Skulls and Gimlets

Two things I have written about in the past have appeared in the news and this gives a chance to catch up and also revisit old posts.

The first article involves Crystal Skull Vodka.  As you know, I bought this awhile back and we really liked it.  The bottle was cool and surprisingly, the vodka was some of the best I had tried.

HERE is the original write up.

Well, now it appears that the market has considerably expanded and now they want to push into Canada.  However, they have now been banned by the Liquor Control Board for Ontario (LCBO) due to the fact that “The image of the human skill is the thing that is really problematic for us,” per LCBO spokesman Chris Layton.  “That’s an image that’s commonly associated with death.  It’s especially problematic at a time when there are concerns around binge drinking by younger adults, which in some cases, unfortunately, has resulted in alcohol poisoning”.

The LCBO concerns seem to stop at only the kids, since it has been cleared for restaurant and on-line sales, so once again…a government agency (albeit a Canadian one) punishes the consumers instead of the focusing on punishing the criminals.  TYPICAL.

The second article, “The War of the Rose’s”  is regarding someone’s take on the Gimlet. 

The crux of the page is that bartenders are now using fresh lime juice in their Gimlets, yet that is not what is in the recipe.

2 oz. Gin or Vodka
2/3 oz. Rose's Lime Juice

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and shake.
Serve in a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a fresh lime wedge

There is also an interesting history of Rose’s which is funny to read (to think Rum was the preservative for lime juice cracks me up still).

HERE was my original post on the subject (I was drinking the correct style of Gimlet).

Of course, I endorse both Crystal Skull and Gimlets…..so to see people messing with either irks me.  So, go online and pick up a bottle of Crystal Skull (it’s also available at GrandCru in Columbia) and also raise a gimlet in silent protest.

Cheers

Scotch Tasting

Last night we had our Scotch Tasting at Grand Cru. A good time was had by all.

Glenn and I arrived early, and knew it was going to be a long night when the waiter remembered both me and Debi (Blueberry Cha?) from the last time we were there.

I opened with a classic Laphroig (Neat) because I knew we were dealing with Speysides tonight and I wanted to get my "Peat Bomb" in early.

Glenn went with a Gimlet based on my past Gin Article, and I recommended Hendrick's Gin. He seemed to like it, and the next round I ordered the same while he sampled a different Gin, Old Raj from Cadenhead. He immediately said he like Hendrix better, so we swapped.

Old Raj was interesting, more of a traditional style of Dry Gin vs the crystal clear stuff you see today (like Bombay). The color reminded me of Gordon's and it had a very unique (spicy)taste, which I learned is due to a unique ingredient...saffron. The addition of the saffron is undertaken personally by the Company Chairman, in order to ensure a consistency in flavor and color each time Old Raj is bottled. Another interesting thing about Old Raj, it is bottled 55% ABV vs the 40% ABV or less of regular gins...so you know it packs a punch.

Debi, Jennifer and Jason showed up and we had another round (I have to do something about Jason always drinking Jack and Coke) before the tasting.

What stood out from this tasting was the fact that it wasn't put on by a distributor , but instead by a representative of William Grant & Sons. Impressive.

Tim Burckhart walked everyone through the basics of scotch and had interesting tidbits of information through the night. He was very knowledgeable (I told you Debi they were all Speysides) and willing to take a few minutes to talk about the various brands. If you see him out and about, buy him a drink.

We actually tasted 5 Scotchs, although the 5th addition was a last minute and I missed the name/year. I think it was the Glenfiddich 21 year old and if Tim happens to lurk into the blog, perhaps he will share what it was.

Here are my notes and thoughts of the others:

Balvenie 12 year old double wood - This Scotch had a very creamy texture and you could really distinguish the Barley and Vanilla flavors. Initially the nose smelled of Almonds, but when I added water I was reminded of those chocolate oranges you get at Christmas.

