Most of my customers are unfamiliar with the library of liquors that I stock behind the basement bar at Brennan’s Speakeasy. I make reccomendations based on what they’ve drank in the past, and what I like the taste of on a given day.

I’m fortunate that I order the liquor for the bar, and I get a chance to bring in ones and twos of rare bottles that most bars don’t carry. Thanks to that, I’m able to taste everything almost as soon as it comes down the pipe. Barring the esoteric niceties that I pick up for tastings; here are a few of my reccomendations on hard liquor. I’ve tried to list things that nicer bars and restaurants will carry.

Tito’s Hand made and Smirnoff. Tito’s is my favorite because I like supporting the little guy with the superior product. There’s a video around of Tito Beveridge drinking a cylinder of straight vodka right off the still at over a hundred and fifty proof.

My second runner up is Smirnoff since they win the New York Times blind vodka tasting every time. It’s a great clean finish triple distilled vodka made like everything else, but it tastes better than most of the super premiums. Skeptical?

Since you can actually buy it right now my favorite might be Hendrick’s from Scotland. Hendrick’s has a crisp top of cucumber and rosewater; I like gins that don’t scream of juniper.

Tanqueray Malacca is the best gin ever produced. The Malacca’s dominant flavors are faint citrus with long grasses; and a strange esther that tastes like walnuts. The Malacca has been discontinued so buy up any bottles that you can find. I’m not kidding, this stuff is fantastic and impossible to find.

My two favorites rums come from the same company. Pyrat. By Patron, this company produces a fantastic Superior Blanco white rum and an amazing 15 year blended XO Planter’s Reserve. They’re amazingly affordable for the quality, and their Superior is the best I’ve ever had.

I very rarely taste tequilas, but these are two that have stuck out: Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Anejo and Chinaco Reposado. The Milagro is an ultra premium product with all the “hand selected by the master distiller” song and dance that one would expect; the tequila is good, not amazing, but the finish is clean. And if you’re dealing with it in a bar setting the unique bottle will do the selling for you.

Secondly, the Chinaco Reposado is a crisp tequila with overpowering flavors of fruit and wood. It reminds me of a heavy california chardonnay. This is a much more affordable tequila, and it’s number one in the bang for the buck runnings. Patron Silver is also a great tequila if you need a third selection.

Kentucky’s Finest export product is single barrel vintage bourbon, and my hands down favorite is Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 year. This is currently the highest rated brown liquor in the world, having received 99 out of 100 points from the BTI. 99% of all other bourbon this is a full flavor whiskey that retains all of the characteristic finish of spectacular bourbon. Differing itself from the other players in the field their recipe includes wheat as opposed to rye. The wheat finish helps the liquor stand up to the onslaught of esthers that come from the barrel. As you can expect…. it’s not cheap.

My second choice is currently Elijah Craig 18 year. Nice, mild, and aged to per-fec-tion. There’s just a touch of candy on the front so even non-bourbon drinkers can enjoy it on the rocks. The price is a bit easier on the wallet than the Pappy; which is surprising considering how old it is.

The last bottle on the rail is always Scotch. Don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise. For a blended scotch I’m a fan of Justerini & Brooks. If it’s good enough for the Prince of Wales then it’s good enough for me! The taste is strikingly grassy with small amounts of bitter wood on the finish. Goes very well with soda on a cold winter evening.

Lastly, my absolute favorite single malt scotch of all time is the Laphroig 30 year. I’ve only had it once, and I was amazed at the depth and complexity. It starts with sweet wine in the sherry finish style; but the whiskey EXPLODES with fruit before the smoke comes up and fills the mouth. The flavors roll up and fill the palette without crowding each other off the tounge. The best comparison to the experience is a large barollo or an older French cabernet. The finish is five minutes long, and it’s deep and rich. The price is prohibitive for casual tasting, but it’s $200 well spent if you can afford to blow the jack.