Help me fill out my liquor cabinet

I would definitely get something cheap for people who like to mix whiskey with coke... don't let them touch anything like jameson or anything higher than that... can't stand wasting it on an "American cocktail."

 

Well...that's sort of the paradox. They can drink with you, but they also get beer guts like everyone else.

 

Don Julio Tequila
Krakken Rum
Blue Label Whisky

 

My wife drinks wine and there is some of that stocked as well. I used to have all sorts of whiskey, rum, vodka, tequila, etc. But then I decided when my friends come over they can bring their own liqour. I don't stock for anyone but myself.

I have a couple really nice scotch bottles and nobody is allowed to touch those when they come over either.

 

Hendrick's gin
chambord liqueur
A bottle of Cachaça
Angostura Bitters

I'm currently working on a Bacon infused Vodka and Habenero infused vodka.

 

I'm going to come out again and say 4 Copas Reposado tequila. It's superior to Patron. Herradura is also superior to Patron but not as good as 4 Copas. Don Julio is also an excellent tequila but has a different flavor than 4 Copas. I love them both.

 

Hendrick's is a cucumber infused small batch gin. Use Q Tonic or Fever Tree tonic for the best G&T of your life.

 

I guess i'm the only one that likes Ciroc Vodka peach flavor. This goes great with brisk lemonade.

 

40 oz Dos Equixx stay thirsty my friends

 

This is my favorite cocktail site. They have recommended brands here, and I've found them to be very dead-on for everything but their bourbon recommendations, which happens to be the one spirit I know a lot about.

Speaking of, you have no bourbon. Why not?

I spent the last few years going nuts on bourbon, so this post has quickly gotten way too long. With that said, here's where to start:

You don't seem to be interested in quantity over quality, but for those that are, let me save you some time: cheap bourbon is a waste of time for anyone who cares about taste. Each cheap label is either inferior version or cheap imitation of a flagship product. Evan Williams Black is the only bottom-shelf good buy out there that I will sometimes buy to save money or if I'm throwing a party. Everything else is so bad that I will struggle to finish it.

For middle-shelf, I always have either a handle of Jack Daniels or Jim Beam Black around for mixing with cola. I also try to stock a handle of Weller's Special Reserve for people who prefer wheaters (wheat-based bourbons are softer than rye-based bourbons; WSR tastes alot like Makers Mark, the most common wheater found in bars).

For bourbon-based cocktails or by itself, the most versatile bourbon I've found is Buffalo Trace. Wild Turkey 100 is also a must-have that is great neat, though I don't care for either BT or WT100 in cola. Wild Turkey on the rocks is also a great bar drink: it's stocked everywhere, it's never overpriced, but people seem to think it's cool without being terribly trendy.

If you start getting into cocktails, you'll want a straight rye too. Old Overholt is a decent straight rye that will introduce you to the style. Rye has become bourbon's older and trendier cousin, and unfortunately the better ryes out there are in high demand and pretty overpriced in the current market.

The key to drinking boubon today is to understand that you don't necessarily always get what you pay for. Bourbon became very popular in the last few years. There has been an explosion of new bourbons on the market, but many of them are very overpriced or, in many cases, a total ripoff. Never ask somone from Spec's what to buy, because they'll always talk you into whatever bottle they've got an exclusive with at the time. Drink the big names first, and once you can taste the differences between JD, JBB, BT, WT100, and WSR and understand why each has a different purpose and reason for existing, you're ready to take on the small batches, single barrels, and other high shelf bourbons and straight rye whiskeys.

I've bought probably thirty different boubons over the last three years, and I've gotten to the point where I know what I like and I'm not interested in most of the top shelf stuff because the diminishing returns outweigh the novelty of buying another bottle of hooch. Luckily, people know I love bourbon and buy me the more expensive bottles as gifts. For instance, I just got a bottle of Booker's for Christmas, which is amazing. I'd never have the palate to understand it without spending time with much lesser whiskeys. However, while I do love Booker's and I appreciate it and other top shelf bourbons, when I've got more than thirty dollars to spend on a bottle, my money often gets spent on Johnny Walker Black instead.

 

Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare both have the same grain recipe, neither of which contain wheat. They are low-rye mashbills, which is why they aren't as spicy as some high-rye bourbons, but they do not contain wheat. The mainstream wheat-based boubons on the market are Maker's (owned by Beam), W.L. Weller and Van Winkle (both owned by Sazerac, who also owns Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare), and the bottom-shelf Old Fitzgerald and Rebel Yell (owned by Heaven Hill).

 

Nope. It's scotch!

Knob Creek is Jim Beam Black aged an extra year and bottled at 100 proof. Maker's Mark is also owned by Jim Beam but is a wheat bourbon, meaning that wheat is used instead of rye. I believe that all wheat bourbons on the market have the same basic recipe, which is why they all taste so similar.

Instead of Knob Creek and Maker's Mark, you'd get almost the same thing with Jim Beam Black and Weller's Special Reserve for less money. That would give you money for a third bottle, which should probably be Buffalo Trace. After you've had those, I'd try Jack Daniels and Wild Turkey 101.

 

Bourbon - Makers Mark, Buffalo Trace, and Bulleit are all good mid level bourbons. Knob creek is better.
Scotch - McAllan and Glenmorangie are very good. (not too much peat)
Vodka - I don't know. They all taste similar with enough bloody mary mix.
Gin - don't know. Generally pretty gross in my experience.
Tequila - Herradura. Look harder. It should be at any good liquor store. The Anejo is the best. If you're making margaritas, Sauza is good enough.
Patron Citronge - It's better than triple sec, and not as expensive as Cointreau and Grandma.
Rye - Old Potrero is good, but spendy.

 

Interesting, got some bad info on the Buffalo Trace/Eagle Rare. Over the last year or so I've been steadily working through all the offerings from Sazerac, including the W.L. Weller, which is the bottle I'm currently drinking.

Pappy Van Winkle is by far the best I've ever had; absolutely a prize in my collection.

 

Dewars! my drink of choice [on the rocks]