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just as a friendly viewer... please try to drink water... not just a sip to clense... its waaaaaaaaaaay better to go to pee lots of times than to watch you fall slowly into alcoholism
I think that it would be hella cool if you put the "disco label" gins into the martini matrix- by that I mean Kirkland Signature (Costco), Members Mark (Sam's club), and Admiral Joseph's (Trader Joe's). I know you gotta keep the matrix small, but thought it might be interesting to have someone compare those to some more standard fare. (If you want suggestions for a more conventional Gin matrix, I'd vote Bombay sapphire, Hendricks, Aviation, Beefeater, and maybe Tanqueray. But that "warehouse club" matrix (perhaps with a couple conventional choices) would be awesome, even it it were supplemental content.)
I don't know if this is a mistake, but when first tasting, you say that Fortaleza & Dry Curacao is your favorite but then go on to say your favorite was Fortaleza & Cointreau.
I had someone make me a Marg once at their party, didn't think anything of it said sure I'll take one. They made it with Mezcal and Grand and it tasted like a tire fire started with diesel. Worst thing I've drank.
I absolutely second this, gin is so complex and the right tonic can really make or break it. I do wonder how he would make them fresh though, it might be difficult considering it's a fizzy drink. Could see him going through a lot of tonics
My go-to tonic has been fever tree... I took a trip to a local distillery, and tasted a bunch of gins, and picked out what I thought would be an amazing one. Bad choice. The combination was nearly undrinkably chemical tasting. All the aromatics combined into an awful funk. My current gin of choice has been Aviation, but ive been given a sample of The Botanist to try. I used to make them with B.S. but i couldnt enjoy that anymore after aviation.
I used to have a drinking problem and channels like this have really helped me temper it. I've become more of a "quality over quantity" drinker. Much nicer to really appreciate the complexities of a drink you made and enjoy a light buzz than to hold your nose and guzzle fingernail polish to get as drunk as possible.
if you ever do this again, after reviewing a row you should remove the ones you dont like for two reasons. 1) easier for the audience to remember the best one. and 2) easier for you to grab drinks! Maybe even put down tape to make it easier for viewers to see the which is which.
Maybe an idea for the next time you do a matrix like this: get some green, orange and red stickers (or something to identify the glasses) and rank the rows with them from favourite, doable and nasty? Makes it easier to see which one did best overal etc.
"Gran Marnier" is the correct prononciation for "Grand Marnier". It's French, so we don't pronounce half the letters, including that d in particular. None of this makes sense and you are welcome.
Nah, he would have survived those sips even if he would be seriously drunk and get that terrible tequila hangover the day after. So it probably saved the episodes since I doubt Greg would have been a good judge at the end otherwise. I did a one bottle tequila race once and survived (even if I felt I was in hell the day after) and that is way more then 28 sips margarita. It did however make me sick every time someone even mentioned tequila for 10 years after that and while I can drink cocktails with tequila in today I still can't shot it anymore. Worst hangover I ever had in my life, worst then the time we had some bottles of Lajita mezcal and a drinking game but I am still alive.
@@Brian_Tylor I'm assuming he spit out all the bad tasting versions and drank the good ones. But so what? We already know Greg loves drinking cocktails, the bucket is more so he doesn't get incredible drunk and screw up the show then anything else. And I think some of those versions deserved to be spit out, Grand Marnier is a nice orange liqueur but it is not made for this type of drink.If you want to make a Comet, a Playmate Martini or a Pink palace it works excellent but a "Million dollar margerita" just isn't very good no matter what tequila or mezcal you use for it (I might be wrong, there might be something that works but I sure hasn't tried it).
Drink matrices are by far my favorite thing you do. Making fictional stuff is awesome, but this is so helpful in making my own stuff and knowing what ingredients I should try and get.
You should totally do a Negroni matrix. Personally found huge/interesting differences when changing the Gin and Vermouth around. Also love these video's! your Manhattan one helped me find the best one for myself!
Yes, this! The negroni is my favorite cocktail, and the varied results from different gins and vermouth keeps me trying new combinations. Would love to hear Greg's opinion.
Totally on board with this that would be a very unique matrix. I've found my favorite combo is Bluecoat Barrel Aged Gin, Peychauds Apertivo and Colin Sweet Vermouth.
I know you said there were a lot of awful, lazy cocktails from the late 70s Disco scene, ever thought about making a cursed cocktail episode on those, or improved versions of them?
There’s another bartuber if ur curious, Bruce at BarTalk&Cocktails, who I feel like embodies that late 70s era lol. He does good drinks and bad ones, and his channel is a delight
At 10:47 Greg says that his favorite Fortaleza is with Dry Curaçao, then spends the rest of the episode saying his favorite was Fortaleza with Cointreau, starting at 14:05. Loved the episode just wanted to address the continuity, and find out which was actually your favorite.
28:24 interesting that that happened with the Tromba of all bottles. On an episode of Cold Ones Max and Chad mentioned that the bottle has a rounded bottom which makes it easier to knock over
It totally had nothing to do with an ever increasing level of drunkenness from absorbing alcohol through the palette and the bottle placed in direct line of arm 😄
I did this for my birthday this year after seeing his other video. Conclusion: all fancy tonics taste like ass, or at least worse than the cheap stuff.
I would love to see a MULE MATRIX with a lineup of vodkas and ginger beers. i feel it would be interesting to see what the different vodkas (that are supposed to be exactly the same but we know they aren't due to the tasting game episode) would bring to the table as well as see some of Greg's opinions on the other ginger beers out there besides reeds. Not to mention it fits the alliterative naming scheme.
It’s the middle of the year; it’d be cool to see you do a “favorite” drink of yours from each season to ring in the middle of the year. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. I’d love to see it!
Yeah that really screwed with me. Perhaps you ought to take some quick notes when doing a matrix? Because now it kind of made the comparison slanted, you never went back to the one you initally called the best one so we don't know whether that was your favorite. I mean, it's hardly life or death, but that was kinda the point of the video...
So… in my vast experience with margaritas. I found that the limes themselves have a big impact. It depends on the ripeness and how sweet or tart the individual lime is. Just wondering Greg if you squeezed all the lime juice into one container then stirred it up before you made all of those margaritas?
