PART III: KEEPING IT ORGANIZED
In order to try and keep my purchasing costs down and keep the bar more organized, I have broken up the bottles into three categories: Cocktail Bases, Daily Pours, Special Releases, and Cocktail Essentials. This will allow for plenty of variety without allowing myself to become bogged down with too many bottles of one type of spirit and feeling stuck.
Cocktail Bases
As I have mentioned before; a lot of people subscribe to the idea that when it comes to spirits there are mixers and sippers. I like to think that there are good spirits and bad spirits. This is not the idea of “don’t mix it if you wouldn’t sip it” but more of the idea that some bottles will get you the most out of a cocktail than others. You typically should find these to be bottles that are punching above their weight class.
Daily Pours
In a daily pour, you want something with great flavor that doesn’t command attention. They should meet your criteria for both body and flavor and ideally should not set you back more than $40 a pop. These should be the bottles that you are not afraid to share nor cringe if someone tops it off with coke or ginger beer. These are the bottles I personally go for while cooking, doing chores, or want a nightcap.
Special Releases
This is where you let your geek flag fly. These are your allocated, limited edition, high-end offerings that are meant to be savored and shared with like-minded individuals. I typically don’t dare spend more than about $120 on these offerings. I have had some really expensive and rare expressions in my day and to be honest; at a certain point, it is really hard to taste the difference between something that costs $80 and something that costs $800.
Cocktail Essentials
Your odds and ends. Here you will find your vermouths, Amari, aperitivo, liqueurs, and cocktail bitters. You are going to want to spend a little bit more here, but with the exception of the vermouths, a little goes a long way here. Don’t be afraid to get the best out of your cocktail experience. No one has ever had a five-star dining experience with a Dollar Store steak.
