Martini Tasting - Picture Report - DCL - Magic - May 23rd

[ehagerty]

Pictures first, details later...

This was the second martini tasking (of the cruise, our first) - the first involved gin - I didn't even know there were two different ones (not that it would have mattered). I did this more for the experience than from any love of vodka or martinis - as a matter of fact, they taste and smell like the alcohol we used to keep under the bathroom sink to clean blemishes.

The CM conducting the tasting.....

The complement of martinis, shakers etc.

First martini - classic, with olive - one sip was enough for me (no offense, just personal taste)

Cosmo martini - this I could drink

The other two - one was a "toblerone" martini, including Baileys, Kahlua, Godiva (this was most edible) and the other was citrusy, contained lemoncella (sp?) - pretty good.

In short, I enjoyed the experience, but am not a martini convert (would never choose one over wine).

My once-every-30-years luck broke through the barrier this day - I won two things. In my left hand, a tropical martini (at that point, without a place mat to provide cues, I couldn't tell you what was in it) - which I WON - by answering this question - "What is the best martini?". The presumed correct answer (for all the tastings) is "The one you like." I prefer my answer, which was "THAT ONE!!".

In my left hand (on the right side of the picture) is one of 4 promotional backpacks given out during a presentation by the directing animator of "Up" (Dave Mullins - different, upcoming thread). I walked in during the last 5 minutes of the presentation (had gone to one earlier in the week), received a raffle ticket, won, got it signed by Dave and made it to the martini tasting only a couple of minutes late!!

There, now you know what the person behind the camera looks like - a tad overweight, slightly inebriated!!


The experience was fun, reasonable, I recommend it is if fits into your interests and schedule. $12

 

[inkkognito]

Uh oh, the martini tasting brings back a mixture of very very good and very very bad memories for me! We had three of the ones in your pictures, plus a green one (can't remember what it was). I loved the green one and the chocolate one, and they gave us extra...and then some more extra...and of course I was gulping them all down on an empty stomach. Dang they were good going down! Unfortunately they hit me like a ton of bricks and I'm surprised I swayed my way back to the stateroom. I crawled under the covers (and I do mean UNDER) and lay there in a cocoon hoping the world would stop spinning while DH went to the show. Afterwards, we had Palo dinner booked and he kept insisting that I needed to get some food into me while I kept begging him to just let me suffer in peace. He managed to get me to dress and guided me up to Palo. He ordered some food for me and got it into me until I sobered up some and started feeling vaguely human again. Those martinis were delicious, but I admit I overindulged and I paid the price!

 

[ehagerty]

Uh oh, the martini tasting brings back a mixture of very very good and very very bad memories for me! We had three of the ones in your pictures, plus a green one (can't remember what it was). I loved the green one and the chocolate one, and they gave us extra...and then some more extra...and of course I was gulping them all down on an empty stomach. Dang they were good going down! Unfortunately they hit me like a ton of bricks and I'm surprised I swayed my way back to the stateroom. I crawled under the covers (and I do mean UNDER) and lay there in a cocoon hoping the world would stop spinning while DH went to the show. Afterwards, we had Palo dinner booked and he kept insisting that I needed to get some food into me while I kept begging him to just let me suffer in peace. He managed to get me to dress and guided me up to Palo. He ordered some food for me and got it into me until I sobered up some and started feeling vaguely human again. Those martinis were delicious, but I admit I overindulged and I paid the price!

I am guessing your "green" one is the one in my hand - it may be a little washed out color-wise.

I admire your 100 cruise goal - how do you do it?? Florida resident? Cast Member?

I tried the wine, cognac, beer, martini - and enjoyed them in the same order, as that is my personal preference.

In fairness to the runners-up, my tolerance / appreciation for alcohol - especially hard liquor - shifted radically after starting hormone replacement - which I wasn't planning to do, but didn't have the luxury of weaning off normally (emergency hysterectomy). I used to enjoy Southern Comfort manhattens - now I can't stand the stuff. SO it goes.

 

[itutorfortravel]

Pictures first, details later...

