Getting a taste for liquor?

I can really thank you all for helping me develop a taste for beer. If it weren't for brewing, I would still be ordering tea or soda with dinner!

I used to believe that it was not possible for someone to enjoy drinking a beer that wasn't ice ice cold, on a 105 degree day. This is of course to simply only tasting the swill that was served at various parties years ago. Once entering the ranks of "beer snob" as everyone has come to call me, first with Porters, Stouts and Brown Ales, then with IPAs, I*IPAs, I^14*IPAs and the like.

My question is about getting into hard liquor.

My only experiences with the hard stuff has been polishing off an entire bottle with a friend for the sake of getting schnockered. Mostly taking large shots, and not truly appreciating the drink. I think having a well stocked bar (since I love mixing drinks) would be a great way to expand my drinking pallet. This would also be nice because some of the bars I frequent with friends only serve 4 varieties of BMC and have full bars on top of that. So I tend to just enjoy a water until our next spot.

The other night I had a Grey Goose on the rocks when my girlfriend's dad was making screwdrivers (blech... screwdrivers) last week. It was surprisingly mellow compared to the old bottles of Monarch that buddies and I would slurp on. It had an almost vanilla quality about it, so I asked for some cocacola and mixed the two together. I'll be damned, the thing tasted like a vanilla coke.

I looked online and couldn't find a common name for Vodka+Coke, so I think I might have a drink I can try at bars (assuming it doesnt taste like garbage with well vodka, I'd hate to have to blow $10 a drink getting GG)

I figured vodka was a good starting place, since the stuff is supposed to be "flavorless" for the most part.

Ultimately, I would like to get into single malt scotches. I saw that scotch is made with malted barley, and assuming that some of that flavor passes into the drink, I might be able to enjoy it based on a common flavor profile with beer (correct me if I am wrong). I found that grape nuts taste amazing since I started brewing (if I can get over the sore jaw from chewing), so malt is a winner.

There is a distillery in town (it was the first in Washington state [dryfly]) and they make a Gin and a Vodka using Washington wheat (junipers and apples for the Gin). They have done several releases of a whiskey they have made, all of which sell out within 2 hours of opening on release day, and I would like to get a bottle of this coveted elixer, but I would like to like it first... you know?

Let me know where you think a good starting off point would be for getting into the harder stuff. Something to cut my teeth on. What do you like to drink, how do you like to drink it, when you aren't enjoying delicious homebrew that is!

(*Sorry to the Imperial Stout fans)

Best long drink in my opinion is a Gin and tonic made on Bombay Sapphire gin, with a slice of lime wiped around the rim of the glass, another slice twisted into it and then a slice for good luck, with some ice of course.
I have to admit I'm also a big fan of the screwdriver as a session long drink, I can polish off a bottle of wyborowa like that when I hit my stride and with almost no after effects the following day. Polish vodkas tend to be pretty flavour neutral, but a good Stolichnaya(peppery russian flavour) frozen and served in a frozen glass makes a really nice shot.
Jameson with a splash of water makes a really nice whiskey to start off with, no ice or anything else, just about a half a shot of water on a shot of whiskey, sweetens it up nicely. Not a fan of scotch myself, but then I've tried some of the earthiest ones such as Laphroiag so it's possible I need to revisit them and try something that is less like chewing on a sod of turf.

For scotch, Lagavulin 16 year is my favourite so far. I mostly stick to Balvenie Doublewood because it isn't so pricey. I also enjoy a dry martini (gin - not vodka). And another cocktail that surprised me is a proper daiquiri - no, forget the little umbrella and strawberries: 2 oz's rum, 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup.

A word of warning - if you approach hard liquor like you would approach beer, expect large chunks of blackness while trying to recall your evening. Sip it slowly, make every 2nd drink a large glass of tonic water with a slice of lemon - people will think it's a gin and tonic.

Bourbon. Straight/Neat or with 1 ice cube.

+1 Billion on the Balvenie Doublewood. It is my favorite along with Oban.
Get a few nice rocks glass and a small pitcher for water. Putting a few drops of distilled water in your scotch mellows the alcohol taste leaving the glorious flavor.
I am also a huge fan of Laphroiag but it is an acquired taste. My MIL got me a bottle of Auchtenoshan for my birthday. She said it was much less than the rest (Doublewood is about $60) and it was surprisingly tasty. Quite light but very smooth.
For Vodka I like Stoly and Smirnoff Triple. My wife likes Vanilla Vodka and Coke. Of course Grey Goose and Chopin and the others are nice, but if your going to mix don't waste the extra money.
Rum is Bacardi 8 or Black and Ron Anejo Anniversario. If you want a drink that goes down like water try a Dark and Stormy. Ginger BEER and Gosling. Be careful.

