Help me stock my liquor cabinet

Well, I reached legal age some time ago, but due to my brewing habits I have yet to actually purchase any spirits. However, I've been looking to expand my palette recently, so I'd appreciate any advice on which commercials I should buy.

Of main focus, I'm looking for recommendations for a good rum (not spiced), scotch, bourbon, and tequila. I'd also be open to any other suggestions you think are worthwhile.

Here's the catch, though: being the poor college student that I am, I'd like to keep the bottle prices under $25 if at all possible. I'd be willing to exceed that figure a bit on the tequila and the scotch; I know that both of those tend to be a little bit more on the pricy side.

Thanks in advance!

DonQ or Mount Gay for Rum.

For bourbon I like the Jim Beam Black Label.

Ok... it's good that you want to get the good stuff, but use some common sense here. Most of your friends are probably in the shooters and mixed drinks stage.

This means if you have a $50 bottle of vodka, they will be mixing it with orange juice to the point that you won't be able to tell Grey Goose from Popov.

Buy a handle (1.75L) of Smirnoff for $14. Anybody who wants to mix drinks can have at it. Buy a bottle of Grey Goose/Belvidere/etc. Anybody sipping (I said sipping, not "shooting) straight vodka can have at it.

Same with Tequila. Cuervo Plata for margaritas and mixed drinks, Azul or Patron or whatever for sipping.

I love good Tequila. The best advice is make sure you buy 100% Agave, othewise it is made with 51% Agave and the rest is sugar. That's why Jose Cuarvo is NOT a friend of mine.

Also, there are 3 types of Tequila. Silver or blanco which is not aged and clear, Resposada which is golden from aging in barrels, and Anjeo which is aged at least 3 years and has the most complex taste, not unlike a good scotch whiskey.

Bicardi rum comes in light and dark...different flavors.

Sir Humpsalot said:

Ok... it's good that you want to get the good stuff, but use some common sense here. Most of your friends are probably in the shooters and mixed drinks stage.

This means if you have a $50 bottle of vodka, they will be mixing it with orange juice to the point that you won't be able to tell Grey Goose from Popov.

Buy a handle (1.75L) of Smirnoff for $14. Anybody who wants to mix drinks can have at it. Buy a bottle of Grey Goose/Belvidere/etc. Anybody sipping (I said sipping, not "shooting) straight vodka can have at it.

Same with Tequila. Cuervo Plata for margaritas and mixed drinks, Azul or Patron or whatever for sipping.

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Yeah...vodka's a different story. The better it is, the less you taste. I've kept some druck juice around if the homebrew can't do it, but like you mentioned, I want some of the good stuff for me.


Keep 'em coming! *Scribbles shopping list furiously*

Damn Michigan's shelf pricing!

Tito's Hand Made Vodka from Austin, Tx is very very good!

http://www.titos-vodka.com/titos_lo.html

For a quality rum, Pyrat XO is very nice, at a little over $20 a bottle. If you can go up to around $35, I'd suggest Oronoco, a wonderfully deep and complex white rum. Both are great sipping rums, best enjoyed from a small snifter.

If you have Trader Joe's in your area, they sell several major brands of fine scotch under their own name, for substantially less than they normally cost. These include Macallan, Bowmore, and Glenlivet.

Maker's Mark and Knob Creek are two nice bourbons that are within your $25 price range, can't go wrong with either. Blanton's is spectacular, but about twice as much.

Sorry, but IMHO there are no tequilas in your price range that won't give you a rash and possibly mess up your shoes! If you know where to shop though, $50 will get you one of the finest tequilas made, Gran Centenario Añejo. This is my old reliable, go to tequila...I've found others I enjoy as much, but none that I enjoy more. Their reposado is good too, but not that much cheaper. (Añejo = Aged, Reposado = Rested and Silver or Plato = white & bottled immediately after distillation. Gold = cheap-a$$ white tequila with caramel food coloring...be afraid!!) Don't buy any bottle if the label doesn't say 100% agave.

EdWort said:

Tito's Hand Made Vodka from Austin, Tx is very very good!

http://www.titos-vodka.com/titos_lo.html

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+1 for the Tito's. For Tequila, my favorite is Cabo Wabo Anejo, though it is on the pricey side. But give it a shot if you ever get the chance.

