60 bottles

Bottle Catalog

The bottles on the author's bar, one by one: what each is, where it comes from, what it tastes like and which drinks it goes into.

The ABV figures are those on the labels sold in Brazil and may vary by batch and market. The brands belong to their makers; Drinkanagem has no ties to any of them.

Aperitifs and bitters

Brazilian herbal bitter

Brasilberg

Brazil · 42% ABV

Dark brown, with an herbal aroma, slightly sweet and fruity. On the palate it is strong, with moderate bitterness and a slightly sweet finish.

At the bar
Neat or on the rocks, as a digestif, or lengthened with tonic water and lime. In cocktails it plays the part of an herbal amaro and can be used in small amounts, like bitters.

History

Paul Underberg, grandson of the founder of Germany's Underberg (Rheinberg, 1846), came to Brazil in 1932 and, years later, created his own recipe with Brazilian herbs. It was long sold as Underberg do Brasil and is now called Brasilberg.

Italian bitter

Campari

Italy · 28.5% ABV · since 1860

Ruby red. It starts out slightly sweet and soon turns bitter, with orange, herbs and a long, dry finish.

At the bar
The base of the Negroni, the Americano, the Boulevardier and the Garibaldi (with orange juice). It goes well with ice, citrus, soda water and sparkling wine.

History and drinks (12)

Created by Gaspare Campari in Novara, around 1860. The first factory, in Sesto San Giovanni, near Milan, dates from 1904, and the recipe of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit remains a secret.

Americano · Boulevardier · Cannes · Cardinale · Garibaldi · Jungle Bird · Mão Boba · Negroni · Negroni Sbagliato · New Fred Rose · Sally · Spritz Twist

German herbal liqueur

Jägermeister

Germany · 35% ABV · since 1935

Dark brown and sweet, with licorice, anise, citrus, ginger and spices, and a light bitterness on the finish.

At the bar
It is usually served ice cold, as a shot. It also works with an energy drink (Jägerbomb), ginger beer or tonic.

History and drinks (2)

Launched in 1935 by Curt Mast in Wolfenbüttel, with 56 macerated herbs, roots, fruits and spices and a rest of about a year in oak casks. The name means "master hunter," and the stag with the cross on the label refers to the legend of Saint Hubert, patron saint of hunters. The story that the recipe contains deer blood is a myth.

Darth Vader · Jägerbomb

Brazilian bitter

Mezzamaro

Brazil · 28.5% ABV

Half sweet and half bitter, milder than most bitters, with an herbal flavor and a bright color.

At the bar
Over ice with an orange wheel, with soda water or with tonic. It can stand in for the bitter in Americano-style and Negroni-style drinks, with a less bitter result.

History and drinks (12)

A Stock bitter made in Brazil. According to the maker, it contains 48 imported herbs, and it is meant to be less bitter than its competitors.

Americano · Boulevardier · Cannes · Cardinale · Garibaldi · Jungle Bird · Mão Boba · Negroni · Negroni Sbagliato · New Fred Rose · Sally · Spritz Twist

Brazilian fernet

Fernet Valverde

Brazil · 28.5% ABV

Dark and very bitter, with gentian and other herbs up front.

At the bar
Neat, as a digestif, or with cola and plenty of ice, the way fernet is drunk in Argentina.

History and drinks (2)

Fernet is a style of amaro that emerged in Italy in the 19th century. According to the maker, the Valverde version took about two years to develop, uses nearly fifty plants macerated in alcohol and matures in wooden casks.

Fernandito · Hanky Panky

Herb and fruit aperitif

St. Remy

Brazil · 25% ABV

Mild and slightly sweet, with a flavor of herbs and fruit.

At the bar
Neat or on the rocks, as an aperitif. It also works as a base for simple cocktails, with citrus or soda.

History

A Stock aperitif produced in Brazil, which the maker presents as the leader in its segment. Not to be confused with the French brandy St-Rémy, which is a different product.

Fernet (Italian amaro)

Fernet-Branca

Italy · 39% ABV · since 1845

Almost black, very bitter and dry, with menthol, myrrh, saffron and herbs. Long, medicinal finish.

At the bar
With cola and ice, the Argentine fernet con coca, or neat, as a digestif. In small amounts it goes into the Hanky Panky and the Toronto.

