Drinkers' Preferences

[JAZ]

Several bartender friends of mine and I were talking recently about patron's liquor preferences, and we all agreed that, generally speaking, if a patron preferred gin to vodka when ordering "clear" drinks, then he or she usually preferred scotch to bourbon when ordering whisk(e)y. And vice versa. Actually, they were talking about patrons, and I was talking about my experience with friends, relatives, students, etc. But you get the point.

Not that there aren't exceptions -- my father's standards are bourbon on the rocks, but gin in martinis; my ex-boss drank vodka martinis, but scotch on the rocks. Those exceptions noted, I still think there is definitley a correlation.

Personally, I'm a gin drinker -- for those drinks that are commonly made with either gin or vodka, and a scotch drinker -- straight or on the rocks. It's not that I don't drink vodka drinks, or bourbon drinks, but the fewer the extra ingredients, the more I stick to gin/scotch. One of my best friends is just the opposite. Martinis, for her, are made with vodka; whiskey straight or on the rocks is bourbon.

So: two questions. Was this this a statistical fluke with our informal and limited group of observers and patrons, or does anyone else notice this as a trend? And, if anyone else notices it, does anyone have any ideas as to why?

[markovitch]

i am not sure where i fall on your continuum, but i prefer gin, except in martinis (i am weird... i order vodka, dry, no olive) bourbon over anything else, rocks, or if top shelf, straight.

for what it is worth, i asked my bartenders: they repart a preference for scotch and vodka over bourbon and gin. but i'm poor and these bars kinda suck.

markovitch

Edited November 29, 2003 by markovitch (log)

[tryska]

hmmm..i don't drink gin, and i prefer scotch. (will drink bourbon as well, but it depends ont he drink)

[slkinsey]

I definitely prefer gin over vodka. Vodka I drink only iced from the freezer or occasionally as a neutral base for certain cocktails.

Beyond that, though, I like high-end bourbon, rum and single malt scotch about equally. I am also a huge fan of grappa. I don't take any of these on ice except occasionally Booker's bourbon, which I have found to have the strength of flavor (and alcohol content) to withstand chilling.

I probably make mixed drinks based on either gin or bourbon/rye about equally.

[Squeat Mungry]

My default drink for years was a (gin, of course) martini or a gin rickey, and I would occasionally enjoy a scotch. Of course I've explored the entire gamut over the years, and have many favorites.

Now my default drink is blended scotch/rocks or single-malt straight. I still order (or preferably make) the occasional martini or a refreshing gin rickey on warm days.

I'll usually choose gin or scotch over vodka or bourbon or rum. Still like to vary things now and then, though.

Cheers,

Squeat

[davidbdesilva]

Well I agree with the original poster, I prefer a gin martini to a vodka anyday and (single malt) scotch to bourbon anyday. Gin and scotch are much more assertive drinks than vodka and bourbon and I've met many people who don't like the former two but do like the latter two.

[Motochef]

I like gin and vodka, but the vodka must be a potato vodka and the gin had best be English (Beefeaters, pref), and I have been on a vodka prefence kick lately. I will reach for a single malt scotch before I grab a single barrel bourbon. Hmmm? Does this fit your patterns or confuse them?

[Feather]

I don't care for gin, I WILL drink vodka, but my true preference will always be Makers Mark on the rocks (having had most bourbons, it's still my favorite!)....but Jack will due in a pinch!

[bloviatrix]

I haven't touched gin in about 15 years. I leave it to Blovie to drink. Vodka is definitely my preference (mostly in a Greyhound). And I can't stand bourbon. But love a good single-malt.

[trillium]

Gin for clear drinks, bourbon or rye for whiskey drinks. Good scotch is wasted on me, I don't care for it enough for its price. I'd probably take a middle bourbon over a high end scotch nearly any day of the year.

That being said, I have a very fond memory of drinking some really nice bottle of scotch with my advisor after my thesis defense. She kept the bottle stashed in her office and we ended up on it after the champagne, beer, wine ran dry and I got bored with the Absolute Currant shots I was doing with the Belgian in the lab. Sigh...good times...

regards,

trillium

[BobL]

Hi. Thought I'd sahre my preferences with you all.

