The Hard Liquor and Miscellaneous Stiff Drinks Thread [Archive]

Reverend Joe

06-14-2008, 22:32

I was thinking about posting a recent evolution in my love of whisky in Vladimir's Beer Thread (:bow:) but I thought that the stiffer drinks deserved a thread of their own; so, here it is: the Reverend's Hard Liquor and Miscellaneous Stiff Drinks thread, where the true aficionado of both intoxication and good drinks can celebrate his dual love.

The reason I was going to post, as I mentioned previously, is that I have discovered a kind of whisky which I wish I had discovered earlier. Until now, my drinking habit has been primarily limited to bourbon, a drink which I have always found infinitely preferable to the "classic" whiskys, namely Irish and Scottish. I have never liked the (malt?) flavor of European whisky, as it lacks body and generally invokes subtle but still nightmarish memories of Tequila (I will leave it up to your imagination as to why I can no longer drink tequila.) Bourbon has a much stronger, fuller and distinct flavor; while I can understand that many would be turned away by its sometimes incredible burn, I find that a few drops of distilled water, in the style of Scotch and Water, not only takes care of this burn but also brings out the full flavor of the bourbon.

However, I decided yesterday to experiment a bit, so I bought a bottle of what the clerk (whose opinion I trust) described as standard, mid-grade Canadian whisky. It's quite a different experience. It lacks the full, beautiful flavor of bourbon, but it has a distinctive flavor of its own; it's malty, but not overwhelmingly so, and it has a good, mild grain flavor (I think it's the same corn flavor as bourbon, but I've never had rye, so it might be that as well; could also be both, it tastes very complex.) It can also be drunk straight, as opposed to bourbon, which is best consumed, as I said, in a scotch-and-water style mixture.

So: post what you will. What's your favorite hard drink? Your favorite mixed drink with hard liquor? I want to hear from the refined alcoholics out there.

@Beirut: if you really think this is redundant with the Beer thread, please merge this with said thread; but I feel like it warrants its own discussion.

Edit: I guess it's cool with the axeman.

Sasaki Kojiro

06-14-2008, 22:49

Absolutely not reduntant with the beer thread...never been a huge fan of beer, I generally use keystone for drinking games, colt 45 if it's the right kind of day, and maybe some pbr as a finisher on the night because it's safe. Other than that I don't see the appeal of drinking beer, liquor has so much more flavor than guiness/sam adams/etc.

Nice thing about bourbon is that even the cheap stuff can be drunk neat and still be tasty. Neat is the only way to drink it in my opinion. On the rocks is cold and watery. With coke is kind of a waste. Never had much success with manhattan's. I've heard a few drops of water brings out the flavor but have never blind taste tested it.

Wild Turkey and Makers are two excellent bourbons in about the $20 a fifth range. Makers uses more wheat so it's smoother and WT uses more rye and is a bit spicier (also a higher proof). If you're on a budget Evan Williams is about $9 a fifth and Ezra Brooks is around $10. Both tasty. Compared to cheap vodka (smirnoff), rum (bacardi), and gin (gordon's) cheap bourbon is a great value. The others are mixers only.

My cocktail making skills are lacking unfortunately...

Fragony

06-14-2008, 22:59

Like Dimple, pretty good value. Straight up none of the ice soda nonsense, that's just for show I think.

Reverend Joe

06-14-2008, 22:59

@Sasaki: Maker's and Wild Turkey are alright, but if your local store offers Bulleit Bourbon I advise you to give it a try. It's my favorite bourbon, and I have been told by at leasst one true Kentuckian that it's a damn fine bourbon.

Yeah, a few drops of water really does the trick; the thing is, it really has to be well-filtered water, and preferably ice-cold. I find that a Brita filter does the trick; just keep it in your fridge, and you have cold, purified water whenever you need it. Just remember not to pour the water directly from the Brita into the bourbon; put a little in another glass first, and use that to regulate how much water you want, otherwise you'll end up seriously diluting some fine whisky.

And how the hell can you stand Colt 45?! :inquisitive: Isn't that stuff like watered-down gasoline?

Sasaki Kojiro

06-14-2008, 23:15

@Sasaki: Maker's and Wild Turkey are alright, but if your local store offers Bulleit Bourbon I advise you to give it a try. It's my favorite bourbon, and I have been told by at leasst one true Kentuckian that it's a damn fine bourbon.

I'll have to try that again sometime. I had a bottle of that and a bottle of beam black but that was back when I just mixed it or took shots of it.

Yeah, a few drops of water really does the trick; the thing is, it really has to be well-filtered water, and preferably ice-cold. I find that a Brita filter does the trick; just keep it in your fridge, and you have cold, purified water whenever you need it. Just remember not to pour the water directly from the Brita into the bourbon; put a little in another glass first, and use that to regulate how much water you want, otherwise you'll end up seriously diluting some fine whisky.

Maybe...seems like a bit of trouble with the filtering and all. And the fact that the mind is easily fooled by little things (it's been shown that attractiveness of the bottle can affect reported quality of the drink) makes me a bit doubtful. I'll have to run my own test.

And how the hell can you stand Colt 45?! :inquisitive: Isn't that stuff like watered-down gasoline?

It tastes kind of creamy to me.

Beirut

06-14-2008, 23:18

It isn't hard liquor, but by the time I see the bottom of the bottle it might as well be.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/cardzin.jpg

A great California Zinfadel. This is not a sophisticated dry French wine; it's fruity and funky with lots of taste. $25 a bottlle here, not cheap, but a nice treat. Excellent BBQ wine and will be top shelf with my Delmonico steak tonight. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delmonico

This has been my favorite wine since I sank a bottle last summer on a friend's deck by the lake reading his copy of the Tao Te Ching. Funky indeed. :hippie:

Ferret

06-14-2008, 23:26

Beirut you are my role model. :bow:

A lumberjack who drinks cool wine and eats high quality steak, and lives in Canada, sounds good to me.

Reverend Joe

06-14-2008, 23:29

m52nickerson

06-14-2008, 23:31

I prefer a good aged Single Malt Scotch. Right now I'm working on a bottle of 15 year old Glenfiddich.

If you want something with an ethnic flare try some Krupnik, it is a honey and grain based liquor.

Now my grandfather use to make Dandelion Wine, I would like to find time to learn how to make it.

Reverend Joe

06-14-2008, 23:34

If you want something with an ethnic flare try some Krupnik, it is a honey and grain based liquor.

Wow. :stunned: That sounds... strong.

m52nickerson

06-14-2008, 23:41

It is hard to find and the recipes vary. I've had some that was great to just sip on, at around 70 proof. Then you can find it up around 120 proof, but you will only do that in excess once.

"Old Krupnik" is about the only brand that I find with any regularity. Its considered a flavored vodka.

Adrian II

06-14-2008, 23:46

Cognac Camus, Tullamore Dew and Bloody Maries with mucho Tabasco, lemon and parsley here.

