Alcoholic bottles look pretty funky.

These bottles range from simple to scary (I'm looking at you, human skull vodka with flecks of rose gold mixed with blood), and are truly a deep dive masterclass in presentation.  Maker to maker, the micro decisions involved in the glass used, the formation of the bottle, the height, cork, top, design, and art can be game changers.  And this is especially true for new samplers of products.  You've all seen my post on the Sexton Irish Whiskey - awesome bottle, great presentation, but not my favorite whiskey; disappointing, but they got the sale.

Now, I embrace sampler bottles ("little nips" they're often called).  Tiny 50 mL bottles, some for just a buck or two, and I can experiment.  But even those decisions are still framed in the overall presentation.  The honeycomb ridged bottle of my honey liqueur drew me to its sampler, and now it's a staple on my shelf (Barenjager, for those of you interested).  This is how I discovered my love of Jack Daniel's - Original, Honey, Fire - that 750 mL bottle is cool; easy to move like a handle and a beautiful lower 2/3 block that rests well and sturdy.  

A large spread of certain "cheaper" brands tend toward the same bottle design.  Hiram Walker uses the same design for every single liqueur in their suite; 750 mL high, with all vibrant, easily read labels.  Vodka - Smirnoff, Ketel One, Grey Goose - follows a similar trend.  Bacardi has its structure on lock.  But then Wild Turkey shows up, and every pursuit is a different design; Longbranch is different from their standard which is different from their American Honey - all gorgeous bottles.

And each, though sometimes visually unique or at the very least a variation of an old design, is still industrially standardized for measurement.  750 mL for standard retail size, 375 mL for a smaller version, and 1.75 Liters (1750 mL) for those big Tito's jugs (Captain Morgan and Dewers, and many others do the same thing).  You may see some even variable 500 mL rebels, or the strange skulls of 900 mL, but those tend to be your ballparks.

What this means is that when I find something I enjoy, whether by merit of its presentation or by discovery of its imbibing worth through taste and flexibility, chances are that the bottle it is delivered in...is still in my house.  As I learn much about making bitters, wine, mead, syrups, and liqueurs all my own, I would be remiss to simply discard the numerous array of interesting bottles and containers I have collected through my personal explorations and mixology.
  So when I opened my cabinet this morning and saw a certain 750 mL liqueur nearly depleted, and a certain drink nearing the end of its secondary staging (soon to be in dire need of bottling for its final aging), a keen thought emerged.  Make a trio of cocktails, and FINALLY use up that old bottle of Blue Curacao.  

And with that, my Blue Curacao bottle is empty and I can get back to more important things.  ;)
Be responsible, my Smurfs.
-Adamus

Today we'll swing by an old classic, its punchy siblings, and practice our alchemy in the construction of my own version.

Our case study falls the Alabama.  
  Simple cocktail; just a couple ingredients and some sour mix.  Let's try it out to get a feel for its many variations.

As is customary with so many older recipes, every braggart and boon under the pale white moon has had their way in the alchemical variations on a simple idea.  Some of these get pretty involved, but each holds to one dynamic truth: Southern Comfort pairs well with Amaretto.  The rest is garnish, displayed for you now.

Alabama Slammer (original) RECIPE
3/4 oz Orange Vodka (or just Vodka)
3/4 oz Southern Comfort
3/4 oz Amaretto
Dash of Sloe Gin or Grenadine
Fill with Orange Juice

TASTING NOTES
​+ This is Hawaiian Fruit Punch
+ A tiki drink if there ever was one
+ Sweet and masked (you could load this up with stronger liquors and no one would notice...which might be the point)
+ Orange foundation

For those paying attention (at your chair or on the floor, you do you), you might have picked up on the basic flavor profile presented by these tiki tocks (tiki-cocktail = tock...I made a word).  The core of the drink is a fruity whiskey with an oak-y, cherry finish; the cloak is the orange juice - acidic, sweet, and masking.
  By now you all know my struggles in the Nine Hells Of GERD, so I made a rendition that I believe honors the original intention of the Slammer while lowering its acid content and using less ingredients.

Original Recipe - The Orland Slammer
1/2 Dry Curacao (the richer Triple Sec)
3/4 oz Orange Vodka
3/4 oz Bird Dog Black Cherry Whiskey
2 oz Sour Mix

TASTING NOTES
+ Dry Curacao does some heavy lifting and elevates the vodka
+ Orange punch with less cloy
+ Sweet and satisfying
+ Slight burn on the back
+ Bird Dog made something special that functions just as well as the Southern Comfort/Amaretto pairing, and it gets it done with a lower volume.

