Let's begin with two truths: value-priced spirits are almost always terrible taste-wise, and most feel that exceptional spirits are wasted in cocktails. The challenge of the bartender or lay mixologist is to find that middle ground.
Even then, there's difficulty. Some might try to find the cheapest option they can get away with, hoping to stumble upon a spirit that might be unpleasant if had on its own, but is effectively bulldozed by all of the other mixers that go into drink X. Others might want a spirit that elevates drink Y, but isn't so ludicrously expensive that it makes for a $25 cocktail.
This is a great conundrum that’s worth getting into, and what follows is a list of what I personally stock for my own home bar.
Bourbon
Evan Williams Black Label – Evan Williams is stupid cheap. It's woody and rough around the edges. Still, it passes the test of being drinkable (if not exceptional) as-is and is well-tamed by ice, bitters, simple syrup, soda, and whatever else.
Old Forester – If you're making a drink where whiskey is the star, such as an old fashioned, there's less for the bourbon to hide behind. Old Forester is my favorite $20 bourbon. It's a great example of how production scale works in your favor. Its notes of cherry are well-accentuated!
Irish Whiskey
Bushmills – There aren't many drinks that call specifically for Irish Whiskey, but Bushmills is usually a pretty good answer at about $17. It has some softness and banana I appreciate, and everyone should try an Irish Coffee at least once.
Scotch
Dewar's 12 – The danger of cheaping out with Scotch is that it's a premium, exclusively imported product category. It would be like buying a used BMW for $2,000. At that price, you know something has to be wrong with it. Dewar's 12 is actually damned good as-is, and consistently tends to be only marginally more money than the awful Dewar's White Label despite being aged triple the length of time of the standard swill. It's also just peaty enough to be able to work in cocktails that specifically call for scotch.
Rye
Rittenhouse – This has been a darling of bartenders for years. The (slightly) higher proof makes for a stiffer drink with backbone, and technically it's only 51% rye, with the rest of the mashbill being corn (probably). Purists will probably scoff at the distinctively reddish color, which is of course due to food coloring. I think it makes for a distinctive presence on the shelf and a knowing wink to those who recognize the color as part of a cocktail. To play devil’s advocate, we do taste with our eyes.
White Rum
Plantation 3 Stars — I'm seeing this in more and more places. Planatation 3 stars is a bartender's dream. It's not bracing, boring, or disgusting as would fairly characterize 95% of the white rums available at the supermarket. Instead, it's subtly sweet and a little grassy, making it an excellent match for the island character of most tiki drinks.
Altantico Platino — I think this is a tastier and more drinkable white rum on its own than the Plantation 3 stars, but the catch is that it's far less commonly available. I've reviewed the Platino before, but for right now suffice it to say that it's a very tasty rum that for $20 will improve any cocktail that would normally call for Bacardi. Great in daiquiris, where there are few ingredients for the rum to hide behind.
Dark Rum
Whaler's — Most likely the cheapest suggestion I have here. Whaler's pours engine oil black. It costs a whole thirteen dollars. But in mixed drinks, it gives a great molasses-heavy hit that I expect from a dark rum added to a drink. Far, far, far better than something like Sailor Jerry's. Don't buy Sailor Jerry's for whatever reason, no matter how much of a millennial you are. The same goes for Kraken: it's a better-branded, but crappier-tasting and more expensive Whaler's. If you're by a Trader Joe's, they tend to stock this reliably.
Plantation Dark — In the off chance you might be tempted to try a dark rum straight up AND you're budget-conscious, Plantation's cheapest rum is actually quite tolerable. If your bar doesn't have a dark rum for drinks, throw $16 at this bottle and never look back. You can sip a little bit of it and not make a yucky face. There are older and more sophisticated rums, but this bats well above its price point.
Tequila
Literally buy anything that says “100% agave” on the label and do not compromise on this for any reason. I shit all over Jose Cuervo gold whenever I have an opportunity, but even the J.C. “traditional” line is totally, absolutely fine for margaritas and what have you. To throw some names out: Tres Generaciones, Cazadores, Milagro, and Los Altos. Those will all make for good drinks and not obliterate your budget. While they aren’t ascendant, transformative spirits, all of these are good enough to enjoy on their own.
Vodka
Russian Standard – It's inexpensive, and it's everywhere, and it's honestly not bad if you want to enjoy a vodka “Russian style,” which means ice cold from the freezer, done as a shot, and then followed by a bite of a pickle or a salty sausage. Fair warning: friends of mine have gotten absolutely OBLITERATED from this. Not a knock against the liquor: no, no. It's a testament to Russian Standard being very easy to drink. You have been warned.
Rekya — Many cocktails that call for vodka are doing so because they want an “invisible” spirit. Reyka is about $5 more expensive than Russian Standard, but it does go down a little easier and I think it's made with a higher standard of quality behind it. More elaboration in my review, but this is my go-to for a mixing vodka.
Gin
Tanqueray – As I mentioned in my Tanqueray review, it's crazy that one of the most well-known, “can find it anywhere” kinds of gins is actually one of the best and most distinctive. Juniper is the name of the game with Tanq. It's full flavored, full proof, and not very sophisticated on its own. However, it makes for a KILLER martini and stands front and center whenever you want a gin to taste like a gin in a mixed drink.
Gordon's – I mention this as a budget option. Gordon's isn't a great gin, but for being a bottom-shelf or well liquor (maybe a middle shelf liquor in a small town, if we're being kind), it's rock solid. It's a little abrasive on its own, but it has a great juniper kick that slices through tonic and vermouth like a knife. If you want a drink that embraces the gin, and you don't want to shell out much cash, Gordon's delivers out of proportion to what it costs. You will not pine for anything more in a Gin and Tonic.
Martin Miller's – I had originally put Aviation here. My bias was that Martin Miller's is so good on its own that you don't need to put it in anything. Maybe more so than any other spirit I've listed so far. However, at a $20 price point (astonishing, really), drinks that don't require a juniper-forward gin will shine. Even in a gin and tonic, it has a wonderful ginger and cucumber crispness that just has to be experienced.
Cognac/ Brandy
Ararat 5 – Yeah, yeah: Armenian Brandy isn't technically cognac. Substitute it in any drink recipe calling for a cognac and you won't be disappointed. It will provide a little more body and presence, especially in the classic sidecar. Although that's a cocktail that's more difficult to get right than one might expect.
Martell VS – At $25, this is stretching the boundaries of a cocktail liquor, but if you're making a drink that calls for brandy or cognac your hand is forced just a bit. The Martell is light, fruity, and has a good amount of depth and playfulness that will get out of its own way when combined with other elements.
Other shit
Every home bar should have bitters and both kinds of vermouth. Angostura classic and orange bitters are your easiest and best option. The bitters will be good until hell freezes over, but the vermouth should be refrigerated and ideally vacuum-sealed between uses. With the vacuum sealer, the stuff should hold up for six months or so, and maybe two months without it. I recommend Dolin (fancy) and Noilly Prat (more affordable), but Martini and Rossi will certainly do if it's all you can find.
With all of the above, you’ve basically got most of what you need to provide the foundation to most drinks, and combined with a few lemons and limes there’s about fifty drinks you can make from some combination of the above.
The spirits themselves—as I painfully and repeatedly learned years ago—won’t overcome bad drink mixing or shitty technique (hint: measure things out and learn what drinks should be shaken or stirred), but they will lead to great cocktails on a tight budget. And you could spend more, but you certainly don’t have to.
