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August 21st, 2008

Posted by: Rick

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Aug21

Only 10 Bottles

31 Comments

I’m going to go out on a limb here and wager that when you open your liquor cabinet, you have trouble deciding what to make. However, the problem lies not in the lack of options, but the sheer abundance of them. Should you use the Aperol or Campari? What one of ten gins should go into your martini? Do you really feel like putting in the effort to make a tiki drink using that lovely bottle of Lemon Hart 151 sitting out front? (of course you do Paul)

After a long moment of surveying the scene, you’ll inevitably fall back on a familiar cocktail, likely one you’ve been enjoying to excess that week (the Kaiser has been quite enamored with Absinthe Suissesses since Tales).

But what if, instead, your problem was a lack of ingredients?

What if you could only have 10 bottles of alcohol for the rest of your life?

Obviously the bottles would be replenishable, but you could never have any other spirits or even brands of a particular spirit. What would you choose? Here is my semi-thought-out list:

The 10 List

  • Plymouth gin
  • Lemon Hart 151 rum
  • Sazerac 6 rye whiskey
  • Carpano Antica
  • Noilly Prat dry vermouth
  • Coruba dark Jamaican rum
  • (making this list is giving me great distress by the way)
  • Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
  • Laphroaig 40-year
  • Campari
  • Chartreuse (or a gold rum… or absinthe… oh this is a big problem!)

KP Question

  1. What’s your list of 10? Don’t forget to include the brand!

31 Responses to “Only 10 Bottles”

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  1. Max HNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 21st, 2008 at 8:25pm:

    - Carpano Antica
    - Gosling’s Black Seal
    - Plymouth Gin
    - Rittenhouse Bonded
    - Applejack Bonded
    - Lucid Absinthe
    - Havana Club Light
    - Noilly Prat Dry
    - Chartreuse Green VEP
    - a tie between Scarlet Ibis and St Elizabeth All Spice Dram

  2. Stevi DeterNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 21st, 2008 at 8:50pm:

    Ok, I’ve posted my list here: http://anavolena.livejournal.com/133415.html

  3. RockyNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 21st, 2008 at 9:02pm:

    Hendrick’s Gin
    Rum Zaya
    Rum Clement Premiere Canne
    Vaya Sweet Vermouth
    Vaya Dry Vermouth
    Kubler Absinthe
    Luxardo Maraschino
    Willet Rye
    Black Maple Hill Bourbon
    Yamazaki 18 or Clynelish 14

    I think, I’ll probably change my mind soon.

  4. Darcy O'NeilNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 21st, 2008 at 9:19pm:

    1. Vya Sweet Vermouth
    2. Vya Dry Vemouth
    3. Makers Mark
    4. El Dorado 12
    5. Plymouth Gin
    6. Havana Club Blanco
    7. Benedictine
    8. Cointreau
    9. Amaro Poli
    10. Navan Vanilla Cognac

  5. erik_flannestadNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 21st, 2008 at 11:31pm:

    1. Angostura Bitters
    2. A nice mid-shelf Rye Whiskey. I’m not picky. Sazerac, Rittenhouse Bonded, or Wild Turkey.
    3. Sweet Vermouth. If it’s free for the rest of my life, I’d probably pick Carpano Antica. Dolin Sweet, also tempting.
    4. Dry Vermouth. Dolin Dry.
    5. Orange Bitters. Angostura, maybe? Or Regan’s.
    6. Absinthe. Again, if it’s free, I’m going for Jade Pernod Fils 1901.
    7. Junipero Gin. My favorite all around gin.
    8. A Good Cognac or Armangac with some spine. Pierre Ferrand Ambre, maybe?
    9. Barbancourt 5 Star.
    10. I’m torn between a Barolo Chinato and an Americano. I think I’m going to have to go with a Barolo Chinato, as it is my all time favorite after dinner beverage.

