Drinks! (2013 Part 2)

[EvergreenDan]

Oh my that's a lovely photo.

[Rafa]

Drink by JoNorvelleWalker, lighting by Caravaggio.

[FrogPrincesse]

I tried another light-weight cocktail from the Art of Shim; this one failed to wow me.

British Diplomat with dry vermouth, Pimm's No. 1, maraschino liqueur, and aromatic bitters (I used Boker's). It was very much dominated by the French vermouth (I used Noilly Prat extra dry), with subtle undertones from everything else. I upped the bitters but the drink was not that interesting.

[Plantes Vertes]

I don't believe a British diplomat would drink this.

[FrogPrincesse]

I don't believe a British diplomat would drink this.

Probably right. The rationale for the name was that it was based on another drink called the Diplomat. They substituted Pimm's for the sweet vermouth, making it a British Diplomat.

[Hassouni]

Wouldn't a proper British diplomat drink a pink gin, and nought else?

[lesliec]

A proper British diplomat would drink anything he was offered, and claim to have enjoyed it.

Last night for us (and the night before as well, as it happens) was El Cigarillo Maduro:

Rather nice; tequila, sweet and dry vermouths, Cointreau, Angostura and mole bitters. Recommended.

And another rubbish evening in Welly, as you can see.

[Plantes Vertes]

Yeah, rub it in. Go ahead. Make my day.

[mkayahara]

Recently picked up a bottle of Aviation gin, so I made a Gin Fix with it tonight. It came out drier than I wanted, so I added a little bit more pineapple syrup. Better, but still didn't quite hit the spot. Then my eyes fell on a bottle of absinthe... so I dashed some in. Ah! That's what I was looking for!

[ChrisTaylor]

A not-really-successful attempt to do something with a new addition to my collection: Bitter End's Memphis Barbecue Bitters. I wanted to call it Smokin' With Some Barbecue but that'd just be an insult to Kermit Ruffins because this drink isn't very good. It's not sink-worthy but the combination of the Perique and one of those bitters--or maybe it's the Perique and High West (I think it works with other ryes)--brings out this weird buttery quality that I was not at all aiming for.

3 dashes barbecue bitters and 1 dash Creole bitters prepared, with a sugar cube, in the manner of an Old Fashioned

60 mL rye (High West)

30 mL Perique

Less than the some of its parts.

[turkoftheplains]

Spurred on by the excellent sherry cocktails popping up everywhere these days, I went to the store and purchased a bottle of El Candado Pedro Ximenez Sherry, only bothering to educate myself on the different types of sherry after the fact.

Even if it wasn't the sherry I intended to buy, the PX sherry is terrific, potent stuff and inspired this as-yet unnamed drink (served up with a lemon peel expressed over it and then discarded):

1 1/2 oz. rye (Rittenhouse BIB)

1 1/2 oz. Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoléon Bas Armagnac)

3/4 oz. Cynar

5/8 oz. PX sherry (El Candado)

3 dashes orange bitters

Edited December 3, 2013 by turkoftheplains (log)

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. portugeuse grappa

100ml grapefruit soda (7+g/L CO2)

this simple high ball was another test of my new bottling tool which transfers carbonated liquids to 100ml bottles. the soda is fun and a great compliment to this very unique portugeuse grappa. I haven't exactly idiot proofed the bottler yet. and I have another setup that bottles into 187's. all the physical machinery works so now it is just ironing out the kinks of operations like pressure and chilling, maximum possible carbonation levels and the like. I'll slowly have to drink my way through it.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For those of us in the US, today marks the 80th anniversary of the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment: "The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed."

What are you making? Those not in the US are free to participate in the festivities. Probably a mai tai or two for me!

[ChrisTaylor]

A Last Word made with Bols Genever.

[turkoftheplains]

A Last Word made with Bols Genever.

A Final Ward made with bonded OGD. Great minds, etc.

I also have half a batch of Fish-House Punch very slowly dripping through my Chemex filter. It should be shelf-stable and delicious sometime before the Earth crashes into the Sun.