The spit bucket makes a whole lot more sense knowing Greg takes comically oversized monster sips. 28 sips for me would be what, 3 or 4 cocktails? Bit much over a short period but not that crazy. 28 of what he measured would be madness.
It makes sense both ways. 3-4 cocktails is still a lot before taking extra comparing sips into account. The spit bucket is a thing also for non alcoholic drinks like coffee to make you not get super hyper.
@@RM19061 I was shocked when he did the math of how much at minimum he could have drank … but now seeing this episode, and him actually confirming how large his casual sip is … how did he not die during that Manhattan matrix!??? THATS SO MUCH ALCOHOL 😢 I hope he didn’t have to go to the hospital! I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.
@@jamesmcnulty2841 Late, but...I heard about a couple teenagers (or young men, it was vage) who had the incredibly BRIGHT idea to put alcohol in a vape. This was years ago, when vaping hadn't yet been assigned to another ostracized part of society, like beanies to hipsters or gold chains to rappers. The ethanol went directly into their blood through their lungs and it was BAD. I can't remember it clearly enough, but they were either hospitalized or fucking died.
Jose is definitely the choice for someone that doesn't know better. Always tasted like caramel syrup to me... El Jimador is the same price with better taste.
Oh yah dude a Martini matrix would be fantastic - I'd just be weary about that leading you down a rabbit hole of every other 'classic' cocktail - an Old Fashioned matrix could be hell - comparing syrups, to sugar cubes, to different kinds of whisk(e)y, and different types of citrus peels etc...
I feel like an OF matrix kinda misses the point though, the deal with an OF is that it shows off the whiskey, there’s no perfect version, they’re all perfect.
I think an Old Fashioned matrix would work similarly to the margarita. Bourbons or Ryes in one row, sweeteners or bitters in another. Stay with ango bitters or your preferred sweetener, depending on what you're comparing in the matrix, and orange peel to control the experiment.
@@howtodrink Keep the whiskey the same and swap out sweeteners and bitters? See which combo shows off the whiskey in the best way? Put the bottles in front of the glasses too! We see the drink when you lift it, you avoid any more breaks, and we get to see what to look for when we shop.
@@howtodrink I said this in a comment to the video too, but an OF matrix is actually the only one that made enough of a difference for our bar training to account for it (we did it for Margaritas, Martinis, and Manhattans, but the end results weren't conclusive enough to alter our well whiskeys or to alter our training). Copy-pasted from my comment: I'd be really interested in an Old Fashioned Matrix. Muddled w/ white sugar, muddled w/ demerara sugar, unmuddled w/ white sugar (simple syrup), unmuddled w/ demerara sugar (demerara syrup), across 2 wheated bourbons, 2 high-rye bourbons, and maybe even 2 ryes. The reason I ask is that the bar I work at gives us 2 different well bourbons to use, and we use different bourbons depending on if the guest want a muddled or unmuddled Old-Fashioned. We're also trained to use white granulated sugar for our muddled drinks, but demerara syrup for our unmuddled drinks. It'd be interesting to see if you agree with that choice.
@@It-b-Blair any gin that has cassia bark and nutmeg, especially nutmeg, in the botanical bill will really amplify see those notes amplified, so that is typically my way of picking, if I had to "optimize" a gin. So...Portobello Road, Hayman's, Oxley, Citadelle would all be great. And of those I'd prob predict Oxley is the best tho I've never done a side-by-side, just because it's the highest proof and thus least watered...and thus best able to stand up to the ingredients in play.
I'll never understand why so many people want their tequila to taste like cotton candy. I splurged on a decanter of Clase Azul Reposado after seeing a bunch of stellar reviews. The stuff tastes like vanilla cotton candy with the faintest hint of agave. Casamigos Reposado was similarly disappointing.
Different cultures have a different idea of what is tasty, to be honest a lot of Americans enjoy week drinks or softer sweeter flavour, not as similar as Mexicans will like. What can be disgusting to me is probably delicious to you. Also tequila should have some delicious herbal and agave notes, first time hearing “bubblegum” and “cotton candy” taste notes.. so either those are additives or just a different way to express flavour notes.
If I had to guess, it could be less that the tequila itself has cotton candy flavouring, and more something *in* the tequila reacts with something in other drinks to make it have that effect. Because I imagine by itself, the tequilas probably taste roughly the same. I don't know, I don't drink and will never touch tequila after finding out the hand sanitizer we had to use for two years smelled exactly like tequila, which apparently smells like rancid tootsie rolls.
17:38 the "d" is silent in "grand" as it's a masculine adjective. So if you lop off the "d" on your mid-Atlantic pronunciation that's essentially correct. You would pronounce the "d" if the adjective modified a feminine noun, as in "grande vérité". Note the "e" after the "d", which indicates that the "d" will be vocalized.
4oz of 100% Agave tequila 2oz of lime juice 1oz of agave nectar 1oz of fresh orange juice a lil salt to taste and garnish with orange peel or orange bitters My favorite drink in the world
Yes to the Dry Martini matrix! Also, I just want to say that the lighting in this looks so good! It’s been a bit blown out since COVID, but this feels like a pre-COVID video with it being a bit more balanced and not as saturated. It makes me even more excited for the next HTD episode!
Correlating harsh lighting to COVID reminds me of how the cinematography in Z Nation would radically change in each season as the nature of the disaster in the show changed. More recent videos are darker and more saturated, I guess to mark the Omicron story arc.
Man, i cant tell you how much i love these matrix episodes. Thank god your filming beacuse doing this in person would be impossible to try a recollect except the top two and bottom two.
Istg when I saw “Margarita mix” I got flashbacks to good ole “Gloria” brand, which is the most scary bottled mix, because that shit tasted like Gatorade. It was scarily sweet, couldn’t detect any alcohol whatsoever.
@@redtexan7053 exactly! Here’s an experiment for the next holiday or whenever you have margarita mix on hand, put lemon lime Gatorade and Gloria right next to each other, in unmarked solo cups, and try to figure out which is which. The funny part is, it’s always going to be a 50/50 because they taste exactly the same!