Oh, and if there has to be liquor with my coffee, I prefer it to be Licor Beirão.

Beirut

06-15-2008, 00:05

By any chance, is that wine related to the Flying Dog brewery, or is it just illustrated by Ralph Steadman? Because that's an awfully brutal-looking wine label.

(I prefer more traditional wines, myself... "cool" wines just seem silly. :toff: )

It's from the Bonny Doon winery in California, and it is a Ralph Steadman label.

I don't know much about wine, but I know what I like. I like this stuff. It tastes good.

Reverend Joe

06-15-2008, 00:47

Cognac Camus

Cognac's always tasted like pure magma to me... is it supposed to burn like the fires of hell, or have I only had bad cognac?

Moros

06-15-2008, 01:09

Wodka or Gin with Ice-tea or Coke. That I like Whiskey can be nice too. And of course the being Belgium I can dig genever too. However real men drink beer.

m52nickerson

06-15-2008, 02:14

Cognac's always tasted like pure magma to me... is it supposed to burn like the fires of hell, or have I only had bad cognac?

The trick to cognac is you have to let it breath. It helps with the burn.

Lemur

06-15-2008, 02:55

I used to buy this stuff by the case:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Lemurmania/0010000003383_L.jpg

Despite the scary name and graphics, a very smooth single-malt scotch.

Beirut

06-15-2008, 03:54

CountArach

06-15-2008, 03:57

Vodka and coke for me.

I must say I tried some Polish vodka that one of my friends brought to a couple of parties (He is Polish) and it was incredibly good - ie strong, flavourless, pretty much like water. I'll try to get the name off of him and post it here.

EDIT: And how could I forget Absinthe?

Evil_Maniac From Mars

06-15-2008, 04:13

I don't pretend to be a connoisseur in this subject (we Germans still like our beer), but some favourites:

Hennessy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hennessy)

B&B (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duo_and_trio_cocktails#B_and_B)

Sasaki Kojiro

06-15-2008, 04:19

Uesugi Kenshin

06-15-2008, 04:22

If there is a finer bottle of booze than this, I know not of it.

From one single keg to the bottle without any adulteration, perversion, or water of any kind. 120 proof and as tasty and smooth as a sunrise in Angelina Jolie's blouse.

Booker's Best. Quite possibly the best bourbon in the world.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/1605.jpg

Beirut I'm not expert on whiskey at only 19, but I do know one thing. That stuff is good. My dad brought a bottle of the stuff to Germany to give to my host family and I was lucky enough to sip a bit of it with them one night. Very very good stuff.

I also like Glenfiddich, but since I'm underage and only drink with my dad occasionally I drink beer far more often than top-shelf whiskey.

Lemur

06-15-2008, 04:33

Booker's is, indeed, a great bottle of booze, but isn't it hellishly expensive? I seem to remember it going to some serious coin ...

Sasaki Kojiro

06-15-2008, 04:44

Seems to be a bout $55 dollars a fifth. Yikes. Probably a good thing, seeing as it's 126 proof--I've heard that drinking too much 120+ proof booze kills your taste buds...thought only on hearsay.

Reverend Joe

06-15-2008, 04:59

Seems to be a bout $55 dollars a fifth. Yikes. Probably a good thing, seeing as it's 126 proof--I've heard that drinking too much 120+ proof booze kills your taste buds...thought only on hearsay.

If it doesn't kill your taste buds, it'll probably kill enough brain cells that you won't care what it tastes lie anyway... :uhoh:

Adrian II

06-15-2008, 11:18

Cognac's always tasted like pure magma to me... is it supposed to burn like the fires of hell, or have I only had bad cognac?Possibly. Buy a good bottle, pour some in a big glass, let it breathe like the man said then sip.

But remember you're supposed to drink something because you like it. Mebbe cognac just doesn't suit you. I have the same thing with wodka or gin - I can't stand the stuff without at least some other ingredients that take away the burn or sour edge. Dutch gin ('jenever') on the other hand, which is quite similar to the above, I can drink in huge amounts without any adverse effect.

P.S. Good thread, Reverend. :bow:

Geoffrey S

06-15-2008, 11:51

Gah, since a particular night I haven't been able to drink 'jenever' for without adverse side-effects. At least it was fun while it lasted. :sick:

Adrian II

06-15-2008, 11:56

Gah, since a particular night I haven't been able to drink 'jenever' for without adverse side-effects. At least it was fun while it lasted. :sick:If you drink far too much of it, jejever has the unpleasant side effect of preventing you from sleeping. Which means you are going be wide awake and sick for hours on end, without redeeming sleep, and you are going to be dead tired the next day on top of having a contracted stomach, diarrhea and a splitting headache.

Looks who's talking from experience. :laugh4:

Fragony

06-15-2008, 12:05

Gah, since a particular night I haven't been able to drink 'jenever' for without adverse side-effects. At least it was fun while it lasted. :sick:

Have the same with Berenburg, can't even smell it anymore or I get sick. What kind of schipper can't hold his berenburg? I used to like it but ever since, since........ well I don't really remember. Wonder why.

Beirut

06-15-2008, 12:18

Booker's is, indeed, a great bottle of booze, but isn't it hellishly expensive? I seem to remember it going to some serious coin ...

$90 a bottle here and blisteringly hard to find. Only place I know is a booze store in Ottawa and the bottles tend to be reserved for restaurants. Shmucks.

I don't mind the price, really. First of all because it's worth it and I don't mind paying for luxury items I can actually afford. Second, I can afford it because I rarely buy more than four or five bottles of good whisky a year. I wait until something good shows up on the shelf and then grab it. I love my whisky, but I prefer to love it in expensive moderation. :toff:

There's a bottle of 16 year-old Bushmills I've been dying to try, that will probably be next. That's also about $90 a bottle. I've had the 10 year-old single malt Bushmills and the 12 year-old "standard", both are lovely and tasty.

Adrian II

06-15-2008, 12:21

Have the same with Berenburg, can't even smell it anymore or I get sick. What kind of schipper can't hold his berenburg? I used to like it but ever since, since........ well I don't really remember. Wonder why.I remember a sailing week from hell in Frisia: seven days and nights of drizzling rain and almost no wind. Berenburg saved us from going mad, falling ill or becoming depressed. We counted our empty bottles, and by the end of the week it appeared I had drank a bottle a day... Now this was back in the day when Adrian II was a fine specimen of rugged, superior masculinity - 190 pound of muscle, brain and wit with icy blue eyes, the most casual five o'clock shade in the known universe, and he capacity to survive solely on black coffee and a woman's touch.

Aaanyway, it's a miracle I remember that week at all. :juggle2: :laugh4:

Beirut

06-15-2008, 12:54

Now this was back in the day when Adrian II was a fine specimen of rugged, superior masculinity - 190 pound of muscle, brain and wit with icy blue eyes, the most casual five o'clock shade in the known universe, and he capacity to survive solely on black coffee and a woman's touch.