Tequila

Rum

Vodka

Single Malts

Not very fond of Gin or Burbon.

[jhlurie]

I guess I fit the profile: vodka and bourbon for me.

[Jason Perlow]

My order of preference

1. Rum, aged 3 years old or better
   
2. Brandy
   1. 
      
   2. Calvados and Apple Jack
      
   3. Bas Armagnac or Cognac
      
   4. Brandy de Jerez
      
      
   5. Whiskey
      1. Scotch, aged 12 years old or better, Single Malt or Blended
         
      2. Canadian, aged 12 years old or better
         
      3. Bourbon or Tennesee Whiskey, aged 12 years old or better
         

[*]Vodka (preferably potato) , straight up cold or in a martini.

[*]Gin, in a classic martini only.

[ludja]

I definitely prefer gin over vodka. Vodka I drink only iced from the freezer or occasionally as a neutral base for certain cocktails.

Beyond that, though, I like high-end bourbon, rum and single malt scotch about equally.

my thoughts on vodka exactly....

good gin (I like sapphire blue) for martinis or bourbon--to sip or to make killer manhattans (I guess that goes counter to the proposed hypothesis).

Also, scotch's, single malts and excellent tequilas. Haven't explored high end rums yet...

[meatloaf]

I prefer bourbon and scotch (not necessarily in that order) over gin and vodks

[Schielke]

I am a vodka/bourbon too, but I do really enjoy gin and scotch.

[Naomi]

Gin is my "summer drink". In winter, I go for Scotch Whisky or Irish Whiskey. It is somehow warming and comforting. I'll have bourbon sometimes, if I'm feeling a little "rock and roll"!

[Fat Guy]

The statistical correlation should be easily explainable by flavor: gin is a strongly flavored spirit, primarily on account of the addition of juniper, whereas vodka has mild flavor on account of the addition of nothing (plus a lot of filtration); likewise, at the bar-brand level, the distinguishing characteristic of Scotch is that it has a smoky flavor, whereas bourbon is perceived as milder.

[Mayhaw Man]

1) Irish

2) Bourbon

3) Rum (brown ones)

4) Tequila

5) Brandy

6) Gin

7) Good Quality Moonshine Seriously.

[Naomi]

Good Quality Moonshine Seriously.

Moonshine. Now that I'd like to try.

Is it homemade whiskey?

I wonder if it is anything like poitin, our local illicit brew. Poitin is more of a potato-based vodka. It's not that nice! But one local home distiller produces pernod and baileys versions!

[Mayhaw Man]

I wonder if it is anything like poitin, our local illicit brew. Poitin is more of a potato-based vodka. It's not that nice! But one local home distiller produces pernod and baileys versions!

It is exactly like it, although in my part of the South (of the US) it is more typically made from corn or corn syrup. Sometimes mollasses.

I lived in Meath (Enfield) for a while and had the opportunity to try a little of the local stuff, I quite enjoyed it. I suppose you were using some kind of Gaelic spelling, as I have only seen it spelled "poteen". Gaelic blew me away when I was there. I used to listen to hurling on the radio in Gaelic and the announcer was unbelievably expressive and funny, even though I understood not a word.

Welcome to egullet. Nice to see someone from Ireland here.

[Naomi]

Welcome to egullet. Nice to see someone from Ireland here.

Thank you. I've been lurking for a while and loving the boards.

I think "poteen" is the anglicization of poitin. Having been to Ireland, you will know that it is pronounced "potcheen" or "potchin". At Trinity (college dublin), I took a course in Irish literature and my (English!) tutor pronounced the word poteen as it is spelt. After that I chose to use the Gaelic spelling.

Moonshine sounds like it might taste a little better than poitin, with its sugar/molasses basis, rather than green potatoes. Maybe a bit like rum.

All this talk about drink has put me in the notion of a wee dram. Think I may have to try out Santa's single malt Bushmills!

[Katherine]

I prefer gin to vodka, except that vodka is more versatile.

Scotch anyday, bourbon tastes like poison to me.

[Mayhaw Man]

bourbon tastes like poison to me.

Exactly.

Hence the old cowboy movie question - "What's your poison, partner?"