  6. DoodNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 1:48am:

    Let’s see…

    1. Appleton Estate 21 Rum
    2. Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Anos Rum
    3. Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb
    4. Sazerac 6yr Rye
    5. Plymouth Gin
    6. Oronoco Rum
    7. Maker’s Mark
    8. Foursquare Spiced Rum
    9. Lemon hart 151…no, J. Wray & Nephew Overproof…no, Lemon…um…
    10. El Dorado 15 Rum
    10. Clement VSOP
    10. Appleton Estate Extra
    10. Brugal Siglo de Oro
    10. George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey
    10. Do bitters count?
    10. Rhum JM VSOP
    10. Can I have 11?

  7. MorganNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 8:25am:

    1. Juipero Gin
    2. Vya Sweet
    3. Vya Dry
    4. Clement VSOP
    5. Creole Clement
    6. Sazerac Rye
    7. Luxardo Maraschino
    8. Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot
    9. Herradura Silver
    10. Green Chartruese

    Bitters don’t count right?

  8. SeanMikeNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 12:42pm:

    I’ve been thinking a lot about that post today…it’s a hard one.

    Do you go for the best, or do you go for the ones that play the best with others?

    Do bitters count? Vermouths?

    Do they have to be in your cabinet now or can you just say “Sure, I’ll have a Glenfiddich 50 year old”?

    But I’d probably say, based off what I’ve actually got in my cabinet:
    1. Willett 6 year old bourbon
    2. Plymouth gin
    3. Red Hook rye
    4. Glenfiddich 15 year old
    5. Vya dry vermouth
    6. Carpano Antica
    7. Creole Shrubb
    8. Green Chartreuse
    9. Aperol
    10. Anchor Genevieve gin

  9. Dr. BambooNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 12:52pm:

    1. Bombay Sapphire
    2. Cadenhead 80 proof
    3. Bulleit Bourbon
    4. Sazerac 6 yr.
    5. Tito’s Handmade (hey…sometimes a guy wants a Moscow Mule or a Cape Codder ;-)
    6. Zaya 12 yr.
    7. Havana Club Blanco
    8. Pitu
    9. Noilly Prat Dry
    10. Berentzen Apfel Korn

  10. Tiki Drinks & Indigo Firmaments » Blog Archive » Desert Island Spirits Picks

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 12:53pm:

    [...] over at KaiserPenguin popped a fun little exercise up yesterday. We cocktail crazies have rows of bottles, but what if we only could have Ten? Only [...]

  11. Craig HermannNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 12:56pm:

    Stuck mine up over at http://tdif.brotherhoodofif.com/2008/08/22/desert-island-spirits-picks/

    Here’s the list:

    * J Wray 17 year old Jamaican Rum
    * El Dorado 15 year old Demerara
    * Mount Gay Extra Old
    * Plymouth Gin
    * Rittenhouse 23 year old Rye
    * Lillet Blanc
    * Punt e Mes
    * Glenfiddich 21 year old Caribbean rum cask
    * Green Chartreuse VEP
    * Everclear (for making my own infusions and distillations)

  12. Blair, aka Trader TikiNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 1:10pm:

    - Lemon Hart 151
    - Rhum JM VSOP
    - Green Chartreuse
    - Wild Turkey Rye 101
    - Coruba
    - Carpano Antica Formula
    - Appleton 21 year
    - Ardbeg 10 year
    - Laird’s Bonded
    - Flor de Caña Extra Dry

    in no particular order

  13. OuroborosNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 1:49pm:

    Rick, you should have my trackback in a few minutes, http://www.boozecouncil.org/?p=91

  14. erik_flannestadNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 1:53pm:

    Well, if bitters don’t count I’d sub in:

    Luxardo Maraschino.
    Orange Liqueur. Tempted to say Cointreau, but maybe Clement Creole Shrubb.

    If Vermouth doesn’t count, I’d probably add one of the W.L. Weller Bourbons and an Apple Brandy. Laird’s Bonded, maybe or Calvados Roger Groult Réserve 3 years.