Makes me think of a story I read years ago about a kid being invited to a Jewish friend's house for dinner. The kid asked what they were going to have and the mother said Matzo Ball soup. The kid then imagines that Matzos are like cows and is terrified that two huge testicles will be floating in his soup. Then he thinks about the poor Matzos out the field with no cohones and the girl Matzos making fun of them, saying that the men Matzos used to be so virile, but now all they do is talk and act like intellectuals.

Sorry. :shame:

Adrian II

06-15-2008, 14:25

Makes me think of a story I read years ago about a kid being invited to a Jewish friend's house for dinner. The kid asked what they were going to have and the mother said Matzo Ball soup. The kid then imagines that Matzos are like cows and is terrified that two huge testicles will be floating in his soup. Then he thinks about the poor Matzos out the field with no cohones and the girl Matzos making fun of them, saying that the men Matzos used to be so virile, but now all they do is talk and act like intellectuals.

Sorry. :shame::laugh4: You certainly know how to spin someone else's joke, Beirut.

I could of course mention a certain moderator here who describes himself as an intellectual chick magnet, but since we're among equals I guess that is superfluous. :tongue2:

SwordsMaster

06-15-2008, 18:04

I remember a sailing week from hell in Frisia: seven days and nights of drizzling rain and almost no wind. Berenburg saved us from going mad, falling ill or becoming depressed. We counted our empty bottles, and by the end of the week it appeared I had drank a bottle a day... Now this was back in the day when Adrian II was a fine specimen of rugged, superior masculinity - 190 pound of muscle, brain and wit with icy blue eyes, the most casual five o'clock shade in the known universe, and he capacity to survive solely on black coffee and a woman's touch.

Aaanyway, it's a miracle I remember that week at all. :juggle2: :laugh4:

....so, what happened to this fine specimen of rugged, superior masculinity? Berenburg? :inquisitive:

Uesugi Kenshin

06-15-2008, 18:08

$90 a bottle here and blisteringly hard to find. Only place I know is a booze store in Ottawa and the bottles tend to be reserved for restaurants. Shmucks.

I don't mind the price, really. First of all because it's worth it and I don't mind paying for luxury items I can actually afford. Second, I can afford it because I rarely buy more than four or five bottles of good whisky a year. I wait until something good shows up on the shelf and then grab it. I love my whisky, but I prefer to love it in expensive moderation. :toff:

There's a bottle of 16 year-old Bushmills I've been dying to try, that will probably be next. That's also about $90 a bottle. I've had the 10 year-old single malt Bushmills and the 12 year-old "standard", both are lovely and tasty.

I knew my dad enjoyed expensive booze, but damn!!!

Maybe it's a little bit cheaper here than in Canadaland, but still....Ah well he rarely has whiskey that expensive in the house, unless Glenfiddich is up there too, in which case he fairly regularly has the stuff around. I think I could justify it if I end up making a decent income though, especially since I'd probably drink it very rarely and if you sip a bit of it every now and then a bottle should last a while shouldn't it?

Mikeus Caesar

06-15-2008, 18:38

You're all big girls, real men drink this:

http://xs128.xs.to/xs128/08240/aps813.jpg

Reverend Joe

06-15-2008, 18:52

:laugh4: Nah, man...

http://zenstoves.net/GelledAlcohol/SmallSterno.jpg

Canned heat! And real men don't strain out the methanol, either, because real men don't get methanol poisoning.

cegorach

06-15-2008, 19:12

You are both wrong.

Bow before the real master peasants !

https://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/cegorach/MiG-25_fig2agrau_USAF.jpg

Mig 25 is now very difficult to obtain and rather expensive, but Siberian garrisons loved what was in this vessel.

Some ignorant people, though claim it was designed for a different purpose than providing a drink to thirsty soldiers.

Beirut

06-15-2008, 19:15

:focus:

Sasaki Kojiro

06-15-2008, 19:17

https://img237.imageshack.us/img237/2717/studyinwhiskeyfm0.jpg

Fragony

06-15-2008, 21:24

Canned heat!

Damned straight! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Ys2qFinXc

Beirut

06-15-2008, 22:45

:focus:

Gentlemen, please.

Ser Clegane

06-16-2008, 10:16

When it comes to hard liquor I mainly go with Islay Scotch - personal favourits being

Lagavulin (16 year)

https://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8978/lagavulingy2.jpg

or Ardberg (Uigeadail)

https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8012/uigeadail20with20boxyl6.jpg

Hard to go back to other Scotch after you got used to the peaty Islays (also Talisker is quite good as well)

Geoffrey S

06-16-2008, 12:33

Now that I can agree with - great drinks indeed. In addition, got a nice bottle of Laphroaig (10 years) and Bowmore (12) here.

Beirut

06-16-2008, 14:16

Just found this in the FAQ at straightbourbon.com.

http://www.straightbourbon.com/homepage.html?54,249

6. Is Jack Daniel's a bourbon?

Jack Daniel's, is not considered a bourbon because it is charcoal-mellowed -- slowly, drop by drop, filtered through sugar-maple charcoal -- prior to aging, which many experts say gives it a different character. The process, called the Lincoln County Process, infuses a sweet and sooty character into the distillate as it removes impurities. But up to and after the charcoal filtering, the Jack Daniel's production is much the same as any other Bourbon. Jack Daniel's and George Dickel are two fine Tennessee Whiskeys though neither can be called bourbon.

Interesting.

Kralizec

06-16-2008, 18:54

Cognac's always tasted like pure magma to me... is it supposed to burn like the fires of hell, or have I only had bad cognac?

Agreed about cognac. I used to feel the same way about whiskey but the other day I gave it a try and it wasn't bad actually...just not when sober.

Strangely enough I don't have this problem with wodka or even with absinthe.

Sasaki Kojiro

06-16-2008, 20:00

Kamakazi

06-16-2008, 20:44

GO VODKA AND TEQUILA!!!!!!!!! Strait up no chasers i put down 12 shots my last excursion

Beirut

06-16-2008, 21:19

Yup--although it's not all that different from bourbon. A nice whiskey though, if it wasn't so overpriced due to it's popularity/image I'd buy it more often.

The problem is the 80 proof Canadian import JD tastes harsher (and not in a good way) than the pure 101 stuff that y'all get down there. Not the same quality it seems.

I had a taste of the JD Single Barrel at the "luxury" booze store in Montreal last summer. Not at all pleasent. It was beyond smokey, it tasted like a burnt piece of wood. Very sad. I was looking forward to something really special. Who knows, maybe the single barrel stuff was cut as well before it came north. Such a perversion if true.

As far as top shelf bourbon goes, Knob Creek is just about only one we see on a semi-regular basis around here. (Quebec is big on beer, wine and vodka, with a good amount of scotch drinkers as well. But the bourbon crowd is fed mostly with luck.)