History and drinks (2)

Created in Milan in 1845 by Bernardino Branca. The recipe, with 27 herbs, roots and spices, is a family secret, and the liqueur rests for about a year in oak casks. It is very popular in Argentina, where it is also produced.

Fernandito · Hanky Panky

Italian aperitif

Aperol

Italy · 11% ABV · since 1919

Bright orange, with a flavor of sweet and bitter orange, rhubarb and herbs. Light bitterness and low alcohol.

At the bar
Aperol Spritz: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol and one part soda water, with ice and an orange slice. It also works with tonic or orange juice.

History and drinks (4)

Launched in 1919 by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in Padua. It has belonged to the Campari Group since 2003.

Naked and Famous · Paper Plane · Sally · Spritz

Cachaça, pisco and other spirits

Chilean pisco

Pisco Capel

Chile · 35% ABV · since 1938

A spirit made from aromatic grapes, mainly muscat, with a floral, fruity aroma and a slightly sweet palate.

At the bar
The Pisco Sour is the classic use. In Chile it is commonly served with cola (Piscola); with ginger ale and lime it becomes a Chilcano.

History and drinks (3)

Pisco is the grape spirit produced in Peru and Chile, and the two countries dispute the origin of the drink and the right to the name. Capel is a producers' cooperative founded in 1938 in the Elqui Valley, a pisco-making region in northern Chile.

Gasolina · Pisco Punch · Pisco Sour

Brazilian steinhaeger

Steinhaeger Doble W

Brazil · 38% ABV · since 1962

Clear and dry, with a juniper aroma. It resembles a simpler, softer gin and comes in a ceramic bottle.

At the bar
Ice cold, in a small measure, traditionally alongside a draft beer. It also works in place of gin in simple drinks.

History

Steinhaeger is a juniper spirit that originated in Steinhagen, in Westphalia, northwestern Germany. According to the maker, the Doble W version has been produced since 1962 in Porto União, Santa Catarina, from grain spirit and juniper berries.

Cachaça

Velho Barreiro

Brazil · 39% ABV

A clear industrial cachaça, with a sugarcane aroma and a slightly sweet palate.

At the bar
A workhorse cachaça for the Caipirinha, batidas (Brazilian fruit and cachaça drinks) and the Rabo de Galo.

History and drinks (9)

One of the best-selling cachaças in Brazil, produced by Tatuzinho 3 Fazendas in Rio Claro, São Paulo state.

Batida de Café · Batida de Coco · Caipirinha · Caipirinha de Maracujá · Caipirinha de Morango · Canchanchara · Quentão · Rabo de Galo · Tenente Duro

Grappa (grape pomace spirit)

Graspa

Brazil (Serra Gaúcha)

Clear, dry and strong, with an aroma of grape skins and pomace.

At the bar
Neat, in a small measure, after a meal. A few drops in an espresso make a caffè corretto.

History and drinks (1)

Graspa is the name Italian grappa took on among the descendants of immigrants from Veneto in the Serra Gaúcha, in southern Brazil. It is distilled from the pomace left over from winemaking, at wineries and distilleries in the region.

Ve.n.to

Vermouths

Red vermouth (sweet)

Martini Rosso

Italy · 16% ABV · since 1863

Dark amber, leaning toward caramel. Sweet, with pronounced herbs and a gentle bitterness.

At the bar
The vermouth for the Negroni, the Americano and the Manhattan; on its own, serve it over ice with an orange slice. Once opened, keep it in the refrigerator.

History and drinks (15)

The house's first vermouth, from 1863, the year Alessandro Martini, Luigi Rossi and Teofilo Sola took over a distillery in Turin. Despite the name, the base is white wine; the color comes from caramel.

Americano · Boulevardier · Bronx · Garibaldi · Hanky Panky · Manhattan · Martinez · Negroni · Negroni Sbagliato · Rabo de Galo · Remember the Maine · Sweet Martini · Tenente Duro · Tipperary · and 1 more

Dry vermouth

Martini Extra Dry

Italy · 18% ABV · since 1900

Pale straw in color, with a citrus and floral aroma and notes of raspberry and iris. Dry without being bitter.

At the bar
Dry Martini and Gibson, stirred with gin and plenty of ice. Once opened, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks.

