Drinks! (2013 Part 1)

[Rafa]

Given how saturated the market is with "premium" gins and how the other gin standbys (Tanq, Beefeater, etc) are staying firm at about half of that, I think we'll see Plymouth's price go back down fairly soon, if not quite to what it was pre-redesign. It's a shame, since it's a great product and not one with a direct substitute (but, luckily, not one that's exactly unique, either).

[mkayahara]

It's a shame, since it's a great product and not one with a direct substitute (but, luckily, not one that's exactly unique, either).

Yeah, I mean, I'm not in the bar business, I'm just an "enthusiast," but I think in this day and age, with all the new and varied gins on the market, the whole "Plymouth is a unique style of gin" thing is overstated. Their may be historical reasons to use Plymouth in certain drinks, and there may be times when you want its specific flavour profile, but I don't think you need a Plymouth gin in your liquor cabinet the same way, say, you need to distinguish between London dry, Old Tom, and genever as categories.

[Rafa]

Right, especially since Plymouth (apparently) drifted over time from some unique waypoint between Old Tom and London Dry to something that's basically a soft and friendly London-style gin. But in terms of quality, versatility, and (formerly) value it's hard to beat. I use Tanqueray for most of my mixing but lately I've been wanting something that's softer and more botanically complex while still holding onto that stiff juniper-citrus London backbone. But I don't want to spend much more than the $25/mL that strikes me as a reasonable ceiling for day-to-day gin. I like Citadelle and it's an incredible value but it has some odd botanical notes that strike me as off in some drinks.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[Rafa]

Made a variation on the Fritz this weekend:

Tango 'til They're Sore

3/4 oz Rye

3/4 oz Peychaud's Bitters

3/4 oz Punt e Mes

1/2 oz Maraschino Luxardo

Stir, strain, orange twist (I used a blood orange).

I tried it with Redemption, Rittenhouse 100, and Buffalo Trace (I was out of rye). Really good. The rye makes its presence felt even among all the other burly ingredients, its accord with the Peychaud's draws cherry notes out of both, and at half an ounce the Maraschino leaves a mark without taking over. Despite the scary proportions, it's neither overwhelmingly anise-y nor too bitter, just huge in flavor. Big New Orleans feel. I'd like to try it with Bénédictine to riff off the View Carré but I can't bring myself to spend that much money on yet another herbal liqueur at the moment.

[Rafa]

Yesterday, a Woodside: Thai basil, gin, lime, cane juice, cane syrup, black pepper, ginger beer, Peychaud's.

[Chris Amirault]

Seriously:

1 oz Four Roses yellow label bourbon

1 oz Old Monk rum

1 oz Cocchi Americano

Some crazy comet-inspired thang. Old Monk is whack....

[Rafa]

A work in progress.

All Work And No Play Make Jack...

1.5 oz Laird's Bonded

.5 oz grenadine

.75 g malic acid

.5 g citric acid

1 ds Scrappy's Lime bitters

1 twist lime peel (expressed and discarded)

Stir in acid at room temperature, then shake with ice, strain, and twist.

Inspired by Kevin Liu's Martini Sour and my own curiosity about non-citrus or wine sources of acid. The malic acid has a very fruity tartness that reminds me of green apples, hence wanting to try it in a Jack Rose. The bitters are just there to give a rounder lime flavor.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[Rafa]

I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day (I'm too fond of snakes), but for those who do this 19th Century-inspired Manhattan riff fits the theme and has been well-received:

Tammany Hall

1 oz Irish Whiskey, Redbreast 12

1 oz Genever, Bols

3/4 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Antica Formula

1/4 oz Benedictine

1 dash Angostura bitters

Stir, strain, up. Express and discard a lemon twist. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

I haven't taken a picture, but there's a nice one along with a review at this blog.

[Rafa]

3/4 oz Rittenhouse 100

3/4 oz Cherry Heering

3/4 oz Regan's Orange n. 6 bitters

3/4 oz Punt e Mes

Stir, strain, rock, orange twist.

