Cocktail of choice when listening to fav music?


Do you have a cocktail preference when listening to your favorite music on your sytem? Are you a sipper or not?
bigkidz
My wife and I have been sipping Cosmopolitans as of late, while listening to lp's. A bit of Harry Nilsson none the less. He would have appreciated it. Coctail shaker, the whole bit.
Weller's 12 year old, neat, with Dove chocolates to hand. I drift from Mahler to hard & post bop.
Absolutely! Macallan 18 and (if company permits) a Davidoff Millenium, or a good Zinfandel with Lindt chocolate.
Funny I used to be an avid drinker when listening now that my system actually sounds good I don't drink at all- in fact I can't recall the last time I had a drink in the room with me. But if I do its either small batch bourbon, cognac or armingac or the bombay saphire martini straight up(of course).
Wine, micro brewed beer, or something from my collection of cognac, armagnac, calvados, eau de vie, and grappa.
Ice cold scotch, wine and chocolate. No wonder we have so many different views.
I prefer a good red wine from Texas. My favorite of late is a Cap Rock Merlot Reserve (about $20 a bottle). My amp is a Llano Designs S-100 which is made by hand in Lubbock Tx. The wine comes from west Texas. I think there's a certain senergy that happens. Most of the music I listen to, I have heard the performers live at the Kerrville Folk Festival or at Uncle Calvins Coffee House in Dallas. While the performers aren't all from Texas it still just works for me. Good thread Bigkids.
Dayyum, all these cultured people! For me it's water, Coke or coffee. Depends on the time of day.
A screwdriver, fresh squeezed orange juice with Stoli. Vitamin C is good for the ears!
Last night, it was coffee. Because we finished the 1961 Brane-Cantenac margaux at dinner! I have to say that this was a wonderful Margaux from a great year, and was much more enjoyable than even the 82 Ch.Margaux I had a couple of weeks ago. The 40 years really did it good. But, if you really want a treat, definitely get a 82 Cheval-Blanc. Absolutely massive, and the benchmark of all the Bordeaux that I've experienced so far. Cheers!
I like a nice bottle of NIGHT TRAIN when I listen to my Bose setup, other than that its Glenvelit and branch water
I once read that a 6-pack of beer is the cheapest sound improvement to any system!
Ice water...shaken, not stirred. Beats the hell out of the old days when it was Tussionex, Xanax, and rum.
Rockhead- That's ironic-shake my martini and I will run and hide, how ever I don't mind my water being shaken.
Lugnut...I'm with you! I think that ANY kind of alcohol dulls the senses. Of course, my previous years of excessive boozing has biased my opionion as well! More "Mexican Lettuce", por favor!
This is easy, German Beer, French Wine or Scotch Whiskey. Preferably shared with friends who care about good music.

My favorites are Bitburger and Becks Beer, 1986 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande Pauillac, or 15 year old Arberlour Scotch.
My favorite is Bailey's Irish Cream with crushed ice, but it's hard to break my ice chewing habit which distracts my ears (and mind) from the music. Any advice, or should I start a new thread?!?!?
Way to go, Albert! That 86 Comtesse is a 100 point bottle! The last Beck's I had was an Oktoberfest Special. I think there is some still left in the stores. I haven't had a Bitburger in years. If I remember correctly the last Bitburger I had was a Weissbier, with the yeast still floating around in it. Can only drink one of them. I need to come down there and get introduced to some of that great Scotch Whisky. I've only had Glenlivet and Glenmorangie.
Scotch on the rocks (single malt). The type depends on the mood. My standard are the Dahlwhinnie or Aberlour 15's but some moods and the resulting music just demand something smokier!
Any good beer, usually Bohemia or French/Belgian/German beer. And on the rarest of occasions when I can find it some Goldstar or Maccabee from Israel.
Twl, I just got up after falling over in my chair and nearly rolling into one speaker (sudden dynamics pushed me away from danger): '82 Cheval Blanc (!!!), 40 yr old Margaux...!
Those are worth more than my system!
Why do you live so far away -- life's unjust!

I'll return to my lowly Lagavulin -- a shot of which is about as much as a poor middle-european can afford nowadays. Or a Plzen (pronounced pilsen) beer... Clink!

p.s. Natalie; ok for the Mchristo. I agree with the Oban as digestif, but why chill it??
Although I only perused parts of list, there were a lot of my favorites. Being here in Vermont not that far from Canada, there is a Molson Brador you can pick up over the border that is quite nice.
Gah! I am thoroughly disgusted. How come so many a'philes seem to mess up good single malt whisky by *gak* chilling it? Cold kills the tastebuds. If you really want to taste it, keep it room temperature--otherwise you might as well drink blended. Although water is a bit more controversial, I tend to use it only when drinking cask strength whisky, 'cos otherwise its too hot.

While I seem to always have some Macallan on hand, I like some variety; recently its been Abelour A'bunadh, Springbank, and Glendronach. Unfortunately, my last bottle of cask strength 32 yo Springbank has now run dry...
My favorite is still the gin martini and here's a way to mix a good one that eliminates the mess and "watering down" effect of using ice. Keep a bottle of your fave gin in the freezer (Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire recommended) and a bottle of dry vermouth in the fridge (M&R recommended). Pour three fingers (or so!) of the now thickened spirit in the tini glass and then wave the open end of the vermouth bottle over the top. Place in an olive or three. As soon as the gin settles and loses its “thickness”, a very thin layer of frost will form on the outside of the glass.....enjoy with your favorite tunes. But, after your second, restrict yourself to playing CD's so as not to inadvertently ruin that precious vinyl!

