Help Atomic Cocktail find Old Tom Gin & Batavia Arrack

Help your ol' pal Atomic Cocktail: I'm searching for but cannot find the following alcoholic beverages:

OLD TOM GIN: There are 3 types of gin, Dry Gin (almost all gins today are "dry"), Plymouth and Old Tom Gin. Old Tom is a sweetened version that was commonly used in many cocktails until recently. It is still made in England but have been unable to find it anywhere in the US. I've found Plymouth Gin at beverage Warehouse in Marina del Rey, Ca.

BATAVIA ARRACK: Made in Indonesia, it's a rum style liquor distilled from rice and/or coconut juice. Not to be confused with Middle Eastern Arak or Raki, the anise flavored alcohol (like ouzo). I found it's popular in the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. It was very popular for flavoring punches in the US.

So help AC track down these nectars and I'll raise my glass to you while I poison myself.

A Dutch company has Batavia Arrack showing on their product page:
Batavia Arrack
With any luck, Beverage Warehouse may be able to order some through a distributor that deals with E&A Scheer.

Good luck & keep us posted!

Wray & Nephew in Jamaica also makes Old Tom Gin. So you could fly to Jamaica and pick some up while you're picking up Pimento Liqueur. Oh, grab me a couple of bottles while you're down there. :wink:

Some interesting trivia. The original Tom Collins was made with Old Tom gin, while a John Collins was made with London dry gin. Now a Tom Collins is made with dry gin, while a John Collins is made with whiskey.

Websie quote;
"Tom Collins"
Some say that the Tom Collins was named after "Old Tom" Gin which is a sweetened gin used rarely today. Most older recipes call for "Old Tom"."

Hey Atomic,

I've been trying to locate Plymouth Gin Navy Strength to no avail. Have you been able to locate a source for it?

http://www.plymouthgin.com/index.cfm?articleid=86
"At a hefty strength of 57% abv, Navy Strength offers a more intense and rich taste to the Original Strength. The fragrant and aromatic botanicals are amplified at this stronger strength..."

It's my understanding that the Navy Strength gin is what made Plymouth Gin famous, not the watered down so-called "original" version.

Any leads?

Plymouth Gin is a regular BevMo item and is available in store and at BevMo.com for your convenience. Thank you and have a nice day.

Would you like help out to your car with that today?

Plymouth Gin is a regular BevMo...

But NOT the Navy Strength (along with the Sloe Gin and liqueurs). Only Plymouth Gin Orginal Strength is available in the US.

I haven't tried any international shipping sites... but I know they are there.

JerseyRED is right. BevMo only carries the "Original" Plymouth Gin, not the Navy Strength. Last week I spoke to the manager of the Torrance BevMo and was told that they can't even special order the Navy Strength.

I've looked on the internet and have so far only found one place selling it but they won't ship to the U.S.

Martiki, maybe you can pull some strings and get BevMo to find a distributor that can get Navy Strength Plymouth, Old Tom Gin & Batavia Arrack ????

Sorry- didn't read that closely enough.

The system at BevMo identifies many products that BevMo doesn't carry, but are known to be carried by the distributors it works with. For example, Black Strap is something not on the shelves, but is something they can order.

If they're not in the system, it will be tough to get, but you might ask your local BevMo manager to contact the distributor for Plymouth to see if they can come up with the Navy Strength. It's no problem for him to check- just a quick email. No guarantees, though.

Wow, that site really makes me long to find a well made decent Sloe Gin. Any domestic ideas?

I haven't had any luck in the U.S. with Plymouth Navy either. I plan to get some on my next trip to the U.K. (or plead with a friend who's heading over there). I hate mailordering from overseas because you pay more for the shipping than for the bottle.

As for Sloe Gin, I'm a fan and here's what I've learned (in order of preference):

Plymouth Sloe Gin - you'll never find it in the U.S.. It's even hard to find in the U.K., but worth it. It's one of the only 'real' sloe gins left and tastes nothing like modern imitation products.

Bols Sloe Gin - A decent sloe gin which will work just fine for most cocktails. Sporadically available in the U.S..

Dekuyper Sloe Gin - Another decent sloe gin you'll find around in the U.S. It's a tossup between this and the Bols.

