I was looking at a whiskey review website earlier and realized I actually have a lot of the top rated whiskeys on there. So I thought it might be a fun exercise to list out the contents of my 'liquor cabinet' and give notes about what I like to drink and how I like to drink it. Feel free to contribute thoughts about your own collections and drinking habits.
I keep a small 'bar' in my upstairs office with my favorite whiskies, along with a brandy snifter and a hurricane lamp-style bulb glass. Upstairs I have:
The Dalmore Cigar Malt Single Highland Malt Scotch
Knob Creek 9-year Small Batch Bourbon
Laphroaig Islay 10-year Single Malt Scotch
Laphroaig Islay 10-year Single Malt Cask Strength (58.6%) Scotch Whisky
The Glenlivet French Oak Reserve 15-year Single Malt Scotch
Sandeman Ruby Port
I generally drink all of the above neat or just cut slightly with water, excepting the Laphroaig Cask Strength, which I haven't cracked open yet. Generally, I prefer the Laphroaig and Knob Creek as my sipping whiskies of choice. I also like to make Old Fashioneds with the Knob Creek, but my favorite bourbon for an Old Fashioned is Basil Hayden's, of which I have two bottles at home I've yet to crack open. :blush:
We also have a sort of mini-bar in the kitchen, most often used to mix cocktails with. Right now it has:
Jim Beam White Label (typically I won't drink this; more often we use it to cook with or maybe as a cocktail mixer, but it's too bland and rough to drink straight IMO)
Cruzan Coconut Rum
Cruzan Aged Rum
Cruzan Pineapple Rum
Cruzan Black Rum
Christian Brothers Mixing Brandy
Grand Marnier
El Tesoro Tequila
Jose Cuervo Tequila
Tres Generaciones Tequila
Pinnacle Whipped Cream Vodka
Absolut Vanilla Vodka
The rums are used to make Turks and Caicos Rum Punch, which I picked up when I was there in November and have made on a regular basis since because it's so damn delicious. :cool:
Maybe tomorrow I'll go downstairs and inventory the liquor I keep in my full bar down there. I have a hell of a lot more bourbon down there, including Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve (the latter being what I consider to be the best bourbon that's not limited run and/or insanely expensive (e.g. William Larue Weller)).
Jesus Christ, drinking problem much there, Cal? LBJ didn't have that much shit.
Cloverland Chocolate Milk.
I get a lot of it for free. :P
Two unopened bottles of Wild Turkey Rare Breed bought in 2001 and 2003.
and some Desarono or whatever that shit is.
Hm.
Captain Morgan (the gigantic party jug version that was never finished off)
Pyrat XO
Spirit of Texas Rum (from some local-ish distillery)
Kraken (currently being unleashed)
Rebecca Creek Whiskey (another local booze)
Knob Creek Rye
Laphroaig 10
Glenlivet 12
Glenlivet 18
Bombay Sapphire
El Mayor Tequila
I have a bottle of Grand Marnier for mixing with coffee and ice-cream.
Bacardi White Rum
Stolichnaya Vodka
Sierra Tequila
Gordon's Dry Gin
Lagavulin Single Islay Malt 16 Years
Laphroaig Single Islay Malt 10 Years
Cragganmore Single Speyside Malt 12 Years
Connemara Turf Mor Peated Single Malt Small Batch Collection
Leaving out beer and wine...
Fukumitsuya Kagatobi Ai (junmai daiginjo)
Hakutsuru Excellent Junmai (junmai)
unidentified bottle of sake (all the writing on the label is in Japanese)
An unopened bottle of Gekkeikan sake :yuk:
Choryo Shuzo plumwine
Aberfeldy 12 y/o
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Ancnoc 12 y/o
Lagavulin 16 y/o
Glenfiddich 12 y/o
Longmorn 15 y/o
Baileys
Malibu
Quinta do Castos lattle bottle vintage port
Wuliangye 15 y/o (2005)
Wuliangye (1994)
Kweichow Moutai (that's the one they serve at all official CPC and PRC functions - I vastly prefer the Wuliangye)
Two more bottles of Wuliangye (no year)
Two bottles of Aha Toro tequila - one red, one green
A terrible bottle of Starbucks branded Kahlua knockoff
Bombay Sapphire
Martini Dry
Two bottles of "Viking Blood" - a mead from Denmark, bought at the National Museum in Copenhagen
Nothing.