I would love to see two of my favorite drinks put through the matrix: The roots daiquiri, which would be easy as the only real variable would be the rum so you could do various ages and origin countries or styles. And the hurricane, which you could use the two variables of rum and the fassionola or the various substitutes for the fasdionola used in hurricanes today.
I remember making Margaritas with Herradura (the one High Times said had "a mild hallucinatory effect"), Triple Sec and lots of limes. In the late 70's, we didn't get out much, but we did get to Nogales, Mexico to buy the tequila, though. (Wasn't imported back then.) About $4 a bottle.
He also talked like he liked the Dry Curaçao better than the rest when he tasted the Fortaleza group. Maybe he forgot what he liked best, or wanted to talk up Cointreau?
Love these matrix episodes. Even with spitting, it’s just this decent into madness as Greg is in front of the camera for such a long time and I am here for it.
So glad you started the spit bucket. I was legit worried for you during the Manhattan matrix. I would love to see you do this with the Aviation cocktail.
Casamigos is one of the best blanco tequilas I've ever had, and tequila is my favorite liquor. I don't think Keith's comment here is accurate; I mean maybe they use a diffuser (whatever that is) but my understanding is that it's a blend of several tequilas, iterated through lots and lots of mixing and tasting. It's wonderful IMO.
A great alternative for controlling how much salt goes into something like this is just a simple salt solution. I found that a quarter teaspoon of a 5% salt solution works really nicely. As does just a dash of orange bitters. I think that really elevates the drink.
So happy you made this video. I would reccommend playing around with using 3/4oz of lime instead of 1 or try something in between. It makes a huge difference sometimes and really brings out the good parts of the tequila that sometimes get overshadowed because of too much lime juice. If the orange/mandarin flavor of the triple sec is too much, maybe try using half the triple sec and adding a little sweetness (if lacking) with some simple or (my favorite) light colored agave syrup (the dark is too flavorful). It's a really fun drink to play around with how much of what you add and it can be balanced out to a near perfect place for everyone. Margaritas often get a bad rap because chains often serve them way too sweet and on crushed ice but if they're made our way, they can be so elegant.
Matrix Ideas - Martini - Gin & Tonic - Sidecar (I think this is probably the most popular daisy after the Margarita seeing as the white lady doesn't get the love it deserves) - Dark n' Stormy (if you want to risk that copyrighted recipe) - Negroni - Bee's Knees (testing the brand of gin vs types of honey would be fun) - Penicillin thiugh testing Scotch and Islay scotch would be expensive - New York Sour
I think the most important reason to have a spittoon is because if you didn't, the drinks would get progressively nicer until you reached your favourite right at the end.
Should have gone with Siete Leguas instead of Patrón. In the 90s, Patrón was made at the Siete Leguas distillery to be sold in the U.S. but in the early 2000s the companies had a falling out (lawsuits included) and now Patrón has its own distillery and is distinctly stripped of the flavor it built its reputation on.
Love the matrices, this is a great format and thankful that you have a way to do it without nearly killing yourself. As a heads up keep short bottles on your left because you don't watch your left arm like you do your right. Also don't put broken glass in a spot you already hit?
the bubblegum cotton candy flavours you mention I tend to refer to very firmly as birthday cake flavour. Specifically that, because that very specific 'birthday cake' flavour just somehow fits it perfectly
He was definitely using it, but you don't need to swallow alcohol to absorb it. Just having it in your mouth will still get into your blood stream. Not as much, obviously, but with as many drinks as he tried, he still very clearly got drunk. If he had swallowed instead of spit, he would have been on the floor instead of merry.
Already commented it once, but here I go again (although I might be wrong?): Wouldn't a whiskey sour matrix just be a line? Instead of a full square matrix
So I wanted to come back to this video to comment. I've never had a margarita before, it just never seemed to interest me. But after watching your video I bought the Casamigos tequila (boy is that excellent!) And mixed some of these up. I made a salt + lemon lime orange zest rim on the glass and boy were they good. So smooth yet incredibly lethal. Thank you for inspiring me to move out of my comfort zone! This is now the fourth drink I've made of yours from the show! Keep it up Greg!
This is really interesting, Espalone Cointreau is my go to margarita. But I am on of those islay scotch people so maybe I just can't taste the rubber notes he is. Different palettes are fascinating.
I personally always go with Espolón and Dry Curacao and I always love it, same with my wife who really doesnt like those harsher notes like you get in Mezcal. Maybe he just got an off batch?
I love these types of shows please do more. I’d love to see martini gin vs dry vermouth, also a boulevardier or Negroni matrix where you keep Campari constant
Greg learns from his past transgression (the Manhattan mistake)! He almost made it without incident. Thanks for taking one for the team. Yes to a dry martini matrix, preferably with gin 😁
Dark and Stormy, a matrix of dark rums and ginger beers. I would love to see a matrix of rum cocktails. Each dark rum and ginger beer would bring something unique to the drink.
Question: Even with you spitting were you at all feeling anything? Just curious if even just whatever is left in your mouth after a spit would catch up to you.
I'm in the industry and when we go on trade shows they put us up in rooms because even just tasting and spittimg you get a buzz going after awhile of swirling and spitting.
Hey Greg, as a Spanish speaker I can tell you "Casamigos" is gibberish. "Casa de Amigos" is "Friends' House" but that's not what they wrote. Stay frosty!
I went out and bought some Casamigos to replicate your top pick. I 100% agree with your tasting notes and love the combination. I interestingly already had been making your top pick for the Manhattan episode, so maybe we share some taste-bud preferences. Great video!
its margarita season, and now that we're FINALLY getting good quality tequila in the UK i thought i''d rewatch this, and I totally agree, a margarita does not need extra sweetness. its supposed to be tart, dry, salty and refreshing, not a candy sweet slushie
My favorite orange liqueur for margaritas is actually Rhum JM Creole Shrubb, but I also drink my margs with Mezcal so the Rhum Agricole and spices work with the mezcal super well!