This was the second martini tasking - the first involved gin - I didn't even know there were two different ones (not that it would have mattered). I did this more for the experience than from any love of vodka or martinis - as a matter of fact, they taste smell like the alcohol we used to keep under the bathroom sink to clean blemishes.

The CM conducting the tasting.....

The complement of martinis, shakers etc.

First martini - classic, with olive - one sip was enough for me (no offense, just personal taste)

Cosmo martini - this I could drink

The other two - one was a "toblerone" martini, including Baileys, Kahlua, Godiva (this was most edible) and the other was citrusy, contained lemoncella (sp?) - pretty good.

In short, I enjoyed the experience, but am not a martini convert (would never choose one over wine).

My once-every-30-years luck broke through the barrier this day - I won two things. In my left hand, a tropical martini (at that point, without a place mat to provide cues, I couldn't tell you what was in it) - which I WON - by answering this question - "What is the best martini?". The presumed correct answer (for all the tastings) is "The one you like." I prefer my answer, which was "THAT ONE!!".

In left hand (on the right side of the picture) is one of 4 promotional backpacks given out during a presentation by the directing animator of "Up" (Dave Mullins - different, upcoming thread). I walked in during the last 5 minutes of the presentation (had gone to one earlier in the week), received a raffle ticket, one, got it sign by Dave and made it to the martini tasting only a couple of minutes late!!

There, now you know what the person behind the camera looks like - a tad overweight, slightly inebriated!!


The experience was fun, reasonable, I recommend it is if fits into your interests and schedule. $12

Is your green martini a key lime pie martini? It looks a lot like one I had at Palo one night and I am pretty sure that's what it was...

 

[Waltworshiper]

The Martini Tasting was our favorite of the tastings too. We had the traditional gin martini, a green apple,a chocolate, and a pommegranate one. I thought all were yummy except the first, my DH ended up finishing that one off for me. We got some extra at the end too, the CM that ran it is from Poland and my husband and SIL & BIL were born there and speak it fluently. She was so thrilled to be able to speak to someone in her native language, apparently there were only 3 cm's from Poland on the ship and she didn't get to talk to them much.

 

[kimberleeJohnston]

Great report and great pictures!I really wanted to do the tasting last cruise, but couldn't make it work! But this time around we are totally there! Congrats on the backpack thats a great sovinier

 

[lucky1]

Great report and great pictures!I really wanted to do the tasting last cruise, but couldn't make it work! But this time around we are totally there! Congrats on the backpack thats a great sovinier

Kim - Maybe you and I can try this out on our cruise. It sounds so interesting

 

[my3m]

Did you say $12? Hmmm, something to look forward to then.

 

[Disneymoon0909]

Hi...just a few questions. Going on my first official Disney cruise in September and I think my DF (then DH ) would really like to do this. Where and when does this take place? Is it the same as the Martini flight I have also heard about? Does it cost extra?

Thanks in advance,

Holly

 

[calmpets]

I tried the wine, cognac, beer, martini - and enjoyed them in the same order, as that is my personal preference.

When did they start offering cognac tastings? And do they not offer the tequila/margarita tastings anymore or did you just skip that one?

 

[dclgirl]

Pictures first, details later...

one was a "toblerone" martini, including Baileys, Kahlua, Godiva (this was most edible)

On my cruise in October of last year they have the classic Gin, the Pomogranite, the Apple Martini and the Chocolate Martini. The last two were my favorite! I really enjoyed trying the sample martinis and helped me to know what to order since I don't order drinks very often and never know what to get. The Toblerone one sounds amazing! I love chocolate anything! Do you have the recipe for it? Also I know it's a little but does anyone have any simple, but amazing Apple/Sour Apple or Chocolate Martini recipes? I would really like to make them at home to remind me of my Disney Cruise, since I am not able to go on one for a while, but don't want to have to use 8 ingredients for each drink. I have a little bar with the basics that I have picked up on my cruises (Apple rum, Baileys, Godiva white chocolate, Kaluha, Pineapple and Coconut rum, light and dark rum and Vodka) and wouldn't mind picking up a bottle or two of something for each drink but don't want to go nuts.