I got vodka, for my mixes, and Y-light plus B-Light.
Thats it.
well, kosher wine too.
Jake, how does that Chinese stuff compare to say bourbon or scotch?
Quote from: Monoriu on May 26, 2013, 11:10:07 PM
I have a bottle of Grand Marnier for mixing with coffee and ice-cream.
Mono you're back, I feared you were MIA. :hug:
Quote from: Jacob on May 27, 2013, 12:45:42 AM
Leaving out beer and wine...
(...)
Quinta do Castos lattle bottle vintage port
(...)
That's wine, if fortified. :contract:
Quote from: Duque de Bragança on May 27, 2013, 10:41:17 AMThat's wine, if fortified. :contract:
Good catch. Psychologically I treat fortified wines as liqueurs not wine, but oint conceded.
Quote from: Caliga on May 27, 2013, 07:21:36 AM
Jake, how does that Chinese stuff compare to say bourbon or scotch?
It's stronger, for one; usually 90 to 110 proof or so. That took a bit of adjustment. The better stuff has, IMO, the same level of complexity as a good single malt, but in a completely different part of the palette.
Quote from: mongers on May 27, 2013, 07:56:03 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on May 26, 2013, 11:10:07 PM
I have a bottle of Grand Marnier for mixing with coffee and ice-cream.
Mono you're back, I feared you were MIA. :hug:
I'm surprised that someone noticed :ph34r:
Quote from: Monoriu on May 27, 2013, 11:12:56 AM
I'm surprised that someone noticed :ph34r:
We noticed.
I was worried about you :hug:
Quote from: katmai on May 27, 2013, 03:19:19 AM
Nothing.
This. I only drink liquor on parties or in bars.
Quote from: Monoriu on May 27, 2013, 11:12:56 AM
Quote from: mongers on May 27, 2013, 07:56:03 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on May 26, 2013, 11:10:07 PM
I have a bottle of Grand Marnier for mixing with coffee and ice-cream.
Mono you're back, I feared you were MIA. :hug:
I'm surprised that someone noticed :ph34r:
Welcome back! :)
Quote from: Monoriu on May 27, 2013, 11:12:56 AM
Quote from: mongers on May 27, 2013, 07:56:03 AM
Quote from: Monoriu on May 26, 2013, 11:10:07 PM
I have a bottle of Grand Marnier for mixing with coffee and ice-cream.
Mono you're back, I feared you were MIA. :hug:
I'm surprised that someone noticed :ph34r:
Motherfucker!
Several kinds of scotch. They vary, but usually some combination of Balvenie, Macallan, Glenmorangie, Glenfarclas, Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Dalwhinnie, Glenlivet and Glenfiddich. In roughly that order of preference.
Usually some vodka--we like to try various things, but there's almost always some Smirnoff, Stoli and Goose at least. Never flavored though.
There's the odd Bailey's and a caramel Bailey's, neither of which get much attention. There's a bottle of Red Stag that the wife thought might be interesting, but it's been sitting in the back untouched since I tasted it. Disgusting.
Wife likes good tequila, and usually has some silver Patron around.
There is a bit of Cachaca that I got to try it out. I wasn't too impressed with it, but I haven't attempted to make a proper caipirinha with it yet.
I stopped buying wine some time ago because I was buying it faster than I was drinking it. I think I had maybe 20 cases at that point. I'm down to about 60 bottles now and everything I have left is too good to share with company. :P
My next house might need a wine cellar.
I have a beer fridge in the garage too. :lol:
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 27, 2013, 02:06:39 PM
There's the odd Bailey's and a caramel Bailey's, neither of which get much attention. There's a bottle of Red Stag that the wife thought might be interesting, but it's been sitting in the back untouched since I tasted it. Disgusting.
:( That's a Beam product, and as such Princesca forced me to try it also.
"Isn't it good?"
"Yes honey."
:x
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 27, 2013, 02:06:39 PM
Wife likes good tequila, and usually has some silver Patron around.
