Cocktails, Spirits and Mixology Thread

This may not be the right thread for it, but I have to say that I can't tell the difference between 95% of all Champagnes/sparkling wines. I'm a total red wine snob, but in the past few weeks I've had a bunch of Champagne at holiday parties/work events and it all tastes the same to me. Maybe the cheaper sweet stuff tastes worse, but the rest is the same to me.

 

Yankee, this is your best post ever and I'm not sure what No. 2 is, nor do I care.

I am an absolute Bloody Mary honk. Spicy, no salt and no Ketel One, which may mix well in other drinks, but not in a Bloody Mary. If you want to throw in my RDA of vitamins and minerals, so much the better.

The best Bloody Mary I ever had was at Fallen Oak, the top-shelf golf course owned by the Beau Rivage that is about 20 minutes outside of Biloxi. Yes, in the manner of full disclosure, I used to do PR for that course (and it is a must-play if you're in the area, but I digress), but the best part of my Biloxi excursions was mainlining those Bloody Marys. They have their own recipe and you simply can't consume only one.

 

A Bloody Mary should be made to order, and not with a pre-made mix.

Too often, the mix is heavy on the horseradish, and leaves the drink tasting like cocktail sauce.

 

Agree ... with an asterisk.

Fallen Oak's Bloody Mary is sometimes pre-made and it is divine. And often times, it's not too much horseradish as it is too much tomatoey. A lot of pre-made mixes leave you feeling like you're drinking tomato juice with a dash of pepper, etc. I'd rather have the taste of too much horseradish than too much tomato. There, at least, you feel like you're drinking a Bloody Mary and not juiced-up V8.

 

The problem with a mix isn't that they aren't necessarily good, it's that they can't be altered.

If I order a Manhattan or a Martini, I can ask the bartender to go easy on the vermouth. But, if he's using a mix, i can't ask him to go easy on the horseradish.

Now, if you love a particular bar's bloody, I think buying a bottle of their mix for home use makes sense. I don't even mind if a high volume place has a mix on hand, as long as the bartender can make one to order if I have a preference. But, too often, a request will be met with a simple, "we use a mix".

If they're using a house made mix, then you have all the ingredients to make my drink the way I want it.

 

A Thief in the Night



1½ oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Averna Amaro
½ oz. Lemon Juice
½ oz. Honey Syrup

http://imbibemagazine.com/A-Thief-in-the-Night-Recipe

 

Monte Cassino



¾ oz. 100-proof Rye Whiskey
¾ oz. Bénédictine
¾ oz. Yellow Chartreuse
¾ oz. Lemon Juice

http://nyti.ms/1ccyRRd

 

This one's for you Birdscribe:



Robert O. Simonson ‏-- @RobertOSimonson

Congress, new bar on Court St. In Cobble Hill, open for business.

 

19th Century



1½ oz. Bourbon
¾ oz. Lillet Rouge
¾ oz. Crème de Cacao
¾ oz. Lemon Juice

http://cocktailexplorer.com/.../the-19th-century-cocktail/

 

Montgomery Smith



2 oz. Cognac
½ oz. Bénédictine
¼ oz. Fernet Blanca

http://amzn.to/1hMVmNU

 

Nouveau Carré



1½ oz. Anejo Tequila
¾ oz. Lillet Blanc
¼ oz. Bénédictine
3 Dashes Peychauds Bitters

http://www.thespeakista.com/2012/01/tequila-in-10-please-do-tell/

 

Has anyone else had a Brandy Stinger? I mixed one tonight. It's pretty potent-tasting, but I can see how it might be an acquired taste.

Three parts brandy.
One part Creme de Menthe.