What distilled beverage are you drinking?

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
Hendricks...chilled...2 olives...bottle of vermouth open in other room.

Very nice.

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
Hendricks...chilled...2 olives...bottle of vermouth open in other room.

Lovely summertime beverage. I find the Hendricks+olives combo a tiny bit jumbled, flavor-wise. Not bad, just a lot of strong flavors at once. I tend to go garnish-free on my Hendricks, and, as you wisely note, that includes Vermouth.

I usually wet my glass with vermouth then pour it out... Then just Hendricks sans olives. But I added a little fresh lemon juice instead last time, and that was refreshing.

Well I was out of cucumber..normally its a thin slice of that in the glass...but Ill drink it by itself....felt like olives last night

By far my favorite Gin.

I had heard awhile back that Bombay was coming out with a new Gin but have yet to see it on the shelves.

Hendrix Gin is excellent - I am currently out of it and opened a 1.5 liter of Bombay Sapphire for a party we held and will be some time before we are done with that and stocking up with another bottle of Hendrix

quote:

Originally posted by Rob_Sutherland:

quote:

Originally posted by PD2K:

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Originally posted by NewOrleansWinosaur:
Rum season--

Did a tasting through Ron Abuelo 7, 12, and Centenario (base rum solera-style is 30 yr.) as well as El Dorado, 12, 15, 21. I must say the most balanced was Ron Abuelo 12. It had pretty much everything I look for in a good sipping rum. Even beat out the Centenario.

If you like those, try Zacapa's 23 and XO

+++++1

I have had the Zacapa 23 but not for quite a while. I obviously need to revisit. Thanks for the reminder! Never had the XO. Might hold on that one for hot buttered rum season.

quote:

Originally posted by Lentini:
I usually wet my glass with vermouth then pour it out... Then just Hendricks sans olives. But I added a little fresh lemon juice instead last time, and that was refreshing.

Why even taint good gin with Vermouth? I order Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire up with olives. No Vermouth.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:

Why even taint good gin with Vermouth? I order Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire up with olives. No Vermouth.

Okay, I'm sold. I don't even like vermouth.

I agree. Why was it even used in a Martini? Did the person who invented this drink think it was better with Vermouth? I guess so.

As I understand it, the original martini was 1 part sweet vermouth to three parts gin. That's a lot of vermouth.

A dry martini used dry vermouth instead of sweet, in the same proportions.

So what most people drink today isn't a martini. They're just drinking an ice cold glass of gin with an olive. Same thing, of course, with a vodka martini (which isn't really a martini any more than an "appletini" is, or any of the chocolate martinis or other flavors you find on some martini lists).

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I agree. Why was it even used in a Martini? Did the person who invented this drink think it was better with Vermouth? I guess so.

Perhaps it was because the quality of the Gin wasnt that good so the vermouth would take the "sting" out....I honestly dont know...but I have Vermouth in the house for people that want it...but it never enters the glass if there is Gin in it for me.

Many years ago, at a friend's wedding, the gin was something like Hankey Bannister. It was the worst gin I've ever had. Vermouth likely would have helped it. It couldn't have hurt.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Many years ago, at a friend's wedding, the gin was something like Hankey Bannister. It was the worst gin I've ever had. Vermouth likely would have helped it. It couldn't have hurt.

Is that like Jenkins? 8$ for 1.75L....oh those were the days.....

Anyone tried The Botanist Gin made by Bruichladdich? I hear it's spectacular, but I can't get a hand on any down here.
The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
By far my favorite Gin.

I agree. Mine too. I've experimented with some smaller and/or local products, and I've been disappointed. Breuckelen (recommended in this forum) and FEW (from Evanston, my hometown) weren't pleasing to me. At all. North Shore Distillery No. 11 is good though (and great with olives).

Any other worth-trying gins out there?

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
I had heard awhile back that Bombay was coming out with a new Gin but have yet to see it on the shelves.

Would that be the Bombay East? I actually just read about it, and it said it would be released this summer but then when I did a quick search it looks like it's already available in some stores, so it's probably not released in all markets yet

Hard to beat Plymouth gin IMHO...

Old Tom can be fun too for the right drink/occasion.

last night tried the Isle of Skye 8yr that my wife just brought me back from Scotland. Just so-so, pretty easy drinking

Isle of Skye 8yr ? That must be a Talisker from an independant bottler, i guess? I imagine the peat to be very pungent at only 8yr.

Meanwhile sipping a Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1989/2005 matured in Pedro-Ximenez Cask, great combination, the PX is the right counterpoint to the mighty Lagavulin body.

Jefferson's Rye Whisky.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I agree. Why was it even used in a Martini? Did the person who invented this drink think it was better with Vermouth? I guess so.

