Drinks! 2014 (Part 1)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I'm still not up to retrying a martini.  But after having enjoyed an Autumn in Jersey I thought I might make myself a Balaklava Special #2 and/or #1.  However since I was already drinking apple spirit rather than Cognac, I decided to experiment with a riff on Balaklava #1:

 

2 oz Laird's Bonded

1 oz kummel

dash raspberry syrup

 

 

Not bad and a little different.  Perhaps I should call this Autumn in Crimea...Balaklava being a bit closer to the fruit's purported birthspot of Kazakhstan than to New Jersey.

[haresfur]

Interesting. My alcohol education was, roughly:

Sweet juvenile crap (through high school only) > beer > Martinis & Scotch > Campari > Bitter cocktails > All craft cocktails, except sweet ones without bitterness

 

I liked Martinis from it git-go.

 

Proving his point, I think.

 

I'm not much of a Martini drinker but I think that it is a drink where the enjoyment is very sensitive to environmental variables like the ambiance, the weather, your mood, and probably the phase of the moon. I would at the very least try it again with a good friend or better yet made by a good friend or a qualified professional.  It's harder to feel pampered when you are doing the work.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Glass of Gosling's old before bed.

 

Speaking to haresfur's point, I can feel quite pamped by my own food and drink.

[KD1191]

Had martinis on the brain last night, but it was after dinner, so I wanted something a bit less bracing. I ended up with this:

 

2.5 oz Tanqueray Malacca

1 oz Noilly Prat Dry

2 barspoons Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

1/2 dropper Bittercube Orange Bitters

 

It was delicious enough that I went searching to find if it had a name...apparently, it's a sort of reverse Chanticleer.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Savoy Cocktail Book has something similar called a Snyder Cocktail.

[KD1191]

The Savoy Cocktail Book has something similar called a Snyder Cocktail.

 

Thanks, I'll also have to make the related Smiler Cocktail, as I'm fond of all things Bronxy.

[Czequershuus]

Had a Bees Knees last night using my small bottle of St. George Terroir Gin from the sampler pack. Damn, this is good gin.

[tanstaafl2]

Jo -- That's not inconsistent. I've only had one bottle of Vya. I liked it by itself, but I couldn't mix with it. It was just too bold. I'm still thinking the ratio and vermouth choice could be leading you astray. Fortunately, vermouth is cheap. If you don't like it, it's not the end of the world.

 

With the fairly rapid growth in different vermouths in the recent past there is something to be said for searching out and trying various ones on their own as well as in cocktails. I tend to prefer "sweet" vermouths by the glass but many of the dry and blanc styles work well with soda and a twist for me.

[ChrisTaylor]

Comforting favourites, as of late. Sazerac and The Man Comes Around.

[Hassouni]

Had a Bees Knees last night using my small bottle of St. George Terroir Gin from the sampler pack. Damn, this is good gin.

 

Sampler pack? Go on...

 

 

Personally, I've been away from the vice closet for the better part of two weeks, so barely squeaked in an aviation yesterday.

 

Otherwise, a beer here and there, some wonderful Vinoterra Kisi qvevri-aged unfiltered amber wine from Kakheti, Georgia, and last night, some Efe Rakı and Massaya 'araq with dinner. Word to the wise - 'araq and rakı are basically identical, except the former is 50-55% ABV to the latter's 40.

[Plantes Vertes]

Sampler pack? Go on...

 

 

A generous Gallic amphibian who swims the eG pond provided mine

[JoNorvelleWalker]

The recent mixing glass discussion had me wanting to assay a stirred libation.  First off was a Martinez (Ibibe! p 245):

 

1 oz Malacca

2 oz Carpano Antica (note: Carpano Antica bottle looks just like Chartreux VEP)

1 teaspoon maraschino

1 dash Angostura

 

 

No garnish, served with potato chips...on which I broke a tooth.  A fine cocktail (other than that), and one which I would make again.  Though contrary to the guidance, next time I would shake, not stir.  Switching back to peanuts.

