At least one bottle of each of the six base liquors will create a well-rounded bar. Whisk(e)y 2. You can spend as little or as much as you like, though rum tends to be one of the more affordable liquors. While you are thinking about stocking your bar, you'll also want to think about essential bar tools. To get a snapshot of what’s essential in the world of world whiskey, we tabbed two experts for their home bar selections. Genever. The Home Bar Rules. Today's craft soda market is impressive and can really upgrade even the most basic of mixed drinks. Aged entirely in sherry casks, this single malt is silky smooth and full of rich, fruit-forward flavor that will please even the most delicate palate. Light Rum. Ok, ok, you might not like peat now – but you’ll like it someday, and when you do, you’ll thank us. Whether you’re just getting into whiskey, or you’ve been enlisted to help a newbie friend start their very first liquor cabinet, you’ve got some (fun!) You will use it in 98 percent of your drinks, either while mixing or in the glass itself. If you think Scotch isn’t for you, you probably just haven’t tried Glenfarclas. However, squeezing a lime wedge into a gin and tonic or expressing an orange peel over your martinis can transform the ordinary into a great drink. Essential Liquors. Every liquor cabinet needs a rye, and Rittenhouse Rye is getting a little easier to find these days. Realistically, you're probably not going to add a garnish to every cocktail you make in your bar. Brandy The trick to making those four spirits standout is all in the presentation. Whiskey Stone Sets are Home Bar Essentials. From there, the cocktail … Cocktail Starter Kit. Essential Spirits. You'll also be set for those times when brandy, gin, rum, tequila, or vodka sound good. Liqueurs are often used in addition to the base spirits as flavoring agents that define a cocktail. You can go the traditional route and mimic a professional bar. Tequila is enjoying a new-found glory in the modern bar. Here are the basics: Club soda Tonic water Cola Sprite or 7-up Ginger ale Orange juice Cranberry juice Tomato juice Pineapple juice Angostura bitters (technically you don’t use bitters as a … Again, it depends on what you plan to make, but this will prepare you for the majority of cocktails. Pick quality branded or craft spirits which will prevent you from guzzling them since you now see more value in them, and you can trust they’ll taste good in basic cocktails or sipped on their own. From there, you can explore gin to your heart's content. Having an official look to your bar will never come sooner when you’ve got a custom set that has your name or design right on each piece. The majority of these will be in your kitchen anyway and are easily found at almost any store you walk into. If you prefer whiskey over vodka, focus your attention on diversifying your whiskey selection. When buying soda for the bar, try to go for small bottles. Ice is the most important ingredient for cocktails. If you want a little upgrade, add a slightly aged reposado as well. That said, it's not a bad idea to mix up your own bloody Mary mix from scratch and have that on hand if you drink them often or are hosting a brunch. The three citrus fruits are called for as a garnish most often. However, it is nice to have at least one bottle in every bar. It can, however, be used in almost any cocktail that calls for a generic whiskey. Beyond juice, there are a few more ingredients that you'll want in your bar. | Powered by WordPress, Bourbon Pursuit Podcast #256: Inside the World of Woodinville Whiskey Co. with Brett Carlile, 5 Essential Whiskeys for Starting Your Home Bar. Liqueurs come in every flavor you could want and a bottle can last quite a long time. Laphroaig 10 Year. Some people like vodka more than others, so stock according to your preference. The basics of a good gentleman’s home bar can be found in four basic spirits: 1. Things get complicated when it comes to stocking whiskey because each style has its own characteristics and uses. Copyright 2020 - The Whiskey Wash - Designed by Thrive A good budget-friendly bottle is good for tall drinks like the screwdriver and bloody Mary. Overproof, affordable, and perfect for contemporary and classic cocktails, there’s a reason Rittenhouse is on every back bar from Los Angeles to Brooklyn. This is where you can save some cash and experiment as well because a number of these can easily be made at home. When stocking your home bar, you have many choices. Today, we have many great ryes to choose from, though some drinkers find it too spicy. The bourbon will give you that robust whiskey flavor while the Canadian blends tend to be very smooth and the most versatile for cocktails. If