Tasty. :yes:
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/knobcreek.jpg

Sasaki Kojiro

06-16-2008, 21:42

The problem is the 80 proof Canadian import JD tastes harsher (and not in a good way) than the pure 101 stuff that y'all get down there. Not the same quality it seems.

I don't think it's ever been 101 proof. Originally was 90 I believe, but they got bought out and the proof was dropped to 86 and then down to 80.

I had a taste of the JD Single Barrel at the "luxury" booze store in Montreal last summer. Not at all pleasent. It was beyond smokey, it tasted like a burnt piece of wood. Very sad. I was looking forward to something really special. Who knows, maybe the single barrel stuff was cut as well before it came north. Such a perversion if true.

Yah, JD is very smokey. Matter of taste I suppose. Like I said, the reason it's so popular is that it's so well known and marketed as a manly man's drink. As for quality it's more on the $10 a fifth level. Still good but not as good as makers, wild turkey etc. even though it's priced at that level.

The bottle design is one of the best:

https://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9093/jackdanielsrn8.jpg

As far as top shelf bourbon goes, Knob Creek is just about only one we see on a semi-regular basis around here. (Quebec is big on beer, wine and vodka, with a good amount of scotch drinkers as well. But the bourbon crowd is fed mostly with luck.)

Tasty. :yes:
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/knobcreek.jpg

I'd like to try it some time. I'm always wary of the top shelf stuff because it's common sense that there's a point where you can't improve the bourbon anymore, and that the companies will push beyond that point just because people will pay for it. I'd like to try the wild turkey rare breed/kentucky spirit stuff as well.

drone

06-16-2008, 21:55

Rumple Minze, tastes almost as good coming up as it does going down. :2thumbsup: Leaves your breath minty fresh!

But seriously, never been much of a hard liquor type. Vodka is about the only kind I'll drink, either straight shots or mixed with Sprite. Don't really like whiskeys or gin, and had bad experiences with rum in college and the taste just turns me off now. Tequila is ok, but vodka is preferable.

I could drive a couple of hours west and get some good 'shine though... :yes:

Beirut

06-16-2008, 23:40

I don't think it's ever been 101 proof. Originally was 90 I believe, but they got bought out and the proof was dropped to 86 and then down to 80.

Really? Hmmm, I'm going to have to educate myself on the matter.

Yah, JD is very smokey. Matter of taste I suppose. Like I said, the reason it's so popular is that it's so well known and marketed as a manly man's drink. As for quality it's more on the $10 a fifth level. Still good but not as good as makers, wild turkey etc. even though it's priced at that level.

You words fall as from a sophisticated palate. :bow:

The bottle design is one of the best:

https://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9093/jackdanielsrn8.jpg

Indeedely-doodely. It is a great looking bottle.

I'd like to try it some time. I'm always wary of the top shelf stuff because it's common sense that there's a point where you can't improve the bourbon anymore, and that the companies will push beyond that point just because people will pay for it. I'd like to try the wild turkey rare breed/kentucky spirit stuff as well.

Interesting point. I guess what we're looking for is particular refinements of taste, which we (I?) might imagine are best achieved in an expensive bottle. (Perhaps a naive if not ignorant mindset, but an applicable one none the less.) This level of sweetness with that level of gusto, or however you might describe it. Evan Williams Single Barrel is a good example. Right off you can tell its a very well made bourbon, very clean, smooth, light, but too sweet for me as well as my buddy who bought a bottle. A "lesser" bourbon, Jim Beam Black Label, for example, is not as clean or smooth, but I find it tastier and not sweet at all.

On the other hand, you can have a Wild Turkey bourbon which is just damn near perfect in all regards. My buddy tried the ten year-old Russels's Reserve and likes it better than all others, including the Rare Breed, which I have yet to try.

Adrian II

06-17-2008, 00:07

The bottle design is one of the best:

https://img374.imageshack.us/img374/9093/jackdanielsrn8.jpgNow that's a mighty fine bottle indeed, Sir. :bow:

It is a pity that Camus bottles all look like large effeminate perfume vials. Horrible design. But the contents are unsurpassed, nothing can change that. I pour the entire contents into an old crystal decanter and never look back.

Reverend Joe

06-17-2008, 00:18

Yup--although it's not all that different from bourbon. A nice whiskey though, if it wasn't so overpriced due to it's popularity/image I'd buy it more often.

:stare: Excuse me? Jack Daniel's, not all that different from Bourbon? Were it not for your further words of wisdom, I would be inclined to call you out as a buffoon, sir.

I understand how it could be somewhat similar -- for the most part, it is brewed the same -- but the ending flavor of Jack Daniel's is nothing like proper bourbon, if I may say so myself. It has always tasted terribly sweet to me, to the point of being viscous. In fact, I would daresay that the only other Bourbon-ish drink that is sweeter (and a greater mark of shame upon American liquor) is the abomination known as Southern Comfort. :sick: Talk about Bourbon mixed with fruit punch.

@Beirut: Knob Creek is actually a little too alcoholic for me. It's a damn good whisky, but I find that the 100-proof alcohol content interferes with the flavor.

By the by, how do you (everyone) mix your egg-nog-and-bourbon? I have been told that my personal preference is far too intense; I generally mix about 2-3 parts bourbon to one part egg nog. It lets me taste both the egg nog and the bourbon, and I can drink enough to get loaded without giving myself an instant coronary from all that egg nog.

Edit: Adrian...

https://img110.imageshack.us/img110/8215/bulleitbourbondw2.jpg

You want a bottle? That's a bottle. It is designed in the fashion of old frontier whisky bottles, complete with a cork cap. It also happens to be my favorite whisky, ever, ever, ever. It's really rich and very smooth for its strength. Of course, it's also around $25 a fifth, so it's definitely a special-occasion whisky.

Beirut

06-17-2008, 00:24

Now that's a mighty fine bottle indeed, Sir. :bow:

It is a pity that Camus bottles all look like large effeminate perfume vials. Horrible design. But the contents are unsurpassed, nothing can change that. I pour the entire contents into an old crystal decanter and never look back.

I just Googled the Camus bottle, doesn't look that bad. Is that the best stuff? $$$? I know very little about cognac.

As for crystal decanters, a few years back our SAQ (Quebec government booze stores) ordered a special series of very old scotch to be put in extra fancy crystal decanters and sold for one arm and half-a-leg. Problem is, once they hit the shelves, they found out the lead was leeching from the crystal into the scotch. Hello toilet bowl! What a waste.

Beirut

06-17-2008, 00:28

Were it not for your further words of wisdom, I would be inclined to call you out as a buffoon, sir.

Unlikely in the Frontroom, sir. ~:smoking:

Sasaki Kojiro

06-17-2008, 00:42

:stare: Excuse me? Jack Daniel's, not all that different from Bourbon? Were it not for your further words of wisdom, I would be inclined to call you out as a buffoon, sir.