Imbibe well, my dear friends.
-Adamus

RECIPE
1/4 oz Absinthe
1/2 oz Midori
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1/4 oz Grenadine
Splash of Curacao
1 Draw of Blackstrap Bitters

TASTING NOTES
+ In an effort to add new colors to this mixture, the Cranberry and Midori do so in visual and profile.  I appreciate Cranberry because it cuts the blast of melon down to allow for other flavors to shine.
+ There are still great measures of sweet here, but the Blackstrap mingles well with Curacao to add darker notes.
+ Great vehicle for licorice.
+ In fact, the combo of Curacao's bitter orange + the smoky Blackstrap + the repeated pulses of Absinthe is really something interesting.
+ Highly recommend ice for this one.

All in all, this was a transformative experiment and I highly recommend anything that's going to woof your howl.

...No, I don't know what that means.  ;)
-Adamus 

With the research of 43 Licor rattling around in my head, I recall many instances of Blueberry flavors, so I now endeavor to include this soul in the next batch.

RECIPE
1/2 oz 43 Licor
1/2 oz Blueberry Liqueur
1/2 oz Stella Rosa Pink
1/2 oz Raspberry Liqueur

TASTING NOTES
+ STELLA ROSA WORKS SO WELL WITH BLUEBERRY.  Just sayin'.  
+ The 43 again takes a backseat.
+ Hard to go wrong with Raspberry and the Pink wine.
+ Lovely, and almost TOO sweet.

THE RECIPE
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Lime Juice

TASTING NOTES
+ This is a party shot.  Simple and clean.
+ Fruity and covered.
This goes down easy, and it's supposed to.  Most settings that call for a Kamikaze call for a few over a period of an hour or two.  You're working with Vodka; this is a no-brainer.  Wanna' up the citrus?  Use Citrus Vodka.  Make it a little more interesting?  Blueberry or Strawberry vodka.  Easy peasy.

Normally I would see this in BOWL form.
  An eldritch monstrosity ordered by college folk and grad students alike bent on poor choices and broken dreams, the Scorpion Bowl is a ridiculous fruity mixture served in a gaudy tiki bowl with a ritualistic column of fire roaring at its center.  It is intended for AT LEAST two people, and it comes with straws.
  The full recipe is what you'd expect.

SCORPION BOWL RECIPE
3 cups of Ice (told ya)
2 oz Gin
1 oz Dark Rum
2 oz 151 Rum
2 oz Light Rum
2 oz Vodka
2 oz Grenadine
8 oz Orange Juice
10 oz Pineapple Juice
At least 2 pineapple chunks
At least 6 Marachino Cherries
With 3 oz of optional lemon juice
  Functional Strength: 28 Proof

PAIRING IT DOWN
  This won't be a traditional shot.  By volume alone, this is a shooter at best, and I aim to err on the side of greater strength rather than fruit juice.  The physical cherries intrigue me as well, so I want to incorporate some of my classic cherry heering to up the strength a bit.  The rest of its multitude of ingredients should be easy enough to shrink down. 

THE ELDER SCORPION
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz 151 Rum
1/4 oz Dark Rum
1/2 oz Light Rum
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Cherry Liqueur
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/4 oz Whiskey Sour Mix
SHAKE in a shaker with Ice, then strain into your favorite gentlemen's glass.
Total Volume: 4.5 oz
Total Strength: 31%. 62 Proof

TASTING NOTES
+ HELLS YEAH.
+ This, in my honest opinion, elevates a Scorpion Bowl.  The original is not drink of finesse, but of blunt force trauma and fruit.  It's an excuse for a bar to burn a tremendous amount of cheap resources at high volume for high copper, and a low overall output.  THIS achieves a tighter flavor profile, with lower volume, and higher buzz output.  
+ Shaken with ice activates the Heering and the Gin in nuanced ways, coaxing out the flavor without sifting a straw through that ice.
+ I might even increase the Cherry Liqueur by 1/4 oz, and lower the pineapple by 1/4 oz just to explore the sweeter end of this cocktail.
+ It's still deceptively strong, but I'm not filling my belly with acidic juice, and I'lll achieve a big bad buzz with room for a fine burger.  And really, isn't that the goal all along?

