Jan9

My Liquor Cabinet… What am I missing?

KP's liquor cabinet

This post is part of an ongoing quest to make Kaiser Penguin more fun and accessible. Marleigh over at Sloshed! gave me a kick in the pants with her post on housekeeping. I don’t want to promise anything, but here are some ideas:

Future Ideas of Action

  • KP’s Top 3 Imbibables – A short list of cocktails that I’m enjoying at the moment. Nothing complicated, just something you can grab quickly if you’re looking for something new
  • Cocktail List – A list of all the cocktails (including TDN recipes) that appear on KP, in a nice happy format
  • Categorizing and Tagging everything (like that will ever happen)

KP’s Liquor Cabinet

What am I missing?

Rum

  • Angostura 1919
  • Appleton Extra
  • Appleton V/X
  • Bacardi 151
  • Bacardi 8
  • Barbancourt 5-star
  • Coruba
  • Cruzan Black Strap
  • Cruzan Dark
  • El Dorado 12-year
  • El Dorado Overproof
  • Gosling’s
  • Gosling’s 151
  • Kilo Kai
  • Lemon Hart 151
  • Lemon Hart 80
  • Mount Gay Eclipse
  • New Orleans 3-year
  • New Orleans 10-year
  • New Orleans Cajun Spice
  • New Orleans Crystal
  • Oronoco
  • Pusser’s
  • Pyrat
  • St. James Amber
  • St. James Extra Old
  • Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum
  • Zaya (Trindad)

Gin

  • Beefeater
  • Bols Genever
  • Citadelle Reserve
  • Death’s Door
  • Hayman’s Old Tom
  • Homemade Old Tom (Plymouth + simple)
  • North Shore No. 11
  • North Shore No. 6
  • Plymouth
  • Tanqueray 10
  • Tanquray Rangpur

Absinthe / Pastis

  • Herbsaint
  • Kubler
  • La Fee
  • Mata Hari
  • Obsello
  • Pernod
  • St. George

Whiskey

  • Bulleit
  • Four Roses
  • Four Roses Mariage Collection 2008 Barrel Strength
  • Old Overholt
  • Ri(1)
  • Rittenhouse 23-year
  • Rittenhouse Bonded
  • Sazerac 6-year

Scotch / Irish

  • Bushmills white label
  • Connemara 12-year
  • Famous Grouse
  • Glenlivet 12-year
  • Laphroaig 10-year
  • Suntory 12-year
  • Tullamore Dew

Brandy / Cognac

  • B&B
  • Barsol Pisco
  • Boulard Calvados
  • Macchu Pisco
  • Laird’s Applejack
  • Laird’s Bonded
  • Raynal
  • Salignac
  • Trimbach Kirsch

Cachaça

  • Boca Loca
  • Leblon

Tequila

  • 1800 Blanc
  • Herradura Reposado
  • Inocente Blanc

Vodka

  • Firefly Sweet Tea
  • Oval
  • Stolichnaya
  • Vermont Gold

Fruit

  • Apfelkorn
  • Cherry Heering
  • Combier
  • GranGala
  • Maraska Pear Liqueur
  • Marie Brizard Apry
  • Marie Brizard Creme de Banana
  • Marie Brizard Creme de Cassis
  • Marie Brizard Orange Curacao
  • Marie Brizard Poire William
  • Marie Brizard Blackberry
  • Passoa
  • St. George Poire Liqueur

Potable Bitters / Herbal Liqueurs

  • Aperol
  • Benedictine
  • Campari
  • Chartreuse
  • Fernet-Branca
  • Ramazzotti Amaro
  • Strega

Fortified Wines / Vermouths

  • Carpano Antica
  • Dolin Blanc
  • Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • Dolin Sweet Vermouth
  • Dubbonet Rouge
  • Lillet
  • Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth
  • Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
  • Pedro Ximenez Sherry
  • Sandeman Founders Reserve ruby port
  • Sandeman 10-year tawny port
  • Tio Pepe Sherry