Fot me all well booze tastes like ****. I will drink water before I order a "Rum and Coke". My liquor snobbery puts my beer snobbery to shame.

I stick with single malt scotches. The ones mentioned (Balvenie, Oban, Lagavulin) are nice. If you want a good "starter" pick up Glenfiddich. It's got a really smooth and mellow flavour. After, start up the scale with Glenmorangie, and some of the others mentioned. If you do happen to pick up something more peaty like Laphroiag, make sure you taste it a few times over a couple of days. I bought a bottle and hated the first glass. The second glass (the next night) wasn't too bad. By the third glass, I was hooked. The strong peaty flavour doesn't lend itself much to multiple glasses, but by the gods, thats a good drink.

After that, keep trying older and younger single malts. Or stray a bit and give Jameson's Irish Whiskey a try! Another winner for sure.

I would shy away from vodka as it is, as you note, flavorless. It is overused in cocktails and most of the resulting cocktails are completely bankrupt of character and nuance. While vodka has its place, you are better avoiding it until you understand why it is useful.

If you are leaning more towards cocktails, I recommend starting at home with some classic cocktails that seem interesting to you. Why at home? It is really hard to get a good cocktail at most bars or restaurants and once you have made a decent version at home you have something by which to judge those you receive out.

The best way to get started is to pick a cocktail each weekend and buy everything you need for it. Within six months you will have the best stocked bar in town. Always use fresh juice, always use decent ingredients (don't go overboard, you don't need a $100 bottle of rum to make a mai tai). You can start out with a boston shaker, strainer, and a couple of cocktail glasses. You can get all of this for under $30 easily.

So for example, lets say you want to start with the martini. Go get yourself a shaker and some glasses, a bottle of decent white vermouth (Noilly Prat is good), a bottle of decent gin (Plymouth is a great start), and some decent brined olives (or more classically and my preference, a lemon for garnish).

My favorite side for cocktail recipes and info is www.drinkboy.com.

EoinMag said:

Best long drink in my opinion is a Gin and tonic made on Bombay Sapphire gin, with a slice of lime wiped around the rim of the glass, another slice twisted into it and then a slice for good luck, with some ice of course.

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+1

Also Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon

I have a weakness for the following:

Jack Daniels and Diet Coke (Jack is good for a shot too; but for sipping nothing beats jack and diet).

Captain Morgans and Diet Coke (Good summer drink.. or just an excuse to say "Why is the rum gone?")

Johnny Walker (any label is good; but as the price goes up the smoother it gets....), Jack Daniels Single Barrel... never mix these with ANYTHING. Should be drank at the most with ice cubes....

Patron Tequila... so smooth and will so get you in trouble!

If your just starting off enjoying the finer liquor out there I would not dash straight into getting a $80+ bottle of anything. Yes it taste good and is worth the price; but its like coming home to a supermodel every night.. if you ever find yourself without it and not able to obtain it everything else will taste like a$$.

If your making mixed drinks or cocktails you can always skimp on the brand of liquor since your mixing it with juices, cordials, etc. Always find your own taste for what you like.. if you like umbrella drinks find what taste works for you. If you like scotch or whiskey blends everyone has a certain favorite.. tequila and vodka the more expensive the smoother it is and more forgiving in the morning.

JW Red = Mixer grade. Don't drink that stuff straight, horrid.
Black, Green, Gold, and Blue are great. Blue isn't worth the high price it commands to me.
Macallans are good scotchs, they will benefit highly from a touch of water.
Glenfiddich 15 is very nice. smooth and enjoyable. Drink it straight or I will hunt you down and beat you with a balloon bat.


Many others out there to try.

Bourbons and Tennesse Whiskeys are good as well.
Bookers, high price for a bourbon but damn tasty. hints of vanilla and caramel. 126 proof thou. careful cuz it WILL hit you like a ton of bricks.

johnny walker black is a good starter scotch...

macallan 12 is a step up.

isn't much like a talisker 10 tho.....

but, i don't think beer and scotch have anything in common, flavor wise. unless you're drinking a peat-smoked beer. but, i'm not a fan of peat smoked beers.

gin and tonic is my favorite mixed drink. any gin'll do, really. gordon's is fine. tanqueray is good. not much of a fan of bombay sapphire. regardless, it has to have a lime. has to.

