Jester? (&/or other bartenders)

[Teskeria]

Strange question. Although I am 99.999999% sure not the strangest you've ever heard. Can you recommend some alcohols or wines that might taste ok to someone who finds most alcohol bitter. If it helps, my favorite drink, which you can no longer get in the USA is Heather Cream (like baileys but with single malt scotch - & yes I do drink baileys occasionally although to me it isn't as good). I've also enjoyed Kamakazes (lemon not lime). Most wines esp taste very very bitter to me. Beer has a nasty shivery (as in I shiver when I try it) taste. hard ciders like strongbow are a bit bitter.
(I don't know if it is related bitter-wise, but broccali is nasty bitter to me and most people tell me it shouldn't be)

Don't worry. Not being a total idiot, I won't hold anyone to blame if I don't like something. After all, it's MY tastebuds being weird. I don't drink often, but want to find something I like for the rare occasions I feel like a drink.

[Greenday]

Moscato is a really sweet, fruity wine. Very good.

I'm not very good at suggesting alcoholic drinks.

[Aislin]

You are likely a super taster. http://nihseniorhealth.gov/problemsw...htaste/01.html
Super tasters have a stronger taste receptors. I like bitter even though I am a super taster.

[Jester]

Rum. It's what's for dinner.

Quick caveat: I am a rum guy. So I'm gonna be biased towards rum.

That being said, if you are looking for something that is not bitter, an alcoholic spirit made from fermented sugar juice would seem to be a good option, don't you think?

And if you're thinking that you've tried rum and found it bitter or nasty, keep in mine, I am NOT talking about your typical Bacardi or Captain Morgan's here, but better rums.

For mixing or sipping, I would suggest Zacapa 23, Pyrat XO Reserve, or Atlantico Private Cask. All very versatile, all very taste, be it neat, on the rocks, or in some cocktail concoction.

For just mixing, I would suggest flavored rums, such as Bacardi Peach Red, Cruzan Black Cherry, or really any flavored rums from Bacardi, Cruzan, or Malibu. Also, if you can find it, Brinley Gold Shipwreck makes the best flavored rums in the world in my opinion, including Mango, Coconut, and Lime, not to mention their Vanilla, which I consider the best flavored rum of all time, and which can be sipped by itself if one is so inclined, as I often am. I am not overstating things when I say I have changed people's religion with Brinley Vanilla.

For just sipping, while there are many excellent sipping rums, for you I would advise sticking to some of the sweeter ones, as the drier ones will probably be too bitter for you. Suggestions: Pusser's 15 (totally different from regular Pusser's, which IS somewhat harsh and bitter), El Dorado 12, 15, or 21, Zaya Gran Reserve, or Dos Maderas 3+5 or 5+5 P.X.

Finally, you mention that you like Bailey's...have you ever tried a rum cream? Same idea, but with rum. El Dorado makes a fantastic rum cream. I think Cruzan makes one as well but the El Dorado is superior.

In the area of beer, you might want to try some lambics, which are fruit beers. I think you might enjoy a good framboise or peche (raspberry and peach flavored lambics, respectively), though you might want to steer clear of the krieks (cherry), as they are often sour (intentionally),which might strike your palate as bitter.

[Kara]

You are likely a super taster. http://nihseniorhealth.gov/problemsw...htaste/01.html
Super tasters have a stronger taste receptors. I like bitter even though I am a super taster.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I also suffer from hypersensitive taste buds, there are lots of things I can't eat because of how they taste to me. Most veggies are too bitter, anything spicier than mild taco seasoning is waaaay to hot for me to handle, and more than a little salt on anything is just too damn much.

And I also don't like the taste of alcohol. I have had a few drinks that I really like though. Margaritas and daquiris are usually good, depending on what they're made with (like when the wife of one of my best friends passed away last year, a few other friends and I decided to finish off her 151 and made daquiris out of what was left. They had to sweeten mine quite a bit more). I absolutely love Amaretto Sours. Ditto Orange Schnapps. Wine coolers are also good. I've tried different wines, blush varieties are my favorite. And as Jester suggested, rum is pretty good. Especially coconut rum mixed with Pepsi.