you can, spend a little more for a bottle that's smoother and more refined. A bottle of brandy rounds off a well-stocked bar, but it's not necessarily an essential. Here are the five essential whiskeys that should be on any liquor shelf: This $15 bourbon is a landmark for inexpensive quality, so much so that bourbon writer Chuck Cowdery uses it for his benchmark Evan William’s Test when evaluating (usually spurious) rapid aging products: “Until you can make something that tastes better than Evan Williams and sells for less than $15 a bottle, you have nothing. Realistically, the "homemade" versions of a margarita, bloody Mary, and piña colada are not difficult to make at all. Flavored vodkas are another matter and you can add any of your favorites. This category is definitely going to need to be adapted to your personal style. They also have a freshness the pre-mixed versions simply cannot duplicate. Vodka 3. On occasion, they are the only distilled spirits used. Beyond the bloody Mary, you'll find they add a nice spice or savory flavor to many drinks. Glenfarclas 12 Year (or older, if you can afford it!). Start with the basics and gradually add to your stock as you see fit. Some people simply will not drink or mix with it, but if you want to explore classic cocktails, you'll find it very useful. If you feel like a whiskey cocktail tonight, you'll be ready. When I first started my own home bar, I only picked spirits that I thought would impress guests when I had them over. These will help you mix those drinks and, again, you can add only what you need when you need it. Today, you can find great whiskey from India, Taiwan and beyond. When choosing sodas, try to pick up something other than the most famous brands. It’s supposed to open your eyes to the amazing possibilities of fermented, distilled grain, and Laphroaig 10 Year hints at the outer reaches of those possibilities. One of the most important things to have on your bar is a bottle of something sippable. In the least, a good bottle of a London dry gin is recommended. For specific … You can always add more as you discover new cocktail recipes or find a new distilled spirit to try. For punches, dark rum is key. Each has their own purpose and which you choose is going to depend on your taste and the drinks you enjoy. If you enjoy exploring classic cocktails, give rye a try for an authentic taste. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur - A floral liqueur, this is a shining star in the modern bar and can be used to create many fascinating drinks. However, for everyday drinking, those bottles of ready-to-pour juices are very convenient. As you explore cocktail recipes, you will quickly realize that some liqueurs make an appearance more than others. The one caveat: Choose whiskey made in any country except the United States and Scotland. If you’re … These are what we're going to consider absolutely essential for a well-stocked bar. But here’s the thing: building a great whiskey bar at home takes time and money. … After all, there's no need to stock something you are not going to use. https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinlarosa/essentials-every-whiskey-lover-should-own Today's tequila market is diverse and filled with many great brands. Perennially named one of the best all-around bourbons out there, Buffalo Trace is straight-up delicious no matter how you look at it. Essential Bar Stock Customized to How You Drink, Bartender's Guide to the Most Popular Bar Drinks, Make Your Own Personalized Cocktail Gift Basket, 8 Popular Brands of Gin You Need to Taste, An A to Z List of Popular Liqueurs and Cordials, Creating Delicious Dairy Cocktails at Home, 10 Tasty Homemade Liqueur Recipes You Need to Try, 12 Tasty Recipes for Jagermeister Cocktails and Shots, Explore Irish Cream Liqueur and Discover Drink Recipes. Every bottle is different and you can really customize your bar with a fascinating array of the botanicals offered in today's gin market. If you’re short on either one of those two things, setting smart priorities is going to be essential. A bit more of a specialty, an Irish whiskey and a decent blended scotch are good complements to any bar. While you can pick up a bloody Mary mix or piña colada mix at almost any liquor store, they are not your best option. Rather than buying 20 or 30 inexpensive bottles of booze, begin by spending a higher amount on those mentioned above. Learn to love Laphroaig, and a whole new world opens up to you. These "bottled cocktails" are shortcuts to mixing your cocktails from scratch and they often leave a lot to be desired in the taste department. If you prefer a vodka martini every now and then, spend a little extra for a top-shelf bottle as well.