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A Negroni Matrix would be great!
just as a friendly viewer... please try to drink water... not just a sip to clense... its waaaaaaaaaaay better to go to pee lots of times than to watch you fall slowly into alcoholism
I think that it would be hella cool if you put the "disco label" gins into the martini matrix- by that I mean Kirkland Signature (Costco), Members Mark (Sam's club), and Admiral Joseph's (Trader Joe's). I know you gotta keep the matrix small, but thought it might be interesting to have someone compare those to some more standard fare.
(If you want suggestions for a more conventional Gin matrix, I'd vote Bombay sapphire, Hendricks, Aviation, Beefeater, and maybe Tanqueray. But that "warehouse club" matrix (perhaps with a couple conventional choices) would be awesome, even it it were supplemental content.)
@@revgeorge1977 Definitely Tanqueray! I prefer more juniper-forward gins in a martini, and Tanqueray is my favorite.
I don't know if this is a mistake, but when first tasting, you say that Fortaleza & Dry Curacao is your favorite but then go on to say your favorite was Fortaleza & Cointreau.
Greg is sounding a lot better at the beginning of this one compared to the last matrix. I'm guessing that bucket has something to do with it.
I had someone make me a Marg once at their party, didn't think anything of it said sure I'll take one. They made it with Mezcal and Grand and it tasted like a tire fire started with diesel. Worst thing I've drank.
I'm up for the martini matrix but I'm really here for the daiquiri matrix.
Negroni matrix. Exponentially larger counter space required.
@@jpcampbell that’s calling for a 3D matrix, for sure!
I'd love a gin & tonic matrix. Side note, I'd like to see you do a "celebrity label" taste test. I never know if their brands are worth the money.
I absolutely second this, gin is so complex and the right tonic can really make or break it. I do wonder how he would make them fresh though, it might be difficult considering it's a fizzy drink. Could see him going through a lot of tonics
My go-to tonic has been fever tree... I took a trip to a local distillery, and tasted a bunch of gins, and picked out what I thought would be an amazing one. Bad choice. The combination was nearly undrinkably chemical tasting. All the aromatics combined into an awful funk.
My current gin of choice has been Aviation, but ive been given a sample of The Botanist to try. I used to make them with B.S. but i couldnt enjoy that anymore after aviation.
Chances are, they aren't. There's a reason why they're using a celebrity to market it
Would looooove this one!
From what I've read, celeb labels are generally not great.
I don't drink at all but this is a fascinating channel.
How do you know someone doesn’t drink?
Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
@@TehPwnographer How do you know someone’s an asshole? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.
@@Mark-dy7ms 🤣 Savage, but so true!
I used to have a drinking problem and channels like this have really helped me temper it. I've become more of a "quality over quantity" drinker. Much nicer to really appreciate the complexities of a drink you made and enjoy a light buzz than to hold your nose and guzzle fingernail polish to get as drunk as possible.
@@Neotenico That's awesome. Good for you for finding something that helps you moderate effectively! That's no small accomplishment.
if you ever do this again, after reviewing a row you should remove the ones you dont like for two reasons. 1) easier for the audience to remember the best one. and 2) easier for you to grab drinks! Maybe even put down tape to make it easier for viewers to see the which is which.
I was thinking the same thing!
Maybe an idea for the next time you do a matrix like this: get some green, orange and red stickers (or something to identify the glasses) and rank the rows with them from favourite, doable and nasty? Makes it easier to see which one did best overal etc.
Yes! And I like the idea of him bestowing something to each drink so maybe it can be like different colored umbrellas.
This. I found myself losing track by around the 23 minute mark. This would make these already great videos infinitely more enjoyable to keep up with
Yes I love this, then he could pull out all the “good” ones at the end and crown a champion
I thought the same. Put a coaster on the row winners
This
"Gran Marnier" is the correct prononciation for "Grand Marnier".
It's French, so we don't pronounce half the letters, including that d in particular.
None of this makes sense and you are welcome.
my last name is Marinier, that’s basically how I explain how to pronounce my name to non-french speaking people.
If you’re not using the “D” in that word, where ARE you putting the d? 😳
On today's episode, a metal bucket saves Greg's life.
Nah, he would have survived those sips even if he would be seriously drunk and get that terrible tequila hangover the day after. So it probably saved the episodes since I doubt Greg would have been a good judge at the end otherwise.
I did a one bottle tequila race once and survived (even if I felt I was in hell the day after) and that is way more then 28 sips margarita. It did however make me sick every time someone even mentioned tequila for 10 years after that and while I can drink cocktails with tequila in today I still can't shot it anymore.
Worst hangover I ever had in my life, worst then the time we had some bottles of Lajita mezcal and a drinking game but I am still alive.
I got a little concerned when I saw the thumbnail
@@SquishyMon He learned his lesson thankfully.
I dont think he used it every time like he said he would
You know what I'll double down and say he drank more than he spit
@@Brian_Tylor I'm assuming he spit out all the bad tasting versions and drank the good ones. But so what? We already know Greg loves drinking cocktails, the bucket is more so he doesn't get incredible drunk and screw up the show then anything else.
And I think some of those versions deserved to be spit out, Grand Marnier is a nice orange liqueur but it is not made for this type of drink.If you want to make a Comet, a Playmate Martini or a Pink palace it works excellent but a "Million dollar margerita" just isn't very good no matter what tequila or mezcal you use for it (I might be wrong, there might be something that works but I sure hasn't tried it).
Drink matrices are by far my favorite thing you do. Making fictional stuff is awesome, but this is so helpful in making my own stuff and knowing what ingredients I should try and get.
Greg: I got a spit bucket, I'm making better choices
Also Greg: Let me just put this big shard of broken glass in the middle of my workspace
Baby steps
You should totally do a Negroni matrix. Personally found huge/interesting differences when changing the Gin and Vermouth around. Also love these video's! your Manhattan one helped me find the best one for myself!
Yes, this! The negroni is my favorite cocktail, and the varied results from different gins and vermouth keeps me trying new combinations. Would love to hear Greg's opinion.
Ditto
Totally on board with this that would be a very unique matrix. I've found my favorite combo is Bluecoat Barrel Aged Gin, Peychauds Apertivo and Colin Sweet Vermouth.
Yes. Negroni is Taylor made for a matrix episode.
