My wife likes a strange Hungarian concoction called Zwack Unicum which looks like a cross between creosote, washing-up liquid and Marmite (the bottle has a passing resemblance too).
I think it's one of those things you buy at the airport on the way home to give to your least-favourite relative the next Christmas.
Having worked somewhere with an unusually high number of Hungarians, I can believe they'll drink it. I've never met people who fit a national stereotype so startlingly well from anywhere else - wave alcohol near them and it's like pressing the red button marked "Crazy".
Principal Bourbon memory: we're in Santa Fe and Mr F has dental trouble. The hotel arrange an appointment with a local 'dental artist' who sorts it. In the grateful aftermath we make (through an April snowstorm) to the local liquor mart and buy a bottle of Woodforde Reserve. After Santa Fe we go visit friends in New Haven, which involves the Drive From Hell in a hire car from Newark. We give them the bourbon and they sensibly pour it back into us.
Was bourbon not once prescribed for toothach by Humphrey Bogart? Was it in To Have and to Hold? He recommended that the afflicted hold a shot of bourbon against the tooth, swallow, and then repeat as often as necessary.
Many years ago I had extensive dental work done in a single session. Even with the freezing I was in considerable pain. On the way home I bought a bottle of brandy (I don't know why I didn't have the presence of mind to ask for a prescription for painkillers, but anyway...) to kill the pain. All that I achieved was getting smashed, and remaining in pain. The next morning, hungover and in pain. (It was Armenian brandy, which I'd never had before. I recall thinking that it was pretty good.)
Yesterday it was quite warm (by Seattle standards -- probably Floridians would have been wearing gloves and mufflers) so we had our first pitcher of Mousethief Coolers. Lovely for a hot day. Recipe:
1 part fresh lime juice (if you can't do fresh lime juice, do some other drink)
1 part Rose's sweetened lime juice
2 parts gin
4 parts tonic water
Pour all of this over ice, stir well. Strain into ice-filled cooler glasses. Yum.
(No it's not a gin and tonic because of the huge amounts of lime juice, so my bartender friend told me. So there.)
Gone off cashews. The common processing method necessarily causes bodily mutilation to the harvesters/processors. And the humane brands are muckle pricey.
After how many glasses did you reach that conclusion?
I lost count...
Armenian brandy is very decent stuff. I was given a few bottles for writing a speech on short notice, which was delivered to great applause, if I might say so myself.
There is a fine Spanish drink, made from the lees of grapeskins, called orújo. Orújo blanco is much like a sneakily potent grappa, and orújo de hierbas, a pomace flavoured with honey and herbs and akin to what Galliano might taste like if it were good, has often settled me after a good meal and 25km on the trail. I have only once seen it in Canada, at the little liquor store on the upper floor of the Forks in Winnipeg. No liquor board confesses to having it on their lists.
When I was last in Spain I bought three 750ml bottles from a farmer (this is called orújo casero, as Spaniards are allowed to distill 100 litres per year from their own fruit) and decanted them into my camelpak water supply, so that it might survive the journey. As a good Canadian, I declared that I had 225ml of spirits with me. When the Customs officer wrote down the name carefully as I spelled it out, he asked the proof. A mystery, I told him, as I was informed of this information in Galician, which I did not really understand. Sip it slowly, then, he counselled, and let it pass without duty.
However, it's all gone, and I have finished the last of my duty-free Lagavulin 16-year-old which a friend tells me is what God drinks after a good day.
I also have been a peregrino, and, sad to say, never had orújo. On local uncertain drinks, one day I was walking with a German architect, and we stopped at a farm house that had a terrace where they were serving light fare like soup and bocadillos. I asked for a glass of local white wine. It came in a simple sort-of juice glass, and it was floral, off-dry. I asked the host the grape type and he said, "I don't know, but it comes from that hill over there," he said, pointing across the deep split. I think that it might have been some sort of muscat.
