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Can't get a decent G&T


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Funny!

 

I am getting mighty thirsty right now! As a Hendrick's fan, I love it with sliced strawberries that pick up the juniper essence that is just wonderful when eating them after you finish your drink. I am also a big fan of Zacapa rum on the rocks. I may have to ask Regent for some in our cabin for our November cruise.

 

Z and TB

 

Interesting - never heard of Zacapa rum. OTOH, I love rum but it gives me a headache (my favorite rum drink of a Scorpion ........ you are likely too young to know about that drink:evilsmile:)

 

This evening at Happy Hour I asked the bartender about gin. He agrees that it has gained popularity over the last 3-4 years but he thought that it would be #5 after vodka, tequila, rum and bourbon/whiskey). I've decided to do a 1/4 shot of Hendricks to sip (or may wait until November when one of my Hendricks connoisseur friend is onboard with me ....... she would likely enjoy the ugly face that I'd likely make when tasting it).

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I really want to try Fever Tree tonic. I don't know where I can get it in the NY state (not the city) area. I'm a somewhat reformed vodka drinker and now enjoy a Hendricks with cucumber in hot weather. I still do like vodka and unless I can get Hendricks, I don't do gin. Would, however like to try The Botanist!

 

I don't know how far outside of NYC you are, but Fairway carries Fever Tree.

 

And gin drinks have been growing in popularity in NY. Started noticing the trend about 3 years ago since I'm a gin martini drinker and now have more gin drinking compatriots!

 

Lynn

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I don't know how far outside of NYC you are, but Fairway carries Fever Tree.

 

And gin drinks have been growing in popularity in NY. Started noticing the trend about 3 years ago since I'm a gin martini drinker and now have more gin drinking compatriots!

 

Lynn

 

Large cities are trendy (was raised in Los Angeles so I get it). We live in a smallish city now but Fever Tree is available here as well. I suppose that if I were unhappy with the regular brands, I would give it a try. However, for me, it is not worth the extra $$$.

 

Can't believe that there is so much "ado" about a mixer! As I've noted, if someone wants it, simply give Regent 30-90 days notice (depending upon where the ship is in the world) and you'll have what you want. No big deal (OTOH, if you want an obscure alcohol, you will likely have to pay for it).

 

P.S. The first time I tried gin was when we visited my parents neighbor at Christmas and they were serving gin martinis. It was so bad that I poured it into their plant (okay - I know that this was extremely wrong but I was only around 22 and didn't know better). Today, I would excuse myself to go to the bathroom where I would pour it into the toilet or sink). My view may change in the future......... have to be open minded.!

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TC - we're now hooked on Hendrick's thanks to Regent. One of the smoothest gins around, IMO. I think we drank our share this past Mar/Apr on the Explorer. Some like it on the rocks with a slice or two of cucumber to bring out the flavor. I still prefer the shaken-not-stirred martini. 🍸

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I really want to try Fever Tree tonic. I don't know where I can get it in the NY state (not the city) area. I'm a somewhat reformed vodka drinker and now enjoy a Hendricks with cucumber in hot weather. I still do like vodka and unless I can get Hendricks, I don't do gin. Would, however like to try The Botanist!

 

 

 

Our Total Wine carries Fever Tree here in the Dallas area. I think many grocery stores do also.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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IMO a gin based Martini has a much superior flavour to one made with vodka

 

We also drink gin, Campari & tonic; in this case the brand of tonic (or gin) matters less as the flavour of the Campari dominates

You might also like a Negroni. Gin, campari and sweet vermouth. Very Italian.

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Try an Aperol Spritz, the most popular aperitif in Italy and much of the rest of Europe. Use a large "balloon" wine glass or tumbler. 2 oz. Prosecco (or another sparkling wine; we prefer a drier California sparkling wine), 1 1/4 oz. Aperol (or a bit more or less to taste), splash of soda water, garnished with a large slice of fresh orange, on the rocks, with perhaps a dash of orange bitters added....

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And there's the beauty of drinking whisky neat. Never a worry about your mixer...

 

:whiskey-glass:

 

I would prefer almost anything to drinking a "Christmas tree". Actually, I like Jameson with just a bit of water. However, there is either a bourbon or whiskey that I tried that contains brown sugar. I sipped it from a shot glass last week. It was extremely good but one is enough - kind of like a dessert. The other drink that makes a great dessert is chocolate martinis. I prefer it without cream or Baileys but with a chocolate rim. :cocktail:

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I am originally from Ohio, lived in NY, now very new to NC. I really like my GT with Bombay Sapphire and just Schweppes. I guess I'll request the specific tonic water, however perhaps it is time to try the Fever Tree and upgrade to Monkey 47! Do I just make special requests to the Butler online prior to the cruise? First time on Regent next spring to Alaska, so everything is new to me. Learning much from all of your kind input!

