A few weeks ago, my girlfriend took me to a cocktail sort of class at Henry's Swing Club in Chicago. For those of you in Chicago, the guy teaching it was the person who created the original drink menu for Violet Hour. That place really kicked off the recent artisan cocktail movement here in Chicago, and he was incredibly knowledgeable.

One interesting point from him was that basically simpler is better. The way he defines an artisan cocktail is using real ingredients and keeping it to classic recipes.

While I'm a bourbon guy mostly, and we did make a fantastic Old Fashioned during the class, my favorite drink was a traditional daiquiri.

2 oz rum (he used Flor de Cana)
3/4 fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 simple syrup
Shaken with ice

It was surprisingly refreshing and balanced, especially for a guy who isn' a huge rum fan.

I'm sure most of this isn't too surprising for a lot of the more sophisticated folks in this thread, but I found a lot of it really fascinating.

Terra,

A classic daiquiri is one of the best drinks around. Coincidentally, that's what I was drinking last night!

Another Sidecar variation I like is making like like how you would normally make it with Brandy, Orange Liquor, lemon juice but instead of using regular lemons, use Meyer Lemons. Its not as tart but the scent is a lot more interesting.

Well boys, I've been recovering from a cold so I need my vitamin C. That means its time for a Harvey Wallbanger! Growing up in the 70s, I remember my parents and their friends drinking these. Here's the mixins:

6 parts OJ
3 parts 100 proof vodka (duh)
1 part Galliano.

Float the Galliano on top.

Ice nerds,

Any of you get this? http://www.studioneat.com/products/neaticekit

That is slick!

Man I lucked out, 2 different friends moving to the USA and neither could bring his booze collection with him. I literally just increased my home bar by 15 bottles. I almost don't have enough room.

Someone want to recommend an amazing gin cocktail? I've got 6 bottles now, pretty much all the greats

Raf,

2p2 legend chuddo recommends this: http://www.wintersmiths.com/products/ice-chest

Gin cocktails? Aviation, last word, corpse reviver #2(?)

Wow thanks, corpse reviver#2 it is. That looks amazing.

What's a good value rye for cocktails? Wild Turkey (which one?)?

I use a lot of rye. I've used Bulleit and Templeton, and I use Feisty (local Colorado one) now, but I'd like a second, value one around too. Something similar to Buffalo Trace for bourbon (which is under $20 by me).

Dickel rye is pretty good. Should be around 20.

I think the wild turkey rye 101 > regular wt rye.

Chicago,

Best value rye for cocktails IMO is rittenhouse rye.

Thanks guys. That jives with my experience at the cocktail bars too. Have had a lot of dickel and rittenhouse.

Will have to give Dickel a try. I used to be a huge fan of Rittenhouse 100 for rye cocktails, but they changed the formula or sold the label or something like that a year or two back, and it's been worse (imo).

rittenhouse is a good option. I also use Templeton, especially for rye old fashioneds.

if you're going to spend the $ on templeton, you may as well shell out another $5 to get the High West Double Rye. Don't get me wrong, I like templeton, but High West isn't that much more and it's better for cocktails IMO

K,

I agree. And here the high west is actually cheaper ($34 vs $36 for templeton). You could also go up to $40 for old scout rye. Anyway, all of those make for great rye cocktails. In general for whiskey cocktails I prefer a little higher abv (100 proof my fave) - so I'd definitely pick the high west at 90-something over the 80 proof templeton.

I do tend to like a little more expensive ryes in my old fashioneds because I drink them very spirit forward and very light on the sugar.

Whereas for cocktails with more stuff, liqueurs, amari, etc I'm fine with a cheaper rye.

By the way, another great rye value for cocktails is old overholt. Great value and perfectly solid for cocktails. Though a bit harsh for sipping IMO.

