Here is a selection of drinks that will create the ultimate home drinks' cabinet, ensuring that you can always produce your guests' requests, as well as being able to indulge in some home mixology...

See Cocktails

See Aperitifs and Digestifs

See Whisky

Vodka

Authentic vodkas

Wyborowa (100% rye)
Luksusowa (100% potato)
Stolichnaya (100% wheat)
Authentically flavoured varieties:
Żubrówka (Bison Grass Vodka)
Cytrynowka (Lemon Vodka)
Wisniowka (Cherry Vodka)
Krupnik (Honey Vodka)

Rum

Have a selection of rums, aged to the following amount: 0-3 years; 5-7 years; 12-15 years; 20+ years:

Rhum agricole
Cachaça 51 or Pitú (Brazil)
Rhum Clément (Martinique)

Selected assorted rums
Havana Club (Cuba)
El Dorado (Guyana)
Appleton Estate (Jamaica)
Mount Gay (Barbados)

Overproof rum
Overproof Wray & Nephew (Jamaica)

Dark rum
Doorly's (Barbados)
Gosling's (Bermuda)
Myers's Dark Rum (Jamaica)

Brandy

Experiment and bring a bottle home from your travels.

Cognac
VS Cognac
VSOP Cognac
XO Cognac

Other brandies
Pisco (Peruvian brandy)
Metaxa
Spanish Brandies

Tequila

Made from the agave plant, so make sure you buy 100 per cent agave tequila. Los Altos tequilas are sweeter varieties from the Valley of Tequila. Choose a selection of different ages from each region. The main regions are Los Altos (Don Julio) and the Valley of Tequila (Herradura)

Main varieties

Blanco (aged 0-60 days)
Reposardo (2-12 months in oak barrels)
Añjeo (1-3 years in small oak barrels)
Extra Añjeo (3+ years)

Gin

Beefeater (delicate/complex)
Tanqueray (bold/upfront juniper)
Plymouth (softer/sweeter)

Whisk(e)y*

*whiskey with an 'e' is produced in Ireland or in the USA, while everywhere else forgoes the extra letter.

American whiskey/bourbons
Jack Daniels (Tennessee Whiskey)
Wild Turkey (Straight Rye)
Buffalo Trace (Rye Bourbon)
Maker's Mark (Wheat Bourbon)

Scotch whisky
Johnnie Walker (a heavier blend)
Bailie Nicol Jarvis (a lighter blend)

Malt whisky
Monkey Shoulder (vatted malt)
Laphroaig (Islay)
The Macallan (Speyside)
Springbank (Campbeltown)
Tallisker (Isle of Syke)
Highland Park (Island of Orkney)
Yoichi (Japan)
Suntory (Japan)

Vermouth and similar

You need a range of vermouths; they should be kept in the fridge:

Noilly Prat Dry or Martini Extra Dry (dry vermouth)
Punt E Mes or Dubonnet (sweet vermouth)
Lillet Blanc (Bond's favourite)

Liqueurs and extras

Absinthe (distilled, not flavoured)
Amaretto (almond)
Angostura and Orange Bitters
Apricot Brandy (it's not brandy)
Cacao (chocolate)
Campari
Cane Sugar Syrup (such as Tessiere)
Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant)
Crème de Fraise (strawberry)
Crème de Framboise (raspberry)
Crème de Mure (blackberry)
Crème de Pêche (peach)
Frangelico (hazelnut)
Galliano (herbal)
Kahlúa (coffee)
Maraschino Syrup (cherry)
Pastis (such as Ricard)
Sloe Gin (preferably homemade)
Strega (herbal)
Triple Sec (such as Cointreau)

 

 

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