History and drinks (8)

Launched on January 1, 1900, to compete with the French dry vermouths. It is the vermouth for the Dry Martini, with gin. James Bond's Vesper, often associated with it, takes gin, vodka and Lillet, with no vermouth.

Betty Blue · Bronx · Cannes · Cardinale · Caruso · Dry Martini · Tuxedo · Vesper

Sweet white vermouth

Martini Bianco

Italy · 16% ABV · since 1910

Very pale straw, with an intense, sweet aroma and pronounced vanilla. Sweet, with a slight bitterness.

At the bar
Over ice with lime, with tonic or with sparkling wine. In cocktails, it goes wherever the recipe calls for bianco vermouth.

History and drinks (2)

Launched in 1910, with white wine, aromatic herbs and vanilla. It is sweeter and milder than the Rosso.

Naked Lady · Spritz Twist

Rosé vermouth

Martini Rosato

Italy · 16% ABV · since 1980

Pink, with an aroma of clove, cinnamon and fruit. Sweet, a little less bitter than the Rosso.

At the bar
Over ice with an orange slice, with tonic or with sparkling wine, spritz style.

History

Launched in 1980, it is the only one in the classic range with a rosé wine base. Clove and cinnamon are the featured spices.

Liqueurs

Spanish citrus and vanilla liqueur

Licor 43

Spain · 31% ABV · since 1946

Golden and sweet, with vanilla up front, citrus and spices.

At the bar
The Carajillo, with espresso and ice, is its best-known use. It also works on the rocks, with milk or in citrus drinks.

History and drinks (1)

Launched in 1946 by the Zamora family in Cartagena, with 43 ingredients, including citrus, herbs and spices. The story that it descends from a Roman-era liqueur, Liqvor Mirabilis, is the brand's version, with no proof.

Carajillo

Amaretto

Amaretto dell'Orso

Brazil (a Stock brand, Italian style) · 28% ABV

Amber and sweet, with an aroma of almond and marzipan.

At the bar
Godfather (with Scotch), Amaretto Sour and coffee. Also good on the rocks or over ice cream.

History and drinks (9)

Amaretto is an Italian style of almond-flavored liqueur, usually made from apricot pits. Dell'Orso is Stock's version, which according to the maker contains apricot kernels, honey and flowers.

ABC · Alabama Slammer · CaipiRave · French Connection · Godfather · Godmother · IBA Tiki · Orgasm · Screaming Orgasm

Marula cream liqueur

Amarula

South Africa · 17% ABV · since 1989

Beige and creamy, with caramel, vanilla and a hint of fruit.

At the bar
On the rocks, in coffee or over ice cream. In creamy drinks, it replaces Irish cream with a fruitier profile.

History and drinks (1)

Launched in 1989 in South Africa. The marula fruit is fermented and distilled, the spirit spends about two years in oak and is then blended with cream. The elephant on the label comes from the animal's taste for the fruit; the claim that elephants get drunk on fermented marula is folklore.

Estilo Vitoriano

French herbal liqueur

Bénédictine

France · 40% ABV · since 1863

Golden amber and sweet, with honey, herbs and spices such as angelica, saffron and nutmeg.

At the bar
It goes into the Vieux Carré, the Singapore Sling and the Bobby Burns. With cognac, in equal parts, it becomes the B&B.

History and drinks (2)

Launched in 1863 by Alexandre Le Grand, a merchant from Fécamp, in Normandy. He claimed to have recovered a 1510 recipe from the Benedictine monks of the local abbey, a brand story with no proof. It contains 27 plants and spices, and the initials D.O.M. on the label stand for Deo Optimo Maximo.

Singapore Sling · Vieux Carré

Irish cream liqueur

Baileys Irish Cream

Ireland · 17% ABV · since 1974

Beige and creamy, with cocoa, vanilla and a faint background of whiskey.

At the bar
On the rocks, in coffee or in creamy drinks such as the B-52 and the Mudslide. Avoid mixing it with citrus juices, which curdle the cream.

History and drinks (12)

Launched in 1974 in Dublin by Gilbeys of Ireland, it was the first liqueur to combine Irish whiskey and cream. The R. A. Bailey on the label is a name made up for the brand.

