My brow is furrowed at all the rum hate. Not that it's undeserved, just unexpected. I view it as fairly versatile and agreeable, and can be mixed in just about every way that vodka can (exception: vodka tonic), plus you can sip rum. No one sips vodka. Why the rum hate?
If you think no one sips vodka, you are either drinking the wrong kind of vodka, or are hanging with the wrong kind of people. In my minibar right now I have a handle of russian standard, a magnum of ketel one, and a magnum of something called "Snow Queen" which I got for Xmas (a wheat vodka made in Kazakhstan, which I thought was that fictional country in Borat). I sip all three neat and straight. Titos, Stoli, Belvedere, Stoli/Skyy Vanilla, also are good sipping vodkas. If you don't like them straight, try it when splashed with a tiny bit of pretty much any liquor or juice. A good vodka has a smooth, clean finish and either a buttery or a bit sweet aftertaste to compliment the light burn. You'll know when a vodka is a vodka you shouldn't be sipping when it finishes sharp or especially peppery (I'm looking at YOU grey goose). That sharp finish is vodka's way of telling you it's going to give you a terrible hangover if you continue on your current path.
Okay, fair enough, swing and a miss on the vodka sipping. Now address why most people here dislike rum. Bought a fifth of Buffalo Trace last based on recommendations here and its lower price than others mentioned here, and my god was I impressed. Tried it neat and liked it a lot, then tried it on the rocks, which improved it further, with the water opening up the flavor much more. I'm very inexperienced with bourbons, scotches and whiskeys, but I like what I've found thus far, and Buffalo Trace was not an exception. This thread will have me sampling all of those mentioned at some point or another.
Figured if I was gonna critique your vodka sipping comment, I better hold up my end of the bargain and try to expand my own rum horizons beyond the bacardi/malibu/cruzan/captain morgan level. Picked up a handle of Flor de Cana Gold on the way home for $27. I know that's not terribly expensive, but it's more than I've ever spent on a bottle of rum and I knew nothing about it other than the bottle said it was aged 4 years which I gathered from my whiskey/bourbon preferences meant it might well be a bit more "meaty." I first tried the Flor de Cana neat, and while it smelled like hangover to me it was actually quite smooth. Mixed with a splash of coke (so more rum than coke), it's downright delicious. This thread may well get me trying out some new rums, especially as the weather warms up.
I think rum and tequila are under appreciated. Far too many people associate Cuervo with tequila which is like associating Alabama with the US. Rum is so smooth that people think its simple, but a good dark rum is comparably as good as a good whiskey. Different, but just as good.
Just wanted to throw this in, as it applies to me and I'm totally going to steal from people's responses. You have $200 to stock a personal bar. This does not include glasses, etc. What do you stock it with, what do you splurge on, and what do you get cheaply?
Handles of: - Beefeater Gin - Russian Standard vodka - Wisers Canadian whiskey - El jimador tequilla - El Castillo rum Four liters of club soda Lime juice 12 pack of Sprite A case of solo cups (preferably red) Then spend the rest on pedialyte and chicken ramen, because youre gonna need it in the morning.
And maybe a whole weekend too! Focus I would honestly probably buy as many handles of Beam as I could. Maybe a handle of Beefeaters.
1) Rye/Bourbon Whisk(e)y: Jim Beam for mixing, Buffalo Trace for drinking neat, and a bottle of Knob Creek in the back of the cabinet for special-er occasions 2) Scotch: Cutty Sark, and Glenlivet 12 next to the Knob Creek. 3) Vodka: Tito's 4) Gin: Hendrick's 5) White and/or Rum: Sailor Jerry 6) Draft beer: A variety of Minnesotan brews like Schell, Summit, Surly, etc. I want Schell's Stout and Deschutte's Black Butte Porter on tap too. 7) White Wine: You can bring that shit. 8) Red Wine: Menage a Trois is my cheap go-to red, otherwise I try whatever cabernets, pinot noirs, and blends that are on sale. 9) Tequila/Mezcal: El Jimador (or as my dad says, El Jimmy-Joe) Others... Irish cream, Kahlua, limoncello, and we can't forget the Everclear.
1) Pendleton 2) Johnny Walker Blue 3) Monopolowa 4) Bombay Sapphire 5) Kraken 6) Terminal Gravity IPA 7) Pinot Gris 8) Pinot Noire 9) milagro Pendleton and Johnny are my splurges the others are pretty mid-market
$200? That can buy a shitload of... Spoiler The $200 budget focus leads me to believe I spend too large a portion of my salary on alcohol.
1) Rye/Bourbon Whisk(e)y: Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve 2) Scotch: Green Spot Irish Whiskey. If you can find it, try it. 3) Vodka: Russian Standard 4) Gin: Not much for gin, but Hendricks probably. 5) White and/or Rum: Mount Gay or Flor de Cana 6) Draft beer: My current favorite is 512 Pecan Porter: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.512brewing.com/2011/12/11/512-pecan-porter-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.512brewing.com/2011/12/11/51 ... -porter-2/</a> 7) White Wine: Not much for whites, probably moscato. 8) Red Wine: Some type of Pinot Noir. 9) Tequila/Mezcal: Don Julio or Herradura
1) Rye/Bourbon Whisk(e)y: In descending order--Blanton's, Eagle Rare, Maker's Mark 2) Scotch: Balvenie 15yr. 3) Vodka: Thor's Hammer 4) Gin: Bombay Sapphire 5) White and/or Rum: Bacardi Light is fine with me 6) Draft beer: Lagunitas Maximus IPA 7) White Wine: Pinot Grigio Santa Margherita 8) Red Wine: 2005 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Rufino Reserva Chianti 9) Tequila/Mezcal: Espolon
We call this "stretching the dollars": But you started me a-thinkin'. I spend at least $450 a month on booze, including both home consumption and bar visits. I tend to go a little high end on the liquor, and middling to high on the beer. Wine, I look for bargains, but no boxes, and nothing by Gallo.
I think I did decently for my budget: 1.75L Tito's vodka, 1.75L Smirnoff vodka, 1.75L DonQ rum, 750ml Bulldog gin, 750ml Bailey's, 1.75L Kahlua, 750ml Creme de Menthe, two bottles 750ml Espolon tequila.
You could spend quite an interesting night in the drunk tank with all of that. I purposely do not keep track of the amount I spend on booze at home or bars. If I did, it would certainly shock me. I can't imagine what other things I could have if I didn't piss so much money away. I choose to remain blissfully ignorant. And I'll get the next round.