For my money the best Spanish brandy that I've had is Lepanto. I prefer it to many cognacs, but I don't often see it in HM purveyor..
We were in our local Polish deli, a-buying of soup and crisps, when we spotted a familiar name high in the liquor shelves - Jellinek. So we were able to get a bottle of slivovitz without the bother of going to Prague. Even better, they had another bottle, of borovička, which is even harder to come by in the UK.
Long ago, in a beautiful fantasy land...well, OK, it was Estes Park at the Second International Meet and the year was 2003, Alan Cresswell introduced me and several others to some whiskies from Scotland. An eye opening experience for me!
After these many years, I have settled to my favorite, Grangestone single malt, which might be like the training wheels whisky? At the moment I have three on the shelf, 12 year, 21 year and something called rum cask finish. All three are a treat, but I'm trying to make the 21 year last a while!
After reading and hearing about Uncle Nearest small batch whiskey, (I think I kept the 'e' in the proper place!) it seemed the thing to do was to support this family business. There were a lot of great reviews referring to the smoothness and a lot of other good sounding words, so I bought some. I'm very sad to say that this will be relegated to the hot toddy group. Just way too harsh for me. (I'm probably too much of a lightweight!!)
And speaking of toddies, one of the times I was miserable with bronchitis, a friend from Norn Iron suggested her recipe for a toddy made with Bushmills which is created near her home. That's pretty good stuff! (Must remember to replace that dead soldier!)
After reading and hearing about Uncle Nearest small batch whiskey, (I think I kept the 'e' in the proper place!) it seemed the thing to do was to support this family business. There were a lot of great reviews referring to the smoothness and a lot of other good sounding words, so I bought some. I'm very sad to say that this will be relegated to the hot toddy group. Just way too harsh for me. (I'm probably too much of a lightweight!!)
I sympathize. I was very excited when a distiller here in Delaware announced that they were making a bourbon. I was all prepared to support the local business...until I tasted it. 🤢
The closest comparison I can make is that it tasted rather the way I imagine kerosene tastes. The only way I could finish the bottle was by blending it with other things including other bourbons! Once again, my old standby of Ancient Age proved useful--3 parts Ancient Age to 1 part of the Delaware bourbon was (just barely) drinkable.
After reading and hearing about Uncle Nearest small batch whiskey, (I think I kept the 'e' in the proper place!) it seemed the thing to do was to support this family business. There were a lot of great reviews referring to the smoothness and a lot of other good sounding words, so I bought some. I'm very sad to say that this will be relegated to the hot toddy group. Just way too harsh for me. (I'm probably too much of a lightweight!!)
I sympathize. I was very excited when a distiller here in Delaware announced that they were making a bourbon. I was all prepared to support the local business...until I tasted it. 🤢
The closest comparison I can make is that it tasted rather the way I imagine kerosene tastes. The only way I could finish the bottle was by blending it with other things including other bourbons! Once again, my old standby of Ancient Age proved useful--3 parts Ancient Age to 1 part of the Delaware bourbon was (just barely) drinkable.
I have managed to replicate this at home with some home made cherry brandy, which is just too cherry-y. And this is after diluting it with an additional bottle of brandy.
I love cinnamon. Just love it! For several years I've been tempted to buy some cinnamon whiskey to see if it was any good, but didn't want to pay for a full bottle. The little sample sizes appeared at the local booze store, so I bought three different ones. Tonight I'm trying the first one: Fireball. Ack. Yuck. Ick.
I'm so glad I didn't buy a whole bottle of the stuff. *shudder*
I love cinnamon. Just love it! For several years I've been tempted to buy some cinnamon whiskey to see if it was any good, but didn't want to pay for a full bottle. The little sample sizes appeared at the local booze store, so I bought three different ones. Tonight I'm trying the first one: Fireball. Ack. Yuck. Ick.
I'm so glad I didn't buy a whole bottle of the stuff. *shudder*
Perhaps some cake baking in your future, just to get rid of the stuff?