  15. TiareNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 4:29pm:

    1 J Wray 17
    2 Appleton 30 year old
    3 El Dorado 15
    Silver Seal 15
    4 Lemon Hart 151 demerara
    5 Havana Club blanco
    6 J wray overproof
    7 Gin 209
    8 Campari
    9 Makers Mark
    10 Luxardo

  16. Desert Island :: SLOSHED!

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 5:24pm:

    [...] I’m not the only one who had deserted tropical beaches on my brain. Rick at Kaiser Penguin posed a very interesting question: which ten bottles would you choose to be marooned [...]

  17. RowenNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 22nd, 2008 at 10:22pm:

    1. Angostura Bitters
    2. Myers’s (so many beautiful rums, but the one I’d miss most)
    3. Bombay
    4. Punt e Mes
    5. Cocchi Americano
    6. Johnnie Walker Black Label
    7. Evan Williams or Jefferson Bourbon
    8. Courvoisier Napoleon
    9. Senior’s Curacao
    10. Luxardo Maraschino

  18. Blotto

    Said this on August 23rd, 2008 at 12:06am:

    Just Ten Bottles…

    Over at Kaiser Penguin, Rick proposes the question What if you could only have 10 bottles of alcohol for the rest of your life? Obviously the bottles would be replenishable, but you could never have any other spirits or even brands of a particular spir…

  19. ScomorokhNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 23rd, 2008 at 8:31am:

    Extremely interesting question…

    My fovorite in my liquor cabinet are:

    1. Havana Club Anejo 7 Anos
    2. El Dorado Damerara 21 y.o.
    3. Bombay Sapphire
    4. Cointreau
    5. Havana Club Blanco
    6. Leyenda de Milagro Single Barrel Reposado
    7. Cinzano Rosso
    8. Ricard
    9. El Dorado Damerara 12 y.o.
    10. Angostura aromatic bitters…

  20. Douglas WinshipNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 23rd, 2008 at 9:13am:

    Cointreau
    Belvedere Vodka
    Bombay Sapphire Gin
    Courvoisier VS
    10 Cane Rum
    Angostura Bitters
    Glenrothes Single Malt
    Nolly Pratt Vermouth
    Hendrick’s Gin
    Johnny Walker Green

    Please note that I might just HAPPILY restrict myself to this list if it meant a lifetime’s supply of free Cointreau. My kid’s college fund would certainly benefit….

  21. 10 Bottles | The Pegu Blog

    Said this on August 23rd, 2008 at 9:40am:

    [...] Penguin has a fun exercise up right now, in which he asks you to name ten bottles. Let’s say you live in a place with [...]

  22. Douglas WinshipNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 23rd, 2008 at 9:41am:

    Oh, and I put a second list, one more closely related to my own blogging, on my site.

  23. StyleScrybeNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 24th, 2008 at 5:44pm:

    1. Idol Vodka
    2. Bulldog Gin
    3. Patron Cafe
    4. Remy Martin XO
    5. Don Julio Gold
    6. Johnny Walker Blue Label
    7. Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka
    8. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
    9. Cruzan citrus rum
    10. Bacardi Rum

  24. JeffNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 25th, 2008 at 12:07am:

    1. Luxardo Maraschino
    2. Angostura Bitters
    3. 1919 Rum
    4. Middleton Whiskey
    5. Plymouth Gin
    6. Macallan Cask Strength
    7. Christiana Vodka
    8. Espolon Tequila
    9. Lairds bonded
    10. Domain de Canton

    The last I just started playing with but it has enough ginger flavor to make some nice cocktails. They are having a contest, if anyone wants to try to create a new cocktail. http://www.domainedecanton.com

  25. Perfect 10? « ednbrg

    Said this on August 25th, 2008 at 10:09pm:

    [...] I am nothing if not a dedicated following of the whole drink-blogging fraternity and, over at Kaiser Penguin, they’ve birthed a bouncing baby meme that I am, of course going to jump right on board. So - [...]