My boss swears by that shit. Is it really so much better than typical tequila? I'm hardly a tequila connoisseur so I really have no way to tell by taste.
My liquor cabinet is always woefully understocked. I tend to keep just enough on hand for what I will consume in the next few months. None of the people we have over at our house ever wants to drink anything decent, anyway :mellow:
I have enough to stock a liquor store. I dont drink often and when I do I drink wine. I get a lot of gifts of other kinds of booze and those just sit around forever.
Every once in a while I gather up a bunch of bottles and give them away. Especially the Scotch. Why do people always give Scotch? :( Is it just that they they are also just passing it along.
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 28, 2013, 11:38:20 AM
I have enough to stock a liquor store. I dont drink often and when I do I drink wine. I get a lot of gifts of other kinds of booze and those just sit around forever.
Every once in a while I gather up a bunch of bottles and give them away. Especially the Scotch. Why do people always give Scotch? :( Is it just that they they are also just passing it along.
They should give bourbon instead. More money for Cal. :)
I am almost out of Buffalo Trace. Need to pick up a bottle on my way home tonight. Maybe some Knob Creek as well.
Btw, I have a couple liter bottles of Jenever gathering dust in my cabinet from my trip to Holland a few years ago. Does anyone know of any good drink recipes using that stuff? Wife is having her co-workers over this Friday & I'd like to make use of some of it.
Quote from: derspiess on May 28, 2013, 11:56:27 AM
I am almost out of Buffalo Trace. Need to pick up a bottle on my way home tonight. Maybe some Knob Creek as well.
I think you need Knob Creek, yes. :whistle:
What about some Basil Hayden's instead of Buffalo Trace? :sleep:
Quote from: Caliga on May 28, 2013, 11:15:26 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 27, 2013, 02:06:39 PM
Wife likes good tequila, and usually has some silver Patron around.
My boss swears by that shit. Is it really so much better than typical tequila? I'm hardly a tequila connoisseur so I really have no way to tell by taste.
Dude I don't know. She likes it. I'm not that into tequila either.
Well given the price differential, it damn well better be.
Quote from: Caliga on May 28, 2013, 11:59:30 AM
I think you need Knob Creek, yes. :whistle:
It may not be my favorite bourbon these days (though still a close second), but it was the first small batch bourbon I tasted, and you never forget your first. I think I first tried it the first year it was bottled. And of course the bottle is cool as hell.
QuoteWhat about some Basil Hayden's instead of Buffalo Trace? :sleep:
How about I stick with the Buffalo Trace and just mail you a dollar.
I brought a bottle of JD Single Cask home today.
Quote from: derspiess on May 28, 2013, 12:09:50 PM
How about I stick with the Buffalo Trace and just mail you a dollar.
Ok. :cool:
Quote from: Syt on May 28, 2013, 12:33:13 PM
I brought a bottle of JD Single Cask home today.
JD is the competition (Brown-Forman), but it's so damn good that you are forgiven, my son.
...which reminds me: at the tail end of my Alabama trip I stopped by the JD distillery and toured it. I need to finish up that AAR.
Quote from: Caliga on May 28, 2013, 12:39:35 PM
Quote from: Syt on May 28, 2013, 12:33:13 PM
I brought a bottle of JD Single Cask home today.
JD is the competition (Brown-Forman), but it's so damn good that you are forgiven, my son.
My parents had a bottle that one of my American brother in laws polished off. To make up for it he bought a new special bottle, hand labeled, in a fancy decanter. I used to sip secretly from the bottle, and my parents' liquor cabinet smelled of JD. I think it's about the only whiskey I recognize immediately by smell. Well probably also Connemara, but I haven't tried many other peated whiskies.
I just brought up a bottle of Jim Beam (rī)1 from the bar and shall review it shortly. I don't think I've ever had straight rye before. :blush:
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I've got a bottle of Bulleit, a bottle of Ardmore, and a bottle of a local vodka. And some bitters. There's also a bunch of weird mixer-type liqueurs and such that I never use.
I still have at least 6 bottles of unopened Jack my former boss and mentor gave me.
Quote from: Caliga on May 28, 2013, 11:15:26 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 27, 2013, 02:06:39 PM
Wife likes good tequila, and usually has some silver Patron around.