I understand how it could be somewhat similar -- for the most part, it is brewed the same -- but the ending flavor of Jack Daniel's is nothing like proper bourbon, if I may say so myself. It has always tasted terribly sweet to me, to the point of being viscous. In fact, I would daresay that the only other Bourbon-ish drink that is sweeter (and a greater mark of shame upon American liquor) is the abomination known as Southern Comfort. :sick: Talk about Bourbon mixed with fruit punch.

Well, on my shelf I have JD, then a few bottles of bourbon, then tequila, rum, gin, vodka, triple sec and vermouth. In that context it's not that different than bourbon--they are both whiskey.

https://img110.imageshack.us/img110/8215/bulleitbourbondw2.jpg

You want a bottle? That's a bottle. It is designed in the fashion of old frontier whisky bottles, complete with a cork cap. It also happens to be my favorite whisky, ever, ever, ever. It's really rich and very smooth for its strength. Of course, it's also around $25 a fifth, so it's definitely a special-occasion whisky.

Heh, that's a neat bottle as well. I find bottle design pretty interesting actually.

Adrian II

06-17-2008, 00:58

Unlikely in the Frontroom, sir. ~:smoking:I am sure the Reverend was only joking, dear friend.

Camus is my favourite, maybe Hennesy is better. But I like my familliar tasting and smelling glass now and then after dinner, no need to go hoity-toity about it (um, is hoity-toity a word at all?).

Reverend, your bottle rocks. Image-wise your Bulleit is right on the mark. Now allow me to point out a great cognac in the kind of vessel it deserves: Hine Grande Champagne, bottled and corked by Monsieur LeBrun himself on a sunny Sunday afternoon in 1928 in the Charente. No frills, no girly nonsense, and I can taste it by looking at it.

Until I think of the price tag of 1000 euro ($1800) ...

https://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1092/hinecognac1928yj2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

Beirut

06-17-2008, 02:15

I am sure the Reverend was only joking, dear friend.

But of course. I was merely being pro-active in my over-reactions.

https://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1092/hinecognac1928yj2.jpg (https://imageshack.us)

If you buy, by God I'll help you drink it!

Reverend Joe

06-17-2008, 03:49

That is a marvelous bottle... if only more bottles had such class.

And speaking of which...

https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/5849/1800reposado4485r2aw1.jpg

Almost makes me want to start drinking tequila again.

And then I recall the taste of tequila... and retch ever so slightly.

@Sasaki: Yeah, I guess in that context it would seem more like Bourbon. I suppose when your palate becomes more focused on a particular type of whisky, you tend to be more choosy about what is and is not included in that category.

Mikeus Caesar

06-17-2008, 09:44

Moving on from my last post here, in all seriousness, my typical hard drink (all i usually drink is the hard stuff) will be Jim Beam. Not because i like it (heaven forbid, awful cheap rubbish) but because it's within my price range. When i can afford it, i like to buy something with a bit more class, such as the beauty that is Bell's Scotch Whisky. Tragically, i've not been able to find any Bell's over here in Oz. I do miss it so. I have many memories drenched in the beautiful essence of that heavenly delight.

Reverend Joe

06-17-2008, 23:02

I just discovered that a fifth of decent canadian whisky, Seagram's, is about four dollars less than a fifth of Jim Beam.

So now I'm happy. ~:cheers:

It's honestly good (well, not bad, anyway) stuff, too; it's got the body (and the zing) of bourbon, moreso than Jim Beam, even; and, like I said, it's $12 a fifth as opposed to $15-16 for Jim Beam.

Beirut

06-17-2008, 23:22

I just discovered that a fifth of decent canadian whisky, Seagram's, is about four dollars less than a fifth of Jim Beam.

As a good Canadian I must pass along a tenet held true by myself and my respected fellow Canadian whisky drinkers: Lips that touch Seagrams will never touch mine.

Now, whether you drink it or not, you are safe from a kiss from me - so don't drink it.

Too many bottles, not enough time. Don't waste any on......... Seagrams. :gah2:

Reverend Joe

06-18-2008, 00:01

That explains why it's sold in America. :laugh4:

And come to think of it, it IS starting to give me a funny headache.

Beirut

06-18-2008, 20:42

I'd love to have these guys as neighbours. :sunny:

A very relaxed bourbon tasting.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=qYU0to8FxyY

Oops. Forgot the best part. This is the Booker's Best tasting.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=YEIoVsQ9YIY&feature=related

Reverend Joe

06-19-2008, 03:38

Open your mouth with the Knob Creek... interesting. I did not know that.

Edit: oh, god, I love Bourbon... man, I will never buy anther whisky again if it ain;t Kentucky Straight Bourbon!

Reverend Joe

06-21-2008, 01:16

Adrian II

06-21-2008, 01:25

If you buy, by God I'll help you drink it!By God you're welcome! :2thumbsup:

The Reverend's church keeps growing. I consider this a good omen. :balloon2:

cmacq

06-21-2008, 01:36

I like'a the Lawson's ( http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=kv-t06dEnUs&feature=related) a wee dram, now and again.

Beirut

06-21-2008, 01:37

Keepin' my thread alive.

I been drinking Jim Beam. Honestly, it's not the best bourbon ever; in fact, it's basically as cheap as you can go without getting into the nasty stuff.

But damn... even compared to a halfway-decent Canadian whisky (and I am not talking about Seagrams, I mean Canadian Club) it's the nectar of the Gods.

Two different beasts, bourbon & rye (Canadian whisky). They offer different tastes and mindsets.

If you can find 18 year-old Wisers, you'll be getting a top-shelf Canadian whisky. Canadian Club is a mixed drink quality rye, strictly middle-shelf. A standard Wisers Deluxe would be better. And of course, Crown Royal is a nice bottle indeed.

Reverend Joe

06-22-2008, 00:39

Come to think of it, Canadian Club was the first Canadian whisky I got... dunno why I got Seagram's the second time.

Regardless, I must say that I prefer even a mediocre bourbon to a decent Canadian whisky. I just can't go without the flavor and body of Bourbon; it just says "good times" to me.

King Henry V

06-22-2008, 01:23

Well now that it seems that summer has definitavely kicked off here, it's time for me to move on from my more wintery beverages such as Cointreau and brandy-based cocktails to the estival tipples such as gin, martinis and pimm's. I admit that it pales in comparison to the more manly, straight-drinking strong booze that have been mentioned so far, but then I suppose I am rather a weakling compared to the many stout outdoors fellows here. I shall now retire to my divan to smoke my pipe, yank up the gramophone for my Stéphane Grappelli record, be served alternate cups of cold mint tea and gin and tonics by my valet and generally lead a useless, idle life of decadence.:shame:

Reverend Joe

06-22-2008, 01:29

Henry, Gin is about the meanest hard liquor I have encountered. :sweatdrop: If you are a regular drinker, I salute your fortitude, but your taste in liquor I must question.

