I am now into Manhattins since it is getting cold outside. A nice Single Barrel Bourbon (3oz), red vermouth (1oz), several splashes of Bitters. Add to a shaker half full of crushed ice and shake 4 or 5 times. Add a cherry or two to a chilled martinni glass and all of the mixture you can get into the glass. Two weekends ago I used up a bottle of E Craig practicing . Now I am ready.

I enjoy gin martinis as well. For those of you who like them "dirty", as I do, I found a great product that I highly recommend as an alternative to the olive brine from the olive jar ... it's called Dirty Sue (www.dirtysue.com)
I'm told it lasts about 6 months in the 'fridge, and a year unopened.

Manhattans on the rocks, with any small batch bourbon (my favorite being Baker's). Or Booker's, which however, is too good to drown in even a splash of vermouth. Always nice.

As for my regular drink of choice, it's Cuban rum, a nice 7 year anejo. I've tried many many rums from all over, many significantly older than 7 years, yet none compare to the complexity, balance and depth of character of Cuban rums. Highly recommended are:

Caney
Cubay
Havana Club

(if you get the opportunity, or can find them)

Vodka Martini yes I do.

I got my A$$ bit off one night by a martini...Bombay Sapphire with a twist of raspberry liquoer...drank it like a beer, on an empty stomach, ate 3 loaves of garlic toast and huge plate of fries and some coconut shrimp. Wifey then went to public library to do some research for class and I passed out on one of the sofas....still drunker than cooter brown!

I like hight octane, but that was a bit much for someone that din't know better.

All of the above, LOL.

For me martini is for before dinner in warm-hot weather (how timely) or always before steak meal, the olives being a low-cal appetizer! Stir for less dilution than shaken. Never tried martinis with cigar, probably never will. Just recently convinced Bombay Sapphire is a better match for the vermouth; I now reserve the Tanqueray for G&T often English style without ice & plenty Angostura.

After dinner with cigar: Port (TFY, Sandeman), Madiera (Blandy's), Cognac (Hine or for special occasion Cordon Bleu). Not a big fan of whisky or whiskey with cigar, prefer them before dinner in cool-cold weather.

I will chime in with my limited cigar experience. I enjoy a extra dirty martini made with gray goose that I keep in the freezer. I take two big martini olives and stuff them with blue cheese. I had one of these last weekend on my boat with a gurkha regent. It wasnt bad at all.

LOVE Vodka Martinis!

MUST be with Grey Goose!

I keep a bottle of Bombay Sapphire and a couple of martini glasses in the freezer. When I want a martini, as I often do, I just pour directly from the bottle into the frosted glass, MAYBE add a drop or two of dry vermouth, drop in a twist of lemon peel (never acquired a taste for olives), and presto. Magic time. In another couple of hours, I'm gonna do exactly that with an HdeM SDA Musico.

No martini here. Rum is my drink. (rum and o.j. wierd but good) My fave mixed drink is a mojito and i only drink rum, tequilla (fine ones only), beer, and wine..

and long islands ice teas (which i try to avoid because i never remember how i got home).

Vanessa

Single malt or port

Vanessa, I really enjoy a mojito, too, but they're so damned labor-intensive. While I still use a muddler stick to pound the mint leaves and sugar together in a mortar, I make a mint-flavored sugar syrup that's easy and really adds a nice somthin'-somthin' to the drink. Make a simple 1-to-1 sugar syrup, add a lot of coarsely chopped mint leaves to it while it's still hot and let it cool, then sit for two or three hours. Strain the mint leaves and it'll keep in the fridge for weeks. Use a teaspoon or two in your mojitos, and you'll thank me forever.

quote:

Originally posted by vs084:
No martini here. Rum is my drink. (rum and o.j. wierd but good) My fave mixed drink is a mojito and i only drink rum, tequilla (fine ones only), beer, and wine..

and long islands ice teas (which i try to avoid because i never remember how i got home).

Vanessa

If you like rum and OJ try Hennessey and OJ. Nums.

Crafting a proper mojito is like poker, easy to learn, difficult to master. A good 3 year rum is essential, Cuban the best. Getting the lime juice/sugar ratio is key, as is not over-muddling the mint leaves ... they need to be kept intact so they don't break apart into a million pieces.

If using natural cane sugar, or superfine sugar, make sure you muddle AFTER you mix the lime juice and sugar as to not mascerate the leaves. If using simple syrup, it doesn't really matter, I prefer to muddle prior to adding the lime juice, however.

Last bit up unwanted advice: Muddling should be more of a pounding action than pushing and twisting, just enough to release the mint oils, and not mascerate the leaves.

PS: I've tried the mint leaf infused simple syrup (home made) and I find it tastes "cooked" ... maybe if after the simple syrup cools down to room temp you could drop a few leaves in the bottle and infuse for a few days, then strain?

Mojito is a awesome drink I have tried to make it but failed every time. May try the syrup thing and see if it helps me. I can't get enough of these drinks however, most bars around here dont make them.

Josh

Gin Gin Gin!
martinis or tonics depending on the day

GF father has also introduced me to port... and im starting to love the stuff...

Now that the weather is starting to change I'm enjoying Gin & Tonic quite a bit. I usually use Tanqueray but for a change, I like to use Segram's lime Gin for the Gin and Tonic. It gives it even more citrus flavor which I love. I've also recently discovered Port so I'm still trying out different brands. Also, a good Dark rum (I'm really liking Meyers) or a mixed Vodka drink. I actually don't drink that often I just like variety.

The other night I had ice water with a shot of OJ and a little vodka. Does that count?

Top, for PMP!

I gave up on trying to make Mojitos at home....there are just too many places around here that can make them far better than I ever could.

Mojitos are more art than science.....even when I have all the right ingredients, there's always something missing.
...now RumRunners...there's a different story.....

My wife is the Martini drinker.....I always prefer just a shot of Stoly Orange, or a Vodka & Tonic (Luksusowa) if I'm having Vodka at all....

I had my first RumRunner while on vacation in Key West a few months ago. Does anyone have a good recipe for them?