My boss swears by that shit. Is it really so much better than typical tequila? I'm hardly a tequila connoisseur so I really have no way to tell by taste.
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.
Quote from: fahdiz on May 31, 2013, 07:51:03 PM
Quote from: Caliga on May 28, 2013, 11:15:26 AM
Quote from: MadImmortalMan on May 27, 2013, 02:06:39 PM
Wife likes good tequila, and usually has some silver Patron around.
My boss swears by that shit. Is it really so much better than typical tequila? I'm hardly a tequila connoisseur so I really have no way to tell by taste.
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.
Absolutely true, this is the case with Tequila! Silver Patron is great stuff, the Anejo is awesome as well.
Quote from: fahdiz on May 31, 2013, 07:51:03 PM
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.
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
That's a dumbass name. Tell Princessa to track the naming dude down and punch him in the nuts.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on May 31, 2013, 08:22:32 PM
That's a dumbass name. Tell Princessa to track the naming dude down and punch him in the nuts.
Concur.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on May 31, 2013, 08:00:07 PM
Quote from: fahdiz on May 31, 2013, 07:51:03 PM
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? :hmm: ) 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. :x
Quote from: Admiral Yi on May 31, 2013, 08:22:32 PM
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.
Quote from: Caliga on May 31, 2013, 08:27:02 PM
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?
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. :hmm:
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. :cool:
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 31, 2013, 07:49:50 PM
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. :(
Quote from: derspiess on May 31, 2013, 08:38:12 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 31, 2013, 07:49:50 PM
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.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on May 31, 2013, 08:00:07 PM
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.
Haven't tasted alcohol in over 2 years but I think I have a bottle of wine someone gave to me sitting around somewhere.
Quote from: Caliga on May 31, 2013, 08:21:01 PM
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.
Thanks for the compliment. :)
So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 31, 2013, 08:48:21 PM
Quote from: derspiess on May 31, 2013, 08:38:12 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 31, 2013, 07:49:50 PM
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?
Quote from: CountDeMoney on June 01, 2013, 06:34:49 AM
Congrats; you've leapfrogged wine snobs to prove whiskey snobs are just as douchebaggy.
:yes:
Quote from: Jacob on June 01, 2013, 10:42:56 AM
So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?
:huh: Bourbon comes from Kentucky, broseph. :)
Quote from: Caliga on June 01, 2013, 12:17:55 PM
Quote from: Jacob on June 01, 2013, 10:42:56 AM
So hey Cal, have you tried any good Canadian Bourbon?
:huh: Bourbon comes from Kentucky, broseph. :)
Euro snob, meet Kentucky snobbery. :lol:
:huh: That's no more snobbery than saying Scotch comes from Scotland.
According to wiki the requirement by many countries is just that it is made somewhere in the US. Says Canadian law requires bourbon labeled products to come from US! Reminds me of champagne discussions, that's all. -_-
Yeah, it's pretty much identical to the champagne argument.
I'll be establishing a liquor cabinet soon! What is a good first addition? Something that brings immediate sophistication and refinement to an otherwise classless joint.
Quote from: Jaron on June 02, 2013, 01:04:17 PM
I'll be establishing a liquor cabinet soon! What is a good first addition? Something that brings immediate sophistication and refinement to an otherwise classless joint.
Any single malt.
Cognac works too, but don't get that until you have 4 snifters.
Just had my friend from primary school to say, a vicar who's currently a chaplain in one of the toughest prisons in the UK. Having previously been something of a mixologist, she's currently dating a former alcoholic and joining him in abstinence, so she's gifting her cocktail cabinet to friends. I inherited a bottle and half of Zubrowka and a bottle of Krupnik. Well, Marty hasn't been to London in FOREVER!
Also port and advocaat which have been open so long as to be rancid, some amaretto that's getting a bit crusty, emergency tequila and some tangerine flavour liqueur in a bottle the shape of the fruit, won for me as a joke by a friend in a raffle.
