What did you buy at the liquor store today? (2014 – 2015)

[FrogPrincesse]

More ideas in the Aquavit Cocktails thread.

[cakewalk]

Aperol. Because I saw these cupcakes on Tastespotting, and I couldn't resist. http://buttersugarflowers.com/2015/02/14/aperol-spritz-cupcakes-sweet-sour-scrumptious/

[sbumgarner]

Bought a bottle of Linie aquavit recently. Interesting flavor, lighter caraway than I expected. Looking forward to finding some cocktails for it.

 

 

The Hagar and Helga from Pouring Ribbons is delicious, and calls specifically for the aged Linie.

 

http://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/10/05/hagar-and-helga-cocktail

[Fernet-Bronco]

This may not be appropriate here, in which case I can post a new thread, but...

I ordered some small glass spray bottles ("atomizers"?) and thought I had bought two--one for absinthe and an extra for pastis or chartreuse. Turns out I bought a dozen and with return shipping there's no point sending them back.

What should I use the extras on? Was thinking:

Absinthe

Pastis(es)

Arak

G. Chartreuse

Y. Chartreuse

Ango/other bitters?

???

What else do you keep in an atomizer?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I don't use atomizers but I use dropper bottles for absinthe, saline, tincture of cinnamon, and all sorts of good things.

[FrogPrincesse]

I use mine for absinthe, violet liqueur, orange blossom water, Laphroaig...

[EvergreenDan]

An actual atomizer makes a spray so fine that it stays in suspension as an aerosol. I am now imagining my craft bartender putting down my drink and spraying a fog of Laphroag. He has a big handlebar mustache, suspenders, and a vest, of course. 

[KD1191]

I am now imagining my craft bartender putting down my drink and spraying a fog of Laphroag.

 

...which would still be better than some alternatives.

[GarethLangston]

I have a spray bottle for mescal and another which contains a tincture of pickled onion monster munch, which I use instead of onions in a Gibson.

Shamelessly stole the idea from the talented Mr Fox, although theirs is a distilled spirit.

[ChrisTaylor]

 

I don't own any white dog so I'm curious to see if the poitin will serve as a near-enough-is-good-enough stand-in for all my new make spirit needs. I suspect this 500mL bottle will last me a good long while.

 

The PX and plonk are cheapies. The PX, which I've had before, is perfectly serviceable for cocktail use. The red wine is purely so I can make a beta cocktails cocktail that is based on poitin.

 

The tequila was one that someone on here recommended to me ages ago. I'd seen minis available, briefly, months ago when the tequila was introduced to the Australian market but hadn't got around to buying one before they disappeared. I spotted a handful of them in a store today and figured I'd give it a go. I mean, I'm normally not swayed by fancy bottles--that rum that comes in a bottle that's a bit like a shrunken head, the other rum that's in a wonky bottle, that vodka that's in a skull-shaped bottle--but this looks kind of cool.

[pto]

A colleague brought me yesterday from New Zealand and a few weeks back from the UK.

 

Surprised that the Coruba is only 37 abv...almost approaching liqueur, wonder why they didn't at least go for 40?

[ChrisTaylor]

Coruba is very cheap. That may have something to do with it. 

[pto]

Coruba is very cheap. That may have something to do with it. 

 

Seems quite highly regarded in Tiki circles as a lower shelf dark rum though, most seem to prefer over Myers or Cruzan blackstrap. I haven't tried it yet as it's not available here. I did notice that the images of older bottle lables state 40%.

[ChrisTaylor]

I bought some in Australia. <40%, too. I don't know anything about NZ prices--Les?--but down here (or, say, next door) alcohol is very heavily taxed. I've wondered if selling something at just-this-side-of-40%, as opposed to 40%, is a way of avoiding some kind of tax bracket and having to charge consumers that little bit more.

[Craig E]

I was surprised to learn that Beefeater gin is made at a lower proof for markets outside the U.S., based on just such a tax-avoidance calculation.

[pto]

I was surprised to learn that Beefeater gin is made at a lower proof for markets outside the U.S., based on just such a tax-avoidance calculation.

 

Here you can choose between 40 and 47 with Beefeater and same with Tanqueray "normal" at 40 and an "Export Strength version at 47.5, similar with Gordons and Bombay. Just depends on which shop you go to as to which they carry. Seems like the higher proof ones are actually cheaper or at least the same price.

 

All the US made stuff sold here(Bulleit, Sazerac, etc) is the same as in US, but for some reason Buffalo Trace bourbon is 40% (label shows that it was bought from a UK distributor) annoying. UK must have tougher regs or much higher taxes on over 40 and maybe Austrailia is the same.

[FrogPrincesse]

A colleague brought me yesterday from New Zealand and a few weeks back from the UK.

 

Surprised that the Coruba is only 37 abv...almost approaching liqueur, wonder why they didn't at least go for 40?

The US version (labelled "dark" instead of "original blend") is 40%

[tanstaafl2]

Seems quite highly regarded in Tiki circles as a lower shelf dark rum though, most seem to prefer over Myers or Cruzan blackstrap. I haven't tried it yet as it's not available here. I did notice that the images of older bottle lables state 40%.

 

Most likely has to do with the market it is sold in. I am not sure you can bring in a base spirit to the US at less than 80 proof but I know some bourbons in Australia are sold at lower proof so that may be the case for NZ as well. As FP notes Coruba here (when I can find it as it is not in my neck of the woods in Atlanta) is 40% ABV.

[ChrisTaylor]

[EvergreenDan]

Chris, you're not going to like the Wormwood Society's review of Grand Absente:

http://wormwoodsociety.org/index.php/component/content/article/20-all-product-reviews/traditional-absinthe/424-grande-absente

[ChrisTaylor]

*shrugs*

 

It's the first bottle of absinthe I've owned. I can't say I've even really tried absinthe much: once straight from a random bottle haresfur produced, a few times in cocktails. I doubt my standards are anywhere near as high as theirs. And I also suspect it'll take me so long to finish the stuff that buying a second bottle--Lucid, say--would be wasteful. 

 

EDIT

Tasting it with water--I can live without the sugar--it seems okay. It may well be 'average' but I guess it's like if your first ever bourbon is, I don't know, Wild Turkey or Elijah Craig. They mightn't be the best in the category but they're a rather welcoming introduction.

[haresfur]

*shrugs*

 

It's the first bottle of absinthe I've owned. I can't say I've even really tried absinthe much: once straight from a random bottle haresfur produced

 

 

 

Obsello

[rlibkind]

Slivovitz

[pto]

[Hassouni]

Good stuff. MGXO has apparently been reduced a bit in quality with each bottle design change (no age statement, so legally they can do whatever they want) - but I find the stuff in that design bottle still very nice.