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I’m not actually a believer in the well-stocked bar. A bottle of violet-scented liqueur does you no good if you don’t like Aviations. Your Kahlua may be sitting there lonely until your next White Russian. (Though honestly, who isn’t craving a creamy cocktail right about now?) What I believe in instead of a well-stocked bar is a smartly stocked bar.
When you’re smartly stocked, you have what you need—and what you like—but haven’t shelled out a lot of money and devoted a ton of space to bottles that grow dusty. Your home bar is just that: yours.
Here’s a peek about what I’m making sure to keep on hand for winter, including my new favorite budget-friendly bourbon.
Whiskey, whiskey, and more whiskey
In colder weather my taste turns to whiskey—and preferably higher-proof whiskey, which can stand up to any other ingredients in a cocktail and lets you control the dilution yourself. I’m usually a rye drinker—I prefer its peppery spice and dry profile over the slightly sweeter, smoother style of many bourbons. I’m a loyal fan of James E. Pepper 1776 Rye, but I was very impressed with George Dickel’s latest 11-Year Old Bottled in Bond offering too. Still, in 2020, I’ve sipped more bourbon than ever before, and a lot of it has been Old Tub. It’s a name I’ve been shouting to the rooftops, in part because it’s a fun name to shout, and in part because this stuff is one of the best deals going in bourbon. It’s spicy and brash, not candied or slick. You can sometimes find it for under 25 bucks. And it makes a warming cocktail, just the way I like it.
Gin (If You Drink It)
Gin can be a winter drink as well, especially if you’re the martini type. St. George Terroir, with its piney, sagey scent feels just right for cooler weather. (And for sipping under some seasonal decorations.)
Something Bitter, Something Sweet
I go through bottles of Campari at an alarming rate—it’s all the Boulevardiers. But there’s a wide world of bitter options out there, including amari and slightly-bitter vermouths, too. While I’ll always love a Manhattan made with Punt e Mes—and I’ll happily sip the Italian bittersweet vermouth on the rocks—lately, I’ve also been loving Del Professore Vermouth Chinato, a cinnamony-spiced concoction that’s lighter-bodied than amaro, but just as flavorful, and Mancino Vermouth Chinato, a luscious, dark-berry scented bottling that tastes like the most elegant mulled wine possible.
Something Pre-Batched
If you just can’t anymore, having someone else make the drinks feels like real luxury. And it’s a way you can support local bars, if your area is allowing cocktails for takeout. If not, there’s a wild world of ready-to-drink cocktails out there, but a lot of the options are, honestly, terrible. A few, though, are stellar, and it’s nice to be able to skip the measuring and pour yourself a mini-cocktail (or a bigger one). From the folks behind Don Ciccio & Figli, La Perla Negroni Classico is genuinely citrusy, deep and earthy, and supremely well balanced—it’s my favorite by far. But the best packaging award goes to the team at St. Agrestis, who offer their bracingly bitter, slightly floral Negroni in a convenient box. More of an Old Fashioned drinker? The 86-proof barrel-finished High West version feels special enough to warrant the purchase—all you need to do is add an orange twist.