Some years ago, I got to know a local Serbian Orthodox priest and so got invited to a number of their celebrations. Through this, I was introduced to Serbian Slivovitz - a plum brandy. I know that you can get it in many countries across eastern Europe but my Serb friends only drank genuine Serbian slivovitz, which they brought back to the UK every time someone visited Serbia. I have tried other slivovitzs but I must say that I am very partial to the Serbian when I can get my hands on it.
It seems every country has something sort of bad and good at the same time. Slivovitza (my spelling) from Poland compares to Slivovitz to my palate. Medronho (Portuguese) was different, and worse. Local parlance has these drinks lumped together under the term "porch climber". Which is about the same meaning as firewater, rot gut, olde flamethrower.
I'm afraid some of you folks are way frugal (or not). Why down-grade good liquors by mixing them with crap liquors just because you have a nasty bottle to use up? If the stuff couldn't be saved with non-alcoholic mixers, I'd just chalk it up as a loss.
Oh, and jedijudy, very smart move buying the little cinnamon bottles and then trashing them! I used to love cinnamon shooters from a local watering hole, but I don't know exactly what goes in them.
I'm afraid some of you folks are way frugal (or not). Why down-grade good liquors by mixing them with crap liquors just because you have a nasty bottle to use up?
Guilty. It comes from having a Grandmother who was raising a family during the Depression. Frugality became an ingrained habit that she passed on to future generations. I still carefully unwrap presents to preserve the wrapping paper so that it can be re-used. It drives my friends bonkers.
I used to love cinnamon shooters from a local watering hole, but I don't know exactly what goes in them.
Schnapps perhaps? During the winter months, cinnamon schnapps makes a pleasing throat-warmer. Peppermint schnapps for hot weather (especially if you remember to store the bottle in the freezer).
I don't drink neat 40% abv+ spirits, as I find them unpleasant. I do though have a bottle of cream liqueur from the Cotswolds Distillery. It's not as sweet as Baileys and you can tell that the base spirit is going to be Whisky one day. It's very nice if that's your kind of thing.
I need to acquire some cheap wine for spritz, as I currently have lemonade and the Aperol bottle is looking forlorn on the sideboard. I was very glad when it became trendy over here so I didn't have to nurse my Italian bottle, but the Venetians don't waste prosecco on it and just use the house white instead.
Today I came across a book that is almost custom made for the Ship.
Drinking With The Saints is a delightful blend of a Saint-of-the-Day book merge with a drink-of-the-day book. It is not just cocktails as sometimes the suggested libation is beer or wine, but mostly it is cocktails tailored to fit the daily Saint. I recommend it highly ("Two Bottom's Up!")
Comments
Having worked somewhere with an unusually high number of Hungarians, I can believe they'll drink it. I've never met people who fit a national stereotype so startlingly well from anywhere else - wave alcohol near them and it's like pressing the red button marked "Crazy".
Many years ago I had extensive dental work done in a single session. Even with the freezing I was in considerable pain. On the way home I bought a bottle of brandy (I don't know why I didn't have the presence of mind to ask for a prescription for painkillers, but anyway...) to kill the pain. All that I achieved was getting smashed, and remaining in pain. The next morning, hungover and in pain. (It was Armenian brandy, which I'd never had before. I recall thinking that it was pretty good.)
1 part fresh lime juice (if you can't do fresh lime juice, do some other drink)
1 part Rose's sweetened lime juice
2 parts gin
4 parts tonic water
Pour all of this over ice, stir well. Strain into ice-filled cooler glasses. Yum.
(No it's not a gin and tonic because of the huge amounts of lime juice, so my bartender friend told me. So there.)
Gone off cashews. The common processing method necessarily causes bodily mutilation to the harvesters/processors. And the humane brands are muckle pricey.
I lost count...
Armenian brandy is very decent stuff. I was given a few bottles for writing a speech on short notice, which was delivered to great applause, if I might say so myself.