Quote from: Brazen on June 02, 2013, 02:02:21 PM
Just had my friend from primary school to say, a vicar
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:hmm:
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CAL'S REVIEW OF BASIL HAYDEN'S BY JIM BEAM:
Neat: Nose is sweetish and smells of honey, cloves, pine, and vanilla. Taste is much lighter than typical bourbon (which makes sense since it's only 80 proof), but still warm and earthy. Not particularly complex, but certainly not offensive or unpleasant. Goes down quite smoothly. I detect a butterscotch note too, which is unexpected but not off-putting. There's a honey-like taste along with the honey odor, which is definitely agreeable.
Cut with a splash of water: Same scents, but they seem stronger and spicier somehow. I'm really noticing the pine note at this point, too. There's an interesting chocolate-like aftertaste when it's cut that I didn't notice at all when I tried it neat. Surprisingly, it's really not any smoother when cut.
Ok, so this is hardly the first time I've had Basil Hayden's. It's another of the boutique Bourbons Beam produces now, and it's the 'lightest' of them at only 80 proof. I think it'd be a great bourbon for someone who is trying to get into whiskey since it's weaker (on the flip side, a novice should definitely NOT try Booker's straight, which is like ~120 proof). :ph34r: I don't think I've ever had Basil Hayden's straight before, though: I often get it in an Old Fashioned and have mixed them myself with both this and Knob Creek. Overall, this bourbon is easy to drink and has mildly pleasant characteristics.
A 750 ml bottle retails for ~$50. I still think it's a bit too expensive, but not nearly as overpriced as that rye stuff.
CAL'S GRADE: B
Oh, on a related note: Princesca told me some fucking idiot at the Frankfort plant accidentally mixed Canadian Club, Jim Beam, and Laphroaig together in one of their bottling tanks, which potentially ruined $110,000 worth of product. :lol: It's a huge nightmare for them because they dont' know what to do with the resulting Frankenstein liquor. At first they talked about denaturing or dumping it, but that of course would result in a huge write-off. One of the other options they're looking at is exporting it back to Windsor to the Canadian Club distillery and back-mixing it into CC until it's diluted to the point that it can just be sold as Canadian Club, but that's proving to be a massive red tape nightmare.
And yes... it has been tasted, and no, it doesn't taste great. It apparently tastes like weak Laphroaig because Laphroaig's characteristics overwhelm the other two liquors, even though the Scotch was the smallest component by percentage that went into the tank. Not all manufacturing fuck-ups result in a new, ossum invention :(
Quote from: Caliga on June 21, 2013, 08:05:55 PM
It apparently tastes like weak Laphroaig because Laphroaig's characteristics overwhelm the other two liquors, even though the Scotch was the smallest component by percentage that went into the tank.
Peaty... tastes like real dirt.
I was hoping the guy who tasted it would turn into Swamp Thing or The Hulk or something. :(
Quote from: Caliga on June 21, 2013, 08:05:55 PM
One of the other options they're looking at is exporting it back to Windsor to the Canadian Club distillery and back-mixing it into CC until it's diluted to the point that it can just be sold as Canadian Club, but that's proving to be a massive red tape nightmare.
One would hope it's a red tape nightmare for a variety of reasons.
Quote from: Caliga on June 21, 2013, 07:58:27 PM
A 750 ml bottle retails for ~$50. I still think it's a bit too expensive, but not nearly as overpriced as that rye stuff.
CAL'S GRADE: B
I tried that for the first time on national bourbon day. I pretty much agree with your assessment, but I didn't pay $50. I think it was $39 IIRC. Liquor prices can vary a lot by state. I liked that it didn't come on way too sweet. Sometimes bourbons strike me that way, and it's one of the main reasons I prefer scotch most of the time.
Yeah, I'll eventually do a review of Knob Creek, which I like better for drinking straight, but I really do like this stuff too.
I picked up a bottle of Knob Creek (small batch, 9 years, 50%vol) today.
Quote from: Syt on August 10, 2013, 08:32:06 AM
I picked up a bottle of Knob Creek (small batch, 9 years, 50%vol) today.
Thank you for your support. :cool:
Found a bottle of Lagavullin on sale over the weekend. First time I bought Scotch in a while.
Spiders.