I would love a Martini matrix but a Negroni matrix might be even better !
I know you said there were a lot of awful, lazy cocktails from the late 70s Disco scene, ever thought about making a cursed cocktail episode on those, or improved versions of them?
Alien brain hemorrhage and cement mixer comes to mind.
There’s another bartuber if ur curious, Bruce at BarTalk&Cocktails, who I feel like embodies that late 70s era lol. He does good drinks and bad ones, and his channel is a delight
@@stothecb I preferred Irish Car Bomb for the name. 🥴
Edit: I guess if you wanted to drag it into this Century it would be an Irish VBID. 🤭
Oh boy do I have good news for you
At 10:47 Greg says that his favorite Fortaleza is with Dry Curaçao, then spends the rest of the episode saying his favorite was Fortaleza with Cointreau, starting at 14:05. Loved the episode just wanted to address the continuity, and find out which was actually your favorite.
I've had this exact comparison. IMO Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao is much better than Cointreau
His favorite overall was Casamigos - Curaçao
We will never know because he never went back and forth to the original winner lol
28:24 interesting that that happened with the Tromba of all bottles. On an episode of Cold Ones Max and Chad mentioned that the bottle has a rounded bottom which makes it easier to knock over
well there you have it
That sounds a really dangerous design flaw
Or… a clever ploy to make you need to buy it again since it broke?
It totally had nothing to do with an ever increasing level of drunkenness from absorbing alcohol through the palette and the bottle placed in direct line of arm 😄
Gin and tonic matrix: different gins and different tonics
I did this for my birthday this year after seeing his other video. Conclusion: all fancy tonics taste like ass, or at least worse than the cheap stuff.
@@ADBBuild we appreciate your findings
Yes plss
@@ADBBuild the expensive tonic is more close to historical tonic and historical tonic was pretty ass tasting stuff
Definitely gin and tonic
Greg´s Liver:"Wait, don´t you think this is a bit early?"
Margaritaville:"Heaven or Hell. Round 2. Let´s Rock!"
Ah, I see you are a Guilty Gear enjoyer as well
HEVEANLY LIVER BUSTER
The doctor said 6 months the clock marks 90 seconds
when are we getting a Strive character with a Jimmy Buffett inspired track smh
Lets do some GG sets over 'ritas ya nerds :-p
Normal person: “Aerated”
Greg: “Aromaticized”
You are so right! But you know what I like Greg’s proprietary nomenclature 😂
“I’m trying to imagine it’s a really hot day, like it’s 95”.
Greetings from Sacramento, where it’s currently 109! 95 sounds nice.
Howdy from Phoenix where it's about 118.
@@DarthUmbra Phoenix should not exist. It is a monument to man’s arrogance
@@DarthUmbra humidity makes it way worse tho, I’d rather it be 118 and dry than 100 and humid
Its 94 now in Texas, but our electrical grid is only setup for the 80's.
Sammeeeee bro here in fresno:(
I would love to see a MULE MATRIX with a lineup of vodkas and ginger beers. i feel it would be interesting to see what the different vodkas (that are supposed to be exactly the same but we know they aren't due to the tasting game episode) would bring to the table as well as see some of Greg's opinions on the other ginger beers out there besides reeds. Not to mention it fits the alliterative naming scheme.
I second this
I've had many a Maine Root x Tito's in my life. Would love a matrix
Oh boy this isn’t going to end well
Edit: never mind he learned from the Manhattan video 😂
What a glorious episode that was!
That was a fantastic episode
Greg may make every possible mistake, but he only makes them ONCE
Tromba was not available for comment.
It’s the middle of the year; it’d be cool to see you do a “favorite” drink of yours from each season to ring in the middle of the year. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. I’d love to see it!
That is a great idea for a few shows!
But... Fortaleza and dry curacao won the fortaleza, but you compared going forward with the cointreau...
Yeah that really screwed with me. Perhaps you ought to take some quick notes when doing a matrix? Because now it kind of made the comparison slanted, you never went back to the one you initally called the best one so we don't know whether that was your favorite.
I mean, it's hardly life or death, but that was kinda the point of the video...
@@JohannesWiberg fucking håller med mannen unsubba kappa
Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that 😄
I was looking to make same comment. Feel like the whole thing got lost because he kept going back to cointreau instead of the Curacao for comparison.
Yup. Was reviewing the comments for exactly this. Unfortunate it was the first one so everything else was messed up. Better do it all over again Greg!
So… in my vast experience with margaritas. I found that the limes themselves have a big impact. It depends on the ripeness and how sweet or tart the individual lime is. Just wondering Greg if you squeezed all the lime juice into one container then stirred it up before you made all of those margaritas?
They had the lime juice bottle in the shot accidentally after the break so it seems like that’s how they did it
@@Himbo_for_Christ where do you see that?
@@ozymandias3456 23:16
@@NoodleKeeper thanks, I thought I was looking for like a plastic bottle of ore squeezed juice and was shocked Greg would do that haha
The spit bucket makes a whole lot more sense knowing Greg takes comically oversized monster sips. 28 sips for me would be what, 3 or 4 cocktails? Bit much over a short period but not that crazy. 28 of what he measured would be madness.
It makes sense both ways. 3-4 cocktails is still a lot before taking extra comparing sips into account. The spit bucket is a thing also for non alcoholic drinks like coffee to make you not get super hyper.
Well at a previous episode he made the mistake to not use a bucket , and it went terribly wrong for him
@@RM19061 I was shocked when he did the math of how much at minimum he could have drank … but now seeing this episode, and him actually confirming how large his casual sip is … how did he not die during that Manhattan matrix!??? THATS SO MUCH ALCOHOL 😢 I hope he didn’t have to go to the hospital! I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.
I love the descriptions of taste notes…petrochemical, burning tires, and bile stood out above the cotton candy and bubblegum. Great episode
A rum and cola matrix could be fun, especially considering different regional colas or even homemade cola.
halfway through the matrix, we see how alcohol can be ingested through sublingual absorption
Aha yes! the alcohol permeability of oral epithelium.
And unfortunately we all know the other creative ways folks " ingest" booze.