Last month, my SO and I went to a Girls Night In at a friend's house. I have no idea what it was, but one of the girls brought this stuff in a small white bottle and I am not kidding, it tasted EXACTLY like Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It was awesome and I swear I will find out what it was and stock up on it.

[BearLeeBadenaugh]

Kara, you're probably looking for Rum Chatta.

Spiced rum with Horchata. I'm nor sure what all is in Horchata, it's a type of drink that originated in Spain, but varies based on locale. The horchata found in Rum Chatta seems to be more towards the Mexican and Dominican versions, which are usually cream, powdered rice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. In my opinion, horchata tastes like chai tea without the tea.

Teskeria, you might give rum chatta a try, should be very similar to the heather cream, just based off rum versus whiskey. Also, it's been quite a while since I've had Heather cream, but if my tastebuds memory serves, you could probably make a yummy substitute by blending heavy cream with Drambuie.

And of course, there are a few other options if you don't mind paying through the nose for shipping. Masters of Malt still sell heather cream, and will happily ship bottles to the US. Of course, shipping is kind of exorbitant. Works out to about $30 a bottle for 1 or 2, drops when you get up to half and full cases.

whoops, forgot to drop the MoM link. http://www.masterofmalt.com/liqueurs...cream-liqueur/

[Fudgethatkay]

I found a strawberries and cream champagne that was great...

Are you big on mixed drinks?

[kpzra]

I was trying to think of some suggestions and now my mind is stuck on wanting mead. Moscato is another good one, it taste like white grape juice to me (Trader Joes sells one that is good and in a cool bottle).

[Jester]

And as Jester suggested, rum is pretty good. Especially coconut rum mixed with Pepsi.

Might I suggest coconut rum and pineapple juice as a lovely alternative? Or as I call it, a Poor Man's Piña Colada.

[KiaKat]

Mixed drinks, in general, are probably going to be your preference. There are a number of sweet, fruit-based concoctions that can be ordered in any bar, and likely won't piss off the bartender for being either too complicated, or for requiring special liquors and/or tools.

1. Cosmopolitan. Long believed to be the Ultimate Girlie Drink, it's a vodka-based drink with triple sec (an orange liqueur), cranberry juice, and lime. Generally very mild-tasting and sweet. Also, when done right, it's a beautiful shade of pink that many people love.

2. If you like chocolate, go for the Chocotini (Chocolate martini, etc etc. Not actually a martini, but this is what everyone calls it). Vanilla vodka, creme de cacao, and a hit of either chocolate syrup or cocoa powder.

3. Specialty cocktails. Go to the bar, and look at their drinks menu. Pick one that sounds fruity, girly, and totally sweet. Generally this will be berry-based, and involve liqueurs like Amaretto, Chambord, Frangelico, or triple sec.

4. Daiquiri (to be ordered in higher-end bars, or Caribbean restaurants). Based in rum, it can be flavoured with many different fruits. The better bars, or ones with access to a lot of fresh fruit will make the best ones. Also comes in frozen form (accessible only with blender availability)!

5. Margarita (same advice as with daiquiri regarding where-to-order). Tequila, rather than rum, but very similar to the daiquiri. Best had at a Mexican restaurant or Tequila bar. Make sure they're using something better than Cuervo. Espolon is your best bet - it's really quite smooth and tasty.

There are a few classic cocktails on their way back, thanks to the explosion of love for American cocktail culture. One of my personal favourites is the Aviation. Gin, Maraschino liqueur, and just a hit of Creme Yvette (creme de violette liqueur). Floral, sweet, and very easy to drink. Too easy, at times. This one is best had at a bar with a VERY knowledgeable bartender, as the proportions are key, and it's quite easy to screw it up.

I also recently was reintroduced to an old favourite - the Blackberry Gin Smash. In lieu of trying to describe it, here's a link to a very accurate recipe. Use a good gin for this one - either 209 (American), or The Botanist (Scottish) are good choices.

So there you have it! A number of cocktails for drinking at bars & restaurants, or for having at home, with some experimentation. Take the drink names, throw them into google, then take the resulting recipes to your Local Boutique Liquor Establishment and ask for help!

