winter tipples?

[anotheranon]

As a follow up to this post, I'm considering getting some whiskey, rum, and/or port for winter coziness/doziness. What brands/labels should I look for that are good but don't break the bank?

Comments

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

For dark, amber, or spiced rum, Captain Morgan and Bacardi are both tastily acceptable without making your debit card whimper (I would imagine their white rum is okay too).

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking white rum might be to my taste - the rum article in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rum) suggests that dark rum = more of a molasses flavor, and that might be too sweet for me.

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

I've never perceived dark rum as being sweet-tasting (that's how white rum seems to me, which is why I'm not fond of it ... white rum=white sugar; brown, raw and demara sugars never taste as sweet as white sugar does). Then again, I've never thought of it as tasting particularly molasses-like either, although there is a hint of it. But it's definitely a hint of blackstrap molasses (which isn't particularly sweet) ... not that oversweet golden stuff that's usually sold in grocery stores. And one should always, IMHO, use unsweetened fruit juices as mixers ... adding a sweetened mixer DOES seem to exponentially sweeten the rum, killing the smokiness of it.

But it's all a matter of taste, isn't it? And individual tastebuds. :-) Most liquor stores stock those bitty airline/gift bottles ... I'd recommend getting a couple of those first, so you can sample before investing in a real bottle (or else visit a buddy with an already-stocked bar and do a few taste tests).

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

I think the "tester" bottles will probably be the best way for me to find the flavor I like - thanks for the pointer! I seldom go to liquor stores so I don't know what they are/aren't likely to stock!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

No problem. I enter a liquor store about once a year, if that, myself, so I'm not exactly frequent flyer, but I've memorized the basics. The bitty bottles are usually up at the checkouts (like the candy racks in grocery stores) and they'll probably be starting to be reasonably well-stocked because ***shudders 'cause she hates this very concept*** they're considered "stocking stuffers".

Also, don't know if this happens down there, but I've once been in the liquor store when there was a staffer wandering 'round with a tray full of teeny-mini-wineglasses, offering taste samples of a new wine to the customers (just like the food samples handed out in grocery stores). You might get lucky and hit rum day or something ***grin***.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

For a good quality blended Scotch whisky, try The Famous Grouse. That's about the best of the blends that you can get in the US. (Bells is the best blend, but it's a UK only sort of thing.) Single malts are a whole different world, but they're pricey.

If you want a real Portugese Port, you'll want to look for a bottle labeled "Porto" containing a small amount of fortified wine, probably costing around $20.00 for a pint or so of liquid. If you just want a nice deep red American fortified 'port' wine, something like Taylor's New York State Ruby Port will probably do nicely. Or you might find you prefer an E&J Gallo California Tawny Port. Both are pretty modestly priced.

No advice to offer with the rum.