If you had to chose 3 bottles of liquor...

[sadistick]

Ok, If you had to choose 3 bottles of liquor to be able to make your favourite drinks, which 3 bottles would it be, and what would you make with it?

I only ask because my liquor cabinet is getting lonely, and I want to make it happy with 2-3 new bottles, and try some new drinks

Thanks

[sco-v]

1) Fernet Branca - because it is my favorite thing to drink at the moment. What I make? Typically I just do Fernet and San Pellegrino over ice. Sometimes I'll throw in a dash of bitters or a squeeze of a lime.

2) A good bottle of rye. Jim Beam & Old Overholt are the two I can find most easily - so that is what I have regularly. With this I will make manhattans, hi-balls, or just drink it on the rocks with a dash of bitters and a spash of water.

3) Either Makers Mark or a decent single malt - same as above.

The last few months have seen me adding 2-3 new bottles a week as I stock up my recent home bar purchase. The one constant is pretty much everything that I am drinking is with San Pellegrino and very dry.

I know I am adding little overall value to your thread - but that's what I'd buy!

Cheers,

S

[slkinsey]

It depends on what you already have. I can't think of three, but I can think of four:

1. Gin

2. Either brandy, rye or bourbon

3. Cointreau

4. Maraschino

There are a great many cocktails you can make with these four ingredients, plus the occasional lemon, lime or orange.

[Tess]

Cognac, armagnac and calvados. All very fine. Keeping my options for after-dinner drinks open. Anyone who wants a cocktail can have calvados on ice.

[sadistick]

Thanks for the replies folks,

sllkinsey: I have the basics, Vodka, kahluah, few others...

I am a bit ashaimed to say, but what is Maraschino?

As well, just curious sl - What would you say are 2 of your favorite drinks to make with the listed alchohols?

Thanks

-SS

[NulloModo]

I don't really dig on most mixed drinks, about as fancy as I go is a martini or a bit of soda water.

So, I would recommend:

1. Booker's Bourbon (just serve it up neat or with a light splash of spring water)

2. Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick's Gin for Martinis

3. Some sort of Vodka for mixing with juices and etc.

[ludja]

I am a bit ashaimed to say, but what is Maraschino?

As well, just curious sl - What would you say are 2 of your favorite drinks to make with the listed alchohols?

Thanks

-SS

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Check out this thread. There are lots of great threads in this forum that you would probably enjoy; it's fun to go through and read them.

Also check out this great egullet course on Classic Cocktails by Jaz.

[birder53]

I don't really dig on most mixed drinks, about as fancy as I go is a martini or a bit of soda water. 

So, I would recommend:

1. Booker's Bourbon (just serve it up neat or with a light splash of spring water)

2. Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick's Gin for Martinis

3. Some sort of Vodka for mixing with juices and etc.

←

From Bombay Sapphire to Hendricks? They seem so very different to me, the Bombay being "bigger" and "hotter".

[slkinsey]

I am a bit ashaimed to say, but what is Maraschino?

Maraschino is a clear liquor distilled from Marasca sour cherries, including the pits and stems. The best brand by far is Luxardo, and they use a very complex process whereby the fruit and the pits/stems are processed/distilled separately and then the results combined later to age for two years in Finnish ash vats. It's not really cherry-flavored, per se. It's... well, it's Maraschino liqueur flavored.

Maraschino is an essential component of many classic cocktails.

As well, just curious sl - What would you say are 2 of your favorite drinks to make with the listed alchohols?

There are more than two:

Aviation = gin, maraschino and lemon

Pegu Club = gin, Cointreau (or curacao), lime, orange bitters, Angostura bitters

Sidecar = brandy, Cointreau, lemon

Brandy Crusta = brandy, maraschino, curacao (or Cointreau), lemon, bitters

Brandy Scaffa = brandy, maraschino, bitters

Check out this thread.  There are lots of great threads in this forum that you would probably enjoy; it's fun to go through and read them.

In addition to the thread on the Aviation Cocktail referenced by ludja, there is a thread devoted to maraschino that may be of some interest.

[NulloModo]

I don't really dig on most mixed drinks, about as fancy as I go is a martini or a bit of soda water. 

So, I would recommend:

1. Booker's Bourbon (just serve it up neat or with a light splash of spring water)

2. Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick's Gin for Martinis

3. Some sort of Vodka for mixing with juices and etc.

←

From Bombay Sapphire to Hendricks? They seem so very different to me, the Bombay being "bigger" and "hotter".

←

They are different, but that doesn't mean they both aren't very good. I enjoy Booker's Bourbon, I also enjoy Maker's Mark, and they are completely different animals as well, sometimes variety is the spice of life. I show virtually no brand loyalty when it comes to liquor, I certainly have my favorites and all, but I want to try everything there is out there.

[VenerableBede]

1) jack daniels. .. can never have enough jack in my opinion. i'd make jack and ginger, jack and coke, old fashioneds or just pour it over 2 ice cubes. plus, it's a fine meat tenderizer and goes good in burgers.

2) vodka (i like skyy and ketel one - yeah, i bought into the hype, i guess). . .vodka tonic, harvey wallbanger (need galliano for that though), screwdrivers. . .and it's, in my opinion, a very flexible mixer

3) i'd say a good single malt scotch, i'll let others more knowledgeable offer their suggestions. . .although i want to say a nice bottle of port, but i don't think that counts here.

i know. . not to high-brow, eh?

[BTR]

It's not really cherry-flavored, per se.  It's... well, it's Maraschino liqueur flavored.

