 7? I ordered some of the 5 from overseas and really like it. Tempted to put in an order for the new kid on the block.

When I first tasted the Banks 7, my initial thought was that they'd taken the 5 and aged it. It had all of the characteristics I associate with the 5, but mellowed a touch and rounded by age. Clearly that's not what they've done here, but I think it's still a way to think about it if you've had the 5 and are wondering if you'd like the 7.

Didn't really pick up a chocolate malt undertone but the raspberry jam taste Todd noted as being from those esters is very noticeable even to my palate.

I think your description of the Banks 7 is a good one. All it really needs is more proof.

[haresfur]

My mule arrived successfully from the US. Barbancourt 5* rum, 40 Creek barrel select Canadian whiskey, Four Roses single barrel bourbon, and 1800 reposado tequilla. That should keep me sipping for a while. Haven't broken into them yet - I'm on a mission to hook my niece and boyfriend on Campari - I think it will serve her well in life.