James McNulty any mucosal membrane will absorb! Snort it, vaginally, anally, SL, Buccal…. All technically effective for getting drugs into the system
@@jamesmcnulty2841 Late, but...I heard about a couple teenagers (or young men, it was vage) who had the incredibly BRIGHT idea to put alcohol in a vape. This was years ago, when vaping hadn't yet been assigned to another ostracized part of society, like beanies to hipsters or gold chains to rappers.
The ethanol went directly into their blood through their lungs and it was BAD.
I can't remember it clearly enough, but they were either hospitalized or fucking died.
@@operatorchakkoty4257 fuck me dizzy, that’s awful
As a former college binge drinker - yes Jose Cuervo was the party tequila of choice.
Usually was the gold handle though.
In recent years, Sauza and Margaritaville have become the go-to's around my campus because it's usually a few dollars less per handle.
Oh yes, Gold Jose Cuervo has an absolutely trashed reputation as anything other than a bottle full of regret.
@@VelvetTeacake gold Cuervo was sold at every gas station and liquor store in Iowa city. Great horrible stuff
Cuervo is why I quit tequila. One whiff of it and my liver starts screaming "oh hell naw!"
Jose is definitely the choice for someone that doesn't know better. Always tasted like caramel syrup to me... El Jimador is the same price with better taste.
These matrix episodes are fascinating, and look like a ton of work. Thanks for putting in the time
Oh yah dude a Martini matrix would be fantastic - I'd just be weary about that leading you down a rabbit hole of every other 'classic' cocktail - an Old Fashioned matrix could be hell - comparing syrups, to sugar cubes, to different kinds of whisk(e)y, and different types of citrus peels etc...
I feel like an OF matrix kinda misses the point though, the deal with an OF is that it shows off the whiskey, there’s no perfect version, they’re all perfect.
I think an Old Fashioned matrix would work similarly to the margarita. Bourbons or Ryes in one row, sweeteners or bitters in another. Stay with ango bitters or your preferred sweetener, depending on what you're comparing in the matrix, and orange peel to control the experiment.
Seconded for martini matrix!
@@howtodrink Keep the whiskey the same and swap out sweeteners and bitters? See which combo shows off the whiskey in the best way?
Put the bottles in front of the glasses too! We see the drink when you lift it, you avoid any more breaks, and we get to see what to look for when we shop.
@@howtodrink I said this in a comment to the video too, but an OF matrix is actually the only one that made enough of a difference for our bar training to account for it (we did it for Margaritas, Martinis, and Manhattans, but the end results weren't conclusive enough to alter our well whiskeys or to alter our training).
Copy-pasted from my comment:
I'd be really interested in an Old Fashioned Matrix.
Muddled w/ white sugar, muddled w/ demerara sugar, unmuddled w/ white sugar (simple syrup), unmuddled w/ demerara sugar (demerara syrup), across 2 wheated bourbons, 2 high-rye bourbons, and maybe even 2 ryes.
The reason I ask is that the bar I work at gives us 2 different well bourbons to use, and we use different bourbons depending on if the guest want a muddled or unmuddled Old-Fashioned. We're also trained to use white granulated sugar for our muddled drinks, but demerara syrup for our unmuddled drinks. It'd be interesting to see if you agree with that choice.
The way the tasting notes fights with Greg is honestly great writing :D
As for matrixes, I have many friends who would love a Negroni Matrix. Especially with how few ingredients are in a Negroni.
take 1.5 gin. 3/4 cocchi di torino, .5 campari. for a spin
@@OrloTheM3D1C which gin? They vary so much...
@@It-b-Blair any gin that has cassia bark and nutmeg, especially nutmeg, in the botanical bill will really amplify see those notes amplified, so that is typically my way of picking, if I had to "optimize" a gin.
So...Portobello Road, Hayman's, Oxley, Citadelle would all be great.
And of those I'd prob predict Oxley is the best tho I've never done a side-by-side, just because it's the highest proof and thus least watered...and thus best able to stand up to the ingredients in play.
I'll never understand why so many people want their tequila to taste like cotton candy. I splurged on a decanter of Clase Azul Reposado after seeing a bunch of stellar reviews. The stuff tastes like vanilla cotton candy with the faintest hint of agave. Casamigos Reposado was similarly disappointing.
Both of those are additive tequilas
a lot of people dont like how alcohol tastes. its why a lot of cocktails are designed to mask a lot of the alcohol flavor
Different cultures have a different idea of what is tasty, to be honest a lot of Americans enjoy week drinks or softer sweeter flavour, not as similar as Mexicans will like. What can be disgusting to me is probably delicious to you. Also tequila should have some delicious herbal and agave notes, first time hearing “bubblegum” and “cotton candy” taste notes.. so either those are additives or just a different way to express flavour notes.
If I had to guess, it could be less that the tequila itself has cotton candy flavouring, and more something *in* the tequila reacts with something in other drinks to make it have that effect. Because I imagine by itself, the tequilas probably taste roughly the same. I don't know, I don't drink and will never touch tequila after finding out the hand sanitizer we had to use for two years smelled exactly like tequila, which apparently smells like rancid tootsie rolls.
17:38 the "d" is silent in "grand" as it's a masculine adjective. So if you lop off the "d" on your mid-Atlantic pronunciation that's essentially correct. You would pronounce the "d" if the adjective modified a feminine noun, as in "grande vérité". Note the "e" after the "d", which indicates that the "d" will be vocalized.
4oz of 100% Agave tequila
2oz of lime juice
1oz of agave nectar
1oz of fresh orange juice
a lil salt to taste and garnish with orange peel or orange bitters
My favorite drink in the world
Yes to the Dry Martini matrix!
Also, I just want to say that the lighting in this looks so good! It’s been a bit blown out since COVID, but this feels like a pre-COVID video with it being a bit more balanced and not as saturated. It makes me even more excited for the next HTD episode!
Correlating harsh lighting to COVID reminds me of how the cinematography in Z Nation would radically change in each season as the nature of the disaster in the show changed. More recent videos are darker and more saturated, I guess to mark the Omicron story arc.
Grand Mariner absolutely belongs in a Margarita! 🍹 Im drinking one now and its delicious!
