y8s

iTrader: (8)

I didn't answer very directly I guess. I don't have a gin of choice. I would probably head toward some review sites to get a starting point. But really, since most of hte time I have gin, it's muted by tons of tonic and lime juice or bad vermouth, I feel I am starting anew here. Hendricks is very good. I also really liked the Catoctin Creek. Those are the only two I've really had straight up to judge.

I did a scotch tasting at my wedding.







Here are the notes I provided:

Oban 14 year
Region: Western Highlands
Notes: One of the smallest distilleries in Scotland.
Palate: Smooth and gentle with fruit. Smoky and malty. A little peat and sea-salt.
Finish: Warm and smooth with a hint of caramel or toffee. Some note a gingery tingle.
Recommendations: Perhaps a more advanced drinker’s scotch. After getting familiar with it “neat”, try a half teaspoon of water in it.

Laphroaig 10 year
Region: Islay
Notes: A peaty, smoky, stand-by from the Scottish island of Islay.
Palate: Tons of peaty moss, a bit medicine-like. Smoke and subtle vanilla sweetness.
Finish: Peaty and dry with a subtle oak and even more subtle smooth sweetness.
Recommendations: Not a scotch for novices. Add a splash of water to access some of the more subtle flavors. Try a tiny amount just for the experience.

Highland Park 12 year
Region: Highlands
Notes: The most northerly distillery in Scotland. A great scotch for everyone.
Palate: Smoky brown sugar, light almond, subtle caramel and a little spice.
Finish: Butterscotch and cinnamon with a smoky tingle.
Recommendations: Great beginner scotch. Try a small dram neat first.

Caol Ila 12 year
Region: Islay
Notes: One of the lighter Islay style scotches. Used in blends like Johnnie Walker.
Palate: Lightly oily with some peppery warmness. Some smoky intensity. Fruity.
Finish: Long finish with smoke and maybe a sense of fish.
Recommendations: If the Laphroaig intimidates you, this is a gentler version.

Balvenie Doublewood 12 year
Region: Speyside
Notes: Light and accessible. Matured in whiskey oak and sherry oak.
Palate: Nuts and spices with caramel and vanilla. Later, some sherry flavor.
Finish: Warming and long with some sherry.
Recommendations: An accessible and complex scotch.


(i went home with half a bottle of Caol Ila and Laphroig.)

phillyb

iTrader: (8)

i do enjoy me some dirty martinis - vodka - grey goose.
i've been shooting tullamore dew lately at the bar.
jameson is always a good staple.
there's a drink called a caipirinha which is muddled lime, sugar and cachaça (basically a brazillian rum)

mgeoffriau

iTrader: (7)

Oh, don't waste money on Grey Goose. Sobieski or Svedka are just as good, and Tito's is better.

phillyb

iTrader: (8)

i've had svedka, neither of the other two though. i'll def try em out. thanks

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

I'm a fan of the caipirinha as well. When I was in Costa Rica, they made a drink called a bartender called a "caipitica" but I think was the same as a Cacique Guaro Sour.

scfreshy

iTrader: (2)

My ladyfriend ordered a caipirinhia on a whim the other day and ended up loving it. I enjoyed it quite a bit as well.

Y8s - I think your notes are pretty much spot on. Highland Park was my first scotch and I haven't tried much else. Might look into some of the others you noted.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

Try the Caol Ila. It'll make a good contrasting ponit to the Highland Park.

Faeflora

iTrader: (2)

Pushy look at mu recommendations earlier in te
The thread. I am a kentucky whisky srinker

mgeoffriau

iTrader: (7)

Sobieski and Svedka are pretty similar in quality, though I prefer the flavor of Sobieski. Tito's is a notch above...lovely flavor, just a hint of boozy heat, and super smooth in the mouth, no oiliness.

Opti

Always loved this stuff.

mgeoffriau

iTrader: (7)

The effects of it? I've never been able to taste it.

pusha

iTrader: (5)

that ---- will get you fucked up. I can't tell you how many early mornings I've seen one of my homeboys puke after a night on the un fitty un.

phillyb

iTrader: (8)

same drink
different night

shooterschmidty

Those of you that like whiskey sours should try a pisco sour sometime. Pisco is a grape brandy popular in Chile and Peru.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

WELL NOW.

I managed to get in a glass of the Old Potrero last night! Went out to dinner on a groupon with my wife and the place we went (Againn--pronounced uh-gwinn--in DC: http://againndc.com/ ) had an extensive liquor list. Three pages of scotch, one page of rye and whisky and a bunch of other stuff.

http://againndc.com/scotch-list (the others aren't online)

I almost missed the Old Potrero because it was not under the Rye section, but under the "American Whisky" section.

Tastewise, it had a delicious caramel and vanilla nose. Almost like candy. It felt good in my mouth and the taste was smooth and not smokey. The finish was pretty harsh though--but it could be because of my cold. It really burned my upper throat after swallowing. I could sit there and smell it all day though.

ThatGuy85

iTrader: (4)

Any recommendations on booze that doesn't make me want to put a bullet in my brain the morning after?

y8s

iTrader: (8)

like hangover proof? no.

but you can try this next time you drink:

get a quart of your favorite gatorade
BEFORE BED drink half and take two aspirin.
IN THE MORNING drink the other half and take two more aspirin.
I also follow with coffee but that's optional. the caffeine can

aspirin seems to come out on top of all the hangover studies as the best way to reduce the prostaglandin levels responsible for hangovers as well as blocks the acetate that makes your head hurt. caffeine helps here too. the gatorade is mostly just to make sure you aren't dehydrated, which would make things worse (though it's suggested that it's not usually dehydration that is a problem unless you're barfing all night).

pusha

iTrader: (5)

hi there

Scrappy Jack

iTrader: (2)

The larger black bottle on the second shelf of the right hand glass cabinet on my main bar is a bottle of Pisco my buddy got me.

When I went to NYC, we stayed with my buddy and his wife who had an apartment in Manhattan. Besides all of the touristy stuff, the one place I really wanted to hit was Death & Co.. After a subway ride, a cab ride and then a trudge through the snow, we finally made it there...

only to find that it was closed for a private party!

I'm with y8s, although even chugging some water before you start or before you hit the bed will help if Gatorade is not on-hand. Likewise, in the morning, you could consider Excedrin as it has a caffeine component.

I would think there could be some credence to the "sugary drinks are worse" anecdotes because I seem to have more headaches after rum nights (which usually involve more sugary mixers).

Doppelgänger

iTrader: (12)

Oh Jesus....pisco. My neighbors are from Peru and right after we moved in, we did new years with them. Was drinking and all was fine...until they gave us some pisco. Oh how it was like flicking a switch from being warm tipsy drunk to...OMGICANTSTANDUP drunk. I will never drink that stuff again.


I was drinking whipped cokes last night. That's an evil little concoction.