As of right now:
Jameson
Bombay Sapphire
Alize XO
Wild Turkey 101
Pusser's British Navy
Maker's Mark
Core apple vodka
Tito's vodka
Glen Moray
Sauza light tequila
Bacardi light rum
Malibu coconut rum
Baileys
Seagram's Seven
Some generic creme de cacao
Everclear (but that is just for cleaning my pipe)
The scotch and rum tend to rotate
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CAL'S REVIEW OF TEACHER'S HIGHLAND CREAM BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY:
Neat: Nose is spicy and smells of smoky peat, butter, band-aids (!). Taste is... hmmmm... interesting... vanilla, wood, lemon, apples. Much, much smoother than I was expecting. I could practically chug this stuff straight, I think.
Cut with a splash of water: Doesn't seem to do much to the flavor, really. I taste mostly the same things. Maybe a little more of the peat and woodiness now. It's very crisp and light but I felt like it was that way when neat, too.
For some reason I was thinking this stuff would be junk but it's really delicious. I suspect there's quite a bit of Islay in the blend because I can taste some definite smoky peat notes but it's not overwhelming like with say Laphroaig (which I love, but the smokiness is kind of overwhelming in it).
A 750 ml bottle retails for ~$30, I think. I strongly recommend trying it if you like Scotch.
CAL'S GRADE: A-
You are worse than a wine snob.
Popping in to say I do not like Red Stag straight. People mix it with lemonade, and that shit is good. But I would no more drink that straight than I would drink Jim Beam Maple straight, which as far as I'm concerned is really only good boiled down for a completely kickass pancake syrup. I speak from experience. And possibly a nice glaze for a salmon steak?
Bourbon-wise, I generally prefer white dog to bourbon (blasphemy, I know) but when I drink bourbon, I'm a Basil Hayden girl. Lately, at work, I've been mixing Knob Creek and ginger ale. Though at our last "Thirsty Thursday" I went uber girly and did strawberry shortcake vodka with ginger ale. Mock, but it was yummy.
The "Eccentric Elmer" is still my favorite bourbon drink, though.
The Eccentric Elmer is a relatively smooth bourbon cocktail, sweet with a hint of bitterness. Note that it is important to use cranberry juice cocktail, not cranberry juice. If cranberry juice cocktail is not available in your area, substitute cranberry juice and add 1 tbsp of superfine sugar to the drink before shaking.
Serves: 1
Ingredients
1 oz bourbon (Gotta be Old Granddad)
½ oz triple sec
3 oz cranberry juice cocktail
dash Angostura bitters
Garnish
Lime wedge
Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
Add bourbon, triple sec, bitters, and cranberry juice cocktail to shaker.
Shake well.
Put a few ice cubes into an old-fashioned glass.
Strain cocktail into glass.
Garnish with lime wedge.
M'sieur can we make one of these this weekend maybe?
You may all return to your regular programming.
And hi. :)
Smack Cal for me. Thanks.
Quote from: Princesca on November 22, 2013, 09:08:03 PM
M'sieur can we make one of these this weekend maybe?
Yes baby.
And crap, we need to pick up another bottle of Harvey's. I still have a bunch of money I have to spend before year end. I'd say we're pretty well set on bourbon (to put it mildly). Um... we have tequila too. What about brandy? We can get Fundador for free... we have a big bottle of Courvoisier, so we don't need any of that. We have a lot of vodka but it's raspberry vanilla :ph34r:.
Quote from: Caliga on November 22, 2013, 08:53:06 PM
CAL'S REVIEW OF TEACHER'S HIGHLAND CREAM BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY:
CAL'S GRADE: A-
Teacher's Highland Cream is shit.
Very little. I need to stock up next week when in Massachusetts. Right now only got:
Kahlua
Aperol
Prosecco
Sherry
Cointreau
Ouzo (which will stay in my apt until I have a house party and trick guests into drinking it)
Not drinking this and it's definitely not in my cabinet but thought i'd share. Took this pic on my phone, it's a the liquor store a few blocks away:
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With prices like that I always wonder, "Why the .29?"
Middle class.
Someone's liquor store is asking to burnt down.
Quote from: Syt on November 23, 2013, 12:50:54 AM
With prices like that I always wonder, "Why the .29?"
