Stock my bar

[Inthacup]

I have very little experience with liquor. Most liquor I've had has been in the form of mixed drinks. Also, it's mostly been low-end stuff. I'm willing to spend about $500 to stock my bar(or at least get started). I want to get a few brands of each type of liquor. At this point, assume I don't want to spend more than $50 on a bottle, but anything under that is fine.

This liquor will be used for occasional drinking. I want to buy some nicer brands. My goal is to develop my palate and experiment with some stuff I've never tried before. Assume I'm a complete novice.

Cup

[pshreck]

This specific thread has been done before.

[mason55]

Gin:
Bombay Sapphire for a nice clean gin
Tanqueray No. 10 for a fruity gin
Both are excellent

Vodka:
Stolichnaya Original
Any flavors you feel you need. My favorite is the black cherry (I can't even remember who makes it, it's a white bottle)

Whiskey:
Jack Daniels for a nice bourbon
Macallan's 12 yr. for a good single malt scotch

Tequila:
Patron Gold
Patron Silver

Others I like (choose by what you like/want):
Malibu Original
Hypnotiq
Blue Curaçao
Rumpleminz
Jagermeister
Generic Irish Cream Liquer
Generic Kaluah
Schnapps in whatever flavor you want (i like berry flavors)


These aren't necessarily the BEST price:taste performance, but people you invite over are going to want things like JD and everything on this list will be extremely easy to find.

[goofball]

Johnnie Walker Black label
Sauza Hornitos Tequila
Absolut or Stolichnaya Vodka
Tanqueray Gin
I don't really know rum.
Various liquers and such: Cointreau, Kahlua, Bailey's, Frangelico

[Inthacup]

found it. thanks.

[mason55]

Rum is a very individual thing. i would suggest a dark and a light but that doesn't help much. I'm a huge fan of the mount gay sugarcane rum. I also like the super dark rums. bacardi light is nice, bacardi coco is fun, you really have to decide what you like with rum. interesting to see that me and goofball picked pretty much the same thing

i even picked sauza hornitos till i rememberd you can get patron for under $50

[nothumb]

This thread has been done, but I'll bite because it's fun.

Vodka:
Get one cheap mixing vodka like Stoli or Skyy
And one nice one. I'm not a vodka drinker but my girlfriend likes Ketel One and Chopin.
One flavored one is good too, a lot of people like a Citron for mixing, especially girls.

Tequila:
You need to have a bottle of Patron. Gold is the best, any one is good.
Also get a mid-grade tequila like Sauza Hornitos or El Tesoro Reposado.
Do not get Cuervo. Do not get Sauza. If you must get a cheap one for mixing 1800 is passable.

Gin:
Tanqueray Ten. Not a gin drinker but this stuff is good. Get another cheap one too for teh n00bs.

Whiskey:
Jack Daniels is standard.
Jameson 12 year is very nice.
Woodford Reserve or Maker's Mark are nice bourbon's, get soem Booker's if you're feeling tough.
I second the Macallan 12 for scotch.

Rum:
I really don't drink rum, it makes me want to die.
Make sure and have Captain Morgan I guess.

Mixers/Liquers:
Kahlua
Chambord (raspberry liquer, makes a ton of great girl drinks)
Triple Sec
Cranberry, Orange, Pineapple, Grapefruit
Grenadine, Rose's Lime
Drambuie
Sprite, Coke, Ginger Ale


I would also really recommend having all the ingredients for good sangria in the house. It's very easy. You need a bottle of dry red wine, some Sprite, orange juice, cherry brandy, triple sec, and some fresh fruit to chop. I don't have a recipe but the idea is to start off easy on everything and work up to a nice blend. Don't add the soda until you are about to serve as it goes flat quickly. Somebody else can give their mixing levels but in general sangria is a great drink to be able to make and serve.

I'm sure I've forgotten some stuff but this is a very good start.

NT

[eggzz]

Someone mentioned Cointreau, this is a must have, or you can get his cheaper brother, Triple Sec. That and have a bottle of Rose's Lime Juice on hand at all times. Its gotta be Roses.

Recommend learning how to make a good Cosmopolitan.

[mason55]

surprised with everyone saying tanqueray... i prefer tanqueray to bombay but i usually feel like an outcast for saying so. nothing beats tanq 10, not even sapphire though.

NT you forgot a nice silver tequila, which, luckily, patron makes :-) sauza conmemorativo is just as good as hornitos, you should try both and see which you like better, they're both good but different.

rums, you can't go wrong with anything from mount gay.

[mason55]

my friend gave me a bottle of macallan's 18 yr last night. oh. my. god. it was the best liquid to ever touch my tongue. i just have to save up $450 for the bottle of macallan's 25 year. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]