This is basically the same idea as the wonderful favorite beers thread, but geared towards the other forms of alcohol.
Personally, I love whisky, and I spell it like that because I currently drink Canadian whisky (Crown Royal, to be exact), though I'm thinking of trying out a scotch or two (Glenfidditch sounds amazing) when I have the money, or maybe a Japanese whiskey.
For vodka, it's all about Absolut. Their product is affordable and reasonable quality, and the advertising campaign has me sucked in.
I'm considering experimenting with rum, schnapps, sake, and tequila, but I haven't done so yet. I dream of trying mead, but have no idea where to find it (if anyone knows of a source in Santa Clara County, California, please tell me).
Though I'm a California native, I have little experience with wine, and don't see myself becoming a wine or brandy drinker. I have no specific problem with wine, it's just never caught my interest and I haven't done much experimentation with it. Last time I had wine it wasn't bad, but it wasn't that good, either. To be fair, it was a cheap wine, and I don't even remember the name.
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Whiskey. I love scotch but I also drink bourbon and Irish whiskeys. My go to scotch is Glenlivet 12 because that is something I can regularly afford - for special occasions I might go Glenlivet 18 or Glenfidditch 18.
Also, since I try to minimize unnecessary carbs from my diet whiskey is perfect!
I'm a green blooded Irish American, but I've never had an Irish whiskey. I reckon I should add that to my growing list of things to try (I just added creme de menthe and Bailey's). I have had an Irish stout (three guesses at which one it was, and the first two don't count), and I liked it enough that it's the only non craft beer I go for.
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I really like Bushmill's Black Label, but I enjoy their regular white label as well and it doesn't break the bank.
<3 That site ships to the US, and I live in one of the states that allows sale of alcohol through the mail. Probably cost quite a bit in import duties, though. I'll look at local sources when I'm ready to buy it.
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Scotch Whisky: Lagavulin (favorite), Lismore (affordable and awesome), Glenlivet, Oban, Glenmorangie, Laphroag all awesome. Glenfiddich is sweet, blended ("pure malt" rather than "single malt"), and highly overrated, IMHO.
Irish Whiskey: Bushmill's "Black Bush" is excellent; regular Bushmills very decent. Not a fan of Jamison's.
Bourbon: W.L. Weller's 12-Year-Old (black label) is phenomenally good and very underpriced (other Weller's products are inferior, however). Elijah Craig is widely-available and decent. Maker's Mark is overrated; the product itself is mediocre, IMHO. Booker's is great if you want to splurge, but it tends to be a bit overpriced.
Tennessee Whiskey: George Dickel's #12 brand is really, really good. People drink Jack Daniel's because of name recognition and because they want to be "cool," not because it's any good.
Canadian Whisky: Pendleton is nice; Seagram's VO Gold is OK. Crown Royal is something people drink because they just want the purple bag for their dice, or (again) because of pure name recognition; I don't think the whiskey itself is particularly awesome.
Other Rye Whiskeys: Jim Beam's rye is cheap and suprisingly decent, in contrast to their bourbons (which suck). Wild Turkey rye is OK. George Dickels makes a very nice rye. Recently, I'm seeing a lot of small-batch or craft ryes on the market, and look forward to trying them out.
Wheat Whiskey: Bastille, from France, is essentially a fine Scotch made from wheat instead of barley. It's really nice, and runs about $30/bottle in PA (plus the exorbitant taxes here).
Rum: Not a big rum drinker, but Appleton Estates is my favorite.
Cognac: The "big three" (Hennessy, Remy Martin, Courvoisier) are all reliable. If you can find it, House of Hemery is quite good and extremely reasonable-priced compared to the above. Armagnacs are fun for a change.
Other Brandies: I love Calvados (apple brandy), but it tends to be pricy. In NJ, you can get Laird's Apple Brandy for a reasonable amount; outside of NJ, you generally only find their "Applejack," which is blended with neutral spirits and nowhere near as tasty. I drank a lot of palinka (fruit brandy) in Hungary, but have a hard time finding decent ones (as opposed to unaged paint-thinner) here in the U.S.
Vodka: Stolichnaya is very solid. Smirnoff is cheap party liquor for kids. Grey Goose and all those are highly overpriced and not really worth the extra $, IMHO.
Gin: If you're going to mix it, brand is less important, but Tanqueray is always dependable, and Bombay is good. To drink straight-up, look for a Dutch alte Genever (not to be confused with the lesser jonge Genever), and you won't be disappointed.