Best value rye for cocktails is definitely Old Overholt, which is ridiculously cheap and mixes very creditably

You'll see it behind the bar at some really good places

(btw, El Diablo: i've got a spirits collection of ~180 distinct bottles and have never been much of a scotch drinker, but I started reading through the EDF whiskey thread a couple months ago and now I've got a bunch of great ones based on yours and others' recommendations there and have been drinking them like water. so i thank you, though my girlfriend and my wallet do not)

i've also really been enjoying Black Manhattan variations the last year or so; basically manhattans with an amaro (usually Averna) subbed for the vermouth

my preferred combination this winter was

1 oz. Buffalo Trace bourbon
1 oz. Bulleit rye
1 oz. Averna
1-2 dashes plum bitters

really tasty

other amari that tend towards the bitter and non menthol-y will work well too; I did it with Punt e Mes in Vegas last week and that was very good

continuing the stream of consciousness posts:

one of my favorite bars (all-around ambience, quality of drink, variety, value, food) is the Rum Club in Portland, and they've got a rum old-fashioned that blew me away the first time i had it

i don't have their recipe, but i put something together from my own stuff that's a pretty complex and delicious sipper, though it packs a hell of a punch

• 1 oz. Appleton Estate Reserve (sub other Jamaican or similar)
• 1 oz. Havana Club 7 Añejo (sub Flor de Caña 7 or similar)
• 0.5 oz. Wray and Nephew White Overproof
• 0.5 oz. Lemon Hart 151 (sub Hamilton 151)
• .25 oz. Licor 43 (sub something like orgeat or falernum for different profile)
• splash of Batavia Arrack (can omit)
• 1-2 dashes tiki bitters

stir and strain

Interesting. I tried that before and preferred the Templeton. I'll give it another shot with a true side-by-side in a couple of cocktails. Sounds like a fun evening regardless of the answer I come to.

I normally have the Rendezvous Rye at home far more often than the Double Rye. Perhaps I'm misremembering which one I compared to previously.

El D, since you like more alcohol forward, have you tried Noah's Mill for an Old Fashioned?

If I list the stuff I have, would anyone be so kind as to give me a few suggested drinks to make?

Just looking for some fun new stuff. I usually find inspiration when drinking out, sometimes browsing the internet too, but I find myself wanting to try something new more and more.

Go for it.

And what kind of drinks do you tend to like?

Thanks!

I have:

- Feisty Rye
- Dickel's Rye
- Homemade Rock Rye (with rock candy, anise, cloves, cinnamon and some fruit, used Templeton and Bulleit)
- Glenfiddich Scotch
- Deerhammer Whitewater Whiskey
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon
- Golden Moon Gin
- Leopold Brother's Gin
- Shetland Reel Gin
- Roundhouse Barrel Aged Gin
- Spirit Works Sloe Gin
- Blackwoods Vodka
- Woody Creek Potato Vodka
- Breckenridge Vodka
- Peach Street Distillery Pear Brandy
- Vecchia Romagna Brandy
- Mickeller Rum Cask Black
- Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum
- Montanya White Rum
- Antica Formula (sweet vermouth)
- Dolin (dry vermouth)
- Cherry Heering
- Cointreau
- Beckerovka
- Benedictine
- Campari
- Pernod
- Art in Age Root
- Simple Syrup
- Peychauds Bitters
- Angostura Bitters
- Regen's Orange Bitters

I have a small herb garden and lemons/limes/oranges. Some fresh juice too (cranberry, cherry, peach).

I've also got some fresh cherries I pitted and soaked in the Vecchia Brandy, as well as a little herbal liqueur I made with the Woody Creek Vodka + fresh spearmint, basil, oregano, sage, thyme, fennel, honey and cinnamon.

Remember the Maine is one of my favorite drinks, I like sweet more than dry on average (but plenty of stuff on both ends), but I'm looking more to try new drinks/things others recommend, rather than just more of the same.

I'll see what I can some up with when I get home.

I've been cheating lately...