[Jester]

5. Margarita (same advice as with daiquiri regarding where-to-order). Tequila, rather than rum, but very similar to the daiquiri. Best had at a Mexican restaurant or Tequila bar. Make sure they're using something better than Cuervo. Espolon is your best bet - it's really quite smooth and tasty.

A good margarita is USUALLY found at a Mexican restaurant or tequila bar, but a good bartender at ANY bar can blow your mind with this cocktail. I work at a rum bar, and I still make one of the best margaritas on the island. And I'm not alone. One of the best margaritas I ever had was, surprisingly, in NYC, in Times Square, at a freakin' Olive Garden!

As for the tequila, that's a matter of taste, which is only discovered through trial and error. Personally, I prefer Anejo tequilas, which are the highest grade of tequila short of the ridiculously priced ultra-premium tequilas. I especially like Sauza Tres Generaciones Anejo and Sauza Conmemorativo Anejo, though Patron Anejo is also quite good.

One of my personal favourites is the Aviation. Gin, Maraschino liqueur, and just a hit of Creme Yvette (creme de violette liqueur). Floral, sweet, and very easy to drink. Too easy, at times. This one is best had at a bar with a VERY knowledgeable bartender, as the proportions are key, and it's quite easy to screw it up.

I disagree and agree.

I disagree that this is a good suggestion of a cocktail for the OP. I just cannot see someone so sensitive to bitter tastes enjoying a predominantly gin cocktail.

That being said, I agree that if one does venture into the Aviation realm, find a bartend who knows how to make it, and make it well. If they're unfamiliar with it, merely listing the ingredients to them, even if they have them on hand, is likely to result in a cocktailian disaster.

Also, as for my aforementioned disagreement, as always, I reserve the right to be horribly and even embarrassingly wrong....the OP may end up loving gin, and the Aviation, in which case I'll stop advising them on drinks.

(And to be perfectly fair and honest, I despise gin, so that might be coloring my perspective here....but I still don't see someone so advise to bitter tastes liking gin. Who knows?)

[MoonCat]

There's a liqueur made with violets???

*ponders why she never took up drinking anything except wine"
*Googles Creme Yvette*
*falls madly in love*

I have GOT to try this.

[Jester]

Yes, MoonCat, there is. I first learned about it when I first learned about the Aviation cocktail, which was when I was enrolled in the BarSmarts program by my bar. (BarSmarts is a prestigious mixology certification program--because I passed it, I am a certified mixologist! Well, technically speaking....) Sadly, I never took the opportunity to taste the violet liqueur by itself. (I like tasting everything, even mixers that were never meant to be drank solo.) I did try the Aviation, but my aversion to gin put me right off of it.

I am sure if you google it some more, you will find other great applications for it. And maybe, just maybe, a bar near you that cares about mixology actually stocks it, and makes some great cocktails with it!

[MoonCat]

Yes, MoonCat, there is. I first learned about it when I first learned about the Aviation cocktail, which was when I was enrolled in the BarSmarts program by my bar. (BarSmarts is a prestigious mixology certification program--because I passed it, I am a certified mixologist! Well, technically speaking....) Sadly, I never took the opportunity to taste the violet liqueur by itself. (I like tasting everything, even mixers that were never meant to be drank solo.) I did try the Aviation, but my aversion to gin put me right off of it.

I am sure if you google it some more, you will find other great applications for it. And maybe, just maybe, a bar near you that cares about mixology actually stocks it, and makes some great cocktails with it!

I've already found some interesting drink recipes online, and a website that sells the stuff. If I can't find a bar that stocks it, I can buy it myself and give it a try.

[Greenday]

2. If you like chocolate, go for the Chocotini (Chocolate martini, etc etc. Not actually a martini, but this is what everyone calls it). Vanilla vodka, creme de cacao, and a hit of either chocolate syrup or cocoa powder.

I have yet to taste one decent chocolate alcoholic drink. They never really taste like chocolate. The only half decent one I've ever had was with some random people in my dorm freshman year that were making Peppermint Patty shots (Peppermint Schnapps & chocolate syrup). Tasty, but extremely sugary.