Alcohol - Spirits

[MrMon]

Seems like the alcohol forum never really got started here, so let's try and start it up again. I'll be stealing from my local wine store's newsletter, but feel free to add your own recommendations, or to subscribe to their newsletter, even if you live nowhere near them. They have some great recommendations to look for in your area.

To subscribe, go to:
The Wine Merchant

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Plymouth Gin
(Gin, England, Plymouth)
E-mail Price $16.99 Save !!!
"Plymouth Gin is hand-crafted in a 150 year old copper pot still to the original recipe. It' bottled at the original 19th Centruy strength, a strength that holds the flavor of our botanicals perfectly. The result is a gin of great aroma and complexity. Makes the perfect Martini and an amazing Gin & Tonic."
-Rated 94/100 Wine Enthusiast Magazine

- Voted Best Gin, BBC Good Food Magazine 2002

- Double Gold Winner, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2001

- Voted Best White Spirit, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2000

Domaine Charbay Vodka "Red Raspberry"
(Vodka, California, Napa Valley)
E-mail Price $32.99 Save !!!
Ripe red raspberries are fresh-picked and crushed then hand distilled with award-winning Charbay Vodka. No colors, flavors or essences are added. Awesome and very limited.

Domaine Charbay Vodka "Green Tea"
(Vodka, California, Napa Valley)
E-mail Price $32.99 Save !!!
Rare, whole leaf green teas are hand distilled with Charbay's delicious vodka. On the nose, the vodka is almost floral, with remnants of Jasmine tea. Its sweet taste continues on the palate and finishes strong and clean, with a surprising aftertaste of tea, not alcohol. Although many vodkas are used for cocktails, this would do much better served in a chilled martini or straight up on the rocks, much like a cool iced tea. We’d recommend adding a few fresh berries or a squeeze of lemon for an extra kick.

Here's what the Critics are saying about Domaine Charbay...
"The quartet of small-batch flavored vodkas produced by CHARBAY, a family-owned distillery in the Napa Valley, taste even better than the fresh fruit they’re made with."
- Gourmet Magazine


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To add in my comments, Plymouth Gin is great for those who HATE the traditional juniper gins. And it's a great bargain at $17 a bottle. Some drinks actually call for it over traditional gins, it's a nice change.

As for Charbay, highly recommended. Can't say I've had either of the flavors above, but I've had both the lemon and grapefruit, and they are really, really good. A little pricey for vodka, but worth it. Their only real competition in the flavored vodka area is Hangar One, and Charbay is a little better, though they don't overlap much on flavors, so you can get a full range with both.

Charbay: Clear (grain-based), Blood Orange, Meyer Lemon, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Key Line, Green Tea, Red Raspberry, Pomegranate

Hangar One - Clear (grain-viognier based), Mandarin Blossom, Buddha's Hand Citron, Kaffir Lime, Raspberry

If anyone tries these, let me know what you think.

[MrWookie]

I read about the Hangar One vodkas in the Caddell Williams newsletter I got recently. I was going to pick up a bottle of their raspberry and their regular vodka, but when I saw they were out of the raspberry, I neglected to pick up either. What's interesting about the Hangar One vodka is that it's allegedly distilled from grapes, which seems like an odd choice - expensive, and possibly overkill, but it could be something special. I can't really speculate about how much of the grape is left behind after it's been distilled to hell, but I'd say there's a good possibility of it being something more than a regular vodka. Which Hangar One varieties have you tried?

Also, that price for Plymouth is very good. That's better than what I paid just recently for it. Plymouth is an excellent gin for mixing. It's a little more subtle in character than some, and it's quite smooth. I don't like it for sipping straight as much as I do Hendricks or Tanq 10, though. I prefer their stronger flavor.

[Photoc]

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Seems like the alcohol forum never really got started here

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[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

That forum was sick huge for the couple weeks it was open. It was the "Mods Playground" for 3 weeks or so and was the biggest one so far I think.

[MrMon]

I've had the Kaffir Lime. Excellent straight from the freezer on a hot summer day, no mixer, just a shot.

I need to run it head-to-head with the Charbay Key Lime.

[gilper]

Plymouth is one of my favorite gins. When the monk’s feet are dry, it's time for a new bottle.

I don't understand the vodka distilled from grapes. I haven't tried it but if I'm going to have a grape based spirit I'm more likely to reach for a grappa.

[MrWookie]

Acutally, could you tell me about grappa? I had some fairly crappy grappa one night after I was already pretty drunk as my drink for a drinking game. I didn't think I'd buy anything like that again, but apparently there are expensive grappas out there that might be good. I know how they're made and such, but could you tell me a little bit about what they taste like?

[gilper]

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Acutally, could you tell me about grappa? I had some fairly crappy grappa one night after I was already pretty drunk as my drink for a drinking game. I didn't think I'd buy anything like that again, but apparently there are expensive grappas out there that might be good. I know how they're made and such, but could you tell me a little bit about what they taste like?

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I don't think I can tell you much, I am just starting to explore grappa. I've only tasted a handful and I don't have any names here at the office.

The few that I've had vary quite a bit in flavor and burn. The nicer grappas that I've had have a nice aroma of grapes and floral notes. Very smooth, almost creamy, with a slight grape finish. The cheaper grappas tend to have more burn and less flavor. Now that I think about it they are similar to vodka.

Grappa isn't very pupular in the U.S. so finding some of the nicer bottles can prove difficult.

[xadrez]

I have a new favorite sipping Tequila...Herradura Reposado. For the price (~$35) Im not sure theres a better deal. Salty and fruity (cant putmy finger on the flavor is it canteloupe??), smooth as can be.

Also enjoying some El Dorado Demerara Rum 15 y.o. Special Reserve. Deep, smokey, tobaccoey and burnt sugar. Good one to pair with a cigar.

Also getting into bourbon and loving Knob Creek, Bookers, and Van Winkle so far. Find it's easier to drink in the summer than my favorite whiskies, peated single malts.

Anyone have any Rye recommendations? Been wanting to try some...

[xadrez]

Its kind of obscure, but if you like Grappa try to track down some Peruvian Pisco (not the Chilean pisco its totally different). Its like Grappa with a decidedly more sour (in a good way) note. Some brands: Biondi, Ocucaje, Tacama.

[gilper]

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Anyone have any Rye recommendations? Been wanting to try some...

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I like the Van Winkle. It's called family reserve or something like that.