Maybe so that when sales tax is added in it comes to an even number?
Quote from: Admiral Yi on November 23, 2013, 03:52:40 AM
Quote from: Syt on November 23, 2013, 12:50:54 AM
With prices like that I always wonder, "Why the .29?"
Maybe so that when sales tax is added in it comes to an even number?
The thought had crossed my mind, but I didn't want to start another debate that not showing the tax on the price tag is a strange and weird American custom. :P
I have some Glenfiddich. Not the 50 year though :(
It'd be really tedious to list it all out. So in our basement we have half of it converted into a room with three rows of movie theater style seating and a large digital projector setup (I can hardly watch movies even on the 60"+ LCDs anymore) and the other half of the basement is basically a legitimate full bar. So basically any cocktail a "normal" person would order at a bar, I have all the alcoholic ingredients stocked down there. Since I don't really drink cocktails except for special occasions, I only stock the perishable components when I know I'm having people over (so I'll go buy fruits, cream etc prior to a party and put it in the food fridge down there.)
Even listing all the whiskeys out that I have would be tedious. We also have around 300+ bottles of wine down there as well, which I am only guessing at because we have three 130 bottle racks mostly full at the moment.
But some selected whiskeys that are worth mentioning would be (these are all widely available as in not limited runs though some are hard to find, I won't list out any that are only available in hundreds or low thousands of bottles total):
Single Malt
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old
Glengarioch 21 Year Old
Glenmorangie Nectar D'or
Springbank 11 Year Old
Talisker Storm
Woodstone Creek Whiskey Barrel Bierschnaaps (American single malt whiskey, not Scotch)
Blended Scotch
Chivas 18 Year Old
Black Bottle 10 Year Old
Dewar's Founder's 18 Year Old
Johnnie Walker Double Black
Bourbon
Angel's Envy 43.3%
Four Roses Barrel Strength 13 Year Old 52.1%
George T. Stagg 71.4%
Knob Creek Single Barrel 9 Year Old
Vintage Bourbon 17 Year Old
Irish Whikey
Bushmills 1608
Connemara Bog Oak
Connemara Turf Mor
Kilbeggan 18 Year Old
Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel
Redbreast 12 Year Old (Single Pot Still)
Wild Geese Classic Blend
The Tyrconnell, 10 year old, Port Cask Finish
Rye Whiskey
Knob Creek Rye 50%
Masterson's Straight Rye
(ri)1
Rittenhouse Rye
Thomas H. Handy Rye 63.45%
Vintage Rye 21 Year Old 47%
WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey 10 Year Old
OVB... how are Tyrconnell, Connemara, and Kilbeggan? We own them but I've never had them.
Antica Carpano sweet vermouth
Vya Sweet Vermouth
Vya Dry Vermouth
Triple Sec
Boru Vodka
Heaven Hill #1
Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters
Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters
Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters
Peychaud's Bitters
Angostura Bitters
Strelets No. 1 (lavender Vodka that I infused)
Strelets No. 2 (cucumber vodka that I infused)
Mostly, I drink beer.
Quote from: Princesca on November 23, 2013, 09:07:59 AM
OVB... how are Tyrconnell, Connemara, and Kilbeggan? We own them but I've never had them.
:hmm:
:hug:
Quote from: Princesca on November 23, 2013, 09:07:59 AM
OVB... how are Tyrconnell, Connemara, and Kilbeggan? We own them but I've never had them.
Tyrconnell
Deep copper color. Port wine / caramel are the strongest on the nose. Some people suggest a hint of citrus but I didn't get that, its nose is complex and probably beyond my skills to fully identify the distinct scents.
Hints of port, vanilla, caramel, licorice on the palate. Strong port flavor on the finish.
I haven't had the Madeira finish but I have had other Tyrconnell, Cooley's appears to go for sweet and complex Irish single malt with Tyrconnell. This whiskey is sweet but in a more reserved and enjoyable way, normally sweeter whiskeys don't appeal to me but this one does.
Kilbeggan: This is an interesting whiskey. The nose has strong caramel and peach. On the palate it's got kick, strong oak and tannin flavors that linger.