Crown Royal is something people drink because they just want the purple bag for their dice, or (again) because of pure name recognition; I don't think the whiskey itself is particularly awesome.
I disapprove most sternly, my good sir.
I don't often drink hard liquor, but when I do, I drink pretentious brands that make my friends go "oooohhh."
Wheat Whiskey: Bastille, from France, is essentially a fine Scotch made from wheat instead of barley. It's really nice, and runs about $30/bottle in PA (plus the exorbitant taxes here).
Wait, France makes whiskey? I must know of the taste of this.
People drink Jack Daniel's because of name recognition and because they want to be "cool," not because it's any good.
I have to vehemently disagree with your assessment. My preference is for Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, when it comes to almost any drink choice. Some of us just prefer charcoal filtered 94 proof goodness.
Vodka: Ketel One by preference.Rum: Cruzan Blackstrap or Cruzan Nine Spice as my staples, though there are a lot of tolerable rums.
Irish Whiskey: Jameson's 12 year (notable for the almost rosewater aftertaste :). Bushmills is also tolerable.
Scotch: Macallen 12 year or 18 if I'm feeling like splurging.
Tequila: Milagro Silver for Shots and Sauza Conmemorativo for margaritas.
I'd go on and on, but should probably not spend a lot of work time typing about alcohol :)
-TimD
My preference is for Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, when it comes to almost any drink choice. Some of us just prefer charcoal filtered 94 proof goodness.
Try the Dickel's #12 -- you might change your mind.
Vodka. Anything that looks like a Russian label.
Vodka. Anything that looks like a Russian label.
My preference is for Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, when it comes to almost any drink choice. Some of us just prefer charcoal filtered 94 proof goodness.Try the Dickel's #12 -- you might change your mind.
I have. It didn't. It was relatively tasty, but not as good to me.
Though, to be fair I was a bigger fan of JD Single Barrel back when Jimmy Bedford was their master distiller - Jeff Arnet's taste is not quite the same.-TimD
There's a point of diminishing returns for money, I think; Dickels #12 goes for a half or a third of what the JD single barrel does. And it blows the regular JD out of the water, IMHO.
I used to be a fan of Maker's Mark bourbon, but they recently began watering down their product, so I am in the market for another brand. I tried several bourbons, but so far none of them really have the same appeal to me that Maker's Mark had. The closest has probably been Crown Royal, but to me that feels like going backwards since I moved from Crown Royal to Maker's Mark a long time ago. There is a local whiskey that was touted as a great substitute but I found it too fruity and it gave me a pounding headache.
Any recommendations for a whiskey to replace Maker's Mark?
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As Kirth wrote, Bushmills is pretty good (although, to quote McNulty, it's protestant whiskey ;) ).
I'm not a fan of Jameson, either. Sometimes, it tastes like something died in it.
Tyrconnell Single Malt is decent.
The famous Tullamore Dew is very nice, especially the slightly stronger (and a bit more expensive) Black Label.
My favourite is Greenore Single Grain, though.
Next on my list are Green Spot and Redbreast, when I can afford them. I'd really like to try a Midleton Very Rare at some time in the future, but at prices over 100€ a bottle, that's not going to happen anytime soon.
Blackmaker's Root Beer Liqueur
Hard to find but worth it if you don't mind drinking a liqueur.
Blackmaker's Root Beer Liqueur
Hard to find but worth it if you don't mind drinking a liqueur.
Liqueurs, to me, have always been party drinking fare, not warm comfy have a drink and read a good book fare.
As Kirth wrote, Bushmills is pretty good (although, to quote McNulty, it's protestant whiskey ;)
Ach, you're killing me. Now I need to switch brands to avoid making an awkward political statement (I'm 1/4 or so Irish).
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Hard Cider and Manhattans.
Cider - I spent a month in England this year, and loved how every pub would have cider on tap. Really most anything will scratch the itch, dry or sweet. Samuel Smith's, Hornsby, even Woodchuck.
Manhattans. I am currently barrel aging my own mix with local-to-me Stranahan Colorado whisky, equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, and Fee Bros. Rhubarb bitters. It's been aging about a month now, and comes out so smooth.
Mead and honey liquors like drambuie
Manhattans. I am currently barrel aging my own mix with local-to-me Stranahan Colorado whisky, equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, and Fee Bros. Rhubarb bitters. It's been aging about a month now, and comes out so smooth.