Regan's dominates. The Heering and PeM bring in some nice dark fruit notes. Very potable. Not sure whether I'd make it again or what I'd change if I did.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[ChrisTaylor]

I made the Tammany Hall using Jamie 18 for the Irish component. One of the first Genever-based (well, partly, right?) drinks I've enjoyed. Stil not at all a fan of Genever. The bottle's near empty, tho', thanks to so many people trying it.

[Rafa]

I made the Tammany Hall using Jamie 18 for the Irish component. One of the first Genever-based (well, partly, right?) drinks I've enjoyed. Stil not at all a fan of Genever. The bottle's near empty, tho', thanks to so many people trying it.

Glad you liked it. With the Bols at least, I find it better if you mix it more like you would a whiskey than a gin. Sometimes I wish the Bols had more intense botanicals/more gin character to go with the malt but I guess there's Ransom Old Tom for that. The Bols is still a good product on its own terms.

[ChrisTaylor]

Staying with the Bols Genever theme, I just assembled a Last Word using Genever in place of London Dry. The other flavours manage to beat the too-strong flavour of the Genever into submission. I mean, it's there, yeah, and it contributes nicely to the overall flavour profile of the drink, but it's not pulling a Bailey's any more.

Edited March 17, 2013 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[Rafa]

Eyetalian Cocktail

2 oz Rittenhouse 100

.5 oz Punt e Mes

.5 oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco

.5 oz Cynar

barspoon Luxardo Maraschino

1 dash Peychaud's

Luxardo cherry

Blood orange twist

This I like. The gin version too.

Peter Buck

1 oz Weller 107

1 oz Laird's 7 1/2

.5 oz peach-ginger shrub

.25 clover honey syrup

1 wedge lemon (juiced and shaken)

2 dashes Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged

3 oz ginger beer (Bruce Cost's Extra Ginger Ginger Ale)

This on the other hand needs work. Unfortunately it'll have to wait for peach season.

Edited March 19, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[Rafa]

This evening I made Erik Ellestad's Ashtray Heart, minus the Mezcal rinse (I don't currently have any, sadly). Wow. I may have a new favorite way to drink Smith and Cross, one of my favorite spirits. Can't wait to try it with the Mezcal smoke. I'm almost out of S&C so I might try it with Lemon Hart 151 next. (The

song of the same name is fun, if you haven't heard it yet.) Edited March 21, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[EvergreenDan]

...

.5 oz Punt e Mes

.5 oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco

.5 oz Cynar

...

The combination of cherry and bitter is daring (or risky, depending upon your point of view) only because bitter medicinal cough syrup is often cherry, and we have a negative association with that from childhood (and beyond). I need to try these.

[Adam George]

Staying with the Bols Genever theme, I just assembled a Last Word using Genever in place of London Dry. The other flavours manage to beat the too-strong flavour of the Genever into submission. I mean, it's there, yeah, and it contributes nicely to the overall flavour profile of the drink, but it's not pulling a Bailey's any more.

I'm quite taken to the malty nature Bols Genever brings to an Aviation, actually.

50ml Genever

10ml Maraschino

10ml lemon

5ml Bitter Truth Violette

Yes, I do like these on the spirit forward side. They benefit from a longer shake, obviously.

[Rafa]

Smoke 'n Choke

3/4 oz Cynar

1/2 oz Dolin dry

1/2 oz Dolin blanc

1/4 oz Coal Ila or Lagavulin

soda to top

Orange twist

I enjoyed this.

...

.5 oz Punt e Mes

.5 oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco

.5 oz Cynar

...

The combination of cherry and bitter is daring (or risky, depending upon your point of view) only because bitter medicinal cough syrup is often cherry, and we have a negative association with that from childhood (and beyond). I need to try these.

Give it a shot. I don't find it medicinal, but I think for some people cherry liqueur will always = cough syrup. (That kept me from enjoying Cherry Heering for a while.) For me the flavors blend together, so I get dark red fruit from the cherry and vermouth's wine upfront and bitterness from the Cynar and Punt in the back. But I'm curious to see if other people find it off-putting.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[Rafa]

Staying with the Bols Genever theme, I just assembled a Last Word using Genever in place of London Dry. The other flavours manage to beat the too-strong flavour of the Genever into submission. I mean, it's there, yeah, and it contributes nicely to the overall flavour profile of the drink, but it's not pulling a Bailey's any more.

