So, I started with the Old Tom gin (Ransom is the maker), mostly because it’s the most interesting idea. This is an 88 proof attempt at re-creating the gin that Americans were drinking in the mid 1800s—it’s halfway between genever (a very malty, rich and sweet gin) and modern-day London-syle dry gins. It has a very lovely label, as you can see, quite classic without looking like a re-creation.
The flavor is quite interesting—the herbal notes of gin (juniper, etc.) are quite strong, and it has a flavor I’ve definitely tasted before but can’t currently recall where. Annoying. Anyway, it’s not overly sweet, but it’s still hard to imagine using this in a cocktail, and I’m not sure who would want to just sip it (although I found it appealing). The Old Tom Cocktail, the Martinez, the Tom Collins and the Deep Sea seem like possible mix combinations. I’m not buying a vintage Maraschino cordial and the like just to make a cocktail, and those can all be made with just modern ingredients.
Next up was The Real McCoy single malt. This is made by Laphroaig, and weighs in at a dangerous 116.4 proof. Surprisingly, the high proof doesn’t change the flavor that much. It tastes a lot like normal Laphroaig: something like partially-burned but now-wet woolen socks that have festering in a closet somewhere, with a hefty dose of funk thrown in. If you’ve never had an ultra-peaty single-malt before, this is definitely not for you. It is an acquired taste. I like it. This is the pale, straw-yellow bottle on the far right.
The Michter’s, the bottle in the middle, is a very nice rye, widely available. Lilya said, “tastes like a Manhattan,” and I agree. Is it too nice to mix drinks with? I don’t think so—for a rye, I actually found it pretty mild and smooth, without the sharp, spicy edge that one usually associates with tye, but that may just be coming off the intensely flavored Laphroaig, my taste buds were still numb.
Speaking of numb, we next tried the Noah’s Mill bourbon. It’s about 112 proof, and is amazing. This is why ultra-high proof bourbons are so insanely good—sharp, piercing, spicy, smoky and sweet, all at once. It’s killer. This one really is too good for mixing (although I might make an exception), also because the alcohol content is so high that you could get colossally hammered on just one drink. I liked everything I tasted, but this one was really the thing. The only problem is that it’s really too strong to drink very much of without endangering your body and brain. Did I mention that it’s really, really good?
Finally, the Marie Duffau Bas-Armagnac (nearest to the camera in the photo above, in a completely beautiful presentation) is smooth and richly-flavored without being overpowering (can something have flavors that are both delicate and strong at the same time?). I know that it’s really for sipping, but I’m thinking sidecars. I’ll save some straight for the Europeans when they’re over.
