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Stocking the Bar

LilBastage

LilBastage

Meat is murder! Tasty, tasty murder.
Joined
Oct 25, 2005
Messages
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Location
Somewhere, out there.
Submitted for your approval...

You have to stock a bar for regular drinking with an occasional "ringer" thrown in to really impress your taste buds and those of your guests. You must include at least the following:

A mixing rum
A mixing vodka
A mixing tequila
A sipping rum
A sipping whiskey
A sipping tequila
A decent single malt (one that you would not be ashamed to share)
A decent blended scotch

The limits are as follows:

12 bottles or less
Nothing extremely rare
Good bang for the buck

This is just a hypothetical exercise, not a real life situation. I just thought this would be a fun and creative way for folks to share. I don't have a lot of experience in this topic and thought I might learn something and also pick up some good suggestions. I've read through almost every thread, but a lot of them are pretty old. I thought this might be a good way to refresh some of that info.
 
Smirnoff is a great bang for the buck in vodka. Whisky really depends on what you want. Knob Creek is a great burbon and not too expensive. In the single mat area, I like Talisker. In my bar I also keep Ketel One, Glenmorangie, Johnnie Walker Black, Sauza, Bombay Sapphire and Bacardi. Hope this helps.
 
Sipping rum...Ron Z 23 Anos

Mixing rum...Myers

Sipping whiskey...Bookers

Mixing whiskey...Jack Daniels Black Label

Don't drink enough of the others to offer an educated opinion.
 
A mixing rum - Whalers

A mixing vodka - Barton

A mixing tequila - Sauza Blanco

A sipping rum - Ron Zacapa Centenario

A sipping whiskey - Jim Beam Black

A sipping tequila - Patron Anejo

A decent single malt - Lagavulin 16

A decent blended scotch - Chivas
 
I really only drink Scotch...
I fully agree on the Lagavulin 16, IMO that is far and away the best SMS out there. :thumbs:
As far as the blends go, the Chivas really doesn't do it for me, either the 12 or the 18yr.
I would recommend the staple Johnnie Walker Black, or the Gold if you want to pay a bit more. The Gold is an incredibly smooth scotch, it's almost so smooth that you forget you are drinking scotch. :whistling:
 
The only concern I have with having an dIslay as your single malt is that some folks really don't care for heavily peated scotch.
If you are going with one bottle, in general, I would say go for the highlands, probably speyside.
 
LilBastage said:
Submitted for your approval...< snip >
Click to expand...

...I'll take a stab at it:

A mixing rum - Bacardi Dark or Pusser's Navy Rum
A mixing vodka - Smirinoff Silver
A mixing tequila - Two Fingers Gold - Don't laugh...this stuff is very reasonably priced and very smooth. Put a shot of this and a shot of "something else" on the counter and 7 out of 10 folks will pick this one....
A sipping rum - Mount Gay Barbados Rum
A sipping whiskey - Wild Turkey - Cask Proof
A sipping tequila - Patron Anejo
A decent single malt (one that you would not be ashamed to share) - Dalmore 12YO
A decent blended scotch - Johnnie Walker Black Label

My $00.02 - B.B.S.
 
Since I absolutely hate mixed drinks generally...Mine bar would be 1 good sipping Rum, 2 bottle of Vodka for martini's, 1 good bottle of sipping Bourbon incase I ever get in the mood for it, and 8 bottles of Single malt scotch. Some would be from all price range and never ashamed to dough out the good stuff to friends. :D

And oh snap...that basically is my bar except I dont have Vodka atm. :(

Sipping Rum: Flor de Cana 4yo Gold

The Vodka I have no idea cuz I couldnt afford martini's as much as I can now so that will be a learning experience.

Sipping Bourbon: Four Roses Single Barrel

Sipping Scotch: Honestly...there just isnt the space for the list. But some is Bowmore 16yo Limited Edition from 1989, Glenfiddich 1961 Reserve, Glenlivet Archive 21yo, Caol Ila 18yo Islay....the list is just impossible so I would suggest going to Scotland and that is my list. :laugh:
 
A mixing rum - Meyers for dark or one of the Rons for light
A mixing vodka - Go cheap like Wolfschmidt
A mixing tequila - Jose without a doubt
A sipping rum - Ron Zacapa 23 or Appleton Estate 21
A sipping whiskey - Pappy Van Winkle 15 (bourbon), Canadian Club 12 (Canadian), Black Bush (Irish)
A sipping tequila - Patron Silver (edit: :Padron eh? Make it Patron Silver
A decent single malt (one that you would not be ashamed to share) Balvenie DoubleWood or Talisker 10 (midrange, sweet or smokey) Macallan 18 or Caol Ila 18 (Higher end sweet or smokey) Balvenie Portwood 21 or Lagauvlin will work too.
A decent blended scotch - While technically a vatted scotch, Johnnie Walker Green is my first choice then Gold then Black.
 
