Love that glass!
That sounds intriguing, I’ll have to check my local Japanese market or wine shop.
A more common one which I find pretty reliable is Born nama genshu. Check the dates, more recent is fresher (if it’s not in a refrigerated case in the store, don’t get it) A cheaper option is the small cans by kikusui funaguchi (prefer red can over yellow can, fwiw)
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This rum. I don’t know much about rum, but some friends just brought this back from Nicaragua. What a treat.
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This combination has me intrigued - I can almost taste the combination. Might have to give it a try this weekend.
They also put some peychauds, chocolate mole bitters, and grated nutmeg. They may have topped it off with a bit of soda water to give it the head
Tasty yes, new, no. On the market quite awhile as I recall. I think they released it in 2010. I think that particular bottle is from 2014. And it is a LDI product, so actually a pretty old whiskey. High West just blended stock they bought from them. High West does do an excellent job of picking barrels from LDI and blending. I was one of the judges when they sneaked one of their blends into one of the early ADI spirits competitions and it took first place, back in 2009, and there was a big uproar about it. Since the competition was for micro/craft distilleries products and High West didn’t make it, just blended it. Chuck Cowdery managed to convince all the rest of us judges that our rules at the time didn’t forbid that. So we instantly made new rules and new categories to start the next year.
The Flor de Cana 18 is pretty darn good.
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Thanks for the information! I guess I should have said “new to us.” And, I was impressed with the High West labeling; they were pretty clear that this was a blend made with old whiskey that they did not produce.
As a rule High West is very upfront about the source of the whiskey they use in their rebarreling and blended products.
barleywino, it looks like you have been getting your hands on some tasty sake. have you tried many shochu yet?
I’ve been a fan of sake for around 30 years, but really got into it in the late 90’s when it started to get more available. then got into shochu around 2001/2002.
I started studying them both very heavily around 2002, and ran into John Gauntner around then on one of his visits back home to the US, and became friends. Also became friends in the mid 2000’s with several certified sake experts/sake samurai here in the US. I’ve visited Japan and toured dozens of Sakagura/Shuzouten and introduced to quite a few Toji. Never did get around to getting my certified sake specialist. Also know many of the shochu distilleries in Japan, including a group of around 70, and helped quite a few try to get a foothold on distribution and education here. I used to give classes and seminars on shochu back then until around ten years ago. But then switched over to distilling rum and brandy for a half dozen years. I don’t drink much anymore, but really have a craving lately for some nice junmai daiginjo.
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Gold Mountain (rye, cognac, grand poppy, coconut sugar) at China Live, SF
LOL. But, can’t say I’ve ever been tempted to take my martini glasses into the wild!
