The Amazon.com Of The World Of Spirits

March 2, 2003 9:00 PM

The Amazon.com Of Spiritsis getting closer and closer, with California's BevMo now giving Internet Wines and Sam's a good run for their money. If you cunningly use Wine Enthusiast and the Chicago Institute for your tasting notes (I don't much like the gushing, amateurish drivel on Epinions, but some reviews are surprisingly good) you're away and ready to say: "Wake up Mr. Bezos - your time may be almost up. What are you waiting for, kind sir?" [I linked to vodka selections for comparison purposes, but here are the main links to BevMo , Internet Wines and Sam's. Unfortunately, I failed to find a good price comparison guide to complete the package. As for European online spirits retailers, I found none with the kind of range a discerning drinker will countenance.]
posted by MiguelCardoso (10 comments total)

Sherry-Lehmann is also good.

Too bad some states don't allow you to mail-order alcohol.
posted by Vidiot at 9:08 PM on March 2, 2003

no Kokanee, no Fat Tire (sixers), no Pyramid Winter Ale, no shipping to FL. why, oh freaking why did I leave the NW?!

.....goes back to drinking crappy anheuser-busch approved brand beer
posted by photoslob at 10:14 PM on March 2, 2003

GourmandFilter.

(Yes - I chose the word carefully - influenced, perhaps, by the Che Guevara t-shirt I'm pretending to wear.)
posted by Opus Dark at 11:39 PM on March 2, 2003

If you're a whisk(e)y drinker, nothing online beats the Whisky Magazine's reviews.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 12:09 AM on March 3, 2003

Photoslob, you have my condolences (I'd recommend a cuppa java, but down south they prefer it with chickory, imagine...) Beer doesn't travel well, so might I suggest a homebrew? We've been brewing for about 6 months now. It's not that hard and we've only had one bad batch (a doppelbach, rest in peace.) The pumpkin and scotch ales were top notch though--those 5 gallons were consumed quickly.

There's a homebrew supply joint here where you tell the owner what brand/style you like and he'll give you a recipe for his closest match. I'm sure you'd be able to find the like where you are. Save that, you have quite the community on the internet.

Either that or stock up on Widmer Hef or, if you're a hophead like me, a grand supply of Bridgeport IPA next time you visit Stumptown.
posted by Tacodog at 1:05 AM on March 3, 2003

Coopers ( ahhhh ) now sending their homebrew kits to the land of the rising sun.
Here's another innovative export.
We Do love the piss.
posted by johnny7 at 2:30 AM on March 3, 2003

Absolut Mandarin tastes more like Absolut Paracetamol.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 5:29 AM on March 3, 2003

oooh, cool whiskey reviews. Now there's ANOTHER thing I need to save up money for...(my bottle of Lagavulin is getting low.)
posted by Vidiot at 6:10 AM on March 3, 2003

Canadian beer offerings include: Carlsberg, Molson Goldon, Labatt Blue, and the complete line of scary french-Canadian beer, like Maudite (a personal favourite):

"Unibroue Maudite (4-PK): 3 TIME GOLD MEDAL WINNER WORLD BEER CHAMPIONSHIPS! Based on a Quebec legend of the flying canoe, where early lumberjacks paddled in the air in bark canoes under Satan's guidance."

Beer + Satan + canoes = good times. (also try fin du monde, another fine Quebec beer)
posted by mrmcsurly at 10:25 AM on March 3, 2003

Firstly, I wish you could ship to and from texas, because even though I work at a liquor store, I can't get a lot of the stuff I want.

Secondly, while the tasting notes from Wine Enthusiast are nice, Robert Parker is by far better.

I also second the vote for french canadian brews. everything from unibroue is great.
posted by PugAchev at 12:00 PM on March 3, 2003