Curious to me to see no one defending vermouth's place in a Martini. I think 4 or 5 parts gin to one part vermouth is quite lovely and what a true Martini is. Otherwise it's just ice cold gin, which I sometimes don't mind either.

...and while I like Hendricks for a change and in certain mixed drinks, it is definitely a "modern" gin. I don't taste any juniper in it, which unless I am mistaken was considered integral to gin up until rather recently.

My favorite gins are juniper heavy such as Tanqueray, Junipero, Broker's, and such, things of beauty they are.

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
I agree. Why was it even used in a Martini? Did the person who invented this drink think it was better with Vermouth? I guess so.

Perhaps it was because the quality of the Gin wasnt that good so the vermouth would take the "sting" out....I honestly dont know...but I have Vermouth in the house for people that want it...but it never enters the glass if there is Gin in it for me.

That would make sense, especially if you were drinking someone's "bathtub gin".

quote:

Originally posted by jesseix:

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
I had heard awhile back that Bombay was coming out with a new Gin but have yet to see it on the shelves.

Would that be the Bombay East? I actually just read about it, and it said it would be released this summer but then when I did a quick search it looks like it's already available in some stores, so it's probably not released in all markets yet

I think thats it! Have not seen it up here yet...

500 ml of vodka per person is way too mcuh

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:

quote:

Originally posted by jesseix:

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
I had heard awhile back that Bombay was coming out with a new Gin but have yet to see it on the shelves.

Would that be the Bombay East? I actually just read about it, and it said it would be released this summer but then when I did a quick search it looks like it's already available in some stores, so it's probably not released in all markets yet

I think thats it! Have not seen it up here yet...

whereabouts is 'up here'? I found the Bombay East in stock at a shop I buy from in Orange County (not too far away) for $30 for a 1L bottle; I'm not sure how that compares on a national level, but if you're interested and don't want to wait I could try to ship it up to you

quote:

Originally posted by MoselleLuxemburg:
Isle of Skye 8yr ? That must be a Talisker from an independant bottler, i guess? I imagine the peat to be very pungent at only 8yr.

Yeah it's bottled by Ian McCleod (www.ianmcleod.com), but its a blended whiskey. I ask her to bring home a local single malt and this is what I get... I knew I should have tagged along

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Originally posted by jesseix:

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:

quote:

Originally posted by jesseix:

quote:

Originally posted by marcb7:
I had heard awhile back that Bombay was coming out with a new Gin but have yet to see it on the shelves.

Would that be the Bombay East? I actually just read about it, and it said it would be released this summer but then when I did a quick search it looks like it's already available in some stores, so it's probably not released in all markets yet

I think thats it! Have not seen it up here yet...

whereabouts is 'up here'? I found the Bombay East in stock at a shop I buy from in Orange County (not too far away) for $30 for a 1L bottle; I'm not sure how that compares on a national level, but if you're interested and don't want to wait I could try to ship it up to you

Very kind! Up here is actually across the country from you LOL....I live in NH. I will inquire at our local liquor store this weekend about it....if they dont seem to think they will get it in I just may take you up on your nice offer. Thanks!

Tanqueray gin, ice, tonic and cucumber...

Last night; way too much Macallan. Paying for it today and due to that first weekend in many months withoutmwine.

Glenmorangie 10.

Jailers Tennesee whiskey....mmmmmmm

Chateau de Laubade armagnac XO

Oban 14 Year

Yuk had to taste a Southern Comfort Old Fashion today.

Glenorangie 12 Nectar D'Or, aged in Sauternes casks. Really, really nice. The initial attack is kind of sharp, but seconds later this smooths out really nicely and lingers forever.

quote:

Originally posted by billhike:
Glenorangie 12 Nectar D'Or, aged in Sauternes casks. Really, really nice. The initial attack is kind of sharp, but seconds later this smooths out really nicely and lingers forever.

I've never had this one, but the guy at the store near me has recommended it highly. I guess I'll give it a try. Thanks

I was glad to have finished a Nectar D'Or recently... Always seemed harsh to me. Sometimes it was okay... But usually rotgut.

Now maybe I'll pass on it!

When I first became aware of the wine-cask finished Glenmorangies, maybe 12 or so years ago, they were amongst the first Scotch I ever tried and they seemed quite nice. Since then they seem to be everywhere. I believe that there was an ownership change and drastic production increase IIRC. I suppose my own tastes changed as well, having a much larger sample size, but the current lines always seem serviceable but nothing special at all.

I like the Nectar D'Or. I'm a fan of most single malt styles, and this hits the fruity/honey mark nicely. The wood finish, in my mind, adds nice toasty sweetness that I really like. I recommend it, but please don't expect anything too complex.