We couldn’t start our list of the things we always keep in our home bar with anything else but what cocktails are basically all about. Here’s everything we consider a staple in our liquor cabinet, along with a rundown of why we picked the things we picked.
It’s probably also worth mentioning here that we run on a pretty tight budget, so this list naturally leans towards the more affordable-to-midrange end of the spectrum. Few, if any, of the bottles you’ll see will run above the S$100 mark; that is, unless things have really gone downhill since the time we’re writing this.
As always, this is what works for us; you probably have different preferences. Heck, you might even find some of the spirits we name here undrinkable – and that’s totally fine.
Just go with what makes you the best drink in your book, and if you’re really peeved leave a comment somewhere to help drive engagement.
- Gin: Tanqueray No 10 & Widges
- Mezcal: Machetazo Salmiana
- Rum: Plantation 3 Stars & Mount Gay Eclipse
- Tequila: Don Julio Blanco & Espolon Anejo
- Vodka: Smirnoff No 21
- Whisky: Nikka Coffey Grain
Gin: Tanqueray No 10 & Widges
The spectrum of flavours you can get with gin is pretty wide – we’d argue more so than with any other spirit.
On one end, you can have something reminiscent of a sea breeze or even the Botanic Gardens; on the other, you can have what is essentially a grandmother’s spice rack emptied out and liquefied.
That wide variety means there are some gins you’ll find better suited to certain cocktails. We like keeping two: one that’s more fruity, and one that’s more peppery.
If you’re looking for just one jack of all trades, then we’d recommend Tanqueray No 10. It’s a little more complex and citrusy than the usual Tanqueray, though still balanced enough to work well across most applications.
For something that pushes the fruity, sweet notes even further, our pick would be the sadly limited-edition Tanqueray No 10 Grapefruit & Rosemary. The rosemary is actually pretty subdued here, though that tiny hint brings out the gin’s citrus notes even more. This is our preferred bottle for a White Lady.
On the peppery end of things, we really enjoy Widges. This was a surprise find for us, since we got our first bottle on a whim at Changi Airport. Of course, it retains the usual London dry gin characteristics, but with an extra boost of spice right at the very end. That profile makes it great in a dirty martini and Red Snapper.
Mezcal: Machetazo Salmiana
Mezcal’s had a serious come-up in recent years. This smoky cousin of tequila is just about everywhere now. Mezcal negronis, in particular, have become a fast favourite for us.
One thing we will say, though, is that mezcal can get really pricey. After all, it’s probably still niche enough for there not to be much of a “bottom shelf”, so to speak.
But, speaking purely of the stuff we can reasonably afford, our favourite is Machetazo Salmiana: a little green, a little smoky and just a touch spicy.
Rum: Plantation 3 Stars & Mount Gay Eclipse
Rum is another one of those liquors with loads of range. Most recipes will call for one of two things: white or dark. White rum, which is usually filtered, has a “cleaner” taste than the less-filtered dark variety.
Our favourite white rum for cocktails is Planteray 3 Stars, from the brand formerly known as Plantation. It’s lightly sweet and a tad fruity with a whisper of tobacco. And we mean a whisper, too – it’s just neutral enough to not overwhelm everything else that you might want to add in your drink.
For a dark rum, we like Mount Gay Eclipse, which we find a little more complex; it’s also great in a rum and tonic. This one’s also great for sipping, which is a great bargain at about S$60 to S$70 a bottle.
You’ll also see some newer recipes with spiced rum, but this opens another massive rabbit’s hole. Some rum enthusiasts even scoff at the idea, we’re told. For our part, we haven’t found a spiced rum we enjoy enough to keep on the regular. There is a pretty big variety out there, though, so here’s hoping we’ll find something – someday.
Tequila: Don Julio Blanco & Espolon Anejo
Like rum, you’ll see a lot of categories with tequila. There’s the unaged or lightly aged blanco, a little more aged reposado, and the very aged anejo or even extra anejo. There’s also blended joven tequila and caramel-coloured gold tequila.
For your home bar, you’ll realistically need just one bottle, or two at the very maximum. Most of the time, you’ll be using blanco. Some recipes will call for an aged tequila, or you might just feel like swapping blanco out for something more punchy. (As always, have fun; that’s the whole point, after all.)
Our blanco tequila of choice is Don Julio Blanco. It’s got a mild agave vegetalness and a surprisingly fruity profile with a light pepperiness, which makes it an easy match with lots of drinks. On a hot Sunday afternoon, you’d probably find us using this to whip up a batch of palomas for brunch.
If you’re looking for something with a stronger age profile – think caramel and vanilla notes – along with a little more herbaceous flavour, try Espolon Reposado. It’s a little sharp to sip on its own, but we like it in a tequila Old Fashioned.
Vodka: Smirnoff No 21
For us, vodka in a cocktail is more about adding alcohol and less about adding flavour. So we’re always on the lookout for something that tastes clean, with not too much going on that could distract from the other ingredients at play.
It should come as no surprise, then, that we’ve chosen the ubiquitous Smirnoff No 21 for its neutral profile and friendly price point. We really don’t have much else to say about it – and that’s a good thing in our book.
Whisky: Nikka Coffey Grain
Most lists will tell you that a bare minimum of two whiskies is needed for a good home bar. We, however, generally aren’t massive whisky lovers, so we find just one all-purpose bottle is good enough for our tastes. (Boo, hiss, we hear. We know.)
Nikka Coffey Grain’s light, slightly sweet flavour is subtle enough to work in more complex mixes without standing out too much, yet interesting enough to stand on its own even in a simple highball.
Of course, like gin and all the other spirits in this list, there’s a whole spectrum of whiskies with all sorts of different flavours. There’s bourbon, rye, scotch and everything else in between. Recipes will call for specific types, so if you’re looking to follow things to the letter – or if you just really enjoy whisky – you might want to grab a couple more bottles.
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