Miscellaneous

  • Agavero
  • Barenjager
  • Berry Hill Pimento dram
  • Castries
  • cocktailnerd’s pimento dram
  • Disaronno Amaretto
  • Domain de Canton
  • Drambuie
  • KP’s pimento dram
  • Galliano
  • Kahana Royale Macadamica Nut Liqueur
  • Kahlua Especial
  • Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
  • Marie Brizard Anisette
  • Plymouth Sloe Gin
  • Qi Black Tea Liqueur
  • Qi White Tea Liqueur
  • Rothman and Winter Creme de Violette
  • St. Germain
  • St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Liqueur
  • Tuaca
  • Zuisen Awamori

Syrups

  • Agave Nectar
  • Cinnamon
  • Coffee
  • Coconut Cream
  • Cranberry
  • Falernum
  • Ginger
  • Hibiscus Grenadine
  • Orgeat
  • Passion Fruit
  • Peach
  • Raspberry
  • Raspberry Shrub
  • Simple
  • Vanilla

Juice

  • Cherry
  • Coconut
  • Grapefruit
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Orange
  • Passion Fruit
  • Pineapple

Soda

  • Fever Tree Bitter Lemon
  • Fever Tree Club Soda
  • Fever Tree Tonic Water
  • Pink Ting
  • Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer
  • Ting

Bitters

  • Angostura
  • Bitter Truth Celery
  • Bitter Truth Repeal
  • Chris Stanley’s Tangerine Orange
  • Fee Brothers Aromatic
  • Fee Brothers Cherry
  • Fee Brothers Grapefruit
  • Fee Brothers Peach
  • Fee Brothers Rhubarb
  • Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged
  • Fee Brothers West Indies Orange
  • Peychaud
  • Regan’s Orange
  • Stirrings Blood Orange
  • TraderTiki’s Falernum
  • Vidiot’s Fig

Other Bits

  • Orange Flower Water
  • Rose Water
 

Notes

  • You can access the Liquor Cabinet list from the link at the top. I’ll be updating it with new acquisitions that will be listed at the top for a short while.
  • All syrups are 2:1 and mostly all homemade.
  • I borrowed some of the naming conventions from Gabe’s bar list over at cocktailnerd.

KP Questions

  1. Most importantly, what am I missing from my cabinet, and why? Don’t just tell me I need Silver Seal Demerara Rum… tell me how I’m missing the best Mai Tai ever.
  2. Do you like any of my future ideas?

26 Responses to “My Liquor Cabinet… What am I missing?”

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26 Comments to “ My Liquor Cabinet… What am I missing?”
  1. TiareNo Gravatar says:

    First…its a great selection!

    What do you miss?

    Aged cachaca
    Tequila anejo
    El Dorado 15
    A lemon soda like schweppes

    And if you dont have SS rum you miss the best Mai Tai ever..

  2. BrennanNo Gravatar says:

    You don’t have any allspice syrup, which is something I rather enjoy.. but the St. Elizabeth’s or one of the dram’s probably more than makes up for it. Your list makes me jealous, especially since some of my more desired things (Coruba, Lemonhart) would require some interstate travel. I’ve been wanting to try Inner Circle, and it’s apparently available in GA, but in some sort of flux where it’s not right now but will hopefully be again in the future? Stupid laws. *sigh*

  3. JoeNo Gravatar says:

    Missing? My thoughts:

    Rum – Neisson, La Favorite, El Dorado 15-yr, The Scarlet Ibis, several from Flor de Caña (4, 5, 7, 12, 18, Batavia Arrack.

    Tequila – Partida

    Mezcal – Del Maguey (any)

    Amaro – Montenegro, Nonino “Quintessentia”

    Irish – Redbreast 12-yr potstill

    Bourbon – Wild Turkey “Rare Breed”, Weller 107, Four Roses Single-Barrel

    I’m too tired to think of anything else at the moment, but you get the idea.