Beirut

06-22-2008, 02:29

I shall now retire to my divan to smoke my pipe, yank up the gramophone for my Stéphane Grappelli record, be served alternate cups of cold mint tea and gin and tonics by my valet and generally lead a useless, idle life of decadence.:shame:

Posh Org.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/KingV.jpg

Sasaki Kojiro

06-22-2008, 05:02

Attempted a blind taste test tonight.

The candidates:

Ezra Brooks
Evan Williams
Maker's Mark
Wild Turkey (101)

The Process:

Poured the bourbons into 4 glasses that were all the same make. Wrote the brand on the glass with washable marker. Turned out the light and blindfolded myself with my t-shirt. Mixed up the glasses thoroughly. Laid out in a row:

A------------------B---------------------C-----------------------D

The Tasting:

My thinking was to take a large enough sip to taste the bourbon but not large enough to numb the mouth. Drank water in between glasses.

Started with "D" which I figured was Ezra. Moved on to C, which I ranked equal to D taste wise, and figured it as Wild Turkey, which surprised me since I expected it to have more of a kick due to the higher proof. B was next, which I instantly identified as Maker's Mark, and which tasted noticeably better than C and D. A was last, I figured it to be Evan Williams, which I ranked alongside C and D. I went back to C to check and see if I'd been misled, but apparently Wild Turkey isn't as good as I thought.

The True Results:

Blindfold is off! Time to examine the glasses.

A. Evan Williams
B. Wild Turkey
C. Maker's Mark
D. Ezra Brooks

Whoah! I had A and D right but was wrong about B and C. I went into the tasting thinking that I liked Maker's the best which is why I thought my favorite taste from the four was Maker's. Wild Turkey is a clear favorite however. Good to know! A bit easier on the wallet too. $5 less and 11 more proof.

The Winner:

https://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4089/94748il2.jpg

Now to drink the left over whiskey...

Beirut

06-22-2008, 05:12

Nicely done!

Banquo's Ghost

06-24-2008, 07:40

Henry, Gin is about the meanest hard liquor I have encountered. :sweatdrop: If you are a regular drinker, I salute your fortitude, but your taste in liquor I must question.

Nonsense. Gin is a refined and noble tipple, the foundation of empire.

There are some very nasty versions though, most especially the ubiquitous Gordon's. Better to drink aftershave straight from the bottle than use an intermediary.

They make the best gin in Plymouth (United Kingdom) down on the Barbican. Plymouth Gin (http://plymouthgin.com/) is quite widely available, and should be taken with some good tonic and a slice of lime.

Adrian, it was always clear that you were a man of taste. I have a bottle of Camus Ile de Re XO begging for some company... :bow:

King Henry V

06-24-2008, 17:00

Henry, Gin is about the meanest hard liquor I have encountered. :sweatdrop: If you are a regular drinker, I salute your fortitude, but your taste in liquor I must question.

I must admit that neat gin can be rather rough, especially the cheap stuff (of course), but the mixers generally transform it into a heavenly substance.

Posh Org.
:laugh4: Really, I certainly don't think that you're all philistines...

They make the best gin in Plymouth (United Kingdom) down on the Barbican. Plymouth Gin is quite widely available, and should be taken with some good tonic and a slice of lime

I've been meaning to try some Plymouth gin for quite a while, but I've found it quite difficult to get my hands on a bottle. Must try to get some when I'm in the West Country this summerr...

Sasaki Kojiro

08-28-2008, 05:17

Anyone noticed themselves losing the taste for hard liquor straight up after not drinking for a while, only to regain it after getting drunk once?

Strike For The South

08-28-2008, 05:37

vodka I can down that like candy. I <3 genetic alcoholism. The only thing that really stops me its poorly made tequila and even then its like trying to stop Chivalric knights with peasants. Im not trying to come off as a bad ass I really think Ive got issues. Therefore I've been sober 36 hours

Subedei

08-28-2008, 09:28

Good old "Blutwurz" [translates into something like Tormentil liquor] from the Bavarian Forrest.

Herb-based liquor with up to 60% alc..
I would recommend it after meals...when my friends and me have one at our favourit eating place, just about 20 min. later it hits you like a warm breeze in the mind. Wonderful staff!

You are able to see [not taste it] on this funky page here http://blutwurz.penninger.de/

I like Moscowskaya Vodka and some Polish Vodkas as well. While living in the US I realized you had some good Whiskeys over there plus there are some Scotish & Irish blends I like. But well I drink whiskey about once a year.
That`s it with the hard staff...back to my favourit beers!

Ice

08-28-2008, 20:24

Anyone noticed themselves losing the taste for hard liquor straight up after not drinking for a while, only to regain it after getting drunk once?

It's funny. Jack made me puke last year. I just drank some with my roommate last night with some coke and it actually wasn't too bad at all.

CountArach

08-28-2008, 23:32

Anyone noticed themselves losing the taste for hard liquor straight up after not drinking for a while, only to regain it after getting drunk once?
Yeah. i haven't had a drink in a few weeks now, and hard liquor for probably 5 weeks... I dread to think what it will be like going back to that.

Ja'chyra

08-29-2008, 12:34

Vodka and Irn Bru for me usually, if I'm after a cocktail then its either a Long Island ice Tea or a Mudslide and for shots my favourite atm is Stiffy's cola cube.

Moros

08-30-2008, 09:56

hmmmm had bacardi cola last night. was a nice dooze, no headache nothing after. :yes:

Hosakawa Tito

08-31-2008, 00:20

Crown Royal is my favorite sipping whiskey. For a nice summer cooler I prefer Bombay Sapphire with tonic water and a twist of lime.

Reverend Joe

08-31-2008, 16:10

I seem to have destroyed my stomach by drinking too much hard liquor. :shame:

It is now well and truly a special occasion drink.

Subedei

09-01-2008, 09:38

For a nice summer cooler I prefer Bombay Sapphire with tonic water and a twist of lime.

Very good choice! Delicious for a warm summer evening!

Sasaki Kojiro

12-05-2008, 05:18

Evan Williams Single Barrel is a good example. Right off you can tell its a very well made bourbon, very clean, smooth, light, but too sweet for me as well as my buddy who bought a bottle.

Picked up a bottle of this the other week--very sweet as you say. Sweetest smelling substance I've ever come across. I love it :2thumbsup: Always liked the flavor of evan williams, makes a nice contrast to the wild turkey. Nice to mix it up, and the single barrel is a darn good price.