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I would prefer almost anything to drinking a "Christmas tree". Actually, I like Jameson with just a bit of water. However, there is either a bourbon or whiskey that I tried that contains brown sugar. I sipped it from a shot glass last week. It was extremely good but one is enough - kind of like a dessert. The other drink that makes a great dessert is chocolate martinis. I prefer it without cream or Baileys but with a chocolate rim. :cocktail:

OOOO! That partiular bourbon sounds wonderful! On the rare occasion, I've slipped into "the brown stuff", but usually work with a good vodka or my current fav, Hendrick's and cucumber. I know I asked you to check out the bar scene for us for Nov, but maybe you can look into what kind of bourbons are on board the Mariner as well!! Look at like.....research! Very scientific!

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I am originally from Ohio, lived in NY, now very new to NC. I really like my GT with Bombay Sapphire and just Schweppes. I guess I'll request the specific tonic water, however perhaps it is time to try the Fever Tree and upgrade to Monkey 47! Do I just make special requests to the Butler online prior to the cruise? First time on Regent next spring to Alaska, so everything is new to me. Learning much from all of your kind input!

 

Just keep in mind that some "requests" come with a price tag. A while back, someone paid a quite a bit to request Hendricks (this was obviously prior to Regent carrying Hendricks).

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OOOO! That partiular bourbon sounds wonderful! On the rare occasion, I've slipped into "the brown stuff", but usually work with a good vodka or my current fav, Hendrick's and cucumber. I know I asked you to check out the bar scene for us for Nov, but maybe you can look into what kind of bourbons are on board the Mariner as well!! Look at like.....research! Very scientific!

 

If a bottle of the bourbon wasn't so heavy, I'd pack one for the November cruise. I believe that the best, IMO, bourbon onboard is Maker's Mark. Once I discovered Jameson, I kind of gave up on other "brown drinks";p. With all of this talk about gin, I think I have to try an eighth of an ounce of Hendricks on the Mariner next month. Really hoping that it doesn't taste like a Christmas tree.

 

There are many new small distilleries in Washington state and assume that this is the case worldwide. I wouldn't expect spirits from small distilleries to be obtained by Regent any more than I would expect one of our wonderful Pacific Northwest craft beers to be onboard.

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I live in Scotland and as a previous poster already mentioned, Scotland is currently awash with many, many different gins - its all the rage at the moment. We are gin drinkers ourselves and friends bring us new ones all the time. In a nod to how many are flooding the market currently, one of the new ones we were given is called "Not Another Effing Gin." Yes, that is its actual name! Quite a number, like that one, are a bit same-y and bland, but our current favourites are Monkey 47 (so intense and complex) and Gin Mare (which tastes not just of thyme, but even more strongly of olives and goes wonderfully with Fevertree's "Mediterranean" tonic blend), but Hendricks will be a lovely fall back on the ship. I do like Fevertree tonic in all its forms, but Fentimans is also excellent. Perhaps neither of those tonics available on Regent though. I can survive perfectly well on others during the cruise I expect :)

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We were able to buy Fevertree in a local Super Walmart in the US recently, so Regent should be able to pick it up without issue. Later on in our land trip in the US (we went to some rather remote areas) we had to settle for Schweppes. We actually normally drink Schweppes at home in Australia, but for some reason the US version taster different: blander and sweeter.

 

I suspect the Australian version would mirror the UK version, which after all, was the product that set the benchmark.

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Interesting that you found it at Wal-Mart. I found it at a more pricey supermarket. In order for Regent to carry it, they would have to have competitive bulk pricing that would compare to Canada Dry and Schweppes. OTOH, there would likely have to be a demand for it. The #1 requested alcohol in the U.S. is vodka and that is sometimes mixed with tonic so there is somewhat of a demand for tonic. Personally I like the purity that in vodka. As has been stated, gin starts out as vodka and then has additives (natural I presume). I also don't drink flavored vodkas because of the chemicals. However, there are loads of fruits that can be added to vodka to give it the flavor that you want (I suppose one could muddle a bit of Christmas tree and may come up with something tasting like gin.

I continue to be blown away by the fact that juniper berries are "pinecones" that "are so tightly clenched that they look like small, blue-purple berries" that "are tart and sharp, with a resinous, piney flavor and hints of citrus". Knowing this information will give me a better expectation when I taste Hendricks next month.:halo:

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A shade off topic, but since we're talking Christmas trees there....(haha) Several years ago when my daughter and I did Alaska (Skagway to be specific), we did a hike with a naturalist. He commented that spruce tips were used to make a special beer that's produced locally. When we found a spruce that had young tips on it (very pale green) he pulled off a few for us to taste. Yup, Christmasy, with a hint of lemon. Really nice. It's used in tea as well as in beer. I could see how this could translate into a tasty gin....or even vodka.

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