Arrow Sloe Gin - Not as good as Bols or Dekuypers. But use it if it's all you've got.

Hiram Walker Sloe Gin - Not worth using, even if it's all you've got. It's half the proof of other sloe gins and tastes like watered down cough syrup mixed with Rose's grenadine. It won't give you even an approximation of what the cocktail you're trying to make should taste like.

So that's my review of all of the above (which I own). The one I haven't tried is called Mohawk Sloe Gin (which Dr. Cocktail recommends as the best U.S. make). It is only available in a few states (NY, MA and LA for example) and I'm still tracking it down.

To continue hijacking this thread re: Plymouth Gin, I should pass this along:

I've heard that Junipero gin (made in San Francisco by the folks who make Anchor Steam beer) is a good approximation of Plymouth Navy Strength gin. But I've never tried the two side by side so I can't say.
Maybe someone else out there will let us know?

It's available at bevmo among other places.

JaredB,

I've seen Plymouth Gin at Beverage Warehouse in marina del rey. I don't remeber which type is was but I'll have a lok next time I'm down there

Junipero is absolutely superb. It's not quite as strong as the Plymouth Navy, but it's a magnificent gin.

Yes, bevwar and a few other places have Plymouth gin, but it's not the Navy Strength. That one is U.K. only. Let's hope that changes in the future.

I got some Old Tom Gin thanks to the Jab. he found it at Weimax, a liquor store in Burlingame (south of San Francisco).

Interesting stuff!

Well, so far no luck on getting Batavia Arak, but got some info. Grunerwald Batavia Arak is sold in the Netherlands but the supplier, H. van Toor Jz. Distillery B.V., does not have a US distributor.

Anyone going to the Netherlands who can pick up a bottle or 12?

I keep seeing this thread and thinking that Atomic Cocktail wants some Bavaria Attack. I'm not quite sure what that would be -- cuckoo clocks gone terribly awry, pecking out eyes and making eardrums bleed? I can't imagine why anyone would want that.

But if anyone would, I think it would be Atomic Cocktail.

Here's a heads up on the Plymouth Gin.

The Plymouth Gin "original strength" is on sale at BevMo. Normally $21.99 for the 750ml bottle, it is now on sale for $10.99 until January 2, 2006.

Whudduh deal!

All you Martini (and Singapore Sling) aficionados, stock up now!

Thanks for mentioning that- what a sale! I got two last week.

BTW, I have met the promotions rep for Plymouth Gin, who is a famous local bartender. He tells me there are currently no plans to bring Navy strength to the US, but he's lobbying and hoping that will change. He's supposed to be coming over to see me at Vic's with some samples of Navy Strength as well as Plymouth's Sloe Gin and Fruit Cup. Can't wait!

Thanks for the info I got 2 at Bev Mo in Woodland Hills, 2 more left.

On 2005-11-09 12:44, martiki wrote:
BTW, I have met the promotions rep for Plymouth Gin, who is a famous local bartender. He tells me there are currently no plans to bring Navy strength to the US, but he's lobbying and hoping that will change. He's supposed to be coming over to see me at Vic's with some samples of Navy Strength as well as Plymouth's Sloe Gin and Fruit Cup. Can't wait!

Please give us a review of the samplings you lucky #%$@ !

Not having found this thread, in spite of searching, I started another thread looking for Arraks.

My pal KuKuAhu located a web site for it:

http://www.saturnus.se/eng/produkter/likorextrakt.html

As stated in my other thread, a bartender here in Chicago had Saturnus brand Arraks Punsch and made me an excellent drink with it.
I am now on a mission.

And you know what happens when I become obsessed.
Books happen.
hmmm... next flight to Sweden leaves in three hours.
I can make it...

Arrack Punch is a sweetened Batavia Arrack.
Sounds good to me!

From CocktailDB.com:

Swedish Punch/Punsch

Type:
Liqueurs, spirit-flavored

Also known as:
Caloric Punch, Caloric Punsch, Arak Punch, Arrack Punch, Arak Punsch, Arrack Punsch

Description:
Generic for a type of smoky Scandinavian liqueur, Batavia Arak/Arrack-based & flavored. Batavia Arak is a distillate of fermented sugar cane juice and fermented Javanese rice - which creates a sharp smoky rummy spirit. Swedish Punsch (or Punch) sweetens this with cane sugar to produce an unforgettable liqueur. Notable brands are Cederlund's Carlshamn's and Gronstedt. Like a dark smoky rum and when added to other lesser rums tends to enhance their value in an estimable way.