I'm quite taken to the malty nature Bols Genever brings to an Aviation, actually.

50ml Genever

10ml Maraschino

10ml lemon

5ml Bitter Truth Violette

Yes, I do like these on the spirit forward side. They benefit from a longer shake, obviously.

Sounds great. I like my Aviations spirit-forward too (the Maraschino can dominate too easily).

[EvergreenDan]

Speaking of the cherry/bitter thing, have you ever tried Killepitsch? Some issue. The stuff it interesting, but difficult to use.

BTW, it is very easy to copy cocktails from Kindred Cocktails to post to eGullet. Just click the "Plain text" link, copy the center format (which is appropriate for eGullet). In eGullet, turn off the rich text editor by clicking the little icon in top left corner, and paste. You'll get this:

Smoke 'n Choke
by Rafa García Febles, NYC.
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Dry vermouth, Dolin
1/2 oz Bianco Vermouth, Dolin
1/4 oz Islay Scotch, Caol Ila
1 twst Orange peel
3 oz Soda water

Stir, strain into a chilled Collins over ice, top with soda, express and drop in twist, give it a quick stir and add a straw.

[tanstaafl2]

Smoke 'n Choke

3/4 oz Cynar

1/2 oz Dolin dry

1/2 oz Dolin blanc

1/4 oz Coal Ila or Lagavulin

soda to top

Orange twist

I enjoyed this.

...

.5 oz Punt e Mes

.5 oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco

.5 oz Cynar

...

The combination of cherry and bitter is daring (or risky, depending upon your point of view) only because bitter medicinal cough syrup is often cherry, and we have a negative association with that from childhood (and beyond). I need to try these.

Give it a shot. I don't find it medicinal, but I think for some people cherry liqueur will always = cough syrup. (That kept me from enjoying Cherry Heering for a while.) For me the flavors blend together, so I get dark red fruit from the cherry and vermouth's wine upfront and bitterness from the Cynar and Punt in the back. But I'm curious to see if other people find it off-putting.

Interesting. I didn't find this combination from Imbibe Magazine to be particularly cough medicine-y at my St. Patty's gathering last weekend.

Wilde Heart

1.5 oz Bushmills Black Bush Irish whiskey

0.75 Amaro Ciociaro

0.25 oz Cherry Heering

Combine ingredients with ice, stir, strain and serve up.

I rather enjoyed it in fact! Maybe the whiskey kept it from being too intense?

Edited March 23, 2013 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[Adam George]

Just a simple Side-Car with

40ml Courvoisier VSOP

20ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

15ml Lemon Juice

Really well balanced and very nice aperitif.

[ChrisTaylor]

Last night I made a Final Ward using Wild Turkey for the rare and a very ... funky lemon as the citrus component. Still regard it as superior to the Last Word, even tho' I'm not a fan of Ward 8s.

[Rafa]

I'm not a fan of Ward 8s.

Yet another bad cocktail with orange juice. To tie into that other thread.

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. thomas handy

1 oz. cocoa aromatized "whitened" whiskey

5 g. non aromatic white sugar

4 dashes peychaud's bitters

herbsaint rinse

expressed lemon peel

i went back and added a dash of de-odorized angostura bitters for tannin (i was out of regular ango)

the cocoa aromatized whiskey has sat on the shelf for quite a while now and has really transformed. i've been drinking it straight and have gotten into it; a most pleasant dram. i thought if i put it in a cocktail it should be paired with something plenty woody like a barrel proof whiskey. not a bad thought but i had to go back and add some bitters for tannin. i couldn't find regular angostura but then i found an old project bottle on the shelf where angostura bitters were dehydrated to de-odorize them then reconstituted with neutral spirits to the same proof. they really perked up the drink.

the way the tannins perk up the aroma has got me thinking a drink with dubonnet or a barolo chinato would be nice.

[Rafa]

Last night, Lagavulin neat with Iberico ham. Can't beat that.