When you inventory your new bar there are many brands to consider, and levels. Well liquor is the most basic, least expensive type of liquor. It’s what your bartender pours when someone orders a “gin and tonic” but doesn’t specify, or call, a particular brand. Premium liquor is a step up from call liquor, and super-premium is a step up again.
Each liquor brand has its own website these days, and most include recipes for using their products. Check out a few of the drink recipe databases at these sites to get a feel for the many choices you have:
Whether you decide to go with well or premium liquors, here is a liquor list many bar keepers think are essential to stock in your bar.
| Liquor | Bar Stock | Inventory/Storage | Brands to Consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aperitif | 3 | 4 | Campari, Dubonnet, Lillet, Fernet Branca, Aperol, Amaro |
| Dry vermouth | 2 | 2 | Martini & Rossi, Noilly Pratt, Punt e Mes |
| Sweet vermouth | 2 | 2 | Martini & Rossi, Noilly Pratt, Punt e Mes |
| Vodka, super-premium | 2 | 12 (6 of each) | Grey Goose, Ciroc, Chopin, Level, Belvedere, Skyy90, Prairie Organic |
| Vodka, premium | 2 | 12 (6 of each) | Absolut, Smirnoff, Skyy, Stolichnaya, Finlandia, Three Olives, Vox, Fris, Ketel One, Tanqueray Sterling, Imperia, Ultimat, Svedka, SV Supreme, Glacier, Kuhl, Kru |
| Vodka, well | 1 | 12 | Popov, Gordon’s, Gilbey’s, Lairds, Van Gogh, McCormick, Dark Eyes, Barton, Boru |
| Orange-flavored vodka | 1 | 2 | Absolut Mandrin, Stoli Ohranj, Skyy Orange, Smirnoff Orange, Pinnacle Orange |
| Lemon-flavored vodka | 1 | 2 | Absolut Citron, Stoli Citros, Skyy Citrus, Smirnoff Citrus, Three Olives Citrus |
| Raspberry-flavored vodka | 1 | 1 | Absolut Raspberri, Stoli Razberi, Smirnoff Raspberry, Three Olives Raspberry, Pinnacle Red Berry |
| Vanilla-flavored vodka | 1 | 1 | Stoli Vanil, Absolut Vanilia, Skyy Vanilla, Smirnoff Vanilla, Three Olives Vanilla, Pinnacle Vanilla |
| Gin, super-premium | 2 | 3 of each | Plymouth, Tanqueray 10, Hendrick’s, Bombay Sapphire |
| Gin, premium | 2 | 3 of each | Beefeater, Bombay, Hendricks, Tanqueray, Damrak |
| Gin, well | 1 | 6 | Seagram’s, Gordon’s, Gilbey’s, Barton, McCormick |
| Rum, white, premium | 2 | 3 of each | Ocumare, Mount Gay Eclipse, Bacardi Gold, Oronoco |
| Rum, dark, premium | 2 | 3 of each | Mount Gay Extra Old, Gosling's Black Seal, Angostura 1824, Bacardi 8, Pyrat |
| Rum, white | 2 | 3 of each | Bacardi, Ronrico, Cruzan, Whaler’s, 10 Cane Rum |
| Rum, dark | 2 | 2 of each | Bacardi, Goslings, Myers’s Original, Rhum Barbancourt |
| Rum, spiced | 2 | 2 of each | Sailor Jerry’s, Captain Morgan, Cruzan, Hook’s, Whaler’s |
| Rum, coconut | 1 | 2 | Malibu, Cocoribe, Whaler’s Coconut, Cruzan Coconut, Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Coconut |
| Rum, flavored | 2 | 2 of each | Bacardi (Big Apple, Grand Melon, Limon, O [orange flavored], Razz [raspberry], Vanila, Coco [coconut], Bacardi Ciclon [blend of rum, tequila and lime]); Cruzan Rum (coconut, orange, pineapple, banana, vanilla, and citrus-blended rum called Junkanu); Whaler’s (coconut, vanilla, pineapple, and banana); Mount Gay (vanilla and mango); Captain Morgan Parrot Bay (coconut, pineapple, mango, and passion fruit) |
| Rum, well | 1 | 6 | Castillo, Ron Llave, Bellows, El Dorado, McCormick |
