Liquors & Cocktails
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Lost Virtue
Trakanon Raider
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We really don't know any liquor store owners, we know the winery owners and as I said, we see/talk to Julian multiple times a year. So to rub it in, we get them for free if you want to be particular, lol...
very tasty, drinking it on the rocks right now. the alcohol taste is cut by the clove, really good.
Lost Virtue
Trakanon Raider
- 2,320
- 267
If you want the best and smoothest vodka, pay a little bit more, around $50, and get some Jean Marc XO. The best vodka you will ever experience in your life, perfect to mix and perfect for drinking straight on the rocks. Almost like drinking spring water, that's how smooth it is with no bite or burn...
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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I wanted to see what the whole "rye" thing was about, so I went to the liquor store and all they had was Pendleton 1910 for $42, and then Jim Beam and some $12 no-name stuff. I am not a Jim Beam fan so I bought the Pendleton and I'm not particularly impressed with it. Is this a good example of what rye whiskey is like? If so I'm going back to bourbon.
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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Sure I've had Crown Royal. Is that considered "rye"? If so then I should not have been surprised at my disappointment. I read that my preferred bourbon was higher in rye than most bourbons and since I like that then rye whiskey must be even better. I guess that was an incorrect assumption.
Eomer
Trakanon Raider
- 5,472
- 272
I only ever mix my rye, and try to stay the fuck away from it due to blackouts, so I can't really comment on what "good" rye is. Other well known brands are Royal Reserve (likely not very good, but every bottle has a maple leaf sticker! Popular in high school for that reason), Gibson's, and of course Wiser's.
Here's a big listing:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...anadian_whisky
Here's a big listing:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...anadian_whisky
Ichu
Molten Core Raider
- 845
- 278
I would consider Crown Royal a rye whiskey, though it is blended. We're pretty liberal with naming things in Canada "rye" though. Any Canadian whiskey generally just gets called rye. When you say Jim Beam do you mean Knob Creek? I heard their small batch rye whiskey is pretty good, but I havent had a chance to try it.
Wiser's 18 year is a good rye whiskey, but if you don't want to spend that kind of money their small batch packs a good punch for a decent price.
Wiser's 18 year is a good rye whiskey, but if you don't want to spend that kind of money their small batch packs a good punch for a decent price.
I am on a cheap Sake binge atm. Been grabbing every $5-6 bottle I run across, surprisingly so far nothing has been bad. It's a nice palate cleanser between beers.
Haast
Lord Nagafen Raider
- 3,281
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I'm far from a connoisseur, but I've had a number of different sakes as well.
To the new sake drinker, the biggest difference maker is filtered vs unfiltered. Unfiltered tends to be sweeter. It also looks alarmingly like spooge. Filtered is clear like a white wine and tends to be drier than unfiltered. However, much like wine, there is a wide variation in flavors depending on how it was brewed, aged, etc.
Also, if all you've ever had is the hot kind at the sushi bar, that's the Coors Light of sake. Much like Coors Light has to be served ice cold so it tastes less like piss and adjunct, generic sake is served warm to mask imperfections. Better quality sake is meant to be enjoyed cool.
My go-to fairly inexpensive sake is Tozai Living Jewel, but I have a long way to go to develop any sake sophistication.
just polished off a bottle of Takara Masamune, incredibly neutral only real flavor is at the finish and it's subtle. I paid $4.99 for the bottle and the buzz I got is very nice, no complaints at all. if you have a GF or wife who doesn't like to drink because of the taste this might be your answer.
Canadian rye and American rye are two different beasts. From distillation to finishing they are made differently. In short Canadian ryes are going to be subtler with a complex profile while American ryes are going to be bolder with a more limited depth. AFAIK all Candian rye is blended in a manner similar to scotch - even 100% Canadian rye is produced from a blend of lower proof rye distillations and higher proof more neutral distillations and they are usually aged in bourbon barrels. American rye basically follows the same rules as bourbon except the mash bill has at least 51% rye instead of corn. The distillation proof and new barrels are the same.
For mid range stuff I think the Knob Creek rye is a fantastic example of what American rye is and should be, but it does occupy a weird price point for rye between the mid and high end stuff. Russell's reserve is a nice entry, but I think a step bellow the Knob though it is cheaper. And then there is Bulleit. Their bourbon, which I like even though I don't think it's a great bourbon, tends to lack refinement and is a brawler, but their fucking rye is very well rounded, while still keeping that rye character. Go figure.
A step up the quality chain will get you High West's Rendezvous rye, which is really, really good. All of High West's whiskeys are good even though they are blends from other distilleries - though they aren't blended in the same way that Canadian rye or scotch is. That is a different sort of blending.
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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Thanks, I thought there had to be a bit more to it. I doubt I will be able to get any of the stuff you suggested but I'll keep my eyes open. Bulleit is the bourbon I drink and I kind of like it for the reasons you mentioned. I like my whiskey to kick me in the teeth personally. When someone starts telling me how smooth a certain brand is, I usually think that it probably isn't for me. Crown Royal seems like the Coors light of whiskey to me. I am also a fan of Jonnie Walker Black but it's not worth the extra $10 a bottle to me vs. Bulleit.
I guess I'm a simple man but I drink Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.
Also, I farm SS posting rights the correct way.
Also, I farm SS posting rights the correct way.
Ichu
Molten Core Raider
- 845
- 278
While we're still on whiskey, and this doesn't help Brutul at all unfortunately, but anyone up north who likes whiskey and hasn't tried Alberta Premium is missing out. It's crazy good for $20-$25 for how good it is. It's 100% rye grain, super smooth, sweet with a little burn, and I can drink it straight no problem.
For Rye whiskies, I am partial to Bulleit. Great balance and very versatile for cocktails. Bulleit bourbon is solid as well as a everyday drink. I know the 10 year old is going to be released soon, don't know the wholesale on it yet. As for special occasions, or when the boss is running a tab, Don Julio 1942. Neat, no crazy lime and salt ritual. I can sip that for awhile.
This is the best rum I've discovered, Flor de Cana. A 7yr bottle is about $20 and since the base is sugar cane, it is very smooth. Most specs or Goody Goody seems to carry it. Since I moved to a small town all they have is Captain Morgan and Sailor Jerry's. The reserve Morgan is good in a pinch, but Flor de Cana is better in my opinion.