Flavor:
rum, smokey and sweet

Availability:
Limited availability. Produced and sold in Sweden. Rarely exported. Regional.

More than one Swedish Punch available by mailorder:

Carlshamns Flaggpunsch Original

Carlshamns Dry Flaggpunsch Original

I have no idea if these are any good or if they are even close to what tikibars had.

This place sells the Saturnus Arraks Punsch:

http://www.marinamarket.com/Holiday%20Specialties.htm

Batavia Arrack is now available in California and starting next month in New York. Feel free to email me for more details.

The ingredients for the Saturnus Arraks Punsch Extract, referenced in the prior post, is shown on the producer's website (here translated): "Water , sugar, invert sugar, fructose syrup, aromas, juice of lemon, preservatives E202 and E211, ascorbic acid, citric acid. Add vodka or other spirit."

I'd suggest making your own Swedish Punsch - it's very easy once you've got the base spirit.

Haus Alpenz carries Batavia Arrack. I think it's now available in NY, but if you contact them, I'm sure they can work something out to ship to you.

Tiki Bird just let me know that Hi-Times in Costa Mesa carriers Batavia Arrack!!!!

http://www.hitimewine.net/istar.asp?a=6&id=166569!2803

My journey is almost over.

Perhaps it will wash the taste of the bathtub gin from me mouth.

AC

Now that's f*cked up, Y'all!!!!!!!

On 2005-06-14 16:22, JaredB wrote:
Yes, bevwar and a few other places have Plymouth gin, but it's not the Navy Strength. That one is U.K. only. Let's hope that changes in the future.

Hello, I'm Craig, and I run a large wine, beer & spirits distributor servicing Ohio & Kentucky. I used to work for the distributor of Plymouth in a previous position, and I'd like to add that (sadly) the Navy Strength is not imported to the US at this time. I wish that I had better news to report, but there are a few websites around where you can get gray-market import bottles (which I use to buy Absinthe)

On 2007-11-05 22:30, Tiki_Cincy_Craig wrote:
... there are a few websites around where you can get gray-market import bottles...

Links please!

On 2007-11-05 22:34, Hakalugi wrote:

On 2007-11-05 22:30, Tiki_Cincy_Craig wrote:
... there are a few websites around where you can get gray-market import bottles...

Links please!

Try The Royal Mile Whiskies
http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0400000000817
They will deliver to the States, however they will give you the standard disclaimer about not being able to guarantee delivery to the USA (as will all European retailers). They sell Havana Club Rum as well!

Cult Drinks ships to the USA as well, plus they have a few unusual rums too boot.
http://www.cultdrinks.co.uk/gin_more.asp?id=411&cid=3

Incidentally, for those who might be interested in The Green Fairy, Alandia ships genuine Absinthe to the USA http://www.alandia.de

this is cool just for the bottle!

http://www.cultdrinks.co.uk/rum_more.asp?id=417&cid=22

Picked up a bottle of Batavia Arrack at Hi-Time this weekend. Atomic Cocktail, when are you coming by to help me test it out?

I have bought from Royal Mile before, but only whiskey. It's not as easy as getting something from Hi Times, but it's not that bad and it is the only way to get some stuff that is generally not available in the US.

On 2007-11-14 12:42, UtopianDreem wrote:
Picked up a bottle of Batavia Arrack at Hi-Time this weekend. Atomic Cocktail, when are you coming by to help me test it out?

Drink some UD, drink some!

I have a client who lives near Hi-times who promises to bring me a bottle next visit.

I got a bottle of Batavia Arrak as a gift and quickly made some Arrak Punch. Let me tell you, it was nothing like the bottled "arraks punsch extract" from Saturnus (which has none of the aromatic arrak taste of the genuine article). I can only compare it to the difference between Roses' grenadine and the real thing made with pomegranates.

I used the recipe from the bottle as I was in a hurry to try it out:

2 oz. Batavia-Arrack van Oosten
1/2 oz. Rum
3/4 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
3 oz. Water
A pinch of ground cardamom or nutmeg.

