Cocktail ingredients Utah update – March 2015

The French 75 has a reliable kick...

When Utahans walk into the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores in March, they will be pleased to see that sale tags are a little more in evidence than they have been during the last couple of months, but not overwhelmingly so.  The number of marked down items has increased from January and February lows into the “average” range.  The number of items on SPA (Special Price Adjustment) rose from around 270 last month to almost 350 in March.  A few quality cocktail ingredients are available this month, so get ready for some great cocktails, but this is not a real bar-stocking opportunity.

With an incredible lack of timing (just like last year) there is only one(!) Irish Whiskey on SPA for St. Patrick’s Day this month: Tullamore Dew.  If you enjoy Bourbons, selections this month range include Knob Creek and Elijah Craig 12 Year, both marked down around 5%.  If you want to make a Manhattan, or perhaps a Boulevardier, try some.  This month you might want to stock up on your favorite Liqueurs.  Liqueurs like Underground Herbal Spirit ($26) and Frangelico ($23) are on sale, and also an excellent Triple Sec substitute that works well in Margaritas: Gran Gala Orange Liqueur (14% to $19).

The UDABC didn’t forget about you Tequila lovers this month.  There are 13 Tequilas on SPA with ten Platas and Reposados (there are four different 1800’s marked down).  With seven different Platas... it’s Margarita time.  Rum seems to have been overlooked this month.  If you like Dark Rums, Mount Gay Eclipse Barbados Rum is marked down over 15% to $17, try it in a Rum Old Fashioned, but that’s about it for Rums. 

If you need some Gin, you can get Beefeaters for $21 or a good “economy Gin”, New Amsterdam (CS# 031475), is marked down 13% from $16 to $14 (try them in a Tom Collins).  If you have an open bottle of sparkling wine, but you’re in the mood for something a little stronger than a Champagne cocktail, try a French 75 – a reliable Champagne (and Gin) cocktail that is sure to have just the kick you need.  If you’re more into Vodka Martinis, Tito’s Handmade is marked down 10% to $18 this month.

As to any other sale or clearance items, if you see anything at your local state store that other cocktailians might enjoy, post a response to this article.  See the following list “Suggested by the author” for information on how to use the Utah DABC website.  You can check out what else is on sale (e.g. the wines etc.) by clicking through to the “SPA Product List” to open a price book in PDF format that shows all of the markdowns for the current month.