Liquor Store Tour

[wonder_recorded]

Hello, fine folks. I'm relatively new to alcohol and while I've had a few beers and wines, I've been curious about tasting high proof spirits. I've had a shot of this and that, but there are so many varieties, where do I even start?

Here is my idea: buy about $100 worth of minis (50ml) and try to sample as wide a variety as possible. Around here, the price ranges from $0.50 - $5.00/ea. so I could get 20 top-shelf minis or 200 bottom-shelf. Take me on a tour of a liquor store, pick out which types of drinks (and brands) you would get in order to sample the widest variety of drinks, and also your favorites of course. Cocktail recipes that you would then use these in, if any, would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Palinka (RIP)]

I am pretty sure that you can find someone in San Jose to teach you the ropes, so to speak. Go to, be careful, and good luck.

[Jiggers McCoy]

Welcome aboard. I'll have a pint of Evan and a pitcher of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

I wouldn't recommend the airplane bottle thing. I may be crazy, but I think stuff tastes different from them.

Not knowing anything about you, I'll tell you how I did it: Drink a lot. Ask what other people like and try it. Go to a bar at an off-hour and ask the barman for a recommendation. Grab an old cocktail book and make something. Go to a cocktail lounge and work your way down the menu. You'll get a feel for the flavors and brands you like.

Now, as true drunkard, you must drink bourbon. Mix it with cola if you must, but gradually add less and less until you have the beautiful brown stuff in the glass all by its lonesome, maybe an ice cube or a few drops of water. Taste its sweet warmth and know that somewhere out there is yet a magical truth.

[wonder_recorded]

I am pretty sure that you can find someone in San Jose to teach you the ropes, so to speak. Go to, be careful, and good luck.

Someone, perhaps, but not anyone that I'm already acquainted with. My circle of friends only drink wine and beer. Well, except one, and he only drinks Scotch. I tried that once, Ardbeg 10 Year Old, and it was like eating a peat burger with peat fries and washing it down with a tall cold glass of peat. I hated it so much I only had 8 shots of it that night, and then I wreaked of peat for the next 48 hours.

By the way, San Jose is the correct time zone, but not the right state. (Those IP address geolocators can be off by quite a bit sometimes.)

[wonder_recorded]

Welcome aboard. I'll have a pint of Evan and a pitcher of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Thanks! Orders are going out a little slow right now, you may have a bit of a wait.

Go to a bar at an off-hour and ask the barman for a recommendation.

That's a good idea. I just figured the minis would be a lot cheaper.

Now, as true drunkard, you must drink bourbon.

I was going to pick up some Wild Turkey Rare Breed in a little bit. Is that a good one?

Mix it with cola if you must,

To me, rum and coke means a shot of rum, neat; then a line of coke. (I kid!)

Thanks again for the responses and advice.

[The Limey]

Wild Turkey will do fine. Maybe Four Roses or some Buffalo Trace. How about some Rye like T H Handy or some High West.

Don't give up on Scotch just yet. If peated ain't your thing there is far more unpeated out there. Easy to find unpeated would be Glenmorangie, Balvenie, MacAllan, Glen Grant, Glenlivet, and Tomatin. Also many blends.

Oh, and i'll have a Balvenie Signature, it's cheap so make it a double.

[peetie44]

I'll have a glass of Buffalo Trace and a Westmalle Trippel (blonde ale) as a chaser.

Thanks and welcome aboard...CHEERS!

[Palinka (RIP)]

There is precious little point in necking a bunch of "Airline/minibar" bottles. Especially if you are unfamiliar. I suggest that you go to a bar and order a tall, bland beer (bear with me) and then sample a few (and I do mean few) spirits, asking the bartender for recommendations, and using the beer to cleanse your palate between liquors (see, I told you that I was recommending the bland beer for a reason). Be sure to tip the bartender well and you will receive an education. This is a far better use of your $100, trust me. Or, y'know, jump in the deep end and go straight for a dry or dirty martini...

[Mr. Viking]

A pity none of your friends drink spirits. A great way to learn is to let it be known you are interested and lots of people will start offering you something from their collection. Maybe see if there's a whisky club in your area. Also, what Palinka said, go to bars, the bartender might even be a fan themselves

[Palinka (RIP)]

Here is some sound advice from those that know.

Your friendly neighbourhood moderator.

[Mr. Viking]

if you're doing martinis, I'd follow Palinka's guidance on the thread he posted, freezing the glass first helps keep the drink colder. I don't have a shaker so I simply freeze the gin, (at the moment I'm using Plymouth which is great, try it) add a little vermouth to the glass, (this is down to personal taste so try different quantities) then top up with the frozen gin. When you freeze gin it forms a slush, as the water in it freezes while the alcohol doesn't. I therefore don't bother adding more ice. I don't add any pickled olives or onions or lemon because I am a dullard

[OtisCampbell]

Don't complicate it. Just drink it.

[wonder_recorded]

Sorry for the long delay in writing back, folks. I guess I kept thinking I would write this when I was undrunk, but that day never came. Anyway, as it happens I did execute the planned tour of a liquor store, and it turned out pretty much like I expected. AWESOME.

Here are the mini's I ended up buying, in order of taste preference, along with my, shall we say, novice, taste commentary, (by the way, I use too many commas when I'm drunk!):

Maker's Mark (neat): Sweet and delicious.
Hornitos reposado (on the rocks): Yum!
Black Velvet (neat): Canadian whiskey aged 3 years: pretty good, but it made me cough like it was my first drink.
Apple Brandy (neat): Delicious!
Wild Turkey 101 (neat): Wow, you can really taste the corn.
courvoisier v.s. cognac (neat): Mmm, that is really good!
Jagermister (on the rocks): Mmm... yummmy, tastes like liquorice!
Rumple minze peppermint schnapps (on the rocks): "Wow, it's like drinking a liquid version of a peppermint candy. Just as sweet and minty. But very little alcohol taste.
Kaluah (on the rocks): Didn't taste any alcohol anywhere. Mountains of sugar, though.
glenfiddich 12 year: Meh. Not a fan of the flavor.
bacardi: Bad flavor. Bad. Go to your room.
Gin (on the rocks): Not very good by itself. Will have to try in coctails.
Vodka Monopolowa: Yuck.

[wonder_recorded]

Holy shit, did I seriously write "undrunk"? I promise I meant to write "undrunk". Bad keyboard.

[wonder_recorded]

So my analysis of this is that I like bourbon, tequila, and cognac. Next experiment is to try cocktails based on those ingredients!