I'll leave ya'll with a mint julep recipe I came across by one Judge Soule Smith:

"By the brookside the mint grows. As the little wavelets pass they glide up to kiss the feet of the the growing mint, the mint bends to salute them. Gracious and kind it is, living only for the sake of others. ... When the Blue Grass begins to shoot its gentle sprays towards the sun, mint comes, and its sweetest soul drinks at the crystal brook. It is virgin then. But soon it must be married to Old Bourbon. His great heart, his warmth of temperament, and that affinity which no one understands demand the wedding. How shall it be? Take from the cold spring some water, pure as angel's are; mix it with sugar till it seems like oil. Then take a glass and crush your mint within it with a spoon--crush it around the borders of the glass and leave no place untouched. Then throw the mint away--it is a sacrifice. Fill with cracked ice the glass; pour in the quantity of Bourbon which you want. It trickles slowly through the ice. Let it have time to cool, then pour your sugared water over it. No spoon is needed; no stirring allowed--just let it stand a moment. Then around the rim place sprigs of mint, so that the one who drinks may find taste and odor at one draft. Then when it is made, sip it slowly. August suns are shining, the breath of the south wind is upon you. It is fragrant, cold, sweet - it is seductive. No maiden's kiss is more tenderer or more refreshing; no maiden's touch could be more passionate. Sip it and dream, you cannot dream amiss. Sip it and dream, it is a dream itself... Sip it and say there is no solace for the soul, no tonic for the body like Old Bourbon".

Reading this, the fact that I don't have any mint makes me feel like a heathen

Alexanderofmacedon

12-06-2008, 14:57

Wodka und mehr wodka. :2thumbsup:

Sasaki Kojiro

02-22-2009, 01:53

They make the best gin in Plymouth (United Kingdom) down on the Barbican. Plymouth Gin (http://plymouthgin.com/) is quite widely available, and should be taken with some good tonic and a slice of lime.

Plymouth is good indeed. Makes a great martini, seems like the flavor would be a little subtle for a gin and tonic though. Works well in a gin pink too, though I've never been clear on how much a dash is.

Am very impressed with the johnny walker black--better than the dewar's 12 I tried before. Just a little pour lasts me a long time since the flavor stays in my mouth for so long. Will have to try some single malt next time.

Alexanderofmacedon

02-23-2009, 01:13

What is the vodka with the least flavor? Like harsh water...

Strike For The South

02-23-2009, 01:58

What is the vodka with the least flavor? Like harsh water...

Anything with less alcohol.

Or the reeeealll expensive stuff.

Alexanderofmacedon

02-23-2009, 02:49

Reverend Joe

02-23-2009, 03:15

I want high alcohol level, so expensive it is...:wall:

I spoke to a WWII veteran who told me they took engine diesel (for a plane? tank? I don't recall exactly...), added berries and other fruits for flavor and did some sort of "alcoholization" to it. Have no idea what they did (or if it's even possible), but I'll take his word for it. He said they had a couple sips of that stuff and were drunk and passed out. He said it was the stupidest thing he'd ever done because he was sure he killed tons of braincells.

:stunned: Wow... that sounds so beyond stupid. The only way I could conceive of wanting to do that is if I really wanted to get drunk AND didn't care of I died.

Of course, if this guy was fighting on the Eastern front, I could see that happening...

rajpoot

05-27-2009, 14:41

*bump* (I hope it's all right)

A question. How bad is Vodka? Health wise?
I mean I'm not a perpetual drunk. Infact I go to the bar just once a week, and have some 120 ml of vodka, and some whiskey when my pocket permits.
But lately, I've been hearing a lot of stuff from my friends that vodka is the most harmful of all hard drinks......and that it can do terrible things to the body. What most agitated me was a talk where this chap said to me that vodka causes water accumulation in the, ahem, balls. :sweatdrop:
So can anyone tell me if it's really all that bad or is it no worse than the other types?

Moros

05-27-2009, 14:48

Well I'm still in perfect health so it can't be that bad at all. Unless beer is the cure for evertyhting bad wodka does. If I were you just drink beer and wodka together, that can't be bad at all. ;)

drone

05-27-2009, 15:36

A question. How bad is Vodka? Health wise?
I mean I'm not a perpetual drunk. Infact I go to the bar just once a week, and have some 120 ml of vodka, and some whiskey when my pocket permits.
But lately, I've been hearing a lot of stuff from my friends that vodka is the most harmful of all hard drinks......and that it can do terrible things to the body. What most agitated me was a talk where this chap said to me that vodka causes water accumulation in the, ahem, balls. :sweatdrop:
So can anyone tell me if it's really all that bad or is it no worse than the other types?

I haven't heard anything like that. Vodka is actually one of the healthiest distilled drinks out there, the multiple filtering that the good vodkas go through clear out a lot of the harmful substances. It takes a lot of good vodka to produce a hangover, and most of this is just from the dehydration.

Dutch_guy

05-27-2009, 15:45

Ramses II CP

05-27-2009, 15:51

Vodka is one of the purest forms of liquor and certainly no worse for you than anything else of the same proof. In fact it's probably better than most just because it doesn't contain the impurities that give them their flavor.

As far as water accumulation in your testicles? That's an old wive's tale, literally. Women would tell men that to stop them drinking. Next time you hear something that dumb tell your buddy to stop being an old woman.

:egypt:

Sasaki Kojiro

05-27-2009, 15:57

As long as you buy wodka with a semi respectable brand you'll be fine. Don't ever go for the (ridiculously) cheap wodka in, say, your supermarket. That's the nasty stuff, that's what causes all kind of problems - like blindness and the such.

:balloon2:

:inquisitive:

That's methanol that causes blindness. Though I have heard of cases where unscrupulous people sold methanol as vodka, I doubt the sold in a supermarket.

Fragony

05-27-2009, 16:57

As long as you buy wodka with a semi respectable brand you'll be fine. Don't ever go for the (ridiculously) cheap wodka in, say, your supermarket. That's the nasty stuff, that's what causes all kind of problems - like blindness and the such.

:balloon2:

That must be why I don't see very cheap vodka? What are you talking about?

Ice

05-27-2009, 17:30

Cheap Vodka is really bad for you? Lol, my friends and I are really screwed.

rajpoot

05-27-2009, 18:12

Well, I don't drink cheap. Never. I guess I'm reassured. Vodka with fruit juices is my favourite drink. Wouldn't want to give that up for anything.

Beirut

05-27-2009, 21:42

I admit to drinking vodka. :embarassed:

It's a tough thing for a bourbon drinker to 'fess up to, but honesty is its own reward. I like it straight or with just enough cranberry juice to change the colour a bit.

But if you're going to drink vodka, try Iceberg vodka.
http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?N=40+4294967218+4294967193&area=spirits&ProductID=7459&Ns=Name%7c0
http://www.argonautliquor.com/images/bn/160/33858.jpg

I like the Russian vodka better, but this stuff is really good and it's from Newfoundland. How cool is that? ~:smoking:

Dutch_guy

05-27-2009, 23:25

:inquisitive:

That's methanol that causes blindness. Though I have heard of cases where unscrupulous people sold methanol as vodka, I doubt the sold in a supermarket.

