When planning a party or starting a home bar, one of the first questions is what alcohol to buy. You don't want to give your guests the impression they aren't important by buying the cheap stuff, but at the same time you don't want to take out a second mortgage either. So how do you decide on a middle ground? Tasting.
Go to your local liquor store and choose 3-5 alcohols of the same type, bourbon, gin, vodka, etc. in your price range. Those little bottles like you'd get on an airplane are great for this if they have the brand you want. You're going to want a friend (or three) to help you with the next part. Have your friend pour a little of each kind in a glass, but don't let you see which brand is which.
For the first test you're going to try these neat. That means room temperature, with nothing added. Start off by smelling the aroma. Is it earthy, hints of vanilla or cardamom? Don't worry if you don't know the lingo, just go with what it reminds you of. Most of all, is it pleasing?
Now for the fun part, tasting. Take a small amount in your mouth and hold it there. Roll it around in your mouth so that it reaches all parts of your tongue. What flavors come through? Smokey, fruity? If it's vodka, hopefully no flavors are apparent as the definition of a vodka is an odorless, tasteless clear grain spirit. Flavored vodkas aside. Now swallow. Is there a different finishing flavor? Do this for each brand, writing down your thoughts and rating each.
Hopefully you don't drink all of your liquor neat so you should also try you selection in a cocktail. I suggest something that doesn't mask the alcohol too much but something you normally drink. A traditional daiquiri, a martini, a Manhattan. Some people find that they like one brand neat and a different one mixed. Again, take your time with each drink and rate them.
Now it's time for the reveal. Did you end up liking the high priced brand? Could you pick out your favorite in a taste test? Were there any surprises?
How do you normally chose your alcohols? Let us know in the comments.
Picture by Shabbychef. GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0, from Wikimedia Commons