I don't know of many people who stock a full bar.

My bar gets populated a little at a time. I may buy a bottle of sipping rum when I'm in the mood for sipping rum. I may have a some people over to watch a game and tell them I'm making mojitos. So go out and get some mixing rum. My wife has the girls over and I go out and get Tequila and Triple Sec for Maragaritas. We may have a dinner party and know my guests to be Sapphire Martini drinkers.

I always try to know what my guests drink and I never really try to have a "full" bar to please everyone. I can't afford to keep a "full" bar either! Using that methodology I have yet to have anyone come over and ask for something I don't have.
 
Ancient thread, but it's not exactly like it's a subject that gets old...



Mixing Rum: Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum or Mt. Gay Eclipse $25ish per 1.75L

Mixing Vodka: Tito's Handmade Vodka (Austin, TX) $30ish per 1.75L

Mixing Tequila: Sauza $33ish per 1.75L

Sipping Rum: Mt. Gay Extra Old or Pyrat XO $40ish for 750ml

Sipping Whiskey: Crown Royal $25ish for 750ml

or perhaps Knob Creek or Maker's Mark for about $35

Sipping Tequila: 1800 Anejo $30ish for 750ml

or something more like Casa Noble for $45

Decent Single Malt: Highland Park (12 or 18 depending on budget)

Decent Blend: Chivas Regal $30ish for 750ml
 
old thread but i'll put my recommendations in there as well

A mixing rum - Bacardi

A mixing vodka - Smirnoff

A mixing tequila - Cuervo Silver

A sipping rum - Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 year old (have to agree with everyone this is excellent stuff and pretty cheap for an aged rum)

A sipping whiskey - Woodford Reserve or Eagle Rare 17 year old if you want to get fancy

A sipping tequila - Patron Silver

A decent single malt - Balvenie 12 Doublewood or Glenfiddich 15 year old

A decent blended scotch - Johhny Walker Green or Black
 
A mixing rum - Bacardi dark or Cruzan
A mixing vodka - Smirnoff or Absolut
A mixing tequila - Cuervo Especiale or Patron Silver
A sipping rum - Barbancourt Old Estate
A sipping whiskey - Knob Creek or Van Winkle Lot B
A sipping tequila - Patron Silver or Patron Anejo
A decent single malt - Balvenie 15 or Highland Park 18
A decent blended scotch - Johnnie Walker Black or Chivas Regal 18

As an extra, I'd get Stolichnaya Elit for a sipping vodka. I am not a fan of vodka, but this stuff is pretty smooth.
 
Great topic!
Fun stuff.

I've been refining my prefect line-up for years, one type at a time.
Currently I'm playign with differnt 'sippin' rums and rums that are good for the classic rum drinks (I just finished reading the excellent "And a Bottle of Rum.")

Whiskies:
-Wild Turkey 101 for sippin and mixin'
-A good Rye, still trying to find my favorite, but I imagine it'll be Van Winkle when I get around to buying a bottle...
-Balveine 15yr
-And a Sipping Bourbon. This changes quite a bit. Currently I'm loving the Van Winkle 15 yr right now, but Rare Breed or Blantons are some other mainstays.
-Jameson tends to always end up on the bar as well... I have a few regulars that love it.
-I don't stock a blended scotch, but if I did it would be JW Black


Gin
It took me many many years of trail before finding my favorite gin:
-Hendricks for the discriminating gin drinkers and martinis
-Beefeater as a backup, or when I'm in the mood for quantity.


Vodka
-I tend to stock Absolut or Grey Goose when I can find it on-sale.
-Also one funky flavored vodka depending on what cocktails I'm in teh mood to make. Smirnoff Blueberry Lemon Drops are a favorite of the ladies. (garnish w/ a sprig of thyme.)
-Smirnoff if I'm throwing a big blow-out

Tequilla
-I dig the Sauza anjeo for Margaritas
-Patron for sippin' and shootin'

Rum
-Capt Morgan goes into a couple of my signature drinks so I like to have that on the bar
-For dark rum I like Goslings Black Seal
-I'm just now getting into sipping rum, but so far love the Barbencourt 5-star (8 year) which is inexpensive enough to make it into a (real) daquari or Mai Thai

that's 14 bottles...
 
I only have one 'put' here for 'mixing' rum:

Cruzan rum is damn fine, made in the US and cheaper than most others, certainly all competitors!

Thier coconut rum with half pineapple juice half ginger ale is awesome for a fresh summer drink.

~R
 
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