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Bobby,

After having good luck with a Fernet Flip and a Cynar Flip, I would absolutely try a Campari Alexander. I assume you're using a standard Alexander ratio, subbing Campari for the brandy? Damn, that sounds good--

Take care & hope to see you soon--

@franko - allspice liqueur is typically used as a flavoring in cocktails, in particular complex "tiki" drinks. It lends a touch of spice and depth, and in some drinks can bring a wonderful holiday kind of flavor.

Gary's always (or at least, for a long, long time) been known as 'Gaz' but I'm not sure why he decided to use the nickname for this book.

Haus Alpenz is handling the Smith & Cross; not sure of the distributor for the Chairmen's Reserve.

And yes, the Smith & Cross is a big-J "Jamaica" rum -- can't wait to dash some atop a julep.

Thing is, when I do get a hankering for a single malt, it's often for those big smoky monsters from Islay. The only single malt I keep in the house is Laphroaig, because when I'm in the mood for something big and flavorful, that's usually what I have in mind.

@Rhetor -- you're on.

In the above post, I wrote "2008 saw the release of several decent brands, along with a number of high-profile, incredibly crappy ones (likely the brands you’ll see spamming up the comments section, as is their habit)".

I noted this based on a number of sock-puppet comments I'd received on my own blog, remarking on an absinthe-related post and gratuitously name-dropping a particular brand of absinthe-style beverage. I doubt it was sheer coincidence that all of these comments originated with the same ISP, just as I doubt the coincidence that it's the same brand that's being touted in the comment directly above this one. Took them a while, but the marketers who employ deception in their bag of tricks finally got around to commenting here. I would have been disappointed with anything less.

@callmenaomi - sure, an absinthe rinse is used when making a Sazerac, and when absinthe or any other highly aromatic, potently flavored spirit (Chartreuse, Islay single malt, etc.) is used as a rinse, it can lend a nice touch to many drinks.

By coating the sides of the glass rather than simply adding the absinthe to the drink, you're making the ingredient perform more as an aromatic, so you get a nice whiff of the botanicals as you're taking a sip of the drink. Only use a little bit (a teaspoon should do), as you don't want the rinse to take over the flavor of the cocktail, but a light rinse can really flesh out a drink's character.

Another good rinse is to use a really smoky Islay single malt like Laphroaig to give a rinse to a cocktail glass before pouring a Manhattan. That smell of smoke and peat adds a nice touch.

Not to quibble, but the sugar-spoon thing isn't complete nonsense; unlike pastis, which typically comes pre-sweetened, most absinthes are bottled without sugar, and adding sugar to the spirit is not only traditional but completely appropriate.

Dripping the water through the sugar is an easy way to get the sugar to dissolve (sugar doesn't dissolve in alcohol nearly as easy as it does in water, though you can skip the step and just add simple syrup if you like your absinthe sweetened), and the water is a vital part of the equation: again unlike pastis, which is typically 40-45 percent alcohol, absinthe usually ranges closer to 60 or even 70 percent alcohol, so adding water is a must to make it palatable; it was never intended to be consumed straight.

While a number of improvised antics have been added to the preparation of absinthe to help drive sales, the sugar/spoon element is not only traditional, but actually serves a function.

The bitters are indeed available in stores. I'm not sure what NYC venues carry them, but I'd suggest calling the good people at Fee Brothers and asking them about outlets: 800-961-FEES.

My understanding is they're using a new bottle design, but one that's inspired by the original (or at least the recent version)--same shape, a period-appropriate font, etc. Head over to the website for a photo--it actually looks pretty nice.

I haven't tried the Bols Parfait Amour, but I have a bottle of the Marie Brizard Parfait Amour. Violet in color and flavored with violet petals, orange peel and vanilla, it's an unusual character--Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh has compared its flavor to that of purple jelly beans. Not bad, necessarily, just hard to use--I can't imagine drinking it straight, but there are a few cocktails that call for it, and it lends an interesting touch.

@Prairie: I have tried Sailor Jerry, and for a spiced rum, it's not bad; it certainly puts the Captain to shame. I have to confess I'm not a regular drinker of spiced rums and don't even keep a bottle on hand; my personal preference is to dip into the variety of aged rums on the market.

@lisal: Barbados rums rock! Luscious, rich, buttery--even the light rums. And Mount Gay Extra Old? Ooh, that's good stuff.....

Tovolo trays may be about the closest; they make 1 1/4-inch cubes, the same size as Kold-Draft. You can also get 2-inch spherical molds from momastore.org. Some bars in New York make larger cubes, but they venture out of the kitchen store and into office & storage stores to get small plastic boxes that can be adapted as molds.

Is there one at the end of "d'oh!"?