Balvenie 17 year old Madeira finish - The oaky nose left me totally off guard for the sweetness of this one. Sugary is what I deciphered from my notes, and I could definitely see this one being part of a dessert service.
Glenfiddich 15 year old - Smooth coat of whisky on swirling. Not many legs forming, although Debi taunted me for doing it....saying all drinks have legs. Medium-to-light peat smoke taste and water brought out the honey flavors and a citrusy nose. This would probably be the one I would pair with a cigar at the end of an evening.
Glenfiddich 18 year old - A darker color than I expected from a Glenfiddich, the Oak flavor really comes out in this 18 Year Old, probably due to the aging process...20% of which is done in Spanish Oloroso wood casks and the remaining time in the traditional American oak casks. The taste was good, a Spiced Apple with a cinnamon finish, but was a little lacking in peatyness for me.

Overall, I came away with a great liking for the Balvenies, particularly the 17. It's a little pricey, at $125, but well within my drinking budget. It was noted around our table that Balvenies seemed almost "Personal" while the Glenfiddich had a mass produced feel. I know it seems odd to say about a Scotch, but it's the only way to describe it. I will add that I had become accustomed to Glenfiddich 12 (the Green Bottle), so this was an eyeopener with regards to the rest in their range and will definitely be looking at 21 Year Old.

The night was a great success....I want to thank Grand Cru and Tim for a great production.

I cant wait for the next one :)

Hung over Saturday

Uuuugh, why am I hungover and have the worst gas in forever? Three words - Family Game Night.

It all started innocently enough, last night was the night we taught our son James to play Monopoly. Now, James is a math wiz and even though he is younger than the suggested age, we didn't think that would be a problem.

Overall, the game went well....both Debi and I decided we wouldn't play cutthroat with him, but we didn't baby him either. The problem was, while we were playing nice with James....we were Monopoly Busting each other. So that translates to James having the only Monopolies, only houses and only hotels.....ie, the winner.

He was ecstatic.

Throughout the game, I was drinking Gimlets. Lately, I have been on a Gin kick....and Debi was to tired to make martinis, so I went with the old standard. The problem with that, I was mixing them myself. Ask anyone who I bar tend for, I am an enabler and make super strong drinks. If I am by myself, I am 20 times worse.

So, by the time FGN was over and I was watching Boise State survive the scare from LaTech , I was just doing a cursory wave of the lime juice at gin in the glass. My Gimlet had turned into Gin on the Rocks.

By now I'm sure you are saying "But Ed, Gin doesn't give you gas....it's not even carbonated". You are right, it doesn't....BUT, I have been on the Nutrisystem Diet (Don't ask) and my new shipment came in yesterday. Inside was my favorite lunch meal, Black Beans and Rice (with Sausage), and yes.....I ate three of them. So much for the diet, and boy does it stink the next day.

What is the moral of this story? Well, I can't think of one....other than diets suck.

On to the review -

THE GIMLET

I use the traditional mix as follows:

# 2 oz. gin
# 1/2 ounce Rose's lime juice

Pretty simple huh. Not a lot to remember. Even Glenn couldn't forget this one. I do stick with Rose's Lime Juice no matter what though, just because it's the best.

Generic Lime Juice mixed with Bombay Gin is like a $2 Hooker in your Ferrari.

Gimlets are not something I would pay for in a bar either.

First I don't think I could bring myself to say the name. I would feel like I was asking the Bartender to share a bathroom stall with me or something.

Secondly, if I'm in a bar...there are so many other things to choose from, why waste the opportunity on such a simple drink.

All this being said though, Gimlets are a pretty simple (yet tasty) drink when at home and I recommend everyone to try one...you might find that you have a new nightcap.

Cheers.

Thursday Night Gaming

Ok, lots of friends over for the night as we kicked off the new Ptolus Campaign.

Of course, when friends come over, that means drinking...and tonight was no exception.

There were a plethora of beers/drinks around, so I'll give a brief synopsis. If you attended (or just have an opinion) please leave your drink reviews in the comments sections.

Red Stripe (in the Can) - Much better than I expected. Unusually these regional beers don't translate to can well. I honestly thought it would have a metallic aftertaste (plus I missed the nostalgic short bottle), but I was pleasantly surprised. Good front end maltyness. Made me think of beaches. Thanks TommyGee.

