Top Shelf Liquors

[jjsjr]

I'm not a terribly active drinker so I'm not that well-informed as to what's the best individual brand of each liquor.

(I'm hoping that since LPSG is a multi-national forum, this thread will yield some various opinions. )

 

[nudeyorker]

It really is a matter of personal taste on these things, but if you want to know how I stock my bar at home it's
Crown Royal
Dewars
Jack Daniels
Absolute
Tanqueary
Grand Marnier
Tia Maria
Brandy( I buy whatever the store suggests)
Port
A couple of bottles of Pinot Noir and White Burgundy
and I keep a bottle of champagne cold in case something comes up to celebrate!

 

[D_Jared Padalicki]

Amaretto (brand: Disaronno)

 

[D_Jerry_Atric]

Bombay Sapphire gin.

Grey Goose is the most overrated Vodka ever. I prefer Stoli.

As far as rum goes I prefer it dark and sweet and some good brands are Appleton Estate, Mount Gay rum, Sailor Jerry, and Meyer's Dark rum.

Jagermeister is good for the unique flavor and to do shots with and some people either love it or hate it.

Eagle Rare is a very good bourbon. I also like JD and Jim Beam.

As far as wines go I prefer Saki but there's a pinot noir called Pinot evil (it has the 3 monkeys on the bottle) that's really good.

 

[jjsjr]

Oh, if we're talking wine... Try the "Vampire" Pinot Noir.... its absolutely lavish!

And for Shiraz, I like Barossa Valley's "Spires"

then there are the Malbecs... I've just discovered Malbec wines recently and love every one I've tried thus far!!!

 

[Dorian_Gray]

My Top Shelf :

'41, '43, and '45 Single Malt Scotch
Patron
Citron
Bailey's Peppermint
Jagermeister (in copious amounts.)
A Good bottle of Chianti (or several)

 

[StrictlyAvg]

Remy Martin Cognac - nice, smooth, reliable, not too much of a kicker with the hangover - I have drunk better but also paid twice as much and not liked it. Cognac's very variable.

Any number of scotches but Cardhu is a good starter I regularly have in.

Stoli for vodka.

 

[jjsjr]

Has anyone ever had EFFEN vodka?

I think it's a Dutch brand.

 

[silentview]

College student here and prefer beer so this is maybe a damn good bottom shelf list but top favorites include;
Patron Silver ($$)
Everclear (Strong drinks {jungle juice parties})
UV (Cheap drinks)
Effen vodka (Smoothe yet heavy mixed drinks)
Jager (Jager-bombs)
Jack (Rum and Coke)
Kahlua (Amazing Hot coco's)
Bailey's Original (Irish Carbombs)
Bacardi O or any other Bacardi really (O bombs)
Crown Royal (Smoothe alone)

 

[silentview]

Has anyone ever had EFFEN vodka?

I think it's a Dutch brand.

yeah, its damn good, goes down easy. I've had drinks with like have Eff and half sprite and they went down smoothe.

 

[jjsjr]

Aren't you a few years too young for vodka....?

but, if you're going to enjoy a quality vodka, respect the spirit and please don't pair it with a cola/soda.

 

[silentview]

yeah, I am a bit to young. I am hopefully not upsetting anyone here (will gladly edit posts if asked) but it is college and I was exposed to drinking very early .... I don't always mix cheap, I just accept what I'm afforded. I guess I'm just used to a lower standard of drinker Effen alone is a great drink as well as Crown and if you have the taste Patron Silver is tops. With Crown its said that a drop of water or served on the rocks and allowed to breathe will open up the flavor a bit and change it's presentation.

 

[pym]

Some of what i've got 'On the Shelf'
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Glenlivet 18 year old
Jamesons 18 year old
Bushmills/Black/singlemalt 10 year old and 16 year old
Tullamore Dew in the crock and 12 year old
George Dickel Barrel select
Bookers bourbon
Blantons bourbon
Jack Daniels BiCentenial
Kubler Absinthe
Chartruese
Pernod
Lochan Ora
Drambuie
Cointreau
B&B DOM
Grand Marnier
Metaxa
Ouzo
Arak
Campari
Korean Sooju
Chinese CANTON ginger liqueor
Korean Ginseng brandy{with a ginseng root in the bottle}
Loads of others too.