As for rum, If you haven't tried Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum, you haven't had rum. It is the bizomb. It rated a "96" at the World Spirits Championships. It has been around since 1806. It is soooo good.

http://www.goslingsrum.com

And it goes without saying that Bombay Saphire is fantastic gin.

Forrest

BlindLemonLars said:

Sorry, but IMHO there are no tequilas in your price range that won't give you a rash and possibly mess up your shoes!.

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Here in Texas, $25-30 can get you decent !00% Agave Tequila. Two come to mind.

Sauza Hornitos (I call it Horny Toes)
Milagro Silver

Both are very drinkable straight up.

Then again, being in Texas, we have loads to choose from.

Austinhomebrew said:

As for rum, If you haven't tried Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum, you haven't had rum. It is the bizomb. It rated a "96" at the World Spirits Championships. It has been around since 1806. It is soooo good.

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You beat me to it, I was going to recommend this. My inlaws got me hooked on this after their trips to Bermuda. Great stuff and a staple in the liquor cabinet ...

EdWort said:

Here in Texas, $25-30 can get you decent !00% Agave Tequila. Two come to mind.

Sauza Hornitos (I call it Horny Toes)
Milagro Silver

Both are very drinkable straight up.

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I've not tried the Milagro, but I don't care for Hornitos...I've bought it for margaritas and such, but don't like it straight. It's a decent quality product, but it just doesn't do it for me.

My best friend is from Mexico City, and over the years he's thoroughly spoiled me when it comes to tequila! :cross:

BTW, Jose Cuervo does make one wonderful tequila, their Reserva de la Familia. It's off the deep end as far as aging goes...dark, deep and rich. About as far from silver as you can get, and actually too far for some purists. It's around $80 usually, but sometimes can be found at Costco and the like for much less.

That does it...I'm pouring a tequila, right now!

Hmmm, I'll keep a lookout for Tito's and gosling, then, but I think I might have some trouble finding them all the way up here in MI. .

BLL: I do so happen to have a Trader Joe's here. And I will be checking out there selection. Thanks for the huge tip!

More good stuff on the Tequila, too.

Mmmmm Titos!!!!
You can get it in Wisconsin so just look around and I bet you find it.

I second the recommendation for Tito's Handmade Vodka. Very good stuff!!!!

I also second the Goslings Rum (dark rum), it is quite good and cheap, although I personally prefer Coruba Rum.

Bombay Sapphire is also a fine gin, though personally, I prefer Tanqeray. I make my martinis with half gin / half vodka, so the stronger flavor of the tanqueray is muted to a significant degree.

Where to save money? ANYTHING with sugar added, you can skimp on. A $10 bottle of Irish Cream isn't too far behind Bailey's, a $7 bottle of Triple Sec is just about as good for mixing as the $12 bottle. Buy what's cheap. Cheap coconut rum is actually better than the over-priced Bacardi garbage. Same with any schnapps. Buy what's cheap. By the time you've mixed 4 ingredients together, honestly, nobody knows the difference. Oh, by the way, NEVER buy ANYTHING from Bacardi.

Oh, and don't buy Godiva, just buy Creme de Cacao for half the price. Also with a little patience, you can easily make your own Limoncello, vanilla vodka, pepper vodka, cinnamon schnapps, and kahlua clones. No need to shell out for those. In most cases you can make something better at home.

homebrewer_99 said:

Bicardi rum comes in light and dark...different flavors.

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Middle of the afternoon...nothing else to drink....I'll go for a Bacardi and Coke...but only as a last resort.
+1 on NEVER buy Bacardi. Maybe if you have a party...just to have. People seem to drink it, but it is deffinately NOT a Top Shelf Rum. I like Appleton (Avoid the $12.00 Bottle)
and for cheap / good scotch. Try Bowmore Legend. It's about $32.00 and it is pretty tasty. Drink over ice, and set your brain to look for the Peat and Salt. It'll keep your attention for some good time.

For scotch, I can only recommend single malts, but I hear there are some blends out there that aren't half bad. McClelland makes a decent single malt for under $25. As for American whiskey, the only reasonably priced one I like is Maker's Mark (great for Manhattans). Only other advice I can add is to stay away from the cheap stuff, like others said. Most cheap liquor is made with adjuncts resulting in fusel alcohols and nasty hangovers.