I'd guess Greg got about as drunk as he was half way through the Manhattan video. That's about the right level of hilariously drunk.
Man, i cant tell you how much i love these matrix episodes. Thank god your filming beacuse doing this in person would be impossible to try a recollect except the top two and bottom two.
Istg when I saw “Margarita mix” I got flashbacks to good ole “Gloria” brand, which is the most scary bottled mix, because that shit tasted like Gatorade. It was scarily sweet, couldn’t detect any alcohol whatsoever.
Gloria puts you out so fucking fast. That almost soda pop flavor profile has no idea how much you’re drinking until it’s already way too late.
Sounds like the costco mix.. really sweet and no alcohol taste.
@@redtexan7053 exactly! Here’s an experiment for the next holiday or whenever you have margarita mix on hand, put lemon lime Gatorade and Gloria right next to each other, in unmarked solo cups, and try to figure out which is which.
The funny part is, it’s always going to be a 50/50 because they taste exactly the same!
I would love to see two of my favorite drinks put through the matrix:
The roots daiquiri, which would be easy as the only real variable would be the rum so you could do various ages and origin countries or styles.
And the hurricane, which you could use the two variables of rum and the fassionola or the various substitutes for the fasdionola used in hurricanes today.
Greg's face on the thumbnail tho 😂 it's like he's having a flashback to the rye and vermouth ep
I adore how much of a classic movie nerd Greg is. Mid-Atlantic, pre-code, he sounds like my dad and I love it
I remember making Margaritas with Herradura (the one High Times said had "a mild hallucinatory effect"), Triple Sec and lots of limes. In the late 70's, we didn't get out much, but we did get to Nogales, Mexico to buy the tequila, though. (Wasn't imported back then.) About $4 a bottle.
I really like Herradura. It has an interesting almost chocolate finish.
"Surprise tire fire" is a legendary tasting note, thank you for that.
It said on the screen "Fortalez winner: Dry Curacao" but you kept saying Cointreau.
He also talked like he liked the Dry Curaçao better than the rest when he tasted the Fortaleza group. Maybe he forgot what he liked best, or wanted to talk up Cointreau?
I thought I was going crazy. Had to rewind and make sure. Triple check in the comments lol.
Next matrix should be gin and tonic
Love how you can actually see the change in texture after shaking, from the text to the practice
Don’t like margaritas.. but love the scientific method!
Love these matrix episodes. Even with spitting, it’s just this decent into madness as Greg is in front of the camera for such a long time and I am here for it.
So glad you started the spit bucket. I was legit worried for you during the Manhattan matrix. I would love to see you do this with the Aviation cocktail.
Margaritas absolutely don't need a "sweet note". Totally agree! Too often it's included and not disclosed.
Well guess I have to pick up a bottle of Casamigos. Seems like every show here makes my collection grow. A whiskey sour matrix would be great.
But that wouldn't be a matrix, right? Just a line...
@@jellezegers that is a good point. I guess it could have different whiskey on one row then the other be different recipes
Seriously, just no. They use a diffuser, its all branding.
Casamigos is one of the best blanco tequilas I've ever had, and tequila is my favorite liquor. I don't think Keith's comment here is accurate; I mean maybe they use a diffuser (whatever that is) but my understanding is that it's a blend of several tequilas, iterated through lots and lots of mixing and tasting. It's wonderful IMO.
A great alternative for controlling how much salt goes into something like this is just a simple salt solution. I found that a quarter teaspoon of a 5% salt solution works really nicely. As does just a dash of orange bitters. I think that really elevates the drink.
TFW $50 tequila(Julio and Patron) pair the best with dirt cheap Triple Sec
Two meh tequilaa deserve nothing better.
Only good tequila on the roster is fortaleza.
Yes, absolutely, a dry martini matrix would be fantastic.
You should do an episode on the Jägerita. I know, it sounds like a mistake, but it's genuinely brilliant.
So happy you made this video. I would reccommend playing around with using 3/4oz of lime instead of 1 or try something in between. It makes a huge difference sometimes and really brings out the good parts of the tequila that sometimes get overshadowed because of too much lime juice. If the orange/mandarin flavor of the triple sec is too much, maybe try using half the triple sec and adding a little sweetness (if lacking) with some simple or (my favorite) light colored agave syrup (the dark is too flavorful). It's a really fun drink to play around with how much of what you add and it can be balanced out to a near perfect place for everyone. Margaritas often get a bad rap because chains often serve them way too sweet and on crushed ice but if they're made our way, they can be so elegant.
Matrix Ideas
- Martini
- Gin & Tonic
- Sidecar (I think this is probably the most popular daisy after the Margarita seeing as the white lady doesn't get the love it deserves)
- Dark n' Stormy (if you want to risk that copyrighted recipe)
- Negroni
- Bee's Knees (testing the brand of gin vs types of honey would be fun)
- Penicillin thiugh testing Scotch and Islay scotch would be expensive
- New York Sour
I think a Moscow mule matrix would be pretty good too. See how the different vodkas deal with the sweet or spicy levels of the ginger beer
I think the most important reason to have a spittoon is because if you didn't, the drinks would get progressively nicer until you reached your favourite right at the end.
24:25 Greg thank you so much for validating my tastebuds! My friends all said I was crazy when I thought our patron margaritas tasted like vomit.
Should have gone with Siete Leguas instead of Patrón. In the 90s, Patrón was made at the Siete Leguas distillery to be sold in the U.S. but in the early 2000s the companies had a falling out (lawsuits included) and now Patrón has its own distillery and is distinctly stripped of the flavor it built its reputation on.
This show makes me so happy and I don't think I could count the amount of times i've gone back to like an episode... right after I just liked it.
Who knew that the orange liquor comparison vid would evolve into the margarita matrix?