Wines?
Ducale Riserva Chianti
Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon
Dry Creek Vinyards Red Zinfandel
Robert Mondavi Reserves Cabs,Zins,Pinos
Loads of others too.

Beers?
Sam Adams Boston Lager

Cheers!

 

[faceking]

Everyone is throwing out tons of faves, or trying to impress. In order to be more helpful, "Best" is a loaded question. Best for whom? For exquisite/rich tastes, best for mixed drinks, best to just have in the "collection" without breaking the bank. Bars have their own nomenclature and system at times, but let's go with these levels:

Well
Call
Premium
Super Premium
Top Shelf

or some variation thereof.

Take cognac... here in the US you can pick up "top shelf" bottle at a store (or glass at a steakhouse) of Remy Martin's Louis XIII for ~$1,750USD or a Hennessey "top shelf" VSOP for $50-60USD.

Sounds like you just don't want to serve the cheap stuff. I've seen enough videos/articles on blind vodka taste tests, and even "so-called" pro vodka drinkers wind up preferring something a little less top shelf... they can recognize the cheap stuff, but the "sophisticated" taste is too oft a fallacy. So don't fret over Stoli vs Grey Goose, or Cazadores vs. Patron. Go with "premium" that's on sale if you just want to carry 'good booze' on hand.

Single malt scotch drinkers have an acquired taste and preference, but won't hold it against you.. should u not carry a super-aged or an islay or whatever. At least I don't... I can enjoy a blend as much as a Macallan 18 or Lagavulin 21 Tequila fans are pretty much "know it alls" with tequila (myself included), but it's more a preference of taste vs quality in "top shelf" range, so it's a no-win if presenting tequila as an apertif. I shake my head at how much ppl pay for that Cabo Wabo shit... to each his/her own.

Some examples below in the vodka range:

Well - Popov (or any vodka in a larger plastic bottle) - $5-10
Call - Smirnoff (or vodka under $10-12 for 750ML, but in glass ;-) $10-15
Premium - Absolut, Stoli, Grey Goose, Ketel One, Belvedere, etc...the usual suspects. $15-25
Super Premium - Stoli Elit, Smirnoff Silver (don't laugh), Effen $30-60
Top Shelf - Kauffmann Private, , Jean Marc XO, and I'm guessing a slew of small batch distillers... not a big vodka drinker here. $100-250

Easy drink trivia 101 - mostly all vodkas are from grain, not potatoes (it will state on the label as a "potato" vodka).

 

[Deno]

Beefeaters, Hennessy, London Safire, Armadale.

 

[RawDog]

Tequila: Casa Noble Añejo, El Tesoro Paradiso, Maestro Dobel Diamond

 

[D_Jerry_Atric]

A friend gave me some of the Starbucks liqueur as a gift and it's not bad; but it's just like Kahlua but more expensive and it has 15mg of caffeine in each shot. It's not bad in coffee/hot chocolate but I wouldn't buy it.

 

[AquaEyes11010]

Mmm, I love hot chocolate cocktails. Just about any liqueur goes well. I've tried Kahlua, Bailey's, Chambord, Frangelico, Creme de Menthe...separately, of course. And the heat of the hot chocolate makes the alcohol hit fast.

 

[Channelwood]

It's all a matter of personal taste--there's no such thing as best.

I don't often have a wild preference for liquors, but do prefer:
- Citrus vodka - Ketel One used to be my preference, but Svekda Citron is very good (and much less expensive)
- Single malt scotch - Dalwhinnie

And I do have a bottle of pre-Prohibition bourbon (1914) that I'm saving for its 100th anniversary.

 

[D_Bob_Crotchitch]

Grape Ripple
Mad Dog 20 20 prune