Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails)

[ARNC]

Possibly the best cup of tea I’ve ever had!

Ok, technically it’s a glass, but it is tea.

[Tago Mago]

@ARNC no splash of milk?

[ARNC]

@Tago-Mago I think lemon’s more appropriate in this case!

[endo]

I know some of you like Grey Goose (and I do), but have you tried Belvedere Vodka? I think it's even smoother and still 40% vol.

[Denimhead 0]

@endo Love them both. Belvedere is a little pricier in my parts.

[pechelman]

Not really into unflavored gin at all, but one holiday party long ago a Russian guest brought in the only vodka she drank, so I was intrigued to try it. Was surprised how good it was, especially with the right food. I still don't have any vodka in my bar but if I did it would be that bottle of beluga.

[ARNC]

@endo you think? Maybe you should have another, just to be sure.

[Tago Mago]

N=3 is the absolute minimum. Anything less won’t stand up to statistical scrutiny. I’d go for n=5 to be on the safe side

[ARNC]

Any thoughts on Kornog? I’m contemplating getting one of these in the sales as the tasting notes sound interesting (sweet smoke, ripe cherries, chocolate, apple crumble, stewed fruit and a delicate sherry influence).

[endo]

sounds delicious @ARNC

[Denimhead 0]

@endo Blue Cheese 🫒 w Grey Goose

[ROman]

@endo I love Belvedere Vodka..

[SourPower]

Made it to Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 while down in NOLA, it did not disappoint!

[ARNC]

As there doesn’t seem to be much intel on Kornog here, I guess it’s my public duty to order a bottle and report back. Watch this space!

[SourPower]

@ARNC everything about this bottling sounds superb! Definitely want to hear your thoughts on this dram.

[ARNC]

@SourPower it should arrive later this week with something else (a repeat buy from Kyrö). Overall the reduction over the two bottles was about 27% of the normal price, so I’m feeling quite happy.

[SourPower]

Visited the Sazerac House and ended the night at the Sazerac Bar!

[mclaincausey]

Those philistines should be discarding the lemon peel after expressing it over the drink but at least they didn’t submerge it in the beverage

Peychaud originally made them with cognac, but a blight on cognac grapes forced a shift to Maryland rye by Thomas Handy who bought Peychaud’s operation. The nonsensical, politically motivated prohibition of wormwood pastis led to Herbsaint replacing absinthe. All this to say, you no longer have to use Herbsaint, and it’s interesting to try a cognac variant, specifically using Pierre Ferrand 1840, to see how the cocktail would have tasted in its original form. And unbeknownst to most the OG recipe included some Angostura in addition to the Peychaud’s.

My favorite cocktail and I usually make mine with Rittenhouse, though the best I’ve had was with Thomas Handy.

Some history from the 1938 classic Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur.

[mclaincausey]

Happy new year friends!
Cheers to you and your loved ones and I hope you have the best year ever in 2026.

[tody]

I was in a hailstorm when I came out of the water. No amount of Juttertje - a herbal liquor from the island - could warm me up...