Stock The Bar

If you enjoy an occasional cocktail or frequently entertain guests at home impromptu, having a well supplied bar is essential for being a great host. You need not buy every brand of every spirit but having a variety of types of liquors and quality labels will make up an exciting home bar.

Start with a couple of good quality premium vodkas like Grey Goose, Absolut or Ketel One and a best value brand like Three Olives or Smirnoff. A bottle of Tanqueray should cover your need for gin. Most classic martinis and many cocktails can be made from these two types of liquor.

Next, stock a light rum, dark rum and flavored rum. For light, Bacardi Silver is a good choice. For dark, Cruzan or Myers Dark will do the trick. As far as the infused flavor variety, I love Malibu coconut and Captain Morgan spiced rums. For shots and margaritas, a quality tequila such as Jose Cuervo will quench your thirst.

A Scotch whisky such as Dewar's, bourbon whisky like Jim Beam or Wild Turkey and Canadian whisky like Canadian Club or Crown Royal are wonderful on the rocks or with mixers.

Remy Martin and Hennessy brandys and liquers like Baileys Irish Cream, Diaronno Amaretto, Cointreau and Kahlua should round out the well stocked bar. Cheers!