LIQUOR BLOG - POST #1

Our Home LIQUOR INVENTORY

(Please note – none of this liquor was purchased for this blog entry; inventory was spontaneous.)

On October 28th 2009 I found the following liquor in my home:

Wine – Challis Lane 2007 California Merlot, two bottles of Vanel 2008 French Merlot, blanc de blancs Grandial French brut sparkling wine;

Beer – MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. Lip Stinger farmhouse ale made with peppercorns;

Junmai Ginjo Premium Sake (14-15% alcohol by volume ABV) from Trader Joe’s market, Sho Chiku Bai classic Junmai sake from Berkeley, CA, a few blocks from my home and Koshu Plum rice wine with plum (12% ABV), made in Berkeley California;

Dekuyper Peppermint schnapps, Potter’s Peppermint schnapps, and Bols Butterscotch schnapps, Potter’s Triple Sec, Potter’s Crème de Cassis, Potter’s Blue Curacao;

Martini & Rossi bianco vermouth, extra dry vermouth, and Gallo sweet vermouth for making Manhatten’s, Quarles Harris Ruby Porto;

Hill’s Absinth from the Czech Republic 70% ABV, Swiss Kubler Absinthe (53% ABV) and Trenet Absinthe (with an “e”) (60% ABV) from France. As you may know, Absinthe with an “e” is made with wormwood, while absinth is made without;

Romana Sambuca, both Classico and Black, Irish Mist liqueur, Drambuie, Agwa coca herbal, Austria’s Stroh jagertee liqueur, which Hugh loves to serve to guests blended with black hot tea, Becherovka, a Czech liquor that is also very popular in Slovakia (but I find tastes like eating pine tree sap);

St. Elmo Rum;

Scotch and whiskey– two mini bottles of Tobermory 10 year old, very petey, Laphroaig 10 year old, Glenlivet 12 year old, Glenfiddich 12 year old, Finlaggan Islay single malt, J&B blended scotch, 2 bottles of Jack Daniels, Maker’s Mark, Black Horse Schwabischer Whiskey, Clontarf Irish whiskey, and last but not least my favorite scotch single islay malt 18 year old Bunnahabhain. Currently we are out of Glen morangie – normally we always have a bottle on hand, however it disappears quickly.

Hungarian Slivovitz 3 year old, homemade slivovica form Slovakia bootlegged into the USA a few years ago, homemade slivovica form Slovakia brought to the USA this year, and Maraska Slivovica from Croatia and Maraska Slivovica from Serbia;

Bunratty Potcheen from Ireland. The label on this bottle claims that this liqueur is made in Ireland legally for export only, and is illegal to sell or drink in Ireland. Now this has to be a ploy…. for American sales – like it is too gross to sell in Ireland; they only get the good stuff… this stuff is only good mixed with lemonade;

Hennessy VS, E&J brandy, Domino de Villasanta Cream Sherry (sherry is Hugh’s mom’s favorite go-to drink);

Gross booze – Campari and Villa Massa Limoncello. I should love both of these; I am a huge fan of bitters and lemons. Why I don’t like these two liqueurs is beyond me.

You will note an absence of vodka and gin. Why? One – vodka is my favorite spirit so I drank it all. I usually keep a jug of Stoli in the house. Next payday I will buy a new jug. Stoli is very flexible; it is great out of the freezer straight up, and it also works well in a dirty martini with extra olives. As to gin…. I am not the biggest fan. Please send me your favorite gin and maybe I will be converted to gin.

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