I have tried both spices and prefer the cardamom. This is excellent hot.

Jab, get yourself a bottle of this stuff!

AC

"Please play like nice children"

On 2005-07-07 23:10, UtopianDreem wrote:
Well, so far no luck on getting Batavia Arak, but got some info. Grunerwald Batavia Arak is sold in the Netherlands but the supplier, H. van Toor Jz. Distillery B.V., does not have a US distributor.

ya'll were ahead of the curve ~ its becoming available now:

an article Out of the Blue: Batavia Arrack Comes Back

"If last Sunday’s New York Times T magazine is to be believed, Batavia arrack is one of the "New Staples"—one of the top ingredients of the season. If that’s the case, then never has one spirit gone so far so fast, from a century-plus of obscurity to must-have status in the liquor cabinet.

Produced since at least the early 17th-century on the island of Java, Batavia arrack is rum’s funky ancestor. Made from sugarcane and fermented red rice (one quibble with the Times story: while Sri Lankan arrack made from palm sap has a similar name, it’s a totally different creature), this smoky, aromatic spirit was a mariner’s favorite for years, and was an essential ingredient in punch until well into the 19th-century. Eventually supplanted by rum, Batavia arrack faded from the back bar and the liquor store; in recent years it was primarily found close to its Asian roots, as well as in parts of Northern Europe, where it appeared in chocolates, desserts and sweetened, flavored punches.

And so it would have remained, had not a small but thirsty market of vintage spirits geeks in the U.S. persuaded Eric Seed, a Minnesota-based importer and principal at Haus Alpenz, to start bringing this obscure ingredient into the country. Now, 11 months after the first bottles began turning up in higher-end bars and liquor stores, the paper of record has dubbed it a staple.

I don’t know if I’d go that far, but I will say that Batavia arrack is worth investigating. The flavor is a bit coarser and more rustic than many spirits out there now, but the arrack has a distinctive aroma, somewhere between Haitian rum and single-malt Scotch, that makes it an interesting ingredient to work with. Accented with spice, citrus and black tea and softened with sugar, the arrack also makes a memorable punch that tastes something like history. Batavia arrack isn’t the easiest thing to find, but if you do some searching, the result will be worthwhile"

$33 for 750 milliliters
Union Square Wines & Spirits
140 Fourth Avenue
(212) 675-8100
unionsquarewines.com.

Just today while stocking up I found Old Tom Gin at Beverage Warehouse in Mar Vista AND Batavia Arrack at BevMo in Torrance.

Gotta go to two places to get both, but they are available.

Speaking of Old Tom, here's Felten's column from yesterday:
Reviving the Martini's Lost Ancestor

"As recently as a year ago, David Wondrich lamented in his book "Imbibe!" that hopes for tasting a Martinez were slim: "The loss of Old Tom gin is irreparable."

But no longer. A British spirits company, Hayman Distillers, has dusted off an old family recipe for Old Tom, and the vintage gin is now being brought into the U.S. by importers Haus Alpenz. "

For those of you in Oregon and SW Washington, a couple of updates.

First, House Spirits http://www.housespirits.com/House%20Spirits.html is coming out with an Old Tom gin in January '09. I tasted a sample at last weekend's open house, and liked it a lot.

Second, I spotted Batavia Arrack at Pearl Speciality Market & Spirits at NW 9th & Lovejoy in Portland. Didn't look at the price.

I recently encountered a bottle of Batavia Arak for $30 at a Total Wine and More shop in Roseville, CA. Is it really worth that chunk of change?

[ Edited by: Shaun of theTiki 2009-03-25 11:00 ]

[ Edited by: Shaun of theTiki 2009-03-25 11:01 ]

[iShaun of theTiki wrote:[/i]
I recently encountered a bottle of Batavia Arak for $30 at a Total Wine and More shop in Roseville, CA. Is it really worth that chunk of change?

Yes.

On 2005-11-09 12:44, martiki wrote:
...

BTW, I have met the promotions rep for Plymouth Gin, who is a famous local bartender. He tells me there are currently no plans to bring Navy strength to the US, but he's lobbying and hoping that will change. He's supposed to be coming over to see me at Vic's with some samples of Navy Strength as well as Plymouth's Sloe Gin and Fruit Cup. Can't wait!