| Scotch, super-premium | 2 | 3 of each | Johnnie Walker (Black, Gold, Blue, and Green), Dimple, Chivas, The Famous Grouse, Glenlivet, Dewar’s 12-year-old reserve, Highland Park 12-year-old, Macallan 12-year-old, Bowmore 37-year-old (Wow! A $1,000 bottle behind the bar. That’ll start some conversations.) |
| Scotch, premium | 2 | 3 of each | Cutty Sark, Grant’s, Ballantine, J&B, Dewar’s White Label, Macallan, Bowmore, Johnnie Walker Red |
| Scotch, others | 2 | 1 of each | Vat 69, Teacher’s, Bell’s, Whyte and Mackay, Passport, Buchanan |
| Single malt scotches | 4 | 1 of each | Cragganmore 12-year-old, Dalmore 12-year-old, Glenmorangie 10-year-old, Aberlour 10-year-old, Balvenie Doublewood, Glenfiddich 12-year-old, Glenlivet 12-year-old, Glenrothes 1989/1992, Macallan 12-year-old, Macallan 18-year-old, Auchentoshan 3 Wood, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Bowmore 17-year-old, Isle of Jura 10-year-old, Laphroaig 10-year-old |
| Scotch, well | 1 | 2 | Black Prince, Ballantine, John Barr Gold Label, Legacy, McAndrews |
| Whiskey, premium (rye) | 2 | 1 of each | Jim Beam Rye, Wild Turkey Rye, Rittenhouse |
| Whiskey, white | 1 | 1 | Everclear Lightnin’, Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost, Death’s Door, Buffalo Trace White Dog |
| Whiskey, well (blended) | 2 | 1 of each | Fleishmann’s, Carstairs, Imperial, Barton Reserve, Wilson, JW Dant, Philadelphia |
| Tennessee whiskey | 2 | 2 of each | Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel |
| Canadian whisky | 2 | 2 of each | Canadian Club, Canadian Mist, Crown Royal, Seagram’s V.O. |
| Bourbon | 3 | 1 of each | Jim Beam 4 and 8 years old, Maker’s Mark, Booker’s, Basil Hayden, Wild Turkey, Old Crow, Knob Creek, Old Grand Dad, Woodford Reserve, Bulleit |
| Bourbon, specialty and single barrel | 3 | 1 of each | Specialty Brands: Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s Small Batch, Booker’s Small Batch, Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select, Elijah Craig 12-year-old Selected Barrel Bourbon. Single Barrel Brands: Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Elijah Craig 18-year-old Single Barrel Bourbon |
| Bourbon, well | 1 | 6 | Ancient Age, Barton Very Old, Benchmark, Bellows, Early Times |
| Tequila, super-premium | 3 | 3 of each | Grand Patron Platinum, Don Julio Real, Tres Generaciones, Riazul Reposado |
| Tequila, premium | 3 | 3 of each | Avion, Jose Cuervo 1800, Milagro, Patron Silver, Grand Centenario, Kah, Herradura, El Jimador, Cazadores, Milagro |
| Tequila, flavored | 2 | 1 of each | Hornitos Lime Shot, Margaritaville (coconut, lime, passion fruit, mango, and tangerine), Gran Centenario Rosangel (hibiscus), Agave Loco (Pepper) |
| Tequila, well | 1 | 6 | Montezuma, Baja, Cabrito |
| Brandy | 2 | 2 of each | Christian Brothers, Korbel, Cornet, Calvados, Cardinal Mendoza |
| Brandy, well | 1 | 2 | E & J, Royal 1889 |
| Cognac, premium | 1 | 1 | Remy Martin Louis XIII, Hennessy Cognac Paradis, Hennessy Cognac Richard, Martell Cognac Cordon Bleu |
| Cognac | 1 | 1 | Courvoisier, Delamain, Hennessy V.S., Martell V.S.O.P., Remy Martin V.S.O.P., Alize V.S. |
| Armagnac | 1 | 1 | Sempe, Germain-Robin Alambic, St. Aubin, Salamens |
| Irish whiskey | 2 | 1 of each | Bushmills, Jameson, Powers, Tullamore Dew, Clontarf, Michael Collins, Red Breast, and Ray’s personal favorite: Midleton |
| Honey whiskey | 2 | 1 of each | Celtic Honey, Wild Turkey Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennesee Honey, Jim Beam Maple, Barenjager |