Guinness (in bottle with the Widget) - Ok, I will say it...not that great. If you want to drink Guinness from a bottle, I suggest you go here, otherwise stick with the can (with the original widget) or go to a pub (even better). The flavor seems off, and the initial opening still leaves a bit of a mess. I feel the beer doesn't aerate well enough thought the bottle mouth and there just isn't a comfortable mix. Still not sold on the bottle, so my least favorite of the night. Thanks Randy

Schlafly Pale Ale - Probably my favorite Pale Ale, although usually I drink IPAs for the Hops. Still good enough to be a regular in my fridge and tonight was no exception. This was my staple drink of the evening, and I know others were drinking it too with no complaints. Definitely a mans beer though, something about women not liking hops that I will never understand.....

Mike's Hard Pink Lemonade - Ok, I know what you are saying...FooFoo drink here, but I actually liked this one. I got if for Jill (Debi was drinking Milagro Tequila) because I couldn't find any Mojitos and the fact that it is promoting Breast Cancer Awareness (Save the Ta-Ta's) is always a good thing. I cracked one at the end of the night and thought hmmmm....if I were mowing the lawn, this would be a great thirst quencher. Good tangy bite and very lemony...I'd buy it again.

Gin and Tonic (Bombay and Schweppes Tonic Water) - A classic. What more can you say than that. Glenn and I had one to wrap the night (see what you get for being sarcastic), and it always stands up. I know Debi was upset that I didn't have Diet Tonic Water, but that never tastes right to me. Instead, I just say screw the calories and go with the best of brand. Schweppes.

Finally, there was Harp Lager here....but I didnt get any :( Damn. Oh well, better luck next time on that.

Gin

Today we talk about one of my favorite drinks, GIN.

Gin is one of those alcohols that you either love or hate. I honestly hated it for a long time, mostly because I was only exposed to low quality Gordon's while drinking at the Army E-Club at Katterbach. Nothing says headache like a bad Gin Hangover.

But later in life, my friend Mike introduced me to Bombay Sapphire, and it was all downhill from there. The combination of 10 ingredients (almond, lemon peel, licorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise) all come together to make an elixir that can be quite refreshing.

From Gin and Tonics (little tonic water for me)to Gimlets, Gin Fizz (Hate) to Salty Dogs (loves me some Grapefruit)...Gin is just a great all round mixer.

My personal favorite though is a Dirty Gin Martini (extra dry with three olives), and to get more specific....only as my wife Debi makes them.

In fact, last night I asked her to make me one out of the blue and of course (being the great wife that she is) went out and bought a new bottle of Bombay and made the best ones I have had in a long time.

Of course, like many drinks, her recipe is secret...but here is a good ol'standby.

Standard gin martini

Many contend that the gin martini is the only mix fitting to wear the name "martini," and all other cocktails are impostors. We love a good gin martini, but we say "hogwash" to the naming issue.

Ingredients

* 6 ounces of freezing Bombay Sapphire or Mercury gin.
* 5 drops of Noilly Pratt dry vermouth.
* 2 small twists of lemon rind.
* 2 Picholine olives.

The mix

* Fill a glass martini shaker about 3/4 full of cracked, clean ice.
* Pour your gin into the shaker and let stand for sixty seconds. Count down from sixty to zero.
* Approach your shaker with caution, and lovingly apply the lid.
* Shake, shake, shake. About fifteen, vigorous, diagonal shakes should do the trick.
* Put that shaker down and get two well chilled martini glasses from the fridge or freezer. Allow the shaker to rest for about another sixty seconds.
* Into each glass drop two drops of vermouth (the fifth drop is just for good luck).
* Each glass gets a twist and an olive (the olive is optional--though we love em).
* Strain your very chilly gin into each glass.
* Chink and enjoy.

We use various glasses at our house, but this is my favorite. It's more stable, keeps the drink colder and you don't have any diluting after effects of water on a frozen glass.



Finally, regarding the picture that opens this blog. It's entitled Gin Lane and is by an artist named William Hogarth. It's commonly associated with the companion piece Beer Street and would make a great print for any bar. I had seen this print several times before and it came up when I went to Wikipedia on Gin. While this one of my favorites by this artist...it is not THE Favorite. That is reserved for his work called "Four Times of Day", most particularly "Night". Why is that my favorite, well BROTHER Hogarth depicts drunken Masons going home after lodge in London. I love the characters and I personally like the plate better than the painting. It creates a snapshot in history and is a great conversation piece amongst the brothers. What's everyone else's opinion?