Nice! I've been obsessing over Sazerac cocktails ever since trying one at the Sazerac Bar in New Orleans, but I can't get them to come out quite right at home, and haven't found a bartender outside of NOLA who's even willing to attempt one.
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As Kirth wrote, Bushmills is pretty good (although, to quote McNulty, it's protestant whiskey ;)Ach, you're killing me. Now I need to switch brands to avoid making an awkward political statement (I'm 1/4 or so Irish).
I'm getting spirit messages from Wolfe Tone
"Wooo, wooo, I bring messages of hope from Beyond. Remember 1798, and why the feck can't Protestants be Irish ?!"
Back in the Land of the Living, I tend to prefer Laphroaig, or Lamb's Navy Rum with hot water and lemon. Or tipped into a nice dark beer for a Harlot's Breakfast (thankyou, Paizo). Possibly will try the black tea and rum thing which I can't remember the name of come winter.
Hendricks for gin here.
I can't really manage spirits anyway. They're just delicious, fun poison.
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Ah, spirits...
Gin: Bombay Sapphire is my go-to for martinis. (Paired with Noilly Prat dry vermouth, 4-to-1, with a dash of orange bitters, stirred with ice, served with a lemon twist. Perfection!) Tanquerray is a very close second. For a variation, I also quite like Hendrick's, although I omit the bitters and substitute a fresh cucumber spear for the garnish. I've also discovered a locally-made gin called Seneca Drums that is on the way to toppling Bombay Sapphire as my go-to gin.
Bourbon: I'm rather partial to Knob Creek as my sipping whiskey of choice. It's got an almost maple undertone that appeals to my New England roots. Makers Mark is also pretty decent, as is Booker's. That local distillery I mentioned also makes a fine bourbon too. I keep a bottle of Jack Daniels in my liquor cabinet, too, mainly for guests who request a "Jack and Coke," or for testing out bourbon cocktails that I've never tried before.
Scotch whisky: After an incident at my brother-in-law's wedding during which I failed to treat Scotch with the proper respect that it's due, I've mostly lost my taste for the stuff. For single-malts, I tended to prefer Dalmore 18-year for Highland whisky; and the very peaty Lagavulin for Islay. I also have a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label for those times a guest requests a Rob Roy.
Rye Whiskey: I prefer a traditional Manhattan made with rye whiskey. (It's actually my cocktail of choice.) My favorits is currently MacKenzie Rye from Finger Lakes Distilling. (Same folks who make Seneca Drums gin). Sazerac and Jim Beam Rye are both decent. I have a very nice bottle of small-batch rye in my liquor cabinet right now, but I don't recall the name off the top of my head.
Tequila: Sauza Hornitos Anejo is my tequila of choice for a margarita. Herradura Reposado is as sublime as a fine brandy for sipping from a snifter.
Rum: I haven't explored rum all that far. For mixing, I tend to go with Mount Gay Eclipse. A friend brought a bottle of Kraken Dark Spiced Rum to our "Skull and Shackles" game last week, and I liked it so much, I bought my own bottle on the way home. I am not a fan of Captain Morgan at all.
Brandy: For French brandies, I am partial to Armagnac over cognac- it's a bit less refined and with sharper edges. I have a bottle in my cabinet that I rather like, but I don't recall the name off the top of my head. I also very much like calvados (apple brandy), but haven't tried very many different brands as yet.
Vodka: I'm not particularly fond of vodka, of of vodka-based cocktails. I have a bottle of Stolichnaya in my liqor cabinet, which I pretty much only break out for cooking or on those rare occasions I make borscht. (Nothing pairs better with hot borscht than ice-cold vodka!)
There is an awesome cat who lives (lived?) at the Bushmills distillery.
He likes whiskey.
I'm rather partial to Knob Creek as my sipping whiskey of choice.
Knob Creek is nice -- it used to be my favorite until my friend and I did a double-blind taste test and we both ended up rating Elijah Craig slightly higher, much to both of our surprise.
Tequila: Sauza Hornitos Anejo is my tequila of choice for a margarita. Herradura Reposado is as sublime as a fine brandy for sipping from a snifter.
I forget about tequila! Tres Generaciones Anejo is great for sipping.
There is an awesome cat who lives (lived?) at the Bushmills distillery. He likes whiskey.