That must be why I don't see very cheap vodka? What are you talking about?

This is based on my trip to Russia last February, where you'd literally see a warning sticker on a bottle of €2/3$ vodka. That's bad stuff, no doubt about it. Doesn't get sold here on in any other western country, of course, so sure hope I didn't cause a panic.

:balloon2:

Uesugi Kenshin

05-28-2009, 02:46

This is based on my trip to Russia last February, where you'd literally see a warning sticker on a bottle of €2/3$ vodka. That's bad stuff, no doubt about it. Doesn't get sold here on in any other western country, of course, so sure hope I didn't cause a panic.

:balloon2:

Well yeah. The Russian Government actually started putting out its own super cheap vodka to cut out the blackmarket stuff, which can kill you.

rajpoot

05-28-2009, 10:04

Well yeah. The Russian Government actually started putting out its own super cheap vodka to cut out the blackmarket stuff, which can kill you.

That doesn't make sense.....people are going to die drinking the government made super cheap vodka insted of snuffing after having black market stuff.... :inquisitive:
Well nothing the governments do makes much sense to me anyway...... :juggle2:

miotas

05-28-2009, 10:07

Here in Oz, the cheapest alcohol we have is goon. Less than 10 aussie dollars for 4L of wine, about the same price as metho. If there is any alcohol that will kill ya then it's goon. That is the nastiest shit you can buy.

My choice of alcohol is good quality aussie rum, which has the dual benefit of being both delicious and too expensive for me to drink to excess.

Uesugi Kenshin

05-28-2009, 16:48

That doesn't make sense.....people are going to die drinking the government made super cheap vodka insted of snuffing after having black market stuff.... :inquisitive:
Well nothing the governments do makes much sense to me anyway...... :juggle2:

I believe they were selling the stuff at a loss, so though their vodka was super cheap it wasn't deadly.

King Jan III Sobieski

05-31-2009, 14:46

Peach schnapps are tasty, and I can't stand drinking most liquors straight up, they have to be mixed (I know, I'm a sissy!) :beam::yes::beam:

AlexanderSextus

06-01-2009, 07:45

drinking whiskey with anything in it other than ice is a sacrelige unless you are female.

Samurai Waki

06-01-2009, 08:14

drinking whiskey with anything in it other than ice is a sacrelige unless you are female.

Indeed sir. Straight up Bourbon (on the rocks if need be) and a 1-51 Tracer. That'll give you a little extra fur on the chest.

AlexanderSextus

06-01-2009, 10:35

Indeed sir. Straight up Bourbon (on the rocks if need be) and a 1-51 Tracer. That'll give you a little extra fur on the chest.

DAMN man you dont mess around. I'd substitute Gentleman Jack for the Bourbon however.

King Henry V

06-01-2009, 10:38

drinking whiskey with anything in it other than ice is a sacrelige unless you are female.

Oh, tommyrot. Scotch and soda is a perfectly refreshing drink for a summer's evening.

AlexanderSextus

06-01-2009, 10:39

Vodka with fruit juices is my favourite drink.

UR :daisy:

Be a man. Drink Whiskey.

AlexanderSextus

06-01-2009, 10:41

Oh, tommyrot. Scotch and soda is a perfectly refreshing drink for a summer's evening.

BLASPHEMER!

Ser Clegane

06-01-2009, 10:43

Actually the ice already is a sacrilege... (at least if you use it to ruin a perfectly fine single malt :stare:)

AlexanderSextus

06-01-2009, 10:51

Actually the ice already is a sacrilege... (at least if you use it to ruin a perfectly fine single malt :stare:)

Yes, the rule is even more strict for Single Malt scotch. Ice is only okay for Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey.

Beirut

06-01-2009, 11:10

UR :daisy:

Be a man. Drink Whiskey.

Son, I've been drinking bourbon since the '70s and though I used to share your opinion, I must admit that it is the wrong opinion.

The master distiler at Jim Beam, the man who makes the finest bourbon in the world, Booker's Best, says if you enjoy your whiskey with water, then it's okay to drink your whiskey with water. He says for many people it opens up the whiskey and allows for a better tasting.

I am of the opinion that his opinion is the opinion.

Also, my grandfather drove a tank in World War I and lived well into his nineties and he put water in his whiskey. Who am I, or anybody, to judge him?

The World's Greatest Bourbon Whiskey. :sunny:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/horsesass/1605.jpg

miotas

06-01-2009, 13:48

The most important thing for liquor is that it should be cold, unless it's actually frozen its never too cold.

I like to drink my rum as a 50-50 mix with ginger beer (stronger flavour than ginger ale) I find the flavour to complement any hard liquor quite nicely. I always leave the ginger beer in the freezer until it's just starting to form ice. Can't beat it, also goes well with bourbon, whiskey or scotch. My uncle who is a scotch drinker introduced me to the iced ginger beer method.

Talking about all this fine alcohol is making me thirsty, too bad its a monday night, everything will be shut by now :sad:

Reverend Joe

06-01-2009, 16:43

Oh, tommyrot. Scotch and soda is a perfectly refreshing drink for a summer's evening.

:thinking: Hmm... isn't Scotch meant for women (and Englishmen... same thing) to begin with?

Ser Clegane

06-01-2009, 17:33

:thinking: Hmm... isn't Scotch meant for women (and Englishmen... same thing) to begin with?

I assume you have not tried a real cask strength Islay Scotch yet :snobby:

Reverend Joe

06-02-2009, 01:40

I assume you have not tried a real cask strength Islay Scotch yet :snobby:

No, and I haven't tried turpentine fresh from the factory either.

~D :smash:

naut

06-02-2009, 04:04

I've developed a disturbing predilection for straight gin.

HopAlongBunny

06-02-2009, 06:18

Best whiskey I have ever had the good fortune to sip was made by a Saskatchewan farmer.

Absolutely smooth.

Water is essential to enjoying a good whiskey. Scotch, Irish, Bourbon benefit because your taste buds actually get a chance to taste the parts; after that first sip of straight whiskey I doubt anyone can taste the full profile as the taste buds go into shock. For the good stuff water is essential.

rajpoot

06-02-2009, 14:10

OK, a science question (I mean I know I can search the internet for an answer, but why do so much work when I've got a group of excellent fellow guild men to help me out ... :grin3:)
Right, so, why is it that alcohol affects us more when had on an empty stomach?? :juggle2:

miotas

06-02-2009, 15:29

I have heard a couple of reasons why it slows alcohol absorbtion. One is that it dilutes the alcohol, and the other is that when we eat the stomach closes up to digest the food and stops anything from getting through to the small intestine. The small intestine absorbs stuff more quickly into the blood stream then the stomach, so having the alcohol stay in the stomach rather than pass to the small intestine would cause slower absorbtion. My scientific skills extend no further than yr12 biology, but they seem to make sense to me.