One key thing to remember when stocking your home bar is that this is your bar. So, buy and invest in spirits that fit your tastes. You don’t want to end up spending a bunch of money on shit you’ll never drink. My goal is to provide you with some general direction to help you build the best home bar for your tastes and needs.
I put together a list of some spirits, liqueurs and mixers that I think would get you off to a good start. However, you do not need to get everything on this list. Customize what you buy based on what you like or are interested in drinking. If you are a whiskey fan, focus on stocking your bar with a variety of whiskeys to create an impressive whiskey selection. Same for any of the other spirits. If you want to create a well-rounded bar that gives you the most versatility in what cocktails you can make, focus on stocking your bar with a variety of different spirits.
Also, don’t feel the need to buy everything at once. This can be a gradual process. As you get into different spirits and cocktails, your home bar will naturally start to grow.
In the list below, you’ll also see I included a few recommended brands for each spirit. I tried to include brands that are more mid-range, in terms of price. But, if you have a brand that you like, then stick with it! If you have no idea where to start, I’d say these brands are solid ones for mixing to start off with.
Spirits
Agave: Tequila
When looking for a tequila, you want to get one that is 100% agave. Mixto or “blended” tequilas, which are the tequilas most associated with college parties and brutal hangovers, are only required to include 51% of agave sugars. The other 49% can be made up of whatever sugars or additives the producers decided to put in it. So, stick with 100% agave tequilas. They are superior in all the ways.
Once distilled, tequila can be either bottled or put into a barrel for aging. Each age are categories as such:
- Blanco —”white”— is typically unaged tequila but can be aged for a short amount of time.
- Reposado —”rested”— is tequila that has been aged for at least 2 months in oak barrels.
- Añejo —”aged”— is tequila that has been aged for at least 2 months in oak barrels. Extra Añejo is aged for 3 years or more.
For mixing, I’d suggest a bottle of tequila blanco and a bottle of reposado for versatility.
Recommended brands for tequila blanco and reposado: Espolòn, Olmeca Altos, Mijenta Tequila Blanco
Agave: Mezcal
Mezcal deserves a spot on your bar if you’re a fan of agave spirits. Mezcal is very similar to tequila but has some key differences. First, mezcal can be made with a variety of agave types, not only blue agave like tequila. Second, the harvested agave is fire-roasted, which is what gives mezcal its smoky finish.
Recommended brands for mezcal: Del Maguey Vida, La Luna, Mezcal Vago Elote, Ilegal Mezcal Joven
Gin
Gin can really differ from brand to brand. Even two gins from the same category can end up tasting very different from each other. Every gin has its own personality, so each can completely change the vibe in a cocktail.
Gin is categorized into different styles. These are a few of the popular styles of gin:
- London Dry is what most people would considered to be the “classic” gin. When you ask for anything with gin, most likely it will be a London Dry. These gins are light, dry and has a strong juniper flavor.
- Plymouth gin is a brand but also a style of gin. Plymouth gin can only be made in Plymouth, England to be considered a Plymouth gin. It’s very similar to London Dry but it’s a bit less juniper-forward with a stronger citrus flavor and a hint of earthiness.
- Old Tom gin is sweeter richer in flavor than London dry.
I’d suggest a bottle of London Dry and/or Plymouth Gin.
Recommended brands for gin: Beefeater, Tangeray, Aviation American Gin, Plymouth Gin
Whisk(e)y
There are a lot of types of whisk(e)ys - American, Scottish, Irish, Japanese, etc. And, these types can be broken down into their own categories as well. Since this is not an article about whiskey, I won’t be going into too much detail of the different types. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll just be focusing on American Whiskeys for this article.
Bourbon and Rye
Bourbon and Rye are the most popular types of American whiskey. In terms of flavor, Bourbon tends to be sweeter than rye. Rye tends to have more prominent spice notes than bourbon.
Recommended brands for bourbon: Evan Williams Black Label, Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, Woodford Reserve
Recommended brands for rye: Rittenhouse 100, Bulleit Rye
Rum
Rum can vary greatly from producer to producer in terms of style, taste and overall personality. We have Spanish-style rums, Caribbean/English-style rums, Jamaican rums and more. We have light, dark and aged rums. These different rum styles can be used in all type of ways making cocktails. Typically, light rums are great in cocktails that are citrus-forward or have a lighter vibe. Aged rums work well in a variety of cocktails. Light rums can be and often are aged. It’s the filtering process that removes the color and some of the aged flavors to allow it to be considered a light rum.
I recommend a bottle of light rum and an aged rum for any home bar.
Recommended brands for light rum: Plantation 3 Stars White, Flor De Caña 4-Year White, El Dorado 3 Year
Recommended brands for dark/aged rum: Flor de Cana 4 Year Rum, Plantation Original Dark Rum, Kirk & Sweeney 12 year old Dominican Rum, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
Vodka
And, finally, vodka. Love it or hate it, vodka is here to stay. Sometimes, a good vodka really does the job. I find myself reaching for vodka to use for a cocktail that I want to keep clean to allow other specific flavors to shine. Not to say vodka doesn’t have flavor - it just can be a subtle spirit. And that subtliness can work really well for certain cocktails.
Recommended brands for vodka: Titos, Absolute, Ketal One, Cardinal Spirits Vodka
Liqueurs
Liqueurs are flavored and sweetened spirits. There are a lot out there so which ones you buy depend on what you like. If you’re into margaritas, you should probably pick up a bottle of Cointreau. Or if you like more of the bittersweet liqueurs or amari, then get some Campari or Aperol. Here’s some of the common ones to have:
Common liqueurs: Orange Liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao), Campari, Aperol, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
Vermouth
Can’t have a martini without vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine and come in varieties like sweet and dry. It goes bad pretty quickly once it’s opened so make sure you refrigerate it and only get smaller bottles of it so you’re not wasting your money.
Recommended vermouth: Dolin Rouge, Carpano Antica, Dolin Blanc, Cocohi Americano
Bitters
Bitters are like a bartenders spice rack. You use them to add some “seasoning” to your drinks. Think your drink is missing something? Try throwing in a dash of bitters. The following recommendations are a few common bitters that are like a bartender’s salt and pepper.
Recommended bitters: Angostura Bitters, Orange Bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters
Other things to keep on hand
It’s always great to have fresh citrus like oranges, lemons and limes for fresh juice or garnishes. Also, this is probably a given, but make sure you have some ice.
Conclusion
If this all seems overwhelming, remember, just start small! Build your home bar as you go and how you want it. And, most importantly, have fun with it!
Cheers!