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Whiskey Vinyl Vibe #9 – The Spirit of New Orleans

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I tend to be a bit of a planner, so when a little spontaneity unfolds, I embrace the hell out of it. After a morning spent grabbing some great finds at a local shop for my very first Record Store Day (more on that to come later) we decided to reach out to friends to see if they had any interest in hanging at our home for dinner, cocktails, and of course, vinyl. Despite the last minute invite, we were pleasantly surprised that they were free.

Now, we are fortunate to have a number of friends who happen to appreciate music the way we do, and this couple is certainly no exception. When I asked which album he would like to hear first, without any hesitation the words “Jeff Buckley – Grace” were enthusiastically uttered. He had never heard the album on vinyl, and of course I was happy to oblige. No one ever needs to twist my arm to play Buckley.

So, why isn’t this Whiskey Vinyl Vibe titled “The Spirit of Jeff Buckley”? For a number of reasons, with the first being that Buckley deserves some serious attention and when you are socializing and listening to music at the same time,  the attention factor tends to wane. The second reason has to do with the second album that we put on…well, now that I think of it, it was actually the third. You see, I learned something new about one of our friends when her eyes lit up at the site of the Rob Zombie album we had picked up earlier in the day, so I had no other option but to give it a quick spin. I think she was pleased.  Next up was certainly a bit different than the prior choices, but it had no less impact. The moment the needle dropped and the strong roar of the percussion exploded from the first track of The Preservation Hall Jazz Band – That’s It, we all fell silent and turned it up. Turned it way up.

Pres Hall 1

I’ll admit that I’ve never been to New Orleans, but I have a solid appreciation for the music – and this album screams New Orleans throughout.  It consists entirely of original songs for the band, which is a first in their extensive history, but still felt like a complete throwback and I would’ve never known that these were new pieces if I hadn’t read the liner notes. Another interesting tidbit is that it was produced not only by PHJB member Ben Jaffe, but also Jim James of My Morning Jacket. The hubby and I have always agreed that Jim James is one of those people who is such a genius that he just might be borderline crazy, which is likely why his involvement in musical projects always seems to produce something a bit magical. This album is no exception.

Thanks to our friends for enjoying this random night with us in our home and sharing in our varied tastes of music, and also to my husband for whipping up an incredible cocktail for us to enjoy with album. Besides having a spontaneous evening with friends, I now want to figure out how to take a spontaneous trip to New Orleans – but that one might just require a bit of planning.  In the meantime, I will just have to settle for more last minute nights like this one – cheers!

-Her

 

A New Orleans tradition like the Preservation Hall Jazz Band deserves a traditional New Orleans cocktail to go with it. As such, the Vieux Carre was a no-brainer. I mean, it’s even named for the French Quarter. It doesn’t get more quintessential New Orleans.

I’m currently having a love affair with this cocktail, I’m not ashamed to admit it. There’s spice and heat from the rye, there’s herbs and a bit of sweetness from the Benedictine, depth from the cognac – it has it all.

Pres Hall 2

Vieux Carre-

1oz of rye whiskey (overproof suggested)

1oz of cognac

1oz of sweet vermouth

A bar spoon full of Benedictine

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

2 dashes of Peychauds bitters

 

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail pitcher full of ice and stir. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy. Cheers!

 

–Him

Whiskey Vinyl Vibe #8: Love Is In The Air

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It’s been a couple of weeks since our last post as our world has been incredibly busy, but we finally had some quiet time together last night – and I must say, that it was a perfect Saturday night. With our San Francisco & wine country trip coming up in two weeks to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, I was inclined to take advantage of this beautiful night and enjoy a recent addition to my vinyl life list: Jack Johnson’s In Between Dreams.

Jack Johnson2Released in March 2005, just a few short months before Trent and I met, I was playing this album like mad when we started dating that summer. It’s good thing for me that he liked it, too, otherwise I might not even be writing this post. I’ve heard some music enthusiasts (I’m trying to refrain from using the term “music snobs” here) scoff at artists like Jack Johnson and this album in particular. Maybe it isn’t indie or complex enough for them, but for me, I love the simplicity of the singer-songwriter beachy vibe that Jack Johnson delivers, and you’ll eventually see that I feel that way about a number of other artists, too.

This album in particular holds so many memories for me, for the time that I met and fell in love  with the man of my dreams, and the years that we’ve spent together. Every time Banana Pancakes comes on I just have to stop and smile – and the best part is that he does it too. Although, I did have to give him a hard time about serving up our cocktails in glasses with a skull and crossbones on them last night – perhaps his take on the upcoming anniversary is a tad different than mine…

-Her

Well, as she said, she picked this album because of our impending anniversary. I love this record and will gladly listen to every track on it just about any day of the week. It’s definitely not something I need to be “in the mood for” like some music. A large portion of the reason for that is the emotional connection I have between this record and meeting the love of my life.