  26. xsolo travel blog » Argentina libre

    Said this on August 26th, 2008 at 12:33pm:

    [...] Scriam acum un an de fernet branca, iar intre timp am incercat si alte bittere, atit intern cit si extern. Si am fost dezamagit, puternic. Cam toate au o planta, sau o mirodenie in ele care e in cantitate mare si care le da, dupa mine, o/un aroma-gust mai mult sau mai putin puternica de coaja de copac macerata in alcool. Asa ca am revenit la Fernet Branca, si l-am probat, si reprobat si degustat atent si nimica de “lemn” prin el, doar multe plante. Asa retete de cocktailuri cu fernet sint destule in lume, printre ele si clasicul argentinian: “fernet con cola”: gheata, 1 parte fernet si 2 parti cola. Plecind de la intrebarea unui “barman neamt” de origine indiana(apropo de Germania: sa uitam de ea, caci s-a dus in asa hal la vale…. ca la multe faze e ca in ro): cum se cheama ce bei tu acolo, adica “fernet con cola”, am scos un nume nou: Argentina libre Pinguinu Kaiser are o intrebare de 10 puncte, pardon de 10 sticle. [...]

  27. paranoidNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 27th, 2008 at 12:23pm:

    Appletons 12 year old (will accept 21y, 30y, and Master Blender’s)
    Plymouth Gin
    Sazerac Rye
    Rhum St James Hors d’Age
    Senior Curacao
    Luxardo Maraschino
    Pastis (or Pastis-like: Herbsaint or Absinthe)
    Pusser’s (will accept 108 proof Navy rum)
    Lillet Blanc
    Nolly Pratt Dry Vermouth

  28. JacobNo Gravatar

    Said this on August 28th, 2008 at 6:44pm:

    Here’s my 10:

    Plymouth gin
    Bulleit bourbon
    Laguvulin 16-year-old Scotch
    10 Cane rum
    Noilly Prat sweet vermouth
    Noilly Prat dry vermouth
    Luxardo Maraschino
    Campari
    Cointreau
    St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram

    Really frustrating not being able to fit Chartreuse and Creme de Violette in there! And I’ve gotta assume I can still have beer separately…

  29. GabrielNo Gravatar

    Said this on September 2nd, 2008 at 12:56pm:

    Late to the party, but here are my poisons:

    - Citadelle Gin
    - Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum
    - Carpano Antica
    - Oronoco White Rum
    - Everclear (making my OWN damned liqueurs)
    - Stock’s Maraschino Liqueur
    - Pimento Dram
    - Green Chartreuse - V.E.P.
    - Blanton’s Bourbon
    - Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye

    Great cocktail meme, Rick!

  30. Dominik MJ aka opinionated alchemistNo Gravatar

    Said this on September 4th, 2008 at 8:17pm:

    I am also much to late… but here are my buddies:

    1. Absolut Black [for all my potions I have to prepare; if I have to limit my selection, I have to become creative].
    2. Straight Rye Whiskey - lets say Rittenhouse bonded
    3. Tanqueray 10 or eventually Hendricks
    4. Wild Turkey Rare Breed
    5. Havana Club añejo 7 años
    6. Sauza Hornitos
    7. TBT Aromatic Bitters
    8. Cointreau
    9. Vya dry
    10. Carpano Antiqua Formula

  31. If I Could Only Have 10 Bottles | Two At The Most

    Said this on September 7th, 2008 at 2:50pm:

    [...] at Kaiser Penguin, Rick has posed a challenging [...]

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Kaiser Penguin is a blog about cocktails for the erudite mixologist.

Why on Earth did you name your blog “Kaiser Penguin?”

It is a well-known fact that penguins are members of high society and enjoy fine cocktails. Our very own kaiser penguin would like me to mention that he also enjoys various treats from the sea.

Contact: rick@kaiserpenguin.com