How do you guys stock your bar??

In my place I am working on stocking my bar... I want to be able to make most anything people would ask for, and also I want it to look good with all the bottles lined up. I searched the net and found a list of the basics, and with a few others here's my list so far:

From the list of basics:
Gin: Tanqueray
Tequila: Don Julio (for marghertias) & Patrón Silver (shots only)
Bourbon: Maker's Mark
Rum: Bacardi
Sweet Vermouth (other half of a Manhattan)
Dry Vermouth (other half of a martini)
Irish Whisky: Jameson
Scotch: Macallan Cask Strength
Vodka: Grey Goose and Kettle One

The others I've added:
Southern Comfort
Jägermeister
Grand Marnier

Any suggestions of things to add or any substitution recommendations? I've never bought Bourbon, Scotch, or Vermouth before, but for the others, I've put in my favorite brands.

 

add some Hangar One. and everyone loves the captain.

.....and some Hardy Perfection ...or, at least, some Louis.


of couse, i like my booze like I like my cigars...only the best , so i'm in the minority. If I were to have a stock of liquor, it'd be for myself, and everyone drinks what I give 'em

 

Gin - step up to the Tanqueray 10 & never go back. Better yet, keep both on hand.

Vodka - move into the real world of quality (not hyped) vodka & look for Wyborowa or search out some Kaufman.

 

Gins - Concur fully on Ten, but keep a bottle of Hendrick's around, too.

Bourbons - Too many to list, but Woodford Reserve is my pick. Best value for the money.

Scotch - This is where it gets expensive. Generally, I'm a Macallan 18 drinker, but the prices have gotten quite steep. For a good, everyday Scotch you might look for a 12-year. Perhaps an Aberlour. But, this all depends on your taste. Taste a few and go accordingly. Recently I bought about 6 bottles of 20+ year Scotch. They're all very good, but you might look for Gordon & Macphail. They're independent merchants that purchase up the distilleries stocks and bottle and label them with their own brand. They are offering good stuff though at much lower prices. For example, I bought a 25-year Macallan in G&M bottle for less than the Macallan 18.

Super High End Liquors - Try Caddell & Williams distributor in CA. They deal with Germain-Robin, which offers a phenomenal cognac: Anno Domini ($350!) and XO. They also offer a number of very special liqueurs (Williams Pear Brandy, Framboise, Kirshwasser, etc.). You might also try to find Jepson's Alambric Brandy. It's very good and at a much lower price point.

Stocking a bar can get VERY expensive, but the fun is emptying the bottles out!

Cheers,

CW

 

Gin: Miller's
Rum: Starr
Scotch: Varieties of Springbank, Laphroaig and Highland Park
Vodka: Tito's


Ask me for a fru-fru drink, you get shown the door.

Ask me for a vodka martini, you'll receive contemptuous laughter then shown the door.

 

Nobody has mentioned a Canadian whiskey, a must have in my book. Mostly because it's what I drink. A bottle of Crown Royal is a good start.

I keep to the 'basics' because I don't feel the need to support my friends drinking habits unless it's an occassion.

Tanqueray Gin, Jack Daniels Bourbon, Dewars Scotch (or a REASONABLE single malt), Bacardi Rum, Absolut Vodka, etc. My experience has been that even the most snobbish drinker will drink what's on hand, unless it's rot gut. I'll even drink Seagrams 7 in a pinch.

 

+1 to Crown Royal

 

Always keep a girly bottle of something for when entertaining the ladies...

 

Here are my favorite 7 Martini recipes.

Vanilla Vodka comes in handy. That, plus some
Creme de Cacao make the BEST Martini you've ever had. (The "Black and White")
Even people who say they don't like Martinis love that one.


Martini
6 parts Gin
2 part Dry Vermouth
Cocktail Olive

Vanilla Twist
6 parts Vanilla Vodka
1 part Cointreau (AKA Gran Marnier)
1 part Dry Vermouth
Vanilla Bean

Artillery Cocktail
6 parts Gin
2 parts Sweet Vermouth

Plaza Martini
2 parts Gin
2 parts Dry Vermouth
2 parts Sweet Vermouth
Maraschino cherry

Black and White Martini
6 parts Vanilla Vodka
2 parts Creme de Cacao
Black and white licorice candies

Newbury
6 parts Gin
2 parts Sweet Vermouth
1 part Triple Sec
Lemon Twist

Gypsy Martini
8 parts Gin
2 parts Sweet Vermouth
Maraschino cherry

 

Can I get vote for Jack Daniel's?

I usually keep some apple pucker or cosmo mix around for the ladies.

 

Glen Livet & Grey Goose Vodka.

 

Polish vodka, very nice. My personal favorite - Zubrowka (Polmos Bialystok). You should also have a bottle of absynthe on hand. Every time I go to Poland and Czech Republic, I bring back a couple bottles of each, because apparently, FDA doesn't allow them in.

 

Isn't absynth a hallucinogin? There was an article about it in Maxim several years ago. If I remember correctly you are supposed to serve it over a sugar cube.

 

Yep. The hallucinogin part of it is the thujone from the wormwood plant. The amount used today is very minimal, but enough to give it a little kick. Back in the old days (Edgar Allen Poe, Van Gogh), there was a lot of thujone in the Absynthe, and you would really trip your balls off. That explains Poe and Van Gogh's work.
You're supposed to place a slotted spoon over a small glass and place a sugar cube on the spoon. Then you slowly pour the Absynthe over the cube into the glass. Afterwards, you light the alcohol saturated cube and let it melt into the glass. It's good!

 

Sammy Hagar's tequila named Cabo Wabo is in my opinion much smoother than the Patron Silver. It's one of the few tequila shots that I can handle warm without a lime and salt.

 

I would add some classics such as Johnny Black, Jack Daniels, Hennessy, Seagrams, maybe some Hypnotiq or Alize for the ladies and to add a bit of color. If you're bartending and wanna light stuff on fire, don't burn your house down though 151 is the stuff for that....

 

I like to keep a bottle of Jose Cuervo Reserva De Familia on hand. Good stuff, and while expensive, it's great to bring out with someone who enjoys sipping tequila (not doing shots).

 

You can buy absynthe on the internet.....lots of varieties:

http://www.greenfairy.org/home.php

 

I'll second that Tanq 10 recommendation.

It taste's like you're eating a christmas tree, which is exactly how a good gin should taste!

 

No... El Junipero tastes like eating a christmas tree...and for me, good gin shouldn't taste that way Tanq 10 is more like a christmas tree with the candy canes and just a touch of something citrus mixed in...just right!

 

Wow! Those prices are astronomical. $116 for Absinthium 1792. But I guess that's the convenience charge for not having to Europe to get it. The last time I was in Prague, I bought 2 bottles of Absinthium 1792 for $30 USD.

 

Basilhayden.

 

It's only 3 here, but your commentary has my mouth watering for a cocktail.

thank god the weekend is nearly here.

Cheers!

 

Wall to wall with John Daniels. He may be Jack to you, son. But when
you've known him as long as I have.....

 

Honestly, how can you drink gin? I had one little sip from my parents glass and it tastes like dirt..blah