Maraschino is an essential component of many classic cocktails.

I have always thought of Maraschino as tasting like dusty cherry stems.

[LindyCat]

Tough question.

Bottle of gin. I haven't been drinking gin long enough to settle on a favorite.

Will I get lynched for uncouthness if I add creme de cacao as one of mine? Is uncouthness even a word? Not very sophisticated, I know, but I love chocolate. And my current fav party cocktail is .5 oz of the chocolate, .5 oz lemon juice, 1.5 oz vodka, dash of grenadine (does it help that I make my own?), shake and pour. Garnish with a cherry because everyone secretly loves them. And they taste good with the chocolate at the end of the drink...like a surprise chocolate-covered cherry.

I suppose I better add vodka to this list to continue making this cocktail. I'm currently drinking Sobieski.

I find that my favorite "secret" ingredient tends to be apricot brandy, but cassis is good for this purpose also. However, I just purchased my first bottle of maraschino, and I'm already starting to fall in love with the depth of flavor even a little adds to a drink.

I know that's more than three. Sorry. :D

[JAZ]

And my current fav party cocktail is .5 oz of the chocolate, .5 oz lemon juice, 1.5 oz vodka, dash of grenadine (does it help that I make my own?), shake and pour. Garnish with a cherry because everyone secretly loves them. And they taste good with the chocolate at the end of the drink...like a surprise chocolate-covered cherry.

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If you like that, you should try a Twentieth Century Cocktail. It's gin, Lillet Blond, lemon juice and creme de cacao. Sounds as if it's in the same family.

But then, of course, you'd have to get a bottle of Lillet Blonde. But everyone should have a bottle of Lillet.

In fact, my three would probably be gin, Lillet and Maraschino.

[Ed Hamilton]

I admit to being prejudiced, but having said that, I couldn't live without

1) a bottle, and now it comes in 4.5 liter boxes in Martinique, of rhum agricole blanc to make ti' punches. A fat lime zest, raw sugar or better yet, sugar cane syrup, and a measure of rhum agricole blanc with which to make the perfect ti' punch.

2) the largest bottle I could find of old rum, Neisson Reserve comes to mind, but there are others, like Cruzan Estate Diamond, Diplomatico, Santa Teresa 1796 and the list could go for longer than you want to read.

3) a bottle of good gin, I don't really have a favorite right now, but there are a few I would avoid. Danmark, or something like that was one of my favorite's but equally important is fresh lime to make a gin and tonic with lime.

And then if there's any money left over I'd look for a bottle of cask strength single malt scotch, but I'm flexible. If you have something that you'd like me to try, I'll try anything once, except those flavored alcohols with cheesy labels.

[sadistick]

Thanks guys for all the ideas!

It sounds like most people agree to get Gin, so thats on the list...any specific brands?? I dont want to spend too much money as I am not too familiar with Gin.

I do enjoy lillet, and if i can make drinks with it other than on the rocks with lemon, im in, so a bottle of that as well!

I dont like scotch, so thats out!

It seems like many favourite drinks here include this maraschino, so Ill grab one of those as well

Bitters...hmmm, do they sell that at the LCBO?

Thanks again!

-SS

[slkinsey]

It sounds like most people agree to get Gin, so thats on the list...any specific brands??  I dont want to spend too much money as I am not too familiar with Gin.

If you're not too familiar with gin, I wouldn't go too inexpensive if I were you. Gordon's is a very good gin, and a pretty good deal at about $15/liter. But it's not one I'm likely to use in a martini. Tanqueray is more expensive at around $25/liter, but you can use it for everything. It's IMO the most recommended brand if you're starting out and want to experience the classic gin flavor profile.

[sco-v]

Bitters...hmmm, do they sell that at the LCBO? 

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http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/ProductResults...rs&ITEM_NUMBER=

[slkinsey]

Bitters...hmmm, do they sell that at the LCBO? 

http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/ProductResults...rs&ITEM_NUMBER=

cool products, but really the wrong kind of bitters. The kind of bitters one typically dashes into a cocktail are nonpotable bitters, such as Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters and the various varieties of Fee Brothers Bitters (not to mention Gary Regan's upcoming Orange Bitters).

[J_Ozzy]

sadistick:

In Ontario (and Canada more generally) bitters are classified as food additives (like real vanilla extract).

As such, you can purchase Angostura bitters in most major supermarkets.

Also, bitters are much easier to import (in the case of fee brothers' and peychaud's) than beverage alcohol, since they are non-potable.

The duties are negligeable compared to beverage alcohol markups. The only problem with importing is that the shipper usually sells by the case, which in terms of usage is a lifetime's supply.

[elswinger]

I'm going to have to cheat and name four.

1) Vodka

2) Rum

3) Kahlua

4) Amaretto

[sco-v]

Bitters...hmmm, do they sell that at the LCBO? 

http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/ProductResults...rs&ITEM_NUMBER=

cool products, but really the wrong kind of bitters. The kind of bitters one typically dashes into a cocktail are nonpotable bitters, such as Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters and the various varieties of Fee Brothers Bitters (not to mention Gary Regan's upcoming Orange Bitters).

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yeah - i was surprised that they didn't have any standards like you mentioned.

to date the angostura are still my favorite but the UNDERBERG BITTERS will work as a sub in a pinch. of course now that i have been making my own bitters i never have a shortage btweeen my batches and buying everything i can get for comparisons sake.

i still need to find and try some Peychaud's Bitters