Love the matrices, this is a great format and thankful that you have a way to do it without nearly killing yourself. As a heads up keep short bottles on your left because you don't watch your left arm like you do your right. Also don't put broken glass in a spot you already hit?
the bubblegum cotton candy flavours you mention I tend to refer to very firmly as birthday cake flavour. Specifically that, because that very specific 'birthday cake' flavour just somehow fits it perfectly
Yup, birthday cake or cake mix is a very common tasting note in additive-heavy tequilas like casamigos.
it would be cool to overlay a grid table and show us your favorite combinations! always fun to watch
I love the thought that the spit bucket is there, and probably used, but never actually see him spitting it out so he's getting absolutely sloshed 🤣
No man he got hammered in the Manhattan one so I think he learned his lesson
You can hear by the end how much heavier it is when he puts it down
Lol yes such a waste to spit ‘em out but I think he is editing to spare us seeing it.
He was definitely using it, but you don't need to swallow alcohol to absorb it. Just having it in your mouth will still get into your blood stream. Not as much, obviously, but with as many drinks as he tried, he still very clearly got drunk. If he had swallowed instead of spit, he would have been on the floor instead of merry.
My hero. Just tried Casamigos with Cointreau and I’m in love. Thank you for your sacrifice.
Eventually I would like to see a matrix of Gin and Tonic and one of Whiskey Sour
Already commented it once, but here I go again (although I might be wrong?): Wouldn't a whiskey sour matrix just be a line? Instead of a full square matrix
@@jellezegers yeah I realized how pointless my comment was shortly after posting it but forgot to delete it
@@ghost64626 ahaha no problem
Bro! You missed the Damiana Margarita. I had one at Red Iguana in SLC and I fell in love.
As someone with a bottle of damiana, I prefer a nice Baja Scotch to show off those floral notes. But it does margarita-fy quite well
@@IncandescentFlame The Damiana margarita is actually a classic, though I’m ashamed to admit I’ve only been aware of it for a couple of years now.
Greg: I don't put sweetener in my margaritas.
Also Greg: these are all too tart.
Lol fr
So I wanted to come back to this video to comment.
I've never had a margarita before, it just never seemed to interest me.
But after watching your video I bought the Casamigos tequila (boy is that excellent!) And mixed some of these up.
I made a salt + lemon lime orange zest rim on the glass and boy were they good. So smooth yet incredibly lethal.
Thank you for inspiring me to move out of my comfort zone! This is now the fourth drink I've made of yours from the show! Keep it up Greg!
This is really interesting, Espalone Cointreau is my go to margarita. But I am on of those islay scotch people so maybe I just can't taste the rubber notes he is. Different palettes are fascinating.
I personally always go with Espolón and Dry Curacao and I always love it, same with my wife who really doesnt like those harsher notes like you get in Mezcal. Maybe he just got an off batch?
Daiquiri would be a cool matrix. Cheers!
“Unwanted Banama” sounds like the name of either a swing band of sex educators or an MTF punk band.
That joke is v much appreciated
That would be a wonderful punk band.
Ahahaha brilliant comment
Omg thank you for this! Lmfao
I love these types of shows please do more. I’d love to see martini gin vs dry vermouth, also a boulevardier or Negroni matrix where you keep Campari constant
I WAS LITERALLY SINGING MARGARITAVILLE SECONDS BEFORE THIS WAS POSTED, GREG. WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING??
Wastin away again in margaritaville!
You summoned him I guess.
Greg learns from his past transgression (the Manhattan mistake)! He almost made it without incident. Thanks for taking one for the team. Yes to a dry martini matrix, preferably with gin 😁
Me texting everyone I know who watches HTD: Oh god. OH GOD. He did it AGAIN.
Cringe comment
Dark and Stormy, a matrix of dark rums and ginger beers. I would love to see a matrix of rum cocktails. Each dark rum and ginger beer would bring something unique to the drink.
With the week I’ve had 28 margaritas sounds just right.
Yes please; a dry martini matrix would be awesome. Thanks for all the wonderful content.
"Unwanted banana"
Flashbacks to the summer camp incident
Love the data analysis approach to drinking.
A "Testing every possible Margarita | How to Drink | Reposado Remix" would be PRETTY RAD if i do say so myself
I really like the idea of matrix drinking. Now I have a plan for the weekend. Thx mate.
Question: Even with you spitting were you at all feeling anything? Just curious if even just whatever is left in your mouth after a spit would catch up to you.
I do remember years ago being told by my medical assistant instructor that even if spitting out alcohol it will slowly catch up to you.
It would make sense that it would. After all a first aid treatment for a suspected heart attack is to place an aspirin under the tongue
I'm in the industry and when we go on trade shows they put us up in rooms because even just tasting and spittimg you get a buzz going after awhile of swirling and spitting.
When you have 32 margaritas, which will be >25%, even a little bit will pretty quickly catch up with you.
So fun fact you absorb 5% of what you drink through your mouth and tongue so even with spitting he is getting some alcohol.
Hey Greg, as a Spanish speaker I can tell you "Casamigos" is gibberish. "Casa de Amigos" is "Friends' House" but that's not what they wrote. Stay frosty!
Cloomquila sounds like the pervy uncle of the chinchilla.
Getting a Some Like it Hot AND a Singin in the Rain reference in the same video? Greg, you’re spoiling me!
You could have just named this video "Wasting away again"
although, antithetical to the tone of that title, this is good content as always.
I went out and bought some Casamigos to replicate your top pick. I 100% agree with your tasting notes and love the combination. I interestingly already had been making your top pick for the Manhattan episode, so maybe we share some taste-bud preferences. Great video!
Jose Cuervo Traditional is also 100% agave for like 3 bucks more than Gold
It’s made with a diffuser though, which you want to stay away from.
glad to hear you are getting the crew back!
lovely episode as always
Suggestion to put a compilation of him spitting into the bucket every time at the end because I think that would be funny
its margarita season, and now that we're FINALLY getting good quality tequila in the UK i thought i''d rewatch this, and I totally agree, a margarita does not need extra sweetness. its supposed to be tart, dry, salty and refreshing, not a candy sweet slushie
Yay first.
Commenting for the algorithm. Looking forward to watching. It is the perfect weekend for margaritas.
My favorite orange liqueur for margaritas is actually Rhum JM Creole Shrubb, but I also drink my margs with Mezcal so the Rhum Agricole and spices work with the mezcal super well!
Greg: Oh here I go making mistakes again!