The presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is painful, strange, and more than a little depressing, especially for libertarians.
On the other hand, many of them The exchange between the two candidates was hollow.: Harris reversed many positions and resisted elaborating on many of her proposals. Meanwhile, Trump continues to fantasize ideas with varying degrees of seriousness. Defenders of both candidates sometimes argued that their terrible ideas probably wouldn’t come to fruition, so there was no need to worry. The details of how either side will actually govern remain a mystery.
On the other hand, the two sides seem to be at odds every time this issue comes up in this election. converge on a new policy consensusa neo-populist, neo-mercantilist set of ideas and agendas. There are many things that separate Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris, but both men and their parties are skeptical of global trade and immigration, and both want to use government power to prop up (or destroy) industry. and they have both cheated on me and policy that I hear a lot For example, price controls that could disrupt an industry, or at least cause serious headaches for consumers.
In other words, on any given day, the race oscillates between no ideas and terrible ideas. It’s enough to drive someone to drink. It’s better to enjoy the night before than get a headache.
Looking for something to soak up? We recommend a sip of green chartreuse that fits the theme. Green Chartreuse is a high-strength, semi-sweet herbal liqueur based on a secret recipe. produced By the wine monks of French capitalism.
Like this election, it’s bitter, mysterious, and a little strange. Unlike this election, it’s a strange pleasure to drink on its own or in a mixed drink.
And finding a bottle could be a preparation for what happens after Trump or Harris wins the presidency, as it requires overcoming high prices, top-down government controls and frustrating supply shortages.
The scarcity of chartreuse resulted from a decision on the part of the Carthusian monks to produce chartreuse in order to focus more on their religious duties. Can’t really blame them. It’s their product and their life. They don’t owe their labor to anyone.
Besides, it won’t completely stop production. However, given the growing popularity of classic cocktails using Chartreuse, we have no intention of continually expanding to meet increased demand.
What happens when there is high demand for a product, but not enough supply to meet it? Typically, this mismatch between supply and demand is driven by an increase in price, which signals the product’s value and scarcity. It will be resolved. Chartreuse shouldn’t disappear from bars and liquor store shelves, but it might get a little more expensive.
Depending on where you live, that may have happened. In states that do not control alcohol prices, the price of chartreuse soared after news broke that the monks had decided to limit production. Historically, Chartreuse was already somewhat expensive, typically costing around $60 per bottle. But once it became clear that supplies were limited, prices skyrocketed, sometimes reaching well over $100.
But recently, prices have come down, at least in some stores. If you live in a state where liquor stores set their own prices, you can probably find a bottle for around $80 or even less. I recently purchased two for $75 each at a well-stocked store just a few miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. It’s a little more expensive than it used to be, and probably a little harder to find. But that is the price we pay for monks who want to pray.
However, it’s a different story if you live in a state where alcohol is distributed by a single national corporation and retail prices are strictly enforced. Nowhere in the so-called “controlled states” is a bottle of Chartreuse sold for $100. But sometimes you won’t find it at all. That’s because state-run distribution plans and mandated retail prices make acquiring a bottle a truly daunting task.
What these administrative states are essentially saying is that if you want to pay more for Chartreuse, you’re not allowed to do so. You can check out the national stock online and rush to stock up on bottles the moment they appear. Or you might stumble across a bottle by chance or by a friend who works at the store. However, price signals that provide the market with information that balances supply and demand are eliminated.
In fact, Chartreuse has become so difficult to find in some places that cocktail lovers have come to rely on it. alternativereplaces green spirits made by monks, like Genepi and Strega. These aren’t bad bottles of booze, but they lack Chartreuse’s signature characteristics: the earthy, herbal complexity and alcoholic intensity that make Chartreuse a unique and valuable element in mixed drinks.
This doesn’t just affect home cocktail enthusiasts who buy bottles to stock their home bars. In 2023, I went to a small, quiet bar in Raleigh, North Carolina, and spoke to the bartender, who told me that state quotas have made it impossible to get a reliable supply, so some bars are He said he was forced to take chartreuse drinks off the menu. .
In other words, price controls are worsening the quality of cocktails. There’s a lesson here for both Harris and Trump about the futility of top-down mandates and complaints that central planning is consumer-unfriendly, but I don’t expect either of them to learn it. do not have.
So, let’s literally give the last word to the drink itself with the most famous Chartreuse cocktail, a seductive yet easy-to-make equal mix cocktail known as ‘The Last Word’.
last word
- 3/4 oz green chartreuse
- 3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 oz gin
Shake all ingredients over ice, strain and pour into a coupe glass.
For a more rustic and quirky version, try replacing the gin with mezcal. Mezcal is an agave spirit from Mexico that is the smoky cousin of tequila.
Either way, you’ll enjoy drinks made from the benefits of international trade and cross-border culinary combinations. The Last Word is a break from the news, a deliciously liquid riposte to the gloomy and depressing consensus of this presidential election.