Lol.
Be safe out there, adventurers, and be careful what stinger you tempt.
​-Adamus

THE ORIGINAL RECIPE
1.5 oz Citrus Vodka
1/2 oz Black Raspberry Liqueur (Chambord will do just fine!)
Fill with Orange Juice
Splash of Cranberry Juice

TASTING NOTES AND INFO
+ This is a punch drink, meant to cover the alcohol and bring out the sweet.
+ Citrus Vodka is highly complimentary to cranberry and orange juices, elevating their sweet strength, while hiding the alcohol.
+ If you're feeling spicy, add more cranberry and a splash of Yukon Jack to up the strength and add a little bite.

After about 4 you'll be all set and won't even notice the impending tidal wave of daddy Dagon.  Swim well!
-Adamus

Today I come to thee with three potions for your tasting pleasure; two from the books of old, and one from my strange brain.  Let's get into it!

The Zipper is a curious recipe that I took a double take on, mainly for its use of milk and tequila.  Yeah, I know.

THE RECIPE
1 oz Tequila
1 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Milk, Almond Milk, or Cream (I highly recommend the cream)

TASTING NOTES
+ Orange Milk
+ Almond milk is a bit too thin, but still smooth over ice
+ Definitely weird...but pleasantly surprising
+ I highly recommend the cream version...
+ ...Or if you're a savage like me, use IRISH CREAM instead
***I'm actually very curious what my readers think of this one.  Good luck!

THE RECIPE
1.5 oz Brandy
1/4 Honey
1/2 oz Cream
Shake and serve.

Still blanketing cream as a base layer, the Zoom seeks to pair Brandy and straight honey.  New to Brandy, the pairing is quite delicious, which inspires me for the next exploration.

The Zap is a spin on the Zoom.  The Zipper makes an appearance, but if you really want to zap your zoom with a zipper, you'll find yourself on the floor all zapped out.

THE RECIPE
1/2 oz Brandy
1/4 oz Honey Liqueur
1 oz Irish Cream
1/4 oz Dry Curacao

TASTING NOTES
+ Very creamy
+ Always subtle, the honey notes continue to ebb and flow through the experience long after you swallow.
+ The Curacao is a great compliment to the Brandy.  Slight bitter orange spun into the fruity base of the Brandy.
+ Irish Cream provides that lovely, silky mouth feel, with a bite at back...
+ ...sweetened with more honey!
+ Just lovely.

So whatever zap got your zipper stuck before your Zoom...make sure your camera's off.  Have some decency, mortals!
​-Adamus

There is a scenario type in my games called the Bar Of Fate.  It is a custom character creation experience meant to be played over about 6 hours, and is split up into Acts, with a Prologue and an Epilogue.  With each section, a themed shot is presented to both flavor the experience, and provide not only an interesting drink, but a feeling of progression.
  The prologue brings the players to the table, and opens the door to a particularly unique experience involving questions of morality, luck, and character, so I want to obliterate whatever pregaming those idiots have coated their palettes with.  The Volition - an act of willpower to bring you to this voluntary character creation - will DEFINITELY help you transcend, no matter where you came from before.  

THE VOLITION SHOT
1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz Lady Bligh Spiced Rum

TASTING NOTES
+ Gin blasts you in the face.
+ Numb tongue, for a second or two
+ Bourbon keeps you warm and ready for the next step.
+ Oddly, it's such a shock to your system it was actually invigorating.
+ ...but no need to go back for more.

One of my players shot this down and, with a yell, exclaimed: "Now THAT'S a wake up shot!"  And thus my mind was opened.
  Makes sense, really, considering the broad spectrum of intention behind imbibement.  There are so many experiences you can seek and flavors to explore, of course there would a whole category of drinks that blast your mind and cleanse your palette, preparing you for whatever comes next.  Like a bucket of ice water to your senses.

Always a fan of odd pairings, I was seeking the viability of Gin and Scotch, and came across an old classic called the Silver Bullet.  
  It was: 3/4 oz Gin + 3/4 oz of Scotch.  
  I tried it.  It was...alarming.
  Turns out, there are MANY versions of the Silver Bullet, and NONE of them are the same.  Let me just share a few for you.