What to drink with it, though? Obviously something beachy or something suited for warm weather, at the very least. We didn’t have everything in the house for a Singapore Sling (plus we still haven’t bought proper tiki mugs), so we decided on a cocktail called the Shipwreck.

I hope you give this drink a try and find it enjoyable. We were well pleased as we sipped these on the back porch last night, listening to Jack Johnson float from the speakers, mixed with the sound of the frogs and the warm early-spring breeze.

JJ

The recipe:

1 oz bourbon
1 oz aged rum
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz heavy syrup
4-5 mint leaves
2-3 dashes of bitters (I used whiskey barrel aged bitters)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and double strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with more mint.

With most of these cocktails that call for citrus, I find the juice to be slightly over the top, so for round 2 we used less lime juice.

This drink also reminded me that we don’t have a fine strainer in the house, either – another thing to add to the list…. It seems to be never-ending.

Slainte! (It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day)

-Him

 

3/28/2006

3/28/2006

My Favorite Bourbons Under $30

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Bourbon und $30 2

Well, I know there are innumerable lists like this out there, so I don’t expect to be blazing any trails here. Hopefully, you’ll find something here that you haven’t tried before and give it a shot. If nothing else, let this simply be a reminder that you don’t need to be a Rockefeller in order to enjoy a world-class bourbon.

My list, in no particular order:

Weller Antique

  • W.L. Weller Antique – I’m honestly surprised I don’t see this on more of these type of lists. It can be a bit tricky to find, but I managed to score a couple of bottles again this year, without too much work. In my area, this is still a ~$25 bottle, even given the ridiculous surge in popularity for all things Weller/Van Winkle. It has wonderful notes of cherry, cinnamon, brown sugar and barrel. The palate is much the same – pepper, orange, cinnamon and smoke. It’s a wonderful bourbon, if you can find it, and would be worthy of double the price tag.

Evan Williams Single

  • Evan Williams Single Barrel – 10 year old bourbon for sub-$25? Sign me up! This year’s bottle (2006 vintage) is just as deserving as the previous years. It’s got lots of fruit (orange and pineapple), plus honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Another example of a wonderfully complex whiskey at a bargain price. Challenging enough for seasoned tasters, but approachable enough for novices.

Elijah 3

  • Elijah Craig – What’s better than a 10 year old bourbon? Well, a 12 year old one, of course! Thankfully this bottle is still easy to find, unlike it’s older brother the 18yr. The nose on this bourbon is STRONG, much bigger than you’d expect from 94 proof. If you allow it to settle you’ll get great honey and vanilla, however. The alcohol is always up front, but the heavy, buttery mouthfeel is great and leads you to lovely citrus and rum butter flavors. The syrupy finish is in a class of its own. This one is probably not the best choice for beginners.

Four Roses Small Batch

  • Four Roses Small Batch – I like this bourbon more than it deserves, probably. Four Roses was one of my very first forays into anything that wasn’t Maker’s or Jim Beam. This bottle is a wonderful bourbon, IMO. Lots of caramel and rye spice with a little bit of floral note at the end of the nose. Caramel and rye dominate the palate, as well, but are accompanied by some very nice pepper, nutmeg and oak. It finishes long with flavors of toffee and caramel. You could drink this whiskey all night and keep picking up different things in the nose and palate. A very underrated bourbon, IMO.

Pure Kentucky

  • Pure Kentucky – I bought a bottle of this at the suggestion of my “bourbon guy” at my local liquor store. I was not disappointed, to say the least. This one has everything you have come to expect from a good bourbon – rye spice, oak and toffee are the major players and this whiskey is incredibly smooth in spite of the 107proof. The finish is long, sweet and slightly floral.

Print

  • Woodford Reserve – OK, so not exactly out on a limb with this one. It’s just so good! Oak and rye on the nose, with unexpected notes of green apple and pear. The palate is all spice and fruit with a light finish that doesn’t linger. This is a great bourbon to use as an introduction for folks trying bourbon for the first time.

 

Well, kids, there it is. Far from earth shattering, but hopefully there’s something in there that you haven’t had, or haven’t had in a while. Maybe this little post will spur you to try one of the above for the first time, or again.

Feel free to add your thoughts below.