 

 

Next off, William Schmidt's Weeper's Joy (Imbibe! pp 258,259):

 

1 oz Jade 1901

1 oz kummel

1 oz Carpano Antica

1/2 teaspoon FP Dry Curacao

1/2 teaspoon gum

 

 

Nice...a little different.  And now my mouth is numb.  All considered, maybe not a bad thing.

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Then went with Mississippi punch (Imbibe! pp 84,85):

 

2 oz FP cognac

1 oz Smith & Cross

1/2 oz arrack

1 1/4 tablespoon sugar (should have used less)

juice of a slightly rotting lemon

 

 

Mississippi punch is a favorite of mine, what can I say?

[Plantes Vertes]

...

1 1/4 tablespoon sugar (should have used less)

...

 

Is this the hooch talking?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Well, the recipe calls for a tablespoon of powdered sugar.  What I actually used was a slightly rounded tablespoon (roughly 1 1/4 tablespoon) of granulated sugar.  When I've made Mississippi punch before I've used a level tablespoon of granulated sugar, which I find works much better.  I blame Splilicator for not listing ingedients by weight.

[KD1191]

First off was a Martinez (Ibibe! p 245):

 

1 oz Malacca

2 oz Carpano Antica (note: Carpano Antica bottle looks just like Chartreux VEP)

1 teaspoon maraschino

1 dash Angostura

 

 

No garnish, served with potato chips...on which I broke a tooth.  A fine cocktail (other than that), and one which I would make again.  Though contrary to the guidance, next time I would shake, not stir.

 

Please don't bruise the gin. But, seriously, what makes you say that? Is it not cold enough, or did you not get enough dilution? Both could be remedied by stirring longer. If it's just the former, try chilling your mixing/serving glass and/or your ingredients.

[Hassouni]

Re: Splificator (Wondrich), at least he doesn't leave it at "wine-glass", making us wonder wtf a wine-glass is.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Hassouni (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Tom Walker's Maid in Cuba last night, as a nod to his win in the Bacardy Legacy Competition.

2 oz rum (Havana Club añejo), 1 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, shake with a handful of mint and 3 slices (Persian) cucumber, fine strain into a coupe rinsed with (St. George) abinsthe, top with club soda, cucumber slice garnish.

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Please don't bruise the gin. But, seriously, what makes you say that? Is it not cold enough, or did you not get enough dilution? Both could be remedied by stirring longer. If it's just the former, try chilling your mixing/serving glass and/or your ingredients.

 

It is a matter of texture of the drink.  I usually prefer the slight frothiness of a shaken beverage.  The Carpano Antica, mixing glass, and coupe were all well chilled.

[Hassouni]

Tom Walker's Maid in Cuba last night, as a nod to his win in the Bacardy Legacy Competition.

2 oz rum (Havana Club añejo), 1 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, shake with a handful of mint and 3 slices (Persian) cucumber, fine strain into a coupe rinsed with (St. George) abinsthe, top with club soda, cucumber slice garnish.

 

 

 

 

Ahh, best white rum EVER

[KD1191]

It is a matter of texture of the drink.  I usually prefer the slight frothiness of a shaken beverage.

 

This would seem to be another important data point in the earlier Martini discussion. There are certain drinks for which frothiness is anathema, among them the Martini & the Manhattan.

[Rafa]

Ahh, best white rum EVER

 

It is excellent. But what happened to your love for Wray & Nephew White Overproof, the Keith Moon of rums? 

[Tri2Cook]

Ahh, best white rum EVER

 

It is excellent. But what happened to your love for Wray & Nephew White Overproof, the Keith Moon of rums? 

Agreed. H.C. and W&N are the only two whites in my cabinet. I had others but as they were used up, I didn't bother replacing them.

[FrogPrincesse]

If I could only keep one white, it would have to be a rhum agricole!

Edited May 9, 2014 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Rafa]

How French of you.

 

I dig La Favorite Blanc. What's your favorite?