Your favorite Scotch? Your Favorite liquor in general?

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I MUST know,..

...exactly what does one use "Cynar" for???

Does it work as a topping for ice cream?
Can one put in coffee?
What???
And who and why would anyone think to make a liqueur out of artichokes anyway?!
May as well use acorns, or lima beans,...

 

[Amber DeCadence]

I can't help but feel I need educating with regards to alcohol The only 2 drinks I ever consume are Blossom Hill White Grenache wine and Baileys over ice - time to start broadening the horizons maybe?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

...exactly what does one use "Cynar" for???

A test for bravery?

 

[cookie]

Santiago Chile

Last fftopic: for me too...

We might have to start a Santiago thread to have a bit of a reminisce about the place...

I lived at Americo Vespucio Norte 2300 in 1977 for 6 months between coming and going (funnily enough across the road from the Aussie Embassy) which my great friend Carlos Castillo has recently sold to move to La Dehesa.

Thirty years ago La Dehesa was like a country village. Urban sprawl hits South America.

 

[Duffy's Tavern]

I'd have to say

that Ardbeg is my favorite in the single Malts, I'm an Islay guy.
In the blends I think White Horse is a great bargain, heavy on the Laguvullin in the blend.
As to other spirits, Rums of all kinds are great bargains and the sipping rums like Barbencourt are excellent, and of course if you like it dark, Goslings.

 

[scotrace]

I'm so very, very sad to see the last drops of Lagavulin disappear.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

A test for bravery?

Maybe so. Or it might just be great on pancakes,...who knows? [huh]

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I never have been a scotch gal, but the men in my family love it.
I'm not supposed to drink, but when I do if I'm not drinking wine I stick to vodka on the rocks. I prefer Grey Goose or Belvedere with a twist of lime. Grey Goose has Pear vodka that is supposed to be really good.
I also love Lemoncello, mmmmm, so refreshing on a summer day.

A nice spin on a Mojito, I don't know what this is called: Vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh spearmint or wintergreen mashed with a morter and pestal and a bit of sugar. Shake over rocks and pour. Now that's really refreshing on a hot day

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

A nice spin on a Mojito, I don't know what this is called: Vodka, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh spearmint or wintergreen mashed with a morter and pestal and a bit of sugar. Shake over rocks and pour. Now that's really refreshing on a hot day

That concoction would knock me right on my kiester!

 

[Jack Scorpion]

I still can't pass up Cutty Sark economically. I love good scotch, but I'm not one to fork over the 10 bucks more. When it comes to bourbon, I have a hard time passing up Wild Turkey for taste -- despite the mornings after.

Whiskey in general I drink on ice, straight or with club soda, ginger ale and maybe sometimes Amaretto. Scotch+Amaretto is a Godfather. Whiskey+GingerAle is a Horse's Neck. So sometimes I make a Scotch+Amaretto+GingerAle and call it An Offer I Can't Refuse. Hah.

A couple things I rarely ever drink are Sambuka and Aqauvit, but I love them when I do. Next time I'm at the liquor store I might purchase a bottle. Otherwise, my shot glasses are for Vodka or Tequila. When it comes to Tequila, I have a rock stomach, but I rarely find others willing to share shots with me. When it comes to Vodka, I'm a true Russki. Plain shots of Russian vintage eaten with a meal.

I like sipping on rum, but I'm not a fan of rum cocktails. Sometimes I drink Rum+Squirt (grapefruit soda) and call it a Zombie. But as for my favorite cocktails, I like most highballs, very dirty martinis and my new favorite, which I've never been able to actually order, is Whiskey+Champagne. Does anyone know what that is traditionally called?

 

[John in Covina]

strong liquor, oderlie taken!

Scotch is a whisky (no e for Scotch) that I am slowly warming to with Scapa and the Glenmorangie varieties.

I am more of a Bourbon fan with Knob Creek a fav, but the other specialties are quite good for the most part. Tennesee with Gentleman Jack and one of the Dickle whiskies getting the nod.

I like a Dry Martini using Tanquerey TEN and Ketel One Vodka as a base for something close to 'Vespers' that is self medication at its best in answer to a rough day at work. (Doctor Howard, Doctor Fein, Doctor Howard!)

I am also a Hornitos fan and enjoy a variety of !00% agave tequilas.

