Spirits to Stock

GIN

Gin starts as a neutral base spirit (often distilled from various grains), which is infused with botanicals, most notably juniper (which gives gin that "piney" flavor). We developed our recipes using London dry gin, the standard-bearer of modern gin, which has an extremely versatile juniper-citrus flavor profile. That's what we recommend for a basic home bar, but if you love gin you might also try other styles, which include but are not limited to Plymouth gin (earthier and less dry than London dry, and currently made by only one distillery), Old Tom (sweeter and less herbal than London dry), and Navy Strength (similar to London dry but with a higher alcohol content).

VODKA

The most neutral-tasting spirit, and probably the most versatile because of that neutrality, vodka in some form was made in Russia as far back as the 14th century. It was traditionally distilled from potatoes, although modern spirits are more likely to use grains like wheat. It can also be made from fruits like apples or grapes. Vodka is often overlooked in the modern bar because it is, by design, “flavorless, but one of its strengths is that it can balance and temper other, stronger flavors.

WHISKEY

The world of whiskey is wide, with countries as divergent as Canada and Japan producing excellent versions. All whiskey is made from grain, but different rules may apply depending on the type of whiskey, and many factors affect their flavor profiles. We recommend having a bottle of both bourbon and rye in your liquor cabinet, if possible. Additional bottles beyond those are up to your personal preference.

• American Whiskey: Bourbon is the quintessential American whiskey. It must be made from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels, and it can only be made in the United States (but not necessarily in Kentucky). The corn contributes a certain sweetness and round, full body to the whiskey. We prefer it in our Old-Fashioneds. While Tennessee whiskey has the same legal requirements as bourbon for raw materials and aging, it must be produced in Tennessee, and it is filtered through charcoal prior to aging. This extra filtering removes some of the stronger flavor compounds, resulting in a lighter-bodied, smoother-tasting whiskey. It’s often a good substitute for bourbon or rye. Rye, which has many of the same legal production and aging requirements as that of bourbon, must be made from 51 percent rye. This results in a drier, spicier flavor and a slightly lighter body than the corn-heavy bourbon. We think it’s ideal in cocktails that have a sweeter element, such as maraschino liqueur.

• Scotch: Scotch is a type of whiskey, but its strong, distinctive flavor, not to mention the lore and status that often surrounds it, make it somewhat nonpareil. Scotch has strict production and aging requirements; it must be made in Scotland and aged in oak barrels (oftentimes used bourbon barrels are reused to age Scotch). Many Scotches are made from malted barley, though other grains may be included. There are many terms used in relation to Scotch, each of which comes with specific requirements. The majority of Scotch is blended, and that’s what we recommend using in cocktails—save the single malt for sipping straight. Depending on which you use, Scotch may bring a smoky or peaty note to cocktails.

Other Whiskeys:

• Irish whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world during the 19th century. In fact, the word “whiskey” is derived from the Gaelic phrase uisce beatha, meaning “water of life.” Irish whiskeys are generally made from malted barley or other grains, and they generally have less smoky or peaty notes than Scotch. In our opinion, Irish whiskey is a must in Irish Coffee.

• Canadian whisky can be made from corn, wheat, or rye. (Confusingly, it’s allowed to be called “rye whisky” even if it doesn’t include any rye.) Canadian whisky often offers great quality for a lower price than that of other whiskies.

• Japanese whiskey has a style that is strongly influenced by Scotch, but it tends to have a silkier, smoother texture. Also like Scotch, it tends to command high prices.

RUM

Rum is one of the more complicated spirits to understand due to the fact that it’s quite diverse, and also lacks the consistent production and labeling regulations that govern other spirits. Rum can legally be made anywhere in the world, and the rules for making it vary accordingly; it’s been produced in America since the 1600s. The one thing all rums have in common is that they are made from sugarcane and its by-products— more specifically, in most cases, molasses.

Traditional classifications based on geography or color can be misleading; raw materials can come from multiple locations, and regional styles and production methods have evolved over time. While most rum is aged to some degree, gaining complexity, a darker rum does not necessarily mean an older (or better) rum, because in some countries the color can come from additives (including sugar and caramel coloring) or filtering methods. Conversely, white rums (sometimes called silver) may simply have been filtered to remove any color. More recent rum categorizations are attempting to clear up this confusion by classifying rum according to ingredients, production method, and aging.

For our cocktails, we found that we could rely primarily on two types: a white rum (an unaged or lightly aged—1 to 4 years—rum that may have been filtered) and an aged rum (a rum aged anywhere from 5 to 14 years). Lighter-bodied white rum wass ideal for daiquiris and mojitos, while tiki drinks, in particular, benefited from the more complex, full-bodied flavors of aged rum. For our Dark and Stormy we particularly liked the burnt-sugar flavors of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, though you could use any dark rum. Be aware that rum, unlike the other spirits in this section, can have sugar added to it before bottling, and this can affect the flavor of your cocktails.

• Cachaça: The national spirit of Brazil, where by law it is made exclusively, cachaça could be considered a type of rum. It differs in that it is made directly from fermented sugarcane juice rather than molasses, so it’s a bit more floral, grassy, and herbaceous than rum.

TEQUILA

By law, tequila must be produced in a specific region of Mexico from the blue agave plant (which is actually not a cactus). It can be bottled young (blanco) or be aged for up to 1 year (reposado) or 1 to 3 years or longer (añejo or extra añejo). We found that blanco and reposado are often interchangeable in cocktails, so you can purchase whichever one you prefer. Blanco tequila will generally give a cocktail a brighter, cleaner flavor, whereas reposado will bring more nuanced, oaky notes to your drink. If you enjoy tequila, you might also like mezcal, which is made from various agave plants that are roasted, often adding a smoky component to its flavor profile.

BRANDY

Brandy is essentially distilled wine, of which cognac, made in the Cognac region of France, is the apex. But “distilled wine” doesn’t have to mean grape wine; it can mean any fruit. For example, Calvados and applejack are both types of brandy made from apples. The cocktails in this book use cognac-style brandy unless otherwise specified.