There is a fine Spanish drink, made from the lees of grapeskins, called orújo. Orújo blanco is much like a sneakily potent grappa, and orújo de hierbas, a pomace flavoured with honey and herbs and akin to what Galliano might taste like if it were good, has often settled me after a good meal and 25km on the trail. I have only once seen it in Canada, at the little liquor store on the upper floor of the Forks in Winnipeg. No liquor board confesses to having it on their lists.
When I was last in Spain I bought three 750ml bottles from a farmer (this is called orújo casero, as Spaniards are allowed to distill 100 litres per year from their own fruit) and decanted them into my camelpak water supply, so that it might survive the journey. As a good Canadian, I declared that I had 225ml of spirits with me. When the Customs officer wrote down the name carefully as I spelled it out, he asked the proof. A mystery, I told him, as I was informed of this information in Galician, which I did not really understand. Sip it slowly, then, he counselled, and let it pass without duty.
However, it's all gone, and I have finished the last of my duty-free Lagavulin 16-year-old which a friend tells me is what God drinks after a good day.
For my money the best Spanish brandy that I've had is Lepanto. I prefer it to many cognacs, but I don't often see it in HM purveyor..
After these many years, I have settled to my favorite, Grangestone single malt, which might be like the training wheels whisky? At the moment I have three on the shelf, 12 year, 21 year and something called rum cask finish. All three are a treat, but I'm trying to make the 21 year last a while!
After reading and hearing about Uncle Nearest small batch whiskey, (I think I kept the 'e' in the proper place!) it seemed the thing to do was to support this family business. There were a lot of great reviews referring to the smoothness and a lot of other good sounding words, so I bought some. I'm very sad to say that this will be relegated to the hot toddy group. Just way too harsh for me. (I'm probably too much of a lightweight!!)
And speaking of toddies, one of the times I was miserable with bronchitis, a friend from Norn Iron suggested her recipe for a toddy made with Bushmills which is created near her home. That's pretty good stuff! (Must remember to replace that dead soldier!)
The closest comparison I can make is that it tasted rather the way I imagine kerosene tastes. The only way I could finish the bottle was by blending it with other things including other bourbons! Once again, my old standby of Ancient Age proved useful--3 parts Ancient Age to 1 part of the Delaware bourbon was (just barely) drinkable.
I have managed to replicate this at home with some home made cherry brandy, which is just too cherry-y. And this is after diluting it with an additional bottle of brandy.
I'm so glad I didn't buy a whole bottle of the stuff. *shudder*
Perhaps some cake baking in your future, just to get rid of the stuff?
It went down the sink! Still makes me shudder!
It seems every country has something sort of bad and good at the same time. Slivovitza (my spelling) from Poland compares to Slivovitz to my palate. Medronho (Portuguese) was different, and worse. Local parlance has these drinks lumped together under the term "porch climber". Which is about the same meaning as firewater, rot gut, olde flamethrower.
Oh, and jedijudy, very smart move buying the little cinnamon bottles and then trashing them! I used to love cinnamon shooters from a local watering hole, but I don't know exactly what goes in them.
Schnapps perhaps? During the winter months, cinnamon schnapps makes a pleasing throat-warmer. Peppermint schnapps for hot weather (especially if you remember to store the bottle in the freezer).
Thanks for the tip, Hedgehog.
And mt, another thing that I have found tastes good in hot cocoa is a bit of rum.
I need to acquire some cheap wine for spritz, as I currently have lemonade and the Aperol bottle is looking forlorn on the sideboard. I was very glad when it became trendy over here so I didn't have to nurse my Italian bottle, but the Venetians don't waste prosecco on it and just use the house white instead.
Also true.
Drinking With The Saints is a delightful blend of a Saint-of-the-Day book merge with a drink-of-the-day book. It is not just cocktails as sometimes the suggested libation is beer or wine, but mostly it is cocktails tailored to fit the daily Saint. I recommend it highly ("Two Bottom's Up!")