Cocktails & Mixed Drinks

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I am going to start this discussion, then take the rest of the week off.

I am going to start by talking about Martinis, but you can talk about any drink you want.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

I really like tequila, Jeff, but it is one of those liquors that I completely skip the cheap one. You can take the silver and flush it down the toilet. I also don't like margaritas (I've had exactly one that I liked). I got  to at least have a resposado, if not an anejo. I've never had Casmigos. I really like Don Julio, its relatively economical. I also remember enjoying Republic Tequila, it comes in a bottle shaped like Texas. Tequila is one I actually prefer sipping on it straight over any other way. If you do shoot it, skip the salt and lime.

Blanton's, Jeff 100% agree with you on this one. My all-time favorite bourbon. Almost impossible to find in retail stores. Twin Peaks use to have it at there bar at a decent price. I was at a different bar a year or so ago, and they were selling it for $25-$30 for a single! Most places that do get it, limit how many you can buy. Around 5-6 years ago a friend of mine went into kind of a little liquor store near his house. They had a whole case there, and let him buy the whole thing. It was a long time before he opened that last bottle.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Back when i was experimenting with mixed drinks I tried several kinds of vodka, but I never found one that was truly outstanding, i.e., one that I would drink straight. In fact, a truly outstanding liquor (such as Casamigos tequila or Ardbeg Scotch) is one I would not mix under any circumstances.

I think I have found my one truly outstanding vodka.

And it, too (like Casamigos tequila) is made by a celebrity (in this case, Dan Ackroyd). Also like Casamigos, I discovered it by watching Stephen Colbert. Dan Ackroyd makes Crystal Skull vodka which is sold in a clear, skull-shaped bottle. But the variety I like is Crystal Skull Onyx, which is sold in a jet black skull-shaped bottle. what makes this vodka unique is that it's made not from corn, but from Blue Weber Agave (agave from California, water from Newfoundland, and Herkimer diamond filtered). 

It's not available in my local store. In fact, an internet search reveled that only two locations in the DFW Metroplex stock it. Tracy had the day off yesterday and we ended up driving to a store up in Travis' neck of the woods (Plano). [We would have notified you, Travis, but we figured you were working and, y'know, there's a pandemic.] We folded in a couple of other errands and, I don't know how long it took us, but we were able to listen to all five of Simon & Garfunkel's albums before we returned home. 

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

[We would have notified you, Travis, but we figured you were working and, y'know, there's a pandemic.]

No worries, Jeff I completely understand.

Some new bourbons to keep an eye out for:

Broken Thorn -  A friend of mine introduced this to me Halloween, and it was pretty darn good. Apparently, Total Wine doesn't carry it. You should be able to get it at Spec's.

Basil Hayden - not much to say its really good. Oh did take a big bottle with me when I stayed in a cabin in Oklahoma back in September.

Bibb and Tucker - What I'm currently drinking. Nice and smooth.

About a month and a half ago. I discovered a new mixed drink that I thought was very good. I told some friends I thought they would like, and yesterday at a birthday party I have it to them. The first one that tried said, "That's strong, but good!" I asked he how it tasted, and she said, "It tastes like a snow cone."

Me: "Boom! Yes, I made it right. Its called a melted snow cone." Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

A simple recipe: Coconut Rum and Big Red mixed over ice.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

We just got back from the grocery store and are in for the weekend. I like egg nog. Not necessarily with alcohol and not just for Christmas, but all winter. the last time Tracy went to the store (solo) I asked her to get the vanilla kind if they had it. It was out of stock so she didn't get any. Today they didn't even have any. We went to Total Wine & More on the way home and, right inside the door, they had cases of multiple brands of (alcoholic) egg nog 50% off. Couldn't pass that up. I bought bottles of three different kinds. 

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Today I saw some Walking Dead whiskey, it was so cheap though I was kind of scared to pick it up.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

BLUE MOUNTAIN: Right now I am drinking a Blue Mountain cocktail, inspired Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster (which, now that I think of it, would make a better name for the drink, made from vodka, rum and kalua, plus orange juice). Mine is not particularly blue (I guessed at the measures but came pretty close), but I'm sure I could make it bluer by choosing a different kind of kalua. 

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

BLUE MOUNTAIN: Right now I am drinking a Blue Mountain cocktail, inspired Ghidora the Three-Headed Monster (which, now that I think of it, would make a better name for the drink, made from vodka, rum and kalua, plus orange juice). Mine is not particularly blue (I guessed at the measures but came pretty close), but I'm sure I could make it bluer by choosing a different kind of kalua. 

I would have thoughtt it would have blue curaçao in it.

As a "thank you" a friend brought me back a bottle of Tequila from Mexico. Its a reposado, which is usually brown in color because it is aged longer. This is clear though, like a silver. Its a cristalino reposado, I did a little research. This version is filtered through activated charcoal, which removes the color and enhances they fruit and floral notes. I haven't cracked it open yet, this is a sipping spirit.