From my Danish side an ice cold Aquavit is stimulation to the taste buds!

Skoal!

 

[dhermann1]

Sour mash

I definitely lean to Bourbon. My favorites are J W Dant and Dickel Sour Mash, which technically aren't bourbons, since they're made in Tennessee, rather than Kentucky. Still exactly the same thing. Smooth and mellow. Oh, yes. Wild Turkey isn't exactly chopped liver, either.
Plain rye is not so bad either. A nice highball with three fingers of whiskey, filled with H2O and one ice cube. Just spend a hot day sippin'.
John in Covina: ever make glog? That'll wake you right up and put you right to sleep!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

That concoction would knock me right on my kiester!

That's the idea! I discovered this drink while on vacation in Puerto Rico a few years ago. After a long and rather hot day, my mom and dad and I strolled into this very cool outdoor restaurant. We were the only customers. The owner of the restaurant said he had the perfect drink for us and he came back with these wonderful vodka lemon drinks. They are almost like a lemon drop with mint in them. It was a most memorable meal too. The owner of the restaurant liked us and decided that instead of us ordering off of the menu he was gonna have dishes prepared especially for us. It turned out to be an amazing meal with the freshest fish and seafood, and lots of other interesting local things. We drank lots of these drinks and ate a great meal. The owner of the restaurant even sat down and ate with us. What a great time. And by the end of the night we certainly were knocked on our keisters!

I still can't pass up Cutty Sark economically. I love good scotch, but I'm not one to fork over the 10 bucks more. When it comes to bourbon, I have a hard time passing up Wild Turkey for taste -- despite the mornings after.

Whiskey in general I drink on ice, straight or with club soda, ginger ale and maybe sometimes Amaretto. Scotch+Amaretto is a Godfather. Whiskey+GingerAle is a Horse's Neck. So sometimes I make a Scotch+Amaretto+GingerAle and call it An Offer I Can't Refuse. Hah.

A couple things I rarely ever drink are Sambuka and Aqauvit, but I love them when I do. Next time I'm at the liquor store I might purchase a bottle. Otherwise, my shot glasses are for Vodka or Tequila. When it comes to Tequila, I have a rock stomach, but I rarely find others willing to share shots with me. When it comes to Vodka, I'm a true Russki. Plain shots of Russian vintage eaten with a meal.

I like sipping on rum, but I'm not a fan of rum cocktails. Sometimes I drink Rum+Squirt (grapefruit soda) and call it a Zombie. But as for my favorite cocktails, I like most highballs, very dirty martinis and my new favorite, which I've never been able to actually order, is Whiskey+Champagne. Does anyone know what that is traditionally called?

I like rum too. I brought home a few bottles of the best rum from Puerto Rico. I wish I could find it here on the mainland. It was so good. Dirty Martini's are wonderful!
I'm a big fan of Champagne. If I could afford it, I'd order straight up champagne every time I went out for a drink. Vueve Clicquot is my favorite and White Star is a good drink too. During the holiday season prices of champagne drop dramatically, sometimes you can find these brands at half price, so it's a good time to stock up I've tried a few different types of champagne drinks. I've had a cocktail called "The Sweetest Thing" with whiskey, frambois or chambord (or any type of rasberry liqueur, you can use the creamy kind to but I don't like it) and champagne. A nice touch is to add fresh raspberries floating on the top. But I've never had just whiskey and champagne. My favorite way to drink champagne after drinking it straight up, IMO that's the best way, are Bellini's. Champagne with fresh peach nectar. It's the drink of Venice Italy, it's made with Prosecco which is considered a sparkling wine. Prosecco has more of a brut taste to it, and it's not as sweet as champagne. But the sweetness of the peach nectar balances the brut of the champagne. It's really fantastic, if you haven't tried it I do recommend it. Also, since it is a mixed drink there's really no reason to buy expensive champagne or prosecco. I've used pricier champagnes, but they are better on their own. This drink is better than a mimosa and is really great any time of day
Another drink that will "knock you off your keister" is called a Zipperhead. It's a layered shot or what some bars call a slammer. It's a layer of vodka, a layer of chambord and a float of seltzer water on top. Put the straw at the bottom and drink the layers. It's strong then sweet then bubbly, guaranteed to make all your worries go away.

