It’s easy to create an impressive drinks list if you’ve got access to limitless cash.
What’s much harder, I think, is to put together a menu that artfully mixes high and low. That requires knowledge, confidence, and a no small degree of flair.
I was reminded of this the other night as I scanned the cocktail list at Osteria Vibrato, a fashionable new ‘old-style’ Italian in London’s Soho. There’s huge attention to detail at this restaurant, from the handmade pasta and the tip-top terrazzo flooring by Diespeker & Co to the choice of olive oils. Many of the wines come from co-owner Charlie Mellor’s own cellar, and the art is from trendy Soho gallerist Cedric Bardawil.
The Italianate cocktail list is also particular – highlights include secret handshake pours like the hard-to-find Vergano vermouth. But mixed in among are household names such as Beefeater gin. I can think of plenty of bartenders who’d deem a $27) brand like Beefeater too mainstream to put on their list. But to me, it simply proved that I was in the presence of someone who really knew what they were doing.
Because Beefeater gin is excellent. It makes a smashing G&T. And its crisp, citrus-forward style also works very well in a Martini. The fact it’s not a ‘luxury’ product just makes me love it more. It’s a classic, a benchmark recipe by which all other London Dry gins are still judged (the other is the drier and spicier Tanqueray).
It got me thinking: which other brands would I have in my sub-£30 (approx. $40) drinks cabinet? (And if I could get those bottles under £25 (approx. $33), even better).
My go-to for Daiquiris and Mojitos (regardless of price) would be Havana Club 3yo. Pale gold, with subtle notes of honey, vanilla, and medicinal herbs, it epitomizes the light, dry style that Cuba pioneered over a century ago. And if you spend a night in Havana, you’ll still see it (and its deeper, darker sibling Havana 7yo) everywhere.
For rum drinks that require something weightier, I’d go for Appleton Estate Signature which marries sticky ginger cake, stone fruit, and a touch of that tropical funk that Jamaica is famous for. Great in punches, Mai Tais, and slow-stirred Old Fashioned-style cocktails, or simply sipped neat, with ice.
Ketel One vodka is very decent – fresh and polished without being flash. I also like the fact that this Dutch brand is still family-owned.
The most expensive tequilas, in my experience, are often the blandest. If you want to actually taste the agave, then the much more affordable Tapatio Blanco is a smart buy – fresh and slightly peppery with a nice green crunch. Just a shade more expensive is Ocho, which is made by the same family (both of these are 50cl, so I’m very slightly here).
When it comes to American whiskey, Buffalo Trace Bourbon is a great bang for your buck. I know I’ve mentioned it here before but every time I use it – which is a lot – I’m amazed what great value it is. It makes a cracking Manhattan.
If I was after Scotch whisky, then I’d probably go for a blend (single malts get the airtime, but around 90 percent of all Scotch exports are actually blended whisky). A well-made blend gives pleasure that’s immediate but also has complexity you can unpick. It should be versatile – good with ice, soda, mixers, in cocktails. But also good sipped neat.
A whisky that ticks all the boxes is Johnnie Walker Black. It’s got fruit, spice, caramel, a whiff of smoke and it’s incredibly versatile. I know, you see it everywhere, which takes the shine off it a bit. But if it was an end-of-days type scenario and someone produced a bottle of JW Black I’d be absolutely delighted.
Another brand I’ve got a lot of time for is Martini & Rossi vermouth – the rosso in particular is a mainstay of mine and a lot of bartenders I know. It might not be as complex or expressive as some of the more artisan vermouth you can buy. But plays nice with other ingredients, and in something like a Negroni, that’s what matters.
And it’s worth remembering that while they may no longer be small and craft-y, many of these brands were real trailblazers back in the day. Appleton, founded in 1749, is one of the oldest rum distilleries in the world. Beefeater, along with Tanqueray, pretty much invented London Dry Gin. Johnnie Walker started life in a grocer’s shop. Havana Club was drunk by Hemingway. They are spirits with real heritage. And that’s got to be worth a few dollars.