    Gin – Boodles, Damrak, #209, Aviation, Brokers, Magellan, Zuidam dry

    Syrup – Dubois Petite-Canne Martinique sugar cane syrup

  4. Meyers’s Dark Rum. I think you know why.

    Germaine-Robin Shareholder’s Reserve is my favorite not-absurdly-expensive brandy/cognac (~$60). Not specifically for mixing. Cognac is my favorite spirit neat. There more expensive brandies are amazing, but not something I can pick up on a whim. I WILL buy a bottle of Anno Domini some day, though.

  5. FredericNo Gravatar says:

    Punt e Mes (a spicier vermouth, works better with spicy ryes for example)
    a barolo chinato (perhaps excessive and expensive, but it’ll make a damn good Manhattan)
    Kümmel (prominent in many old school drinks)
    a Port of some kind (ruby for mixing and a vintage for sipping)
    Cynar (if you love bitters, becoming rather popular to mix with in Boston Bars)

  6. Michael LazarNo Gravatar says:

    @Brennan: Mr. Penguin has two other allspice liqueurs in his collection which you might have missed: Berry Hill Pimento dram and KPs Pimento dram. Pimento (not to be confused with the pepper) is the Jamacian name for Allspice. That’s also the name it goes under in other countries, like Germany. Both are hella sweet – not sure how they compare to the St. Elisabeth’s (which is a pretty recent item on the shelves in my liquor stores). – Michael

  7. JaredNo Gravatar says:

    Bourbon: George T. Stagg, Maker’s Mark, Noah’s Mill, Eagle Rare 10-year

    Irish Whiskey: Redbreast 12-year

    Scotch: Jon, Mark and Robbo’s selections
    http://www.cocktailatlas.com/JonMarkandRobbo/frisky_whiskey.htm

  8. DanielNo Gravatar says:

    Great cabinet!!

    I would add in rum: zacapa 23 and zacapa xo!!
    All the best
    Dani

  9. BrennanNo Gravatar says:

    @Michael: That would be the “or one of the dram’s” part. Hmm, how’d that apostrophe get in there. And he listed 3, you missed cocktailnerd’s.

  10. Michael LazarNo Gravatar says:

    @Brennan: You are right! Meantime, found me some recipes for making pimento dram @ home. Another lovely bar project! ;-)

  11. BonzoGalNo Gravatar says:

    Tequilas:
    Partida Blanco (for the best margaritas ever, or with grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup, or just neat)
    Herradura Anejo (for drinking neat)
    Fortaleza Reposado (my precioussssssss…)

    Gins:
    Hendricks (not good for martinis, IMO, but great for gin & tonic or Pimm’s cups)
    Junipero (fab for martinis)

    Vodka:
    Rain (because it’s relatively cheap, soft, and pleasant)

    Wines:
    Prosecco and Cava for making Sparkling Negronis

    Other than that- I touch my forehead to the ground in your direction and chant, “We are not worthy!”
    Daaaang, that is one nice collection.

  12. MarcNo Gravatar says:

    Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

    Although you do have Bushmills Original (white label), definitely give Bushmills Black Bush a try. Or any of their single malts, Bushmills 10-year, 16-year or 21-year. I am a huge fan of the Bushmills line.

  13. ScratchlineNo Gravatar says:

    Bourbonwise, you’re missing some great stuff. Your selections are fine but I think it’s good to have 100 proof bourbons for the base of many cocktails. Aside from the Mariage and the Rittenhouse BiB and the Rittenhouse 23, most of your whiskies clock in under 100 proof. And at 150+ a bottle, I don’t think I’d be mixing that 23 yr old rye. I’d add some higher octane rye-recipe bourbon like Wild Turkey 101 or Old Grand-dad Bond and some high test wheaters like Weller Antique or Old Fitz BiB. Those are all very good mixing bourbons. Also some barrel proof stuff from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection is not to be missed. The George T. Stagg, William LaRue Weller, and Handy rye are each wonderful. They are really amazing sipping whiskies (a little water or ice recommended), but you can’t imagine how a quarter ounce of any of these can elevate a cocktail. Your cabinet is heavy on the rye and rye recipe bourbon. Explore the wonderful world of wheaters. Old Rip Van Winkle 10 yr 107 proof is a tremendous bourbon with amazing depth. Also a good Canadian whiskey is worth having for comparison. Just some thoughts. I’d also pick up a bottle of mezcal.