Connemara:
Bog Oak: So first I should explain in case anyone is unaware, bog oak is oak that has been buried in an Irish bog for thousands of years. Cooley's has started pulling some of this up and using it in the ends of some of their casks. The Turf Mor is also made in the same way by Cooley's (so both spent some time in a bog oak ended cask), in fact the majority of Bog Oak is the exact same malt as Turf Mor, but aged for one more year. Then Cooley's mixed in a variety of malt from casks between 8-15 years old to produce the Bog Oak. I actually didn't mean to list anything only released in small batches, but Bog Oak actually is one of those (Turf Mor should be more available.)
The Turf Mor is probably the smokiest Irish whiskey I've had. I like that, and all the reviews I read prior to buying it indicated that, and well, it was as advertised. One review actually mentions there is dung on the nose, but thankfully I didn't smell that at all. It's also one of the better young whiskeys I have had, being only 3 years old. this is a strong peaty whiskey but is balanced enough that it isn't unpleasant as some of the more ridiculous heavy peat flavored whiskeys.
The Bog Oak is very similar but they have toned down the peat bite, I suspect in large part because more mature whiskeys were blended into the Turf Mor malt.
Quote from: Scipio on November 23, 2013, 10:25:22 AM
Antica Carpano sweet vermouth
Vya Sweet Vermouth
Vya Dry Vermouth
Triple Sec
Boru Vodka
Heaven Hill #1
Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters
Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters
Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters
Peychaud's Bitters
Angostura Bitters
Strelets No. 1 (lavender Vodka that I infused)
Strelets No. 2 (cucumber vodka that I infused)
Mostly, I drink beer.
I mostly drink beer as well. There's a good beer/wine store near us that stocks a huge variety of craft beers and I'm friends with the owner so he usually texts me if they get something in he thinks I'd like to try. The four taps I have typically one keg is one of my homebrews, one is usually a variety of different "guest beers" (from friends who brew), one is usually a variety of different nationally distributed craft beers you can buy in kegs, and one is Newcastle (first beer I put on tap when we finished the bar and will always be available in my house as a matter of principle.)
I love wine, but I'm absolutely not a wine connoisseur whatsoever (or oenophile as they say.) My father-in-law who is quite wealthy and spent about 60 years being a big time wine collector started to break up his collection a couple years ago between his various children, in laws and etc. He said he wanted to give them to people himself rather than have it get handled in the estate, and if he predeceases my mother in law he said he didn't trust her to give everyone a proper assortment since she isn't much of a wine person either.
So when we received some 250 bottles (all different vintages, types, regions etc) I basically copied a design from online and made 3 130-bottle racks to store it all + some extra space (materials cost was about 20% of the price essentially the same simple rack was being sold for online.)
I really like wines like cab sauv, sauvignon blanc, chianti, etc and don't generally like any sweet wines. When we were first gifted the wine bottles we actually went to 2-3 "wine and cheese" tasting dinners they host around here to try and cultivate a proper appreciation for fine wines. What we discovered was that wine people are snobs first and foremost (I should have expected this, as my father-in-law is a snob), and cheese connoisseurs are as well so those dinners were the most effete, pretentious things we've ever experienced. We didn't go back after trying it a few times and recognizing we couldn't be those people.
Even the craft beer scene, which should be more down to earth, is sadly filled up with young neck-bearded hipster types who make a lot of craft beer related small group activities unbearable. I still go to the bigger local brewfests and such.
The reason over the past ten years I've gotten so into whiskey tasting is the people are a lot cooler. When we go twice a month to a whiskey tasting group we're part of, first and foremost the people there are whiskey
drinkers who wanted to develop an appreciation for fine whiskey. Unlike wine snobs who aren't even really there to relax and get buzzed, but to show off how much they can pontificate whiskey drinkers are there to have a good time, but you don't see the neck-bearded unbearable hipster types at whiskey tastings like you do in the craft beer scene.
I think my parents still have the same Miller Lite pony bottles in the fridge since 1981.
OvB: Thanks, bro. Probably gonna pick some of those Irish whiskies that you recommended up today. :ccr
Fucking Kroger Wine and Spirits. :rolleyes:
I did get a bottle of Harvey's Bristol Cream, though. :)