Oh, and while burning a Cuban may be in favor with some, I would heed the words of the velvet rope tender from the old Saturday Night Live shows..."Take it outside, take it outside". :-)
Gregm, you should have been around during the summer when we opened up the 1927 Chateau D'Yquem! Lovely butterscotch color, and strong notes of pear and caraway. Of course, the 1940 and 1955 Ch. La Conseillante Pomerols were wonderful, and the 1966 Latour. And then we followed that up for 3 weeks in a row with the 1982 Lafitte-Rothschild, 1982 Mouton-Rothschild, and a 1982 Latour. Pauillac heaven. The Mouton was the best of that bunch. The 82 Margaux was not really up to the Pauillacs of that year in my opinion, but it wasn't bad. The 82 Cheval Blanc Saint-Emilion is the killer of the vintage in my opinion. The 82 Haut Brion is a good example of the Graves, but a bit thin. The best value of the 82's in my opinion is the 82 Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estephe. Definitely a Premier Cru wine, even though the 1855 classification doesn't include it. Well under $100.
Next week we are trying the 1961 Ch. La Conseillante. Should be a winner! We're holding the 75 Yquem for the holidays. If I ever hit the big-time, I'll have an 1811 Yquem. $45k. I don't buy all this stuff by myself. We have a small wine club that shares expenses(5 people). With the 1811 Yquem, that would be $9k per glass. Yikes!
My mouth is watering, I'm thirsty, and I have no Yquem to quench my thirst... If I may say so, that's a wine club with excellent taste-- good for you!
I remember buying Haut Brion for FFr ~18/bottle (that used to be $~3) about 20 years ago!
If memory serves, the best Cheval Blanc I've had (not that I've tasted many) was a '69, followed by '71 & '75...
Clink!
Gregm, my very first fine wine was a 71 Ch. Ausone. It was in 1982. It really rocked my world. Even though 71 was only a good year, this Ausone lives in my memory. The bouquet simply filled the dining area. That was when I realized what fine wine was all about. Not a bad start. I've stayed with the Bordeaux all these years, and never been disappointed. While I enjoy the wines of California, Germany, Australia, and Italy, nothing beats France for wine. And especially the Bordeaux. A fine filet mignon with Bernaise, New Potatoes Provencal, and some tender asparagus tips, with a baroque chamber ensemble in the background, a fine vintage Bordeaux, and a group of close friends at the table is pretty close to heaven, in my opinion.
If smokie scotch is desired. Try Talisker, a very smokey Single malt.

Dont get me wrong I drink 90% of my scotch room temp.
When I am having a Cuban though I like it cold. But would never insult the scotch with water or Ice.

I also like 20+ year old Chianti Classico Riserva's which I have cellered and cared for.
Natalie,

The addition of perhaps a teaspoon of water to an ounce or two of single malt just files the edge off a touch and makes the sipping even more sublime. And, of course, room temperature means Scottish room temperature, not American overheated.

Talisker is a mild little eastern malt but not in the same league, smoke-wise with Laphroig. Not to say better or worse, just different.

Enjoy!
Twl, the bottle, a few friends and something to nibble on (foi gras nature...) and music. I would like once to try a Chasse-Spleen '66-67.

I thoroughly agree with Bishop who means spring water, of course.
I like Scot(ch) whiskey, but I think Laphroig taste like iodine. Laphroig is one of the more popular malts used in blends, but it's a over the top for me. I have a friend who really likes it. My favorite really smokey (think barbecue) scotch is Lagavulin (I'm sure I misspelled it). Perfect on those icy cold winter nights. To each his own. To answer the posted question: it all depends on my mood and the seasons, and oh yeah what's available.
Unsound, Lagavulin with a tad of spring water. Room temperature for the Laga, you can chill the water. Clink!
Plain ol' Gin and tonic or Vodka Martini, and 'thick' beer
(your brand here) , and water, one sip each at a time....
Nil- Do any of those beverages go better with the Sunflower seeds? or when its sunflower seed time drink gets put on the back burner:)
A wine question - for Twl or anyone else who might be able to help... I have the possibility to make a bulk purchase of some great Australian wines (think Grange & RWT, Torbreck Runrig, some great boutique shiraz, etc), mostly in 95-98 vintages. I have a decent idea but I'd like to check some kind of current value before laying down the bucks (it's a lot of wine). Does anyone know a good (in terms of quality, selection, and value) internet source (U.S.-based) for wines from Down Under?

As for my favorite audiophile tipple, when my wife are drinking "normal" wine, we have recently (last 2-3yrs) been able to get great Rioja at very reasonable prices. That and cognac (partial to Frapin and Ferrand).
Thanks, Travis
Any beer from Belgium such as Leffe, quaffed in an ice cold crystal stein. Crank up the tunes! Oh yeah, bliss.
jayarr great call ont the Leffe, picked up a single bottle to Sample. I am on my out to get a 6 pack.