My primary brand of libation is Crown Royal whiskey. It goes okay with most flavors of eggnog (but not Pumpkin Spice flavor…eyyeww!!) but I get the feeling I could do better. Any recommendations?
(Please note, I’m not a big fan of rum or vodka…anything else goes, however.)
I bought this pre-mixed Pennsylvania Dutch eggnog for a joke this year and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. Not as sweet or tooth-coatingly sweet, it is made with Brandy, Whiskey AND Rum.
And I have a whole new appreciation for alcoholic egg nog and for keeping some in the 'fridge for a late-night nip!
I did a taste test a couple of years ago and indeed, brandy or cognac is the best, followed by bourbon. Rum, for some reason, tastes kind of harsh in egg nog.
See my previous. Christian Brothers make a perfectly serviceable brandy that is just the right sweetness to add to coffee, eggnog and the like. $7.99/750ml at my local Bevmo.
My mother used rum–I’m not sure what brand. I thought it tasted nasty (and I tasted it accidentally–my parents didn’t let me get bombed when I was a kid.)
It was effective though, particularly that Christmas Eve in '72 when she looked out the window and saw Santa.:eek:
I am also going to go with Brandy or Bourbon. I like the suggestion of Christian Brothers for Brandy, and will suggest Old Forester as the Bourbon. Makers or (other wheaty brands) would be good too, but I don’t generally keep a bottle of Makers in the house.
Old Forester is a really fantastic bourbon for mixing in things that could stand to be improved with a bit of bourbon flavor. It’s cheap enough so you won’t mind wasting it as a mixer, and good enough that you will want to drink it.
My strong suggestion is that you put the liquor in the cup and the fill it up with eggnog rather than to add the liquor after you fill up the cup. I find that no matter how much you stir you can’t really get them to mix properly if you add the liquor second and you end up with a top half a cup of strong eggnog and a bottom half a cup of virgin eggnog.
Irish Whiskey goes well with soy nog - I put it in the Silk brand with a generous dusting of nutmeg. Both Bushmills and Tullamore Dew work very nicely, and it significantly improves the flavor.