My liquor cabinet usually contains (in order of importance to me):

Excellent scotch (The Macallan is a reasonably affordable favorite)
Decent gin (Tanqueray or Bombay)
Jack Daniel's and maybe some real top shelf Bourbon like Woodford
Chambord (SWMBO loves it, I cook with it)
Sauza Hornitos
Good vodka (Tito's)
Kahlua
Bailey's Irish Cream
Gran Marnier/Triple Sec/Cointreau (all in the same category to me...mixers)
Assorted schnapps (peach, peppermint, etc, etc)
Sambuca/Raki/Ouzo
Cheap light rum and vodka for mixing at parties
Hypnotiq (SWMBO is into the fruity crap)
I often keep Tarantula tequila and blue Curacao on hand to make blue margaritas.

In no particular order, Angostura bitters, Kosher salt for margaritas, coconut cream, half and half/cream, grenadine, fresh lemons/limes, fresh mint, club soda, tonic, maraschino cherries, olives, and surely some things I've forgotten complete a well stocked bar.

Oooohhhhh, yes, I make my own liqueurs. I've been very successful with coffee and strawberry varieties, and frankly sould never see myself paying for one that I can make easily for a lot less and is just as good.

I'd generally agree about Bacardi with my limited experience with it, but Bacardi Razz and Dr. Pepper does make delicious happen. The only exception to that rule I'm aware of, however.

I'll look into McClellend, definitely.

Yuri, thanks for the list. That little 'finishers' list at the bottom got me thinking...Since I already make liqueur perhaps maraschino cherries are in order .

You want good tequila? Fly to Mexico, buy your max limit of 4 bottles for about 8 dollars each, fly back! you are under your $25 limit.

Seriously some of the best tequila you cant get stateside.

For vodka check out Effen Vodka, you should be able to find it for around $25-$28 a bottle and it is well worth it. Never mix it with anything, just 3 fingers over ice and enjoy.

Ed:

SirHumpsalot gives good advice. I'd recommend a similar tack for bourbon. Maker's, Wild Turkey, Bulleit, and Jim Beam are all good bourbons that you can drink on rocks, or up. For mixers, I'd recommend something just a bit farther down the line, like Evan Williams bourbon. It's inexpensive, mixes smoothly, and you can still drink it straight, if you like.

In fact, for people who haven't developed a palate for bourbon, E Dub is a good introductory bourbon -- it's smooth and sweet compared to something like Turkey 101, which is blackout fuel.

-Tanqueray 10 is an awesome gin.
-I'm a fan of Jim Beam Rye...definitely worth trying at least once.
-Gentleman Jack
-Sailor Jerry, while not being exactly top shelf, is a really easy to drink rum that tastes great and will put you on your a$$ if you're not careful. The art that comes with it is cool too.

ScubaSteve said:

-Tanqueray 10 is an awesome gin.

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+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love a strong gin and tonic, but Tanq 10 really holds its own on the rocks with a very optional slice of lime.

What I've found is that so long as you are able to keep a tight grip on the key to your topshelf, it really doesn't cost much to maintain a few bottles of premium spirits.

After you've bought the bottle, it really doesn't cost you anything unless you drink it... so that $80 bottle of tequila that you pour one glass every other month is actually pretty worth the money. It's just when you run out of the cheap stuff and you've had a few and decide that breaking the seal on the "good stuff" is a good idea that you start to feel it in your pocket book.

Honestly, when I've had really good stuff around, the bottle lasts at least 6 months. That's not so bad... And every now and then, you'll have somebody over who is a real connoisseur... and, it's not that you want to impress them, it's more that you want to be hospitable and give them something to appreciate. That's when those great bottles are nice to have around.

Rum Barbancourt (~$40/750mL), Jefferson Reserve (Whiskey) (~$50/750mL), and Grey Goose (or sometimes Tito's, actually), were my higher end offerings. Sure, there's even better stuff out there, but I'm not a rich man.... And, I am proud to say, each of those spirits were selected by me for taste. I had never heard of ANY of them until I did a blind tasting of 10+ rums/whiskeys/vodkas and decided that those were the best. The bottle, or reputation, had nothing to do with it. They are damn fine spirits and I could hand a glass to a connoisseur and tell him to f*ck himself if he turned his nose up, because I knew they were good.

And as I said, I only brought those out when I felt like it would be appreciated. I seldom, if ever, sampled them alone... Except for the Tito's. That stuff isn't all that expensive. I should go buy myself a handle of it tomorrow.

Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey

Don't get Jameson. Jameson is the budweiser of Irish Whiskey's not good but well known.

Also Luksusowa is a good potato vodka for a decent price. IMO can't be beat.

Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila is excellent- Its soo smooth I can just sip it alone.
1800 Reposado for mixed drinks
Bombay Saphire Gin
Tanquray Rangpur Gin
Rum- 10 Cane is decent
Vodka- Smirnoff Blue lable
Burbon- Makers Mark or Buellit
Gotta have a bottle of absinthe (real stuff)
Gran Marnier
Good scotch- Johnny Green or Blue($200 a bottle)

Wild Turkey

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Wild Turkey is utter crap- Taste like JP8 and feels about the same.

How do you guys feel about Pendleton Whiskey? I always thought it was much better than Jack and is within in price range.

Pendleton Whiskey

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hrmm not seen this one- I perfer to stay with its bigger brother Burbon

Eh, I think that it must be a local Oregon whiskey or something.

Btw MikeFlynn, i like how we're the only two really posting right now because we are on the other side of the earth. Cheers!

No kidding. I am bored out of my skull too...

I get to work at midnign Alaska time and go to bed noon Alaska time so I get a few hours of overlap with most of the folks..... But right now is the suxors

I'm anywhere from 6-9 hours ahead of most everyone too. Fortunately though, I'm stuck in Germany so beer and liquor is not an issue whatsoever for me. There's some real interesting Russian vodka's here I've never seen in the States that I wouldn't mind bringing back.

Back on Topic: What's the production difference in dark and golden rums? I don't know the translation for the word I am looking at right now on this bottle of dark rum....

What's the production difference in dark and golden rums? I don't know the translation for the word I am looking at right now on this bottle of dark rum

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I think its just the barrel its put in and the amount of distillation done.


From Wiki

Until the second half of the 19th century all rums were heavy or dark rums that were considered appropriate for the working poor, unlike the refined double-distilled spirits of Europe. In order to expand the market for rum, the Spanish Royal Development Board offered a prize to anyone who could improve the rum making process. This resulted in many refinements in the process which greatly improved the quality of rum.[20] One of the most important figures in this development process was Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, who moved from Spain to Santiago de Cuba in 1843. Don Facundo's experiments with distillation techniques, charcoal filtering, cultivating of specialized yeast strains, and aging with American oak casks helped to produce a smoother and mellower drink typical of modern light rums. It was with this new rum that Don Facundo founded Bacardí y Compañía in 1862

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Luksusowa vodka
Sailor Jerry (spiced)/Appleton Rum
Makers Mark/ Knob Creek
Tullamore Dew/Bushmills/Black Bush
Bombay sapphire/Tanq #10

Sailor Jerry!? Ah man, I wouldn't consider that a very fine rum. It always gave me miserable hangovers even when i drank little.

You can find all of these for under $50 a bottle easily,

Gin- Martin Miller's is a great sipping gin. Bombay, Tanqueray, Beefeater for tonics.

Irish Whiskey- Tullamore Dew hands down.

Scotch:
Single Malt- Deanston 12+, Glenfiddich, Macallan
Blends- Johnnie Walker Red and Black, and Grant's make good for on the rocks or a scotch and water.

I dont drink vodka, less it be in a white russian, and I usually buy Svedka. Cheap but good.

Like the others have said, keep a couple 1.75s of various bottom shelf 'mixer' liquors on hand for the friends who want a whiskey coke or a rum and coke, etc.

Klainmeister said:

Sailor Jerry!? Ah man, I wouldn't consider that a very fine rum. It always gave me miserable hangovers even when i drank little.

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No problems here...I like it as a nice sipping beverage.

Course, I don't know if you can always equate an individual's propensity to get hangover with the quality of a beverage.

Johnnie Walker Red and Black

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Dude- Those are the worst!

Gold at minimum and Green is good but Blue is pure awesome in a bottle.

MikeFlynn74 said:

Dude- Those are the worst!

Gold at minimum and Green is good but Blue is pure awesome in a bottle.

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Maybe so, but I dont drink alot of blends, and when I do its on the rocks with a splash of water. Just suggesting to the OP what I can based on what I like. We all dont have 200 dollars to spend on a liter of scotch.