Heh I thought the same Al. Just poured another one with bitters. The orange juice works in fact, with bitters it's not as subtle. I might like to try Dolin Blanc. Any rules for Blanc vs Dry?

Did you like the Raj? I still really enjoy it.

Raj is good stuff. Blanc is just more sweet and less dry, so act accordingly.

Interesting. So is Dolin Blanc the sweetest of the "dry" vermouths?

Coffee

Not so much, what am I drinking (Coffee, since you ask), but something for the cocktail lover, or just cocktail curious in your life.

Behold the BarBot (random cocktail slot machine)!

"As your attorney, I advise you to spin".

Via: http://www.reghardware.com/2011/02/22/barbot_slot_machine_serves_drinks/

full details : http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-02/bar-open-slot-machine-pays-drinks

If you had lime, you could have used one of your knives. Did you ever think of that?

G&T. Bombay dry, Fever Tree, and a little Stirings blood orange bitters, instead of lime. oh yes! the Stirings blood orange is delicious, in everything i've used it in. i need more. it's great with tonic, 1:5, as a refreshing drink. doesn't have any alcohol in it, as far as i can tell, so i don't think it's actually bitters, but sam hill it's damn tasty!

yup, that's my wife's standby these days. You'd probably love some homemade Amer Picon, as this is one of the ingredients

2008 woop woop shiraz

Just finished a bottle of Pliny the Elder. Running low. Will move on to the Eagle Rare after I put the Little Monkey to bed because that's the kind of fantastic parent I am.

You've nearly gone through 12 Elders already?! You ARE a fantastic parent!

Dinny, that's a great idea.

A CanJam LAX glen cairn filled with eagle rare

Blue Paradise

2 oz cognac

1 oz Dubonnet Rouge (Dolin Rouge)

1/2 tsp Creme de Violette

Shake (or maybe stir) with ice and garnish with a lemon twist.

Scotland Yard Cocktail

1.5oz Cynar

.75oz Scotch whisky

.5oz lemon juice

Shake and strain.

Oddly delicious and very drinkable. Would be better with the Springbank that was recommended but alas it is not handy.

Mine above is insanely delicious.

Edited February 23, 201115 yr by luvdunhill

Blue Paradise

2 oz cognac

1 oz Dubonnet Rouge (Dolin Rouge)

1/2 tsp Creme de Violette

Shake (or maybe stir) with ice and garnish with a lemon twist.

Looking a little low on the Maison Surrenne.

Two Jupiters using the recipe Marc posted earlier.

The one on the left uses Parfait Amour and the one on the right uses Creme de Violette

Parfait Amour wins.

Bah. Try the above with Dubonnet and Dolin and report back.

Edited February 23, 201115 yr by luvdunhill

Looking a little low on the Maison Surrenne.

Yes. I already have a replacement lined up

Nice! Let me guess, the 1946 Grand Champagne Maison Surrene Cognac for only $599?

MS Cognac

Edited February 23, 201115 yr by shellylh

The same, stirred and with calvados:

Interesting. So is Dolin Blanc the sweetest of the "dry" vermouths?

Forgot that I was going to respond to this earlier today. The proper way to distinguish red from white vermouths is Italian and French. The Italian vermouths can be more or less spicy, herbal, sweet, etc., and like champagne, there are more dry and less dry French vermouths. I think of blanc vermouth like a blanc de blanc champagne, which is typically lighter and somewhat less dry than a typical brut/extra brut. Anyway, Dolin blanc is sweeter than Dolin dry, and that will be the same with other French vermouth brands that have more than one style.

Because Marc is the man, two Blue Paradises, Dubonnet Rouge on the left and Dolin Rouge on the right, both stirred (as were the Jupiters)

OK, this is going to take longer than the Jupiters. The Dubonnet integrates better, but the Cognac is a little more prominent with the Dolin (and that is not a bad thing).

For science!!

Growing Old Cocktail

2oz Cynar

1oz Rye (Russell's 6yo)

1 pinch Salt

2 Lemon zest (expressed)

Herbsaint (rinse)

Instructions

Combine the Cynar, rye and salt in a mixing glass and stir briefly to dissolve the salt. Express the oil from the lemon peels and drop into the mixing glass. Add ice and stir, then strain into an Herbsaint-rinsed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Even better than the Scotland Yard.

Edited February 23, 201115 yr by Voltron

Interesting, because the calvados dominates this version. If I went to Carpano, the Violette would surely be lost. My complaint of the MS PC is that it is subtle. Perhaps a bit too polite.

Al, nice! Doesn't look like Rittenhouse though edit: then you edited it.

Edited February 23, 201115 yr by luvdunhill

The rest of the bottle of Maison Surrenne Petite Champaign.

Tall order to find a replacement, this is great stuff.