My cat Bonzer does, too (Edit: likes whiskey, that is, not lives at a distillery). He discovered it when he stuck a paw in a scotch-and-soda to get an ice cube to play with, licked his paw to dry it, and then promptly stuck his snout in the glass and started drinking. Now he usually lurks while I have a nightcap on the rocks, waits for the ice to melt after I fall asleep, and then finishes the drink for me during the night or in the early morning.
He gets annoyed when Mrs Gersen and I drink something decent and have it neat, but since moving to PA from TX, we can't afford anything decent anymore.
Speaking of TX, I should put a shout out for Tito's vodka and Garrison Brothers bourbon -- both of which are surprisingly good.
There is an awesome cat who lives (lived?) at the Bushmills distillery.
He likes whiskey.
He didn't cross my path.
@Kirth: Remember, McNulty did take the protestant whiskey eventually, because the bartender didn't have any Jameson. It's all good.
I tend to like most hard liquors....and always love trying new ones.
Except Vodak...screwdrives(especialy how my friend makes them) are ok...but except for vodak is a no-no for me.
Favorite though has to be wild Turkey Rare Breed....nothing wakes you up faster.
Remember, McNulty did take the protestant whiskey eventually, because the bartender didn't have any Jameson. It's all good.
(Sob) I miss The Wire!
@Keith Gerson: Thanks for the Elijah Craig recommendation! I haven't tried it yet, but I'm down to a few ounces in my bottle of Knob Creek, and I think I'll try it soon!
Re: cats and alcohol:
You should never let cats ingest alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to cats, and the lethal dose is quite small. Unlike dogs, cats don't eat fruit in the wild, and don't produce enzymes to digest alcohol. Any alcohol in their systems is eliminated only by respiration or directly by their kidneys. Akcohol will stay in a cat's system for a long time and can cause liver, kidney, and neurological damage.
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Mead and honey liquors like drambuie
/shiver My grandmother would drink a shot of Drambuie with a cup of coffee after dinner. No thanks like cough syrup.
I just cracked a blackberry mead I made last year. Delicious!
I live in the Twin Cities and we destroy an incredible amount of Jameson. More Jameson Irish Whiskey shipped here then anywhere else. We also have more Irish bars than Boston. Which is funny because I hardly know anyone who is Irish.
While I cut my teeth on Irish whiskey, I now prefer Bourbon. I really like Eagle Rare.
Unlike dogs, cats don't eat fruit in the wild, and don't produce enzymes to digest alcohol.
Now you tell me. My cat LOVES fruit.
@Keith Gerson: Thanks for the Elijah Craig recommendation!
My pleasure! And, remember, if you ever see the Weller's 12-Year Old (black label), be sure to give it a try -- it's my all-time favorite bourbon.
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Rum - Appletons 12 yr +, Ron Zacapa 23 yr, Zaya 12 yr, Flor de Cana 12 or 18 yr, Pusser's , Pirat ...
Whiskey/Bourbon/Rye/Scotch - I keep my distance. Brown grain alcohol tends to put me in a frame of mind that a bar brawl is not a bad thing ...
Tequila - tends to make me very mellow, but for the life of me I can never remember the names of the tequilas I like ... I blame the tequila ;)
Vodka - grey goose was ok ... Have not found a vodka I really like on its own ... But in cocktails vodka works
Gin - nope, never been a fan of the juniper.
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Wheat Whiskey: Bastille, from France, is essentially a fine Scotch made from wheat instead of barley. It's really nice, and runs about $30/bottle in PA (plus the exorbitant taxes here).Wait, France makes whiskey? I must know of the taste of this.
Indeed, we do. It's relatively recent, and quite variable.
BAd : whisky from Brittany (can't remember the Brand)
Good : hisky from Corsica (same)
Best : whisky from Champagne (try the Guillon)
I have to try Bastille, though. Never heard from it before.
Of course we are most famous for Cognacs, Armagnacs, Calvados, and "white spirits" (Pear, Mirabelle, Plum, ...)
bad news for me, I like them all, though lately, I have grown a taste for Rum. Especially Kraken Rum (Damn Razor Coast thread)
I have to try Bastille, though. Never heard from it before.
Ici! Je crois qu'ils sont en Angoulême.
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Ah, delicious whiskey!
I've sadly never been much for bourbon -- I think it's the taste of the corn that bothers me. Though I certainly love a nice mint julep, with Elijah Craig or Maker's Mark.
