The What's In Your Liquor Cabinet? Thread

[Caliga]

Tequila is a liquor where probably more than any other, improvements in quality make a far superior product. Cheap tequila tastes like rocket fuel and isn't even worth using in margaritas.

Not sure I agree about the margs, but agree that tequila is the booze that improves the most when you move up from rail.

Cal, try a sip test.  Good tequila can be sipped like whiskey.

One thing I do know is that low quality tequila is fucking disgusting.  There's a cheapo brand (Cactus Jack?  ) that we got a bottle of once back in college... it was so fucking bad we pretty much couldn't drink margaritas made with it.

[Caliga]

That's a dumbass name.  Tell Princessa to track the naming dude down and punch him in the nuts.

I think all those people are based in Chicago.

[Admiral Yi]

I think all those people are based in Chicago.

So fucking what?  Does Princessa's nut punching arm fall off when you cross the state line?

[Caliga]

No, but she literally never has any reason to go up there.  I would guess eventually they will lay those folks off, though... it's a legacy of Beam previously being part of Fortune Brands, before it was spun off.

Now if you don't like something about one of their core bourbon products... as I understand it Fred Noe has final say over all of that stuff and his office is right across the hall from hers, so nut-punching is entirely possible in that case.

[derspiess]

I still have at least 6 bottles of unopened Jack my former boss and mentor gave me.

Nobody has ever gifted me with a bottle of liquor.  Ever. 

[Ed Anger]

I still have at least 6 bottles of unopened Jack my former boss and mentor gave me.

Nobody has ever gifted me with a bottle of liquor.  Ever. 

I use them to make Ed's special sauce.

[fhdz]

Not sure I agree about the margs, but agree that tequila is the booze that improves the most when you move up from rail.

Man, I have had some pretty shitty margaritas.

[Iormlund]

Haven't tasted alcohol in over 2 years but I think I have a bottle of wine someone gave to me sitting around somewhere.

[CountDeMoney]

CAL'S REVIEW OF RĪ(1) BY JIM BEAM:

Neat: Very nice legs, still clinging to the glass a full ten minutes after swirling.  Nose is very sweet, almost like Maker's Mark level sweetness.  Hints of rock candy, licorice and vanilla but not particularly spicy.  Taste is interesting... not really like any other whiskey I've ever tasted.  Smoother and stronger than I expected (according to the label, it's 92 proof), yet not nearly as sweet as a bourbon.  Strong earthy tones vaguely reminiscent of Laphroiag (and in fact the color is more of a Scotch color than a Bourbon color).... this reminds me more of a Scotch than a Bourbon which is odd because it was distilled in Clermont, KY with (I presume) the local limestone water.  Overall the taste is pretty unremarkable and doesn't have much in the way of spicy notes, which from what I hear of ryes  is supposed to part of their draw.  It is however exceptionally smooth, which like I said is a nice surprise.  Very, very light mouthfeel.

Cut with a splash of water: Really no difference in the nose at all, except I detect a slight band-aid/phenol odor now.  The water really seems to bring out the spiciness though.  Notes of cherry, licorice, more earthy, a bit of chocolate.  Even more Scotch-like.

Overall, I think this is an ok spirit.  I wouldn't recommend it neat because it's too bland, but it'd probably also work well as a mixer.  In general it reminds me of Scotch.  If you blindfolded me and had me taste it, I would probably guess that's what it was, although it's a bit less woody than the Scotches I'm used to (so I'd probably guess it was cheap Scotch).  It is remarkably 'light' in character, which to me isn't a good thing, but probably also reinforces it as a good mixing spirit.

I got the bottle free, but I believe it retails for $50.  IMO that's way, way overpriced given what you're getting here.

CAL'S GRADE: C

Congrats;  you've leapfrogged wine snobs to prove whiskey snobs are just as douchebaggy.

[Caliga]

Thanks for the compliment.

[Jacob]

So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?

[garbon]

I still have at least 6 bottles of unopened Jack my former boss and mentor gave me.

Nobody has ever gifted me with a bottle of liquor.  Ever. 

I use them to make Ed's special sauce.

So that's how you became so fertile?

[garbon]

Congrats;  you've leapfrogged wine snobs to prove whiskey snobs are just as douchebaggy.

[Caliga]

So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?

Bourbon comes from Kentucky, broseph.

[garbon]

So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?

Bourbon comes from Kentucky, broseph.

Euro snob, meet Kentucky snobbery.