Nova5 said:

JW Red = Mixer grade. Don't drink that stuff straight, horrid.
Black, Green, Gold, and Blue are great. Blue isn't worth the high price it commands to me.
Macallans are good scotchs, they will benefit highly from a touch of water.
Glenfiddich 15 is very nice. smooth and enjoyable. Drink it straight or I will hunt you down and beat you with a balloon bat.


Many others out there to try.

Bourbons and Tennesse Whiskeys are good as well.
Bookers, high price for a bourbon but damn tasty. hints of vanilla and caramel. 126 proof thou. careful cuz it WILL hit you like a ton of bricks.

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Seriously. Do not EVER mix a single malt. Think Red Beer, you know the ridiculous pastime of adding tomato juice to beer? Think about doing that with a DFH 90 Minute and you'll see what I mean. Or think about all those assclowns trying to be cool in a bar ordering a Hennessy and coke.
Idiots.

northernlad said:

...you know the ridiculous pastime of adding tomato juice to beer?....

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in da U-P (michigan) that's called a Bloody Mary. seriously.

Scotch, whiskey, run and gin are all great to have on hand but I've been impressed lately with sipping tequila of late. Some of my favorites thus far are Patron Anejo, Don Julio Anejo, and Trago Reposado. I'm waiting for family to come back from Texas (snow birds) to get a few more bottles of specialty tequila dropped off. It's like Christmas in late April.

I am fond of two fingers of Maker's Mark whisky neat.

**** the commercially distilled spirits. Homebrew spirit is the best.

When I bartended I loved the tards who would ask for a henny and coke.. why would you mix that? And more to the point the tards who would ask for a henny shot... I got paid, they tipped worth ass so I gave it to them.. but really, honestly, seriously WTF!

motobrewer said:

in da U-P (michigan) that's called a Bloody Mary. seriously.

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Up here they substitute tomato juice with Clamato - it's called a red eye. Um, pass.

northernlad said:

Seriously. Do not EVER mix a single malt. Think Red Beer, you know the ridiculous pastime of adding tomato juice to beer? Think about doing that with a DFH 90 Minute and you'll see what I mean. Or think about all those assclowns trying to be cool in a bar ordering a Hennessy and coke.
Idiots.

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Agreed. Mixing a single malt is like mixing children with alligators, or at best a waste of money. If you need a mixer, just get some Jack, or if you insist on scotch, an inexpensive blended malt will do you fine (like Famous Grouse, Johnnie Walker Red Label or Bell's). Nicer blended malts should be appreciated on their own as well.

Good starter single malts might be from the Lowland and Speyside regions, as they usually are a bit smoother and contain less of the very distinct tastes of other regions (like peat and nail polish remover). The Speyside's Glenfiddich and the Glenlivet are smooth, tasty and easy to find in almost any part of the world, so they make good starters.

Blended malts are not to be ignored either. Single malts are trendy, but I've had some fun blended malts that are much more interesting than some of the predictable big name single malts.

northernlad said:

Seriously. Do not EVER mix a single malt. Think Red Beer, you know the ridiculous pastime of adding tomato juice to beer? Think about doing that with a DFH 90 Minute and you'll see what I mean. Or think about all those assclowns trying to be cool in a bar ordering a Hennessy and coke.
Idiots.

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Red = Mixer Grade.

Bourbon - Elijah Craig (12 yr old and 18 yr old) both are fantastic and reasonably priced.
Scotch - Highland Park, Caol Ila, and Dalmore

If mixing helps you drink it, have at it. I've heard people swear that coffee must be black, hot dogs can't have anything but mustard and relish, steak should never have anything but pepper added.. blah blah blah. Fact is there are lots of ways to mix booze and while one is really wasting their money overwhelming the flavors of expensive ingredients by dousing them in other heavy flavors there's nothing wrong with it.


As for people ordering hennesy and coke--- while I don't like it, some folks like the particular flavor of cognaq and cola (I prefer spiced rum if I'm inclined in that direction) there's not much choice in most bars beyond Hennessy.