I like rye whiskey a bit more. Of the commonly available ones where I live, probably Wild Turkey Rye is my favorite.
For cheap whiskey, Canadian Club is my preference. Good Canadian whiskey -- like Crown Royal, etc. -- is very nice.
But the real treats, as far as I'm concerned, are Irish and Scotch. For Irish, I prefer Bushmill's to Jameson, for its nice vanilla-like aroma. But I prefer Tullamore Dew even more. There are also some very nice specially-aged Irishes that rival Scotch for quality.
But Scotch is truly the king of whiskies -- or, rather, the whole royal household, given its variety. I'll enjoy everything from a simple Dewar's White Label all the way to Oban or The Balvenie Doublewood. My personal favorite is Laphroaig, though I suspect that might change whenever I first get to try Lagavulin.
For other liquors, I enjoy gin far more than the rest. Bombay Sapphire is quite nice, as is Tanqueray -- but I also very much enjoy New Amsterdam, especially at its price point. I'd like to try Hendrick's sometime, and some of the other more unusually-flavored gins.
I don't have a very sophisticated palate for rum, as I've used it mostly as an ingredient. Cruzan Blackstrap makes a fine egg nog. My brothers and I have had some fun infusing white rum with allspice. (Our "Italian Buccaneer" cocktail: 2 oz. allspice rum, 1 oz. tonic water, 1/4 oz. balsamic vinegar; tastes surprisingly similar to ginger ale.)
I enjoy the flavor of ice cold vodka, but really, all good vodkas basically taste the same.
Tequila is the vilest substance ever produced by mankind.
@Keith Gerson: Thanks for the Elijah Craig recommendation!My pleasure! And, remember, if you ever see the Weller's 12-Year Old (black label), be sure to give it a try -- it's my all-time favorite bourbon.
Is it this one?
I also drink!
Heres a shot mix that you NEED to try. See if you can drink only one.
Irish Pancakes:
in one glass put
1/2 shot Buttershots
1/2 shot Jamesons
in another glass
1 shot orange juice
Shoot the liquor first, then follow with the juice. Delicious pancakes!
As for my choice of booze, Im not too picky. Ive bought more Appletons Rum varieties and Dan Ackroyds Crystal Head Vodka than I should (mostly gifts, but the skull decanter is 'cool', as someone said upthread). I love the taste of both of those.
I like Jim Beam or Jack Daniels with my cola...Kraken Rum is good mixed with cola too.
Ive had a scotch in a snifter a couple times, but I cannot tell you the brand. It warmed me like no other alcohol Ive ever had. The buzz is different while drinking scotch. Veryvery mellow.
Cold Gin. Ive only tried a few times mixed with tonics. No preference there.
I like Anisette, ice cold from the freezer, as a quick shot.
Baron Arem Heshvaun introduced me to Grey Goose Vodka at GenCon 3 years ago, and by god, its delicious. Thanks man!
The Balvenie Doublewood.
A man after my own heart! Balvenie Doublewood 12 is far and away my favorite for its price point. I'd like to get my hands on the 18 as well, but it's a bit out of my range.
Glenlivet Nadurra is another good one, with a great finish on it. I tend to prefer my scotch neat, but a little water really opens this one up nicely.
Now that it's legal in the States, I've been considering trying absinthe. Most shops near me don't carry it, but there is one with a shelf for it and all the related accoutrements (spoons, reservoirs, etc). Anyone have any experience with it?
Is it this one?
Yes! That very one!
Now that it's legal in the States, I've been considering trying absinthe. Most shops near me don't carry it, but there is one with a shelf for it and all the related accoutrements (spoons, reservoirs, etc). Anyone have any experience with it?
Yes. It's basically not much different than Herbsaint or Pernod, except with additional botanicals (beyond the anise) that you can actually taste. Not sure it's really worth the extra cost, though.
absinthe
Absinthe is like drinking licorice candy.
I wouldn't touch the stuff, but my gf loves it and it puts her in a very specific mood, so I am not entirely without affection for it.
Absinthe is like drinking licorice candy.
I wouldn't touch the stuff, but my gf loves it and it puts her in a very specific mood, so I am not entirely without affection for it.
Maybe you're not using enough water?
Any recommendations for a whiskey to replace Maker's Mark?
I like Woodford Reserve and Bulleit a lot.