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Busy season continues
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The struggle is real.
Additional Posts in Whiskey Business
About that time 🤝
Finally picked these up after a year in storage
Any recommendation for an everyday cognac ?
Bowl Leader
Visual Storyteller
Visual Storyteller
Thankful for good whiskey!
Love coming to my friend’s place for tastings 😫
Bowl Leader
Rising Star
Rising Star
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Cheers to the weekend!
Great way to spend a Friday night!
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Start with the cocktail you want and build up with each one you want to make
Just get laphroaig. Fill the whole bar up with laphroaig.
Stuff?! Sacrilege!
Best built over time. Adding to MC1’s advice on the assumption that you’re looking to build a general bar:
Start with 2 or 3 spirits. Gin and rye are must have. For a third, go with rum or tequila depending on what you like.
Buy 2 or 3 liqueurs. Find a few cocktails that you are interested in that you can use the same liqueurs for. Amaros and marischino are a good start.
If you have $20 to spare, get a small bottle of sweet vermouth and blanc vermouth. Do not get a large bottle as vermouth has a short shelf life compared to other bottles.
Learn to make syrups yourself. Very easy and much better than store bought.
Over time just continue to buy more liqueurs. Since you use less than an ounce at a time, you’ll amass a good collection. Do the same with spirits but that one is tougher since there are so many different types of rum, gins, etc. that I’m still not sure what works best for a given cocktail.
This is A+ advice. For cocktails, would also snag Chartreuse if you can find it (yellow probably more approachable than green for most folks) and Aperol. Campari is in a lot of staple drinks but many find it too bitter. Maybe a small bottle?
For Amaro, I highly recommend Meletti and Sfumato. Both around $20 and give you some cool flavor profiles. Meletti is a decent sub for Nonino, Montenegro and Averna, imo. Not saying it tastes just like any of them, but you can swap it in and still get a great drink
Bourbon is all the rage
Conversation Starter
Depends on how you define well stocked. Focused on whiskey? A little bit of everything?
If a little bit of everything, and depending on the size of what you need to fill, I’d start with a bottle or two of benchmarks in each category (vodka, gin, bourbon, scotch, etc). And then add as you go for other bottles, mixers, vermouth, etc.
I just grab something that looks good every time I go get my usual. Builds up pretty quick.
I think you have to have a foundation of at least 3-4 basic whiskeys you know will be staple pieces and then go from there. Anything from Buffalo Trace is a good start in my eyes.
Really a free for all with this one. Are you going for exclusively nice bottles or are you trying to have stuff like Evan Williams on the shelf?
I woud definitely start with the staples like you said and then get a really nice bottle from time to time (depending on what you can afford). Never know when you'll be gifted a nice bottle, too!!
To start off with, i go with my staples--Jack Daniels, Jameson, and Fireball. Then I pick up other when I see them while I'm out
Where do you live? I ask because if you like bourbon and rye, I could stock you up in one shot (pun intended).
I’m in Westchester County, NY.
I go for some classics, but also rotate some experimental brands that I am intrigued by. Also a few that can be used for cocktails depending on who's coming over