And when I'm 'tying one on' I prefer to stick with products that I have a great deal of experience with, rather than allowing something new to me to sneak up on me. So while I think Sailor Jerry's spiced rum is a better product and Pyrate is even better, I'd order a Captain Morgan and diet later in the night rather than risk going overboard because of the unexpected results of the other brands.

I'm with nakros. In fact, my favorite non-beer booze is 18-year-old Glen.

For blended, Black Label is nice but Blue Label is superb (fortunately, I wasn't the one who bought the bottle ).

Still, gimme my beer. B vitamins ftw.

A nice scotch for sipping, but for drinking I like Moscow Mules. There's a couple of really nice sites that you let you buy Scoth from Ireland at prices that you can't find here. Shipping kills you, but once you're at like 3 or more bottles it evens out, so if you can go in with some friends you can have one hell of a Scotch collection for 20+% less than what you can buy it form the liquor store from.

Moscow Mule:
Make your own ginger ale, add in some pretty good vodka, and quite a bit of lemon juice over a couple cubes of ice in a glass. A nice Moscow Mule. The secret is more lemon juice than you think that you need. I absolutely love it with home made ginger ale and a nice vodka. You can really play with different vodka and ginger ale flavors, and fresh limes.

Yummy!

Macallan 12 yr FTW
Laphroaig 10 yr Cask Strength for a bit of hair on your chest

kaiser423 said:

A nice scotch for sipping, but for drinking I like Moscow Mules. There's a couple of really nice sites that you let you buy Scoth from Ireland at prices that you can't find here. Shipping kills you, but once you're at like 3 or more bottles it evens out, so if you can go in with some friends you can have one hell of a Scotch collection for 20+% less than what you can buy it form the liquor store from.

Moscow Mule:
Make your own ginger ale, add in some pretty good vodka, and quite a bit of lemon juice over a couple cubes of ice in a glass. A nice Moscow Mule. The secret is more lemon juice than you think that you need. I absolutely love it with home made ginger ale and a nice vodka. You can really play with different vodka and ginger ale flavors, and fresh limes.

Yummy!

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Pardon me for being "that guy" but you can't buy Scotch made in Ireland.

You guys have me excited. I have made a list.

I'll let you know how it goes when my roommate gets back from home (and we make a liquor store trip)

tspilker said:

You guys have me excited. I have made a list.

I'll let you know how it goes when my roommate gets back from home (and we make a liquor store trip)

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We will obviously need pictures of the experience.

For a thirst quencher...Captain and Diet Coke.
For a slow sipper...any single malt or a high quality vodka with a twist.

BierMuncher said:

We will obviously need pictures of the experience.

For a thirst quencher...Captain and Diet Coke.
For a slow sipper...any single malt or a high quality vodka with a twist.

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Pictures shall be provided.

Also, on my 21st birthday last year I went to the liquor store and they were having clearance of SKYY Orange because they apparently re branded the name or something like that. They were selling 1/5 bottles of it for $8, so I bought the last two they had. I dont know what to do with this stuff. It pretty much tastes terrible (like I said, the taste of orange and vodka is gross to me these days). The only thing that has tasted ok with these is as a mixer with lemon lime Gatorade.

I like a nice snifter of warm Grand Marnier and nothing added.

I am also partial to Jim Beam Black label, most any of the cognacs are good straight. And my favorite sipping drink is Crown Royal Special Reserve.

Oh the joy of gift giving.. a handle of crown is own sale at the class-6/package store on the local Navy base is 38 bucks... oh I love stocking up preparing for the NEXT holidays!

I mostly drink Highland Park 18 (or 15). Tried the 25 this Christmas and prefer the 18.

Always neat.

+1 on the Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

Macallan is way over-rated imo. Did try a Cask Strength Macallan this Christmas. It was...strong.

For mixed drinks (fairly rare with me) a Rum & Coke with a squeeze of lime.

Recently stayed at an all inclusive resort where the top shelf liquor flowed like water. never been a fan of the liquor and I tried everything I could think of or had not had before. Yeah, Glenfiddich, Makers Mark, Patron, etc....

No thanks. Everything was horrible except the mixers. I'll just never have an appreciation for straight up/rocks distilled spirits. Sure, there were some Brandy and stuff that was "doable" but, for the most part everything was a drainpour.

Harveywallbanger is my favorite; essentially a screwdriver with Galliano. Although, if the orange juice is canned, it might as well be battery acid.

Also, I love to sip Tuaca from a snifter in cold weather...