 

[calmpets]

Also I know it's a little but does anyone have any simple, but amazing Apple/Sour Apple or Chocolate Martini recipes?

I don't like adding cream or milk to mine. Here's what I put in my own personal chocolate martinis:
2 shots vanilla or chocolate vodka (regular vodka works too, just not as well)
1 1/2 shots creme de cacao
1 shot godiva liquor
Pour all of that in a martini shaker over ice cubes, mix it up and pour it in a glass. My latest variation uses the Three Olives brand chocolate flavored vodka, and I prefer white creme de cacao instead of dark creme de cacao. That makes exactly one amazing chocolate martini - make sure you don't have to be anywhere though!

 

[Buckeye Gal]

There were several of us from DISboards who did the vodka Martini Tasting on the Magic in September 2008. It was a fun time and great excuse to have a drink with new friends! I do recommend that as soon as you get onboard, walk around the corner to Guest Services and get your ticket to secure a spot(s).

I have to say that I love the following pictures I took! It's a cool perspective looking straight down on the glass.

Warning: Too many martinis may make your host look like this :

 

[tinkerbellmom1]

Thanks for sharing this! I did the martini tasting on our last Disney cruise and did not have any of the yummy sounding martinis that you got. We got nasty gin, and yucky other flavors! One sip and I was grossed out! I was hoping for the cosmo, the lemon, the Italian wedding cake and I would love the lime one! Do you have to ask the CM which one to go to in order to get ones that are even slightly appealing? I'd love to have a chance at the yummy ones!!

 

[TDC Nala]

I did not know they had different martinis at the second tasting or would have done another one... Yes I did drink the gin one. Others were apple, pomegranate and chocolatini.

I think they were $15, not $12. The wine tasting was $12 and all the others were $15 (not sure about the beer, that might have been $12 too)

so many days at sea: I did beer, martinis, tequila, whiskey, wine and cognac tastings. Not all on the same day of course.

 

[ehagerty]

Hi...just a few questions. Going on my first official Disney cruise in September and I think my DF (then DH ) would really like to do this. Where and when does this take place? Is it the same as the Martini flight I have also heard about? Does it cost extra?

Thanks in advance,

Holly

The flights are all around the ship - anywhere there is a bar - Palos, Diversions, Sessions, Cafe Cove - depends on the specialty.

They seem to occur on "At Sea" days.

I don't know about the martini "flight" - that may be a special offering at the bars - which, interestingly enough, I did buy a single drink from (just a taster, not really a drinker).

 

[ehagerty]

When did they start offering cognac tastings? And do they not offer the tequila/margarita tastings anymore or did you just skip that one?

I am guessing the more "at sea" days on the cruise, the more "tastings" offered. Some were offered more than once, and sometimes there were 2-3 on a single day. You really have to know how to pace yourself!!

When I inquired about the tastings, these were available:
- wine (we did this, pictures to come)
- beer (same as above)
- martini (same)
- Cognac (same)
- Margarita (not enough days - or liver cells - or something - skipped it)

had to make a tough choice based on time and inclinationsl

Turns out there was also;
GIN martini (no great loss to me)
Whiskey (didn't find out about it until after)


Prices - range from $12 (wine, beer, martini, margarita) $15 (martini, I think - have to check receipt) to $20 (cognac)

Duration - each took about an hour to settle in, listen to presentation, drink the drinks, have some laughs.

 

[inkkognito]

I am guessing your "green" one is the one in my hand - it may be a little washed out color-wise.

I admire your 100 cruise goal - how do you do it?? Florida resident? Cast Member?

Yes, that looks like it...or at least as far as I can remember, since I probably killed a few brain cells at that event! DH still laughs his butt off about it, as he tends to be the drinker in the family and there are a few memories I've never let him live down...now he has one on me.

We are FL residents now, although we weren't when we first started sailing DCL. We don't usually use the discount though; we tend to book our cruises onboard and early so we get a good price even if there is no FL resident rate.

 

[Dizzyworld]

Is it the same as the Martini flight I have also heard about?

What is the "Martini flight?"