ABC · Alexander · B-52 · Baileys Espresso Martini · Blow Job · BMW · Brain Tumor · Cunnilingus · Innocent Sex · Irish Flag · Orgasm · Screaming Orgasm

Orange liqueur (triple sec)

Cointreau

France · 40% ABV · since 1875

Clear, with an intense aroma of sweet and bitter orange peel. Sweet at first and dry on the finish.

At the bar
It is the benchmark triple sec for the Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar and White Lady.

History and drinks (20)

The Cointreau distillery was founded in 1849 in Angers. The orange liqueur came in 1875, created by Édouard Cointreau, son of one of the founders, from the peels of sweet and bitter oranges. The square amber glass bottle became the face of the brand.

Appletini · Between the Sheets · Brandy Crusta · Clericot · Corpse Reviver #2 · Cosmopolitan · Grass Skirt · Hot Blondie · Innocent Sex · Kamikaze · Kamikaze Shot · Lemon Drop Martini · Long Island Iced Tea · Mai Tai · and 6 more

Amaretto

Disaronno

Italy · 28% ABV

Amber, sweet and velvety, with bitter almond, marzipan and vanilla.

At the bar
Amaretto Sour, Godfather (with Scotch), Godmother (with vodka) and French Connection (with cognac). Also good on the rocks.

History and drinks (9)

Produced in Saronno by the Reina family. The brand dates the recipe to 1525 and says it was a gift from an innkeeper to the painter Bernardino Luini, which is legend. Commercial sales began at Domenico Reina's shop in Saronno in the early 20th century.

ABC · Alabama Slammer · CaipiRave · French Connection · Godfather · Godmother · IBA Tiki · Orgasm · Screaming Orgasm

Scotch, honey and herb liqueur

Drambuie

Scotland · 40% ABV · since 1910

Golden and sweet, with Scotch, honey, herbs and spices.

At the bar
The Rusty Nail, with Scotch and ice, is the classic drink. It also works neat, as a digestif.

History and drinks (1)

The brand says the recipe belonged to Prince Charles Edward Stuart, who supposedly gave it to the MacKinnon clan after the defeat at Culloden in 1746; that is the brand's version. What is documented is production by the Ross family on the Isle of Skye in the late 19th century, and commercial sales in Edinburgh from 1910. The name comes from Gaelic and is usually translated as "the drink that satisfies."

Rusty Nail

Hazelnut liqueur

Frangelico

Italy · 20% (24% in older bottles) ABV · since 1978

Pale gold, with toasted hazelnut, vanilla and cocoa.

At the bar
On the rocks with lime, in coffee or in creamy drinks. It pairs with vodka, coffee and chocolate.

History and drinks (2)

It reached the market in 1978, made in Piedmont with toasted hazelnuts, cocoa, coffee and vanilla. The bottle imitates a friar's habit, with a cord at the waist. The story of the hermit Fra Angelico, said to have created the liqueur more than 300 years ago, is a brand legend.

Estilo Vitoriano · IBA Tiki

Orange liqueur with cognac

Grand Marnier

France · 40% ABV · since 1880

Amber, with bitter orange, cognac, vanilla and oak. Fuller-bodied than a triple sec.

At the bar
It goes into the B-52 and the Cadillac Margarita, and it is the liqueur for crêpes Suzette. It can replace triple sec when you want more body.

History and drinks (4)

Created in 1880 by Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, who combined cognac with bitter orange essence from the Caribbean. It was going to be called Curaçao Marnier; according to the brand, the current name was suggested by a friend, the hotelier César Ritz.

B-52 · Champagne Cocktail · Grand Margarita · Irish Flag

Limoncello

Limoncello Villa Massa

Italy · 30% ABV · since 1991

Cloudy yellow, sweet and fresh, with an intense aroma of lemon peel.

At the bar
It goes straight from the freezer into a small glass, as a digestif. With prosecco and soda water it becomes a lemon spritz.

History and drinks (1)

A brand founded in 1991 in Sorrento by the Massa brothers, based on a family recipe. It uses only the peel of the Sorrento lemon, which has a protected geographical indication, infused in alcohol.

New Fred Rose

Rose liqueur (rosolio)

Rosa Rosolio Beltion

Italy · 25% ABV

Sweet and very fragrant, with an aroma of rose petals.

At the bar
Well chilled, as a digestif, or over ice cream and fruit salad. In cocktails, use a small measure, with sparkling wine or gin.