OK, I just thought of another drink that I had for the first time a few weeks ago. It was called a Tuscan Martini. Grey Goose vodka and Lemoncello with a lemon twist. Wowza! It was soooo good.

Golly, it's so funny that I'm writing about all these drinks, considering over the past few years I have rarely indulged in these libations.....

 

[Grace]

Rum!

I wish to retire somewhere where the rum flows like water...
my current favorite is Sailor Jerry's-much better than the Captain!

 

[Chanfan]

Nice pile of homebrew, Lady Blue! Homebrew can be some of the best (and most cost effective) stuff ever!

I must admit, buying single malts has also given me a pricing outlook - but in the opposite direction. I think of them as "expected" price, so other booze seems like it's bargain basement priced to me. Alas, my budget's going to be tighter for a while, so we'll see how that lasts.

I can't recall the name, but I had some blackstrap rum that made for good rum and cokes.

Here's the Scotch cabinet -

First floor, Islays and such. Second floor, Highlands, lowlands.

Third floor, - hmm, more highlands, and a calender. Basement - Some Islays, Highlands, and reading material.

Some barware.

 

[Chanfan]

Oh, and as for Cynar, well, I like artichokes rather a lot. But I agree, I'm not sure I'd have thought of basing a beverage on them.

My copy of the Aperitif Companion mentions that Cynar was selling over a million bottles per annum by 1951, after being introduced in 1949. At the time of publication (1998) they had sales of 12 million. It's supposed to be the 2nd best selling bitters in the world, after Campari.

It's named after cynarina, a substance extracted from artichoke leaves, but also contains many other herbs and spices. Apparently, in it's home country, it's drunk as a digestivo - after meals, but almost everywhere else, as an aperitivo.

Apparently ways to enjoy it include:

Straight.
On the rocks.
With soda, an orange slice, and ice.
50/50 with cola, perhaps with lemon or lime slices.
50/50 with tonic, again with lemon or lime.

 

[cookie]

Fernet Branca

Talking about aperitifs like Cynar...has anyone wrapped their laughing gear around a glass of this stuff? Helps the digestion the Italians say...while the rest of you feels violently ill!

Re Chilean drinks - yous guys reckon I can use this high proof Chilean Pisco my mate brought me like a Caipirinha? Please advise recipe.

Any difference in taste between the the organic brand cachaca using the organically harvested cane and the usual stuff like Pitu?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Re Chilean drinks - yous guys reckon I can use this high proof Chilean Pisco my mate brought me like a Caipirinha? Please advise recipe.

I wouldn't advise using it to mix a caipirinha. Pisco is much smoother than the very potent Brazilian cachaça, which is the staple ingredient in caipirinhas. Pisco isn't quite like aguardiente, either. Put simply, pisco is a grape brandy. It would serve as an excellent base alcohol for absinthe-making, by the way.


If you've never tasted Peruvian or Chilean pisco, imagine a very smooth, subtle tequila. The best quality (aged) pisco is about 100 proof.


Incidentally, the best RUM I've ever had in my life was from El Salvador. It was indistinguishable from cognac.

.

 

[jamespowers]

...exactly what does one use "Cynar" for???

Does it work as a topping for ice cream?
Can one put in coffee?
What???
And who and why would anyone think to make a liqueur out of artichokes anyway?!
May as well use acorns, or lima beans,...

Putting it on anything you mentioned will make the original item taste worse by far. :eusa_doh:
They might as well make a liqueur out of lysol---oh wait---they have. Its called unicum.

Regards,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Nice pile of homebrew, Lady Blue! Homebrew can be some of the best (and most cost effective) stuff ever!

I must admit, buying single malts has also given me a pricing outlook - but in the opposite direction. I think of them as "expected" price, so other booze seems like it's bargain basement priced to me. Alas, my budget's going to be tighter for a while, so we'll see how that lasts.

I can't recall the name, but I had some blackstrap rum that made for good rum and cokes.

Here's the Scotch cabinet -

First floor, Islays and such. Second floor, Highlands, lowlands.

Third floor, - hmm, more highlands, and a calender. Basement - Some Islays, Highlands, and reading material.

Some barware.

Nice selection. I'll be over in twenty minutes. :cheers1:

Regards,

J