Seven years later...

Update! Plymouth Gin Navy Strength is now available in the US. I wonder for how long that's been going on? I just saw that Beverage Warehouse in Marina Del Rey carries it, 750ml bottle for $34.95. Hi Times in Costa Mesa has it as well ($31.99). Sounds like it shouldn't be too hard to find for anyone at this point.

Oh, the Plymouth Sloe Gin is available too. I picked up a bottle at Total Wine a few months ago. It was the best sloe gin Evar! Well at least as far as sloe gin's that I have tasted...

Here's a good recipe from the excellent book "Boozehound" that called for it (sloe gin that is).

Philly Sling
1 1/2 ounce applejack
1 ounce Plymouth sloe gin
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Angustura bitters

Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice. Add the applejack, sloe gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters. Stir vigorously, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Yeah, I know, it's not a Tiki drink but it was still good.

Now to pick up a bottle of the Plymouth Gin Navy Strength.

Perhaps a bit of luck for now. H. Van Toor Jz Distillery does still not have a distributor in the US but sells his bottles such as Grunerwald Batavia Arak an Van Toor Schelvispekel on http://www.dutchspirits.com
https://www.bestofwhisky.com/en/other-dutch-spirits.html and they ship worldwide to most of all country's.

On 2005-06-06 14:53, Atomic Cocktail wrote:
Help your ol' pal Atomic Cocktail: I'm searching for but cannot find the following alcoholic beverages:

OLD TOM GIN: There are 3 types of gin, Dry Gin (almost all gins today are "dry"), Plymouth and Old Tom Gin. Old Tom is a sweetened version that was commonly used in many cocktails until recently. It is still made in England but have been unable to find it anywhere in the US. I've found Plymouth Gin at beverage Warehouse in Marina del Rey, Ca.

BATAVIA ARRACK: Made in Indonesia, it's a rum style liquor distilled from rice and/or coconut juice. Not to be confused with Middle Eastern Arak or Raki, the anise flavored alcohol (like ouzo). I found it's popular in the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. It was very popular for flavoring punches in the US.

So help AC track down these nectars and I'll raise my glass to you while I poison myself.

On 2005-06-06 14:53, Atomic Cocktail wrote:
Help your ol' pal Atomic Cocktail: I'm searching for but cannot find the following alcoholic beverages:

OLD TOM GIN: There are 3 types of gin, Dry Gin (almost all gins today are "dry"), Plymouth and Old Tom Gin. Old Tom is a sweetened version that was commonly used in many cocktails until recently. It is still made in England but have been unable to find it anywhere in the US. I've found Plymouth Gin at beverage Warehouse in Marina del Rey, Ca.

BATAVIA ARRACK: Made in Indonesia, it's a rum style liquor distilled from rice and/or coconut juice. Not to be confused with Middle Eastern Arak or Raki, the anise flavored alcohol (like ouzo). I found it's popular in the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. It was very popular for flavoring punches in the US.

So help AC track down these nectars and I'll raise my glass to you while I poison myself.

2015 is quickly drawing to a close, and 10 years after the original post, we have one (or two) new sub-classes of gin --- "New World" or "New Western", and "Botanical." These are less juniper-centric than the dry gins and are currently still so new that they are enjoying a lot of attention from mixologists in the US and around the world.

Note that it is entirely possible that the "Botanical" classification may fall within the "New World" classification. I'm not certain that this has been settled yet, the world is still playing with these new gins. Check back here in 10 years and let's compare notes, and livers, heh...

For the New World classification, many consider Aviation gin from the Pacific northwest to be the standard-bearer. While I do have a bottle of Aviation gin, I can tell you that I am definitely much more enamored by our nearby St. Augustine Gin which is reported to have won a gold medal at a recent San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

For the Botanical classification, I'm not quite sure who is really considered the standard-bearer, but I can share that I have fallen in love with the Uncle Val's Botanical gin ever since I got to taste it at my very first visit to Roy's Liquors in Fort Pierce, Florida. Uncle Val's is produced in northern California, surprisingly close to the region of the country where Aviation gin is produced. It seems that great minds are cooking up good things in that part of the United States.