Spirits for Cocktails
The foundations for the majority of cocktails.
Vodka
Traditionally it is made by distilling the liquid from cereal grains that have been fermented, with potatoes arising as a substitute in more recent times, and some modern brands using fruits or sugar as the base.
Swap with: Gin
Notable brands: Absolut, Grey Goose, Van Gogh, Belvedere, Smirnoff, Khortytsa, Svedka, Soplica, Russian Standard
Cocktails using Vodka: Black Russian, Californian Martini, Cold Brew Martini, Gipsy Queen, Harvey Wallbanger, Kamikaze +38 more
Gin
Made from purified spirits usually obtained from a grain mash and having the juniper berry as its principal flavouring ingredient.
Swap with: Vodka, Tequila, White Rum
Notable brands: Wembley, Gordon's, Aviation, Plymouth, Beefeater, Bluecoat, Booth's, Greyson’s
Cocktails using Gin: Acacia, Angelo Azzurro, Army & Navy, Blue Riband, Cafe de Paris, Caruso +46 more
Tequila
Distilled beverage that is made from the fermentation of the sugars found from the blue agave plant once it has been cooked, primarily grown in the area surrounding the city of Tequila.
Swap with: Gin, White Rum
Notable brands: Don Julio, Margaritaville, Juarez, Sauza
Cocktails using Tequila: Brave Bull, Long Island Iced Tea, Paloma, Añogo, Beach Iced Tea, Bloody Maria +12 more
Absinthe
This is a emerald-green liqueur flavored with extracts of the wormwood plant, licorice, and other aromatic herbs with a high alcohol volume.
Cocktails using Absinthe: Contemporary Corpse Reviver No. 2, Corpse Reviver No. 2, Gilberg's Corpse Reviver No. 1, Sazerac, Corpse Reviver Blue, Judgement Day
Rum
Rum is a liquor made by fermenting then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rums are produced in various grades, light, golden and dark whereas the later ones are typically consumed on the rocks.
Swap with: Gin
Cocktails using Rum: Between The Sheets, Cuba Libre, Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Stone Fence, Cocello Crave +4 more
Bourbon
This is a type of American whisky that must be made of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new, charred oak barrels.
Swap with: Whisky, Scotch
Cocktails using Bourbon: Brown Derby, Manhattan, Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Amaretto Old Fashioned, Amarula & Pumpkin Whisky Flip +8 more
Brandy
Brandy, sometimes known as cognac, is a distilled spirit produced from fermented fruit juice. Most often, the fruit is grapes (making brandy distilled wine), though apple, apricot, peach, and other fruits can be used to make brandy.
Swap with: Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth
Cocktails using Brandy: Acacia, Brandy Alexander, Brandy Flip, Brandy Sangaree, Brandy Smash, Pisco Sour +7 more
Cachaca
Cachaca is a distilled spirit made from sugar cane juice produced exclusively in Brazil and is often erroneously thought of as a style of rum.
Swap with: White Rum
Cocktails using Cachaca: Caipirinha, Batida Mango
Sake
Also referred to as Japanese rice wine, sake is an alcoholic beverage made by fermented rice, light in colour, noncarbonated, with a sweet flavour.
Swap with: White Wine, Cherry Liqueur, Orange Liqueur
Cocktails using Sake: Coco Geisha, Japanese Pear, Phantom Love Song
Scotch
Scotch whisky, often simply called whisky or Scotch, is malt or grain whisky made in Scotland in a manner specified by law. Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: single malt, single grain, blended malt, blended grain and blended.
Swap with: Whisky, Bourbon
Cocktails using Scotch: Rob Roy, Rusty Nail, Glasgow Mule, Smoky Santa
Whisky
Whisky or whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.
Swap with: Scotch, Bourbon
Cocktails using Whisky: Algonquin, Blinker, Coffee House, Sazerac, Whisky Highball, Whisky Sour 2 +3 more
Eggnog
It is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage. It is traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, and egg yolks. In some contexts, distilled spirits such as brandy, rum, whisky or bourbon are added to the drink.
Mezcal
Unlike tequila that must be made only from the blue weber agave, mezcal can be made from any agave plant. Its signature smoky flavor comes from cooking the agave in underground pits, which are lined with hot rocks that burn for about 24 hours before the cooking process begins.
Cocktails using Mezcal: Closing Argument, Garden Sour, Mango Mezcalita, Mezcal Blackberry Smash, Ruby Diamond
Rye Whisky
Rye whisky is made from over 51% rye, corn, malted barley and wheat. Rye creates a spicy and a peppery flavour, especially on the back of the palate and finish. Bourbon distilled from at least 51% corn is sweeter and typically more full-bodied. Historically, rye was used more in the past and in fact, many bartenders are returning to rye in cocktails as it creates a dryer style, especially in a Whiskey Sours, Manhattans or Old Fashioneds.
Swap with: Scotch, Bourbon, Whisky
Cocktails using Rye Whisky: Autumn Mule, Big Boss, Final Word
Ice Cider
Ice cider, also known as apple icewine and sold as ice apple wine in the United States, is a fermented beverage made from the juice of frozen apples.
Swap with: Ice Wine
Cocktails using Ice Cider: Hot Apple Pie Drink
Genever
Also known as Hollands, genever, genièvre, peket, or sometimes as Dutch gin, is the juniper-flavored traditional liquor in the Netherlands, Belgium and adjoining areas in northern France and northwestern Germany. Jenever was originally produced by distilling malt wine and because the resulting spirit was not palatable due to the lack of refined distilling techniques, herbs were added to mask the flavour.
Swap with: Gin, Dry Gin
Cocktails using Genever: Latest Word
Japanese Whisky
Japanese whisky, with its roots dating back to the early 20th century, emerges from a tradition deeply influenced by Scottish whisky-making techniques. Around the 1920s, Japanese distillers, inspired by the craftsmanship of Scotch whisky, embarked on a journey that would eventually lead to global acclaim. Their commitment to precision, innovation, and reverence for nature is evident in the use of pristine waters, locally sourced grains, and diverse oak casks for maturation. This blend of tradition and innovation has given rise to a diverse range of whisky expressions, each bearing witness to Japan's whisky heritage and its ongoing pursuit of unmatched quality and refinement.
Swap with: Whisky, Scotch
Cocktails using Japanese Whisky: Yuzu Whiskey Sour