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. medronhos

barspoon absinthe (my own yerba-mate version)

100 ml grapefruit soda (whole foods grapefruit juice strained and carbonated to 7+ g/L dissolved CO2)

I looked really hard for some tequila but couldn't find any so I picked up the decadently funky medronhos. then I thought of anise. I don't make a lot of highball style drinks but this is quite simply the tastiest thing I have had a long time.

[haresfur]

'dy punch

Brandy, cane syrup, tiny lemon, ice cube

Made one with cheap French brandy and one with Courvoisier. Actually the generic brandy one is better IMO but both were quite quaffable.

[ChrisTaylor]

Manhattan with Punt e Mes, High West Double Rye, Boker's bitters and Scrappy's orange bitters.

And, in honour of a hero, some neat vintage KWV.

[FrogPrincesse]

I decided to finally crack open my bottle of Sipsmith London dry gin to celebrate Repeal Day yesterday. I tried it neat and it was love at first sip. Very flavorful but restrained at the same time. Juniper, lemon, some coriander in the finish, almost sweet. Overall really smooth and harmonious. I considered having more just neat, but ended up with a Gin Fix: gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, persimmon garnish.

I panicked for a moment thinking that I would need to go all the way to London to buy more once this bottle runs out. But thank god it's available in the US (HiTimes and DrinkUpNY both have it in stock). I notice though that my bottle has red wax and a dark blue label, versus the green label & wax on the website. I wonder what that is all about. Maybe it's just the duty free version of their packaging (I got it in Heathrow).

The only bad thing to report about this gin is that the closure has a quality issue - the top piece detached from the artificial cork right away.

[Vieux Carré]

Drinking an Occidental (from PDT book). Calls for Nonino Amaro, Grand Marnier, and Linie Aquavit in a Fernet Branca-rinsed coupe. Not having the Linie, I subbed Aalborg Jubilaeums Aquavit. Can anyone tell me if the difference between the two aquavits makes an important difference and, if so, how?

[FrogPrincesse]

I've been researching aquavit lately and came across an article that lists all the aquavits available in the US, with some tasting notes.

Linie has the particularity of being aged for about four months in sherry barrels and is described as being very smooth.

http://aquavitweek.com/aquavits-in-the-us/

How was the Occidental?

Edited December 7, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Vieux Carré]

I like the combination of flavors but it is a bit sweet. Next time I'll back off a bit on both the Grand Marnier and the Nonino.

Thanks for the article. I know too little about aquavit, but do like it.

[Vieux Carré]

Spurred on by the excellent sherry cocktails popping up everywhere these days, I went to the store and purchased a bottle of El Candado Pedro Ximenez Sherry, only bothering to educate myself on the different types of sherry after the fact.

Even if it wasn't the sherry I intended to buy, the PX sherry is terrific, potent stuff and inspired this as-yet unnamed drink (served up with a lemon peel expressed over it and then discarded):

1 1/2 oz. rye (Rittenhouse BIB)

1 1/2 oz. Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoléon Bas Armagnac)

3/4 oz. Cynar

5/8 oz. PX sherry (El Candado)

3 dashes orange bitters

Typically I buy a bottle of sherry once-a-year around this time of the year (but usually only one a year). What do people recommend as a good sherry that is both nice straight and excellent in cocktails?

[lesliec]

That's a tough one. PX is fantastic stuff with Christmas pud or blue cheese, and in a Rapscallion (et al). Fino or manzanilla are brilliant in summer, both alone or in things, but you may by climatically disadvantaged this time of year. I haven't tried cream sherry in a cocktail, but it's a delight with a bit of ice and orange zest - again, better in warmer weather.

On balance I might go for PX, but this may just reflect my love affair with the stuff.

[scubadoo97]

Last night, an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail:

1.5 oz Anchor Genevieve

.75 oz St. George Dry Rye

.25 oz Simple

.25 oz Leopold Bros. Maraschino

.125 oz Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe

Dash Miracle Mile Sour Cherry Bitters

Dash Bitter Truth Grapefruit Bitters

Grapefruit Twist Garnish

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Afterward, a pour of Four Roses Limited Edition Single Barrel (2012 Edition)...I used to say this was the best bourbon out there that no one really talked about, but that's certainly changing.

Do you know the ABV and recipe of the 4R bourbon?

I do love my Four Roses single barrel selections. Jim Rutledge is a great master distiller and a hell of a nice guy