SILVER BULLET (what I found MOST of the time)
3/4 oz Gin
3/4 Scotch

TASTING NOTES:
+ Back throat burn
+ Bite of scotch mingles with gin to create a new sensation
+ Sweeter than I thought
+ Oddly, the scotch mellows the gin
+ Still makes me cough, but just once.  ;)
+ Notes of citrus spice at the back.
+ Lingering "gin-y" taste afterwards.
There's potential here, but something's missing for me.

SILVER BULLET? (shooter)
1.5 oz Gin
1 oz Herbal Liqueur (I'll use Jaegermeister)
Splash of Lemon Juice

TASTING NOTES: 
+ Herbal notes immediately
+ Hard to avoid the tang of the lemon
+ Gin takes a backseat oddly
+ Burn is still present
+ Lingering sour (lemon)
+ Undoubtedly strong

SILVER BULLET!
1.5 oz Tequila
1/2 oz White Creme de Menthe

TASTING NOTES: 
+ Initial paint thinner gives way too...
+ Liquid celery taste.
+ Tequila and mint isn't new, but there's something very jarring about this mixture.
+ ...and I desire no more.

In case you can't tell, I'm not really a big fan of any of these.  But I've grown to love Gin, and I've discovered I'm quite the Scotch man, AND, I'm not one to give up easily on alchemy.  For all the iterations, I'm more intrigued by the "?" version, and it has to do with the herbal approach.  
  I've procured a number of neat little "wood and flower" liqueurs over the many months, and I enjoy muddling drinks that normally punch you in the face with a sweet oak or birch as a finish.  Like a surprising spring breeze with warm sun at your back.  If we stick with our usual fantasy themes, then I can think of no other warm yet surprisingly playful fey as the Summer Lady - Verenestra.  It is this idea and its formative fancy that informs this next recipe.

THE VERENESTRA
1/4 oz Gin
1/2 oz Scotch
1/2 oz Wild Moon Birch Liqueur
1/4 oz Wild Moon Rose Liqueur

TASTING NOTES
+ Birch is sweet and smooth
+ Birch elevates the Scotch bite
+ Find the Gin on the back end after a touch of Rose
+ Flowery
+ Sweeter than expected
+ Less punchy
+ Goes down smooth, with a slight bite of licorice (the birch does that)


In game, our Prologue began with the Volition, to prepare the players for the transformative experience.  The Verenestra was the gatekeeper to a capstone ability - try this transcendent shot to unlock your superpower, the earlier the better (both for buzz and ability).  We'll just say that the players didn't waste any time.  They were ALERT.  ...for about ten minutes, then the gin hit them.  Good times had by all, always.

Imbibe responsibly and safely, for the Fates are watching.
-Adamus

For anyone that can have a simple shot one night and feel nothing, and a similar shot another and fall prone to life, the universe, and everything...knows my pain.
  True, there are many factors at play during absorption.  This is why you don't drink on an empty stomach; you need carbs and content to both absorb and slow down the effects of putting alcohol in your system.  
  But as I mix more drinks - some touted as "strong", only to experience them as disappointingly as weak, with others spoken simply only to knock me sideways - I have developed a dread fascination with the math and science of Proof.

While messing around with a B-52 shot, I decided to omit the Grand Marnier in the layering process for Amaretto...and fell head first into a new favorite.  
To mix this lovely thing, just pour equal parts into a shot glass in this order: Kahlua, Irish Cream, and Amaretto.  So, if you're mathing right, that's 1/2 oz each.

...

After six shots of this delicious mess, I'm finally feeling something, and I want to know WHY.  So we're using my "Zeppelin" concoction for our measurements today.

Let's get to know our components.
Amaretto - 21% alcohol content = 42 Proof
Irish Cream - 17% alcohol = 34 Proof
Kahlua - 20% = 40 Proof

Amaretto: .21 x .5 = 0.105
Irish Cream: .17 x .5 = 0.085
Kahlua: .2 x .5 = 0.1

0.29 / 1.5 = about .19, or 19%, or 38 Proof.  

​Okay.

So what is "strong" in comparison to most cocktails?  Because everyone's tolerance is different, so I'm sure there's a gradient of some kind...

I guess I'll use one of "strongest" drinks we know, The Long Island Iced Tea, as a gauge?
1/2 oz each of the following, and they're all the same strength:
Vodka = .4 x .5 = 0.2, Rum, Gin, Tequila, Cointreau = 1 in total
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 oz Cola
1 / 5 = 20% or 40 Proof

Huh.  And here I was expecting more like a 50, but I guess that makes sense.  Maybe it's more like this:
Weak: 0-10%
Medium: 11-19%
Strong: 20 - 30%
Heroic: 31-40%
Stupid: 50% or more

I'll go with that rating system for now, until I learn more.  :)
See you at the Bar.
-Adamus

I've been experimenting with reasons to drink Irish Whiskey.

To be honest, though my palette is refining and I tend to lean hard toward whiskey nowadays, some versions lack a certain sense of depth.  
  Now, a lot of that comes down to the overall quality of a mash.  The process through which a liquor is cultivated DOES make a difference; something I am beginning to alight myself with.  Whereas before I would just pull a spiced something from the rack and pair it with soda, my inner alchemist has been seeking to fill in the gaps of knowledge left barren by years of self-imposed sobriety; a strict avoidance of the ever-expanding world of imbibement.

To be clear, I was never a drinking snob.  Anyone that has been reading this for awhile understands my plight; I lack a gall bladder and I have GERD.  Controlled by medication and mitigated by consistent exercise and weight training, I have to be careful about what I put in my body.  So beer?  That's six hours of pain and discomfort for a pretty low payoff.  For a long time, I would avoid all alcohol, believing that to be my life, and the few instances where I was pushed toward (what I now understood to be) Bourbon, didn't help.  The burn became everything I associated hard liquor with, which was also wrong.

So, when I hit up Irish Whiskey, there is a strange memory lapse.  
First, there's a short circuit in my brain.  It smells like a weaker bourbon.
Second, the taste hits like water with a numbing agent.  The spice is light; not what I expected.
Third, and this might just be me, ...there isn't a lot of flavor.  It takes like water and burning.

And it is this process that I think reveals the quality of the mash.  There MUST be subtle nuances barrel to barrel and bottle to bottle, otherwise, why would anyone drink this dirty water?

This is about the time when the comment section explodes, so I'll give you a little more context to my thought process.

Aha!  Who is this dapper skeleton man in fine gentlemen's wear and a prestigious top hat?  Some dread carriage driver from beyond, summoned by the necromancy of necessity, to serve the shadow lords and ladies resting at the edges of civilization?  Or am I the poor seduced schmuck lulled into thine carriage by nifty bronze lettering and a stellar presentation?
  Spoiler alert.  It's the latter.

This is the barrel that prompted the questions above.  A quarter shot and a sip was...not pleasant.
  Now, I don't tend to drink any liquor straight.  Maybe I should start, a la Skyrim, to gain the working knowledge of the subtleties elevated in the malt alone.  But it's hard to escape the disconnect of smelling rubbing alcohol, and then drinking it without dilution.
  The first thing that hits is a burn on my tongue.  The spice is IMMEDIATE, and unfortunately, there isn't much else happening.  I've had Irish Mist before, and even that has a bit more earth to it after the burn.  Maybe this is why I prefer a honey additive to this kind of whiskey, at least for now.  Still, I am thankful for the information; it's all feedback.  

Now.  I paid for this bottle, and I'm not some savage that'll dump it out.  If I can't enjoy it straight, it goes in the "for mixing" pile.
  So what goes well with Irish Whiskey?

Short answer: most things that go well with any whiskey.  
  If you are mixing whiskey, you are seeking to both elevate and muddle the gentle bite and varying levels of burning associated with the striated liquor.  This will bring me to a recipe I had earlier abandoned because of my distaste for Bourbon early on in this career.

SEXTON OLD-FASHIONED
1.5 oz Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey
1/2 oz Orgeat
4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
3 oz Ginger Ale
Pour into a glass with ice and swirl with a bar spoon.

Old Fashioneds tend toward using sugar cubes, and variations swing with club soda.  Wanting to swing toward sweet and interesting pulls me toward the Orgeat and Ginger to do both.

TASTING NOTES
+ Earthy with a sweet finish.
+ Tingle pulses through.
+ Burn at the front, but muddled
+ Sweetness at the end prepares another sip.

It's that last note that sells this for me.  When I uncork the Sexton and smell it, there's an earthiness to it that got lost when I drank it straight.  Even agitating it with ice begins to coax those notes out, and this mix, though sweeter than what others will be used to, continues to cultivate that overall idea.

Enjoy.
​-Adamus