-Him

Whiskey Vinyl Vibe #7: Blood & Sand

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Blood and Sand2

Given my age, I was a bit late to the party on a number of musical discoveries, but I clearly recall when The Cure’s Boys Don’t Cry entered my life. It was the summer of 1988, I was just about to enter high school and this album hit me like a ton of bricks.  It was funky, a bit tinny, twangy, and had a punk vibe that I didn’t understand at all. It shocked me a little with Killing An Arab, Subway Song gave me the creeps, and I couldn’t get enough of F-I-R-E-I-N-C-A-I-R-O! Although the album had been out for over 8 years, it was unlike anything I had really been exposed to at that point and I wore that cassette out.  I still love it today, which is why it made its way onto my vinyl quest list. This album takes the 1980 position, given the year of its release, and it is my first find on the quest list. Thank you to the seller in the Netherlands for this near mint beauty!

As for the cocktail selection, given that I’m solo this evening, I opted to do my own pairing. When I unwrapped the package containing this beautiful vinyl today, the first thing that came to mind was a Blood & Sand, which likely had to do with the album cover and the various tracks that bring the desert to mind, even if inappropriately so. I couldn’t deny myself the treat, and having never made one before, I had to hunt down some Heering Cherry Liqueur – which is something quite different than the Luxardo we recently added to the bar, and apparently isn’t always so readily available here in NC. Fortunate for me, we happen to have one of the best liquor stores in the area nearby and they did not disappoint. Blood oranges are not a requirement for this cocktail, but given that we had one left, I decided to squeeze the life out of it – which was a beautiful decision. The standard recipe calls for equal parts of the ingredients, but I went a little heavier on the scotch as I prefer a bit more peat and felt that the sweetness needed to be toned down just a bit.  This one is definitely a keeper, and I imagine my husband is going to be a tad jealous that he missed out. Cheers!

Blood & Sand

3/4 oz Orange Juice (Blood orange, if you have it)

3/4 oz Heering Cherry Liqueur

3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth

1-1/4 oz Blended Scotch Whisky (I used Johnnie Walker Black)

Add all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, strain and pour into your glass of choice.

Garnish with orange zest or a cherry – my preference is the zest.

-Her

Whiskey Vinyl Vibe #6 – Valentine’s Day Edition

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Electric Wire2I spent some time updating my Discogs inventory this afternoon,and while sifting through my collection considering what might be nice for a spin on this Valentine’s Day (trying to avoid disco for the sake of my husband’s sanity), I found myself face to face with this pink album cover titled “Love Can Prevail” and the choice seemed obvious.

This album by Electric Wire Hustle was one of the three selections hand curated for me by the fine folks at VNYL during my first shipment, which arrived just a couple of weeks ago.  I’m almost ashamed to admit that I had yet to give this one a listen, but given the outstanding job they did with the other two albums, I thought it might be fun to give this one a shot tonight. Now, I won’t say it was a bad choice on my part, but perhaps not the right choice for this particular occasion. In fact, the word that kept popping up in my vocabulary as the record played was “interesting”, Simply Red 2which doesn’t exactly lend itself to a romantic evening.  A little funk,  perplexing beats and a heavy dose of experimental electronic jazz wound their way through the tracks, some of which were fantastic,  but in general the album left me with a case of vertigo, and dizzy isn’t exactly what I was looking for tonight unless it was compliments of the whiskey. Given the comments from my husband it wasn’t going to be his first choice to accompany his cocktail, either, so I reverted back to my original choice, Simply Red’s Picture Book. Quite a change from where I started, but the smooth, jazzy vocals definitely set a more appropriate tone for the evening, although I suspect my husband was hoping I would have selected Run The Jewels 2 – Close Your Eyes and Count to F*ck.  Maybe for our anniversary.

In all honesty, the Simply Red album was a perfect follow up to a great dinner at home with the love of my life, and his romantic cocktail concoction rounded out the occasion nicely. Who needs a special holiday to celebrate love when you can have this every day?

-Her

 

Well, we’ve had this bottle of Luxardo in the bar for a while now, and I was itching for an excuse to use it. Valentine’s Day seemed to be just what the doctor ordered, in this case. Tonight’s cocktail is nothing more than a riff on the Perfect Manhattan, except I used Luxardo instead of dry vermouth and used chocolate bitters.

It turned out really nicely, you could do a chocolate syrup drizzle in a martini glass for service, if you wanted more sweetness and more chocolate. We decided on simply serving them in rocks glasses, sans the chocolate syrup. The chocolate and cherry notes work really well in a Manhattan, give it a try on your next “date night” or if you’re simply looking to replace a dessert course with a cocktail.

WVV6 Drink2

Chocolate Covered Cherry Manhattan:

2 oz of bourbon (we used Old Weller Antique)

.75 oz of Luxardo (or any maraschino liqueur)

.25 oz of sweet vermouth

5-6 dashes of chocolate bitters

Bourbon soaked maraschino cherries (we really need to get around to making some homemade brandied cherries…)

Add the bourbon, Luxardo and vermouth to a cocktail pitcher full of ice and stir well. Then strain into a glass with the bitters and cherry. Serve and enjoy! Cheers.

 

-Him