History

Rosolio is a traditional family of Italian liqueurs, sweet and aromatic. This one, from the Beltion brand, is made by infusing rose petals in alcohol.

Double liqueur of coffee and cream

Sheridan's

Ireland · 15.5% ABV · since 1994

Two liqueurs in one divided bottle: one dark, made with coffee and whiskey, with chocolate notes, and the other pale and creamy, with vanilla and white chocolate.

At the bar
Tilt the glass so the pale cream sits on top of the dark liqueur, layered. It is meant to be drunk neat, chilled or over ice cream.

History

Launched in 1994 in Ireland. The bottle has two glass compartments and pours both liqueurs at the same time.

American liqueur of whiskey, fruit and spices

Southern Comfort

USA · 35% ABV · since 1874

Amber and sweet, with peach, apricot, vanilla and spices.

At the bar
Over ice with lime, with cola or with ginger ale. In cocktails, it goes into the Alabama Slammer and the Scarlett O'Hara.

History

Created in 1874 by bartender Martin Wilkes Heron in New Orleans, to smooth out the harsh whiskey of the time with fruit and spices. The brand cites a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. It also became famous as Janis Joplin's favorite drink.

Coffee liqueur

Kahlúa

Mexico · 20% ABV · since 1936

Dark brown and thick, sweet, with roasted coffee, vanilla and caramel.

At the bar
Black Russian, White Russian, Espresso Martini and B-52. It also goes in coffee or over ice cream.

History and drinks (13)

Created in 1936 in Veracruz, Mexico, with arabica coffee, rum and cane sugar.

B-52 · Batida de Café · Black Russian · Blow Job · Captain's Coffee · Chocolate Coffee Martini · Colorado Bulldog · Espresso Martini · Estilo Vitoriano · Orgasm · Screaming Orgasm · Sombrero · White Russian

Italian herb and vanilla liqueur

Galliano

Italy · 42.3% (L'Autentico; the Vanilla version is 30%) ABV · since 1896

Bright yellow and sweet, with vanilla, anise and herbs.

At the bar
It floats on top of the Harvey Wallbanger (vodka and orange juice) and goes into the Golden Cadillac and the Golden Dream.

History and drinks (1)

Created in 1896 by Arturo Vaccari in Livorno, Tuscany. The name honors Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian officer in the war in Ethiopia. The tall, tapered bottle is its visual signature.

Harvey Wallbanger

Peach liqueur

Peachtree

Netherlands (a De Kuyper brand, launched in the USA) · 20% ABV · since 1984

Clear and sweet, with a straightforward aroma of ripe peach.

At the bar
Sex on the Beach, Fuzzy Navel (with orange juice) and Woo Woo (with vodka and cranberry).

History and drinks (8)

Launched in 1984 in the United States under the Dutch brand De Kuyper. It was a quick success and set off the peach drink craze of the 1980s.

Betty Blue · Brain Tumor · Cunnilingus · G-Spot · Missionary's Downfall · Sex on the Beach · Smooth Pussy · Woo Woo

Melon liqueur

Midori

Japan · 20% ABV · since 1978

Bright green and very sweet, with a melon flavor.

At the bar
Midori Sour, Japanese Slipper (with Cointreau and lemon) and Melon Ball. Use lime to cut the sugar.

History and drinks (1)

A liqueur from Japan's Suntory, launched internationally in 1978, in New York. Midori means green in Japanese.

Midori Sour

Liqueur range

Stock liqueurs (range)

Brazil (a brand of Italian origin) · 15% to 18% ABV

Sweet, colorful liqueurs with straightforward flavors: fruit (apricot, cherry, peach, strawberry, kiwi, coconut), curaçaos, mint, coffee, cassis and cacao. The Gold range brings together the cream liqueurs, such as white chocolate, marula, cappuccino and gianduja.

At the bar
They cover the bar's supporting liqueurs: blue curaçao for blue drinks, crème de cacao for the Alexander and the Grasshopper, crème de cassis for the Kir, cherry brandy for the Singapore Sling.

History

Stock was founded by Lionello Stock in 1884, in Trieste, and has been in Brazil for decades. Besides the liqueurs, it makes Amaretto dell'Orso, St. Remy and Seagers gin there.

Coconut liqueur with rum

Malibu

Caribbean (Barbados rum) · 21% ABV

Clear, sweet and light, with coconut up front and a background of rum