    Oh, and needless to say, I’m completely covetous of your liquor cabinet!

  14. thebureauNo Gravatar says:

    Great collection – I don’t even think I have anything large enough to hold that much liquor…but there’s always something more to try, right?!

    Most of all, I’d suggest a mezcal — anything by Del Maguey is tremendous. There are so many cocktail possibilities with a smokey spirit whose flavor profile is so different than Scotch. One of my favorite cocktails is equal parts of mezcal, reposado tequila and Barenjager, with 1/4oz of lime juice.

    I’d also second the recommendations for George T. Stagg bourbon, if you can get your hands on a bottle. (If you’ve ever had the chance to have a Staggerac at PDT in New York, you’ll know why)

    Maybe also the addition of a drier sherry — Palo Cortado is really interesting for mixing, and can be pretty good by itself too.

    Finally, I’d suggest Jade’s Edouard 72 Absinthe. It’s damn expensive, but it’s worth it – it’s intended as a duplicate of pre-ban Pernod, and it’s truly artisanal, with no artifical colors or dyes used.

    …now I feel like I should go to the liquor store…

  15. sylvanNo Gravatar says:

    I think what you’re missing is my address, to send me some of your ‘extra’ bottles!

  16. BlitzenNo Gravatar says:

    You should get some Stoli Elit Vodka. Pricy at $60 a fifth, but I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t absolutely adore it. The bottle design is also eye-catching.

  17. bswiftNo Gravatar says:

    Holy frakking crap, Rick.

  18. OuroborosNo Gravatar says:

    Great list, Rick, and the question of “what am I missing” is a good one.

    What I’m missing, though, is instruction on making Plymouth Gin substitute for Old Tom. Care to share your recipe?

  19. Dr. BambooNo Gravatar says:

    The first thing I thought of was Cadenhead’s Old Raj gin (8o proof/blue label):

    http://www.slashfood.com/2007/03/30/gin-notes-cadenhead-s-old-raj-dry-gin/

    A Martini made with Old Raj and Vya vermouth is utterly amazing.

  20. RickNo Gravatar says:

    Thanks for all the excellent feedback. I’m always happy to buy new spirits that I “need.”

    Ouroboros, Making your own Old Tom gin with Plymouth is simple. Pour out 1oz from the bottle, replace with 1oz simple syrup. Shake. I’d recommend doing half a bottle’s worth.

  21. As an American Whiskey guy, I think you could easily add a bourbon or two and some George Dickle (not Jack; it’s worth it if you can find it). I highly recommend Elijah Craig 12 yr for the best Old-fashioned (in my opinion).

    I noticed the lack of Cointreau. Any particular reasons for favoring Marie’s Curucao? Just curious and learning.

  22. +1 on the Zacapa — that stuff is amazing. Shhh, don’t drive the price up. D’oh.

    Inner Circle is OK; if anybody in the Bay area is interested, I come that way several times a year, and could bring a bottle…

  23. Mr ManhattanNo Gravatar says:

    Mezcal? Seems like a rather obvious elision in the collection.

    Del Maguey Minero
    Los Danzantes Anejo (kind of the opposite of the Del Maguey but I like it)

    Mr. Manhattan (sippin’ a “Carter Beats the Devil” as he writes this)

  24. JoshNo Gravatar says:

    You guys might be interested in a group I started on flickr:

    What’s in your liquor cabinet?
    http://www.flickr.com/groups/985291@N21/

    Enjoy!

  25. samNo Gravatar says:

    zubrowka

    and talisker 10…

  26. g.g.No Gravatar says:

    Wild Turkey Rye- A muscular alternative to the Sazerac 6’s delicacy and Rittenhouse 100’s smoothness.

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About

Kaiser Penguin is a cocktail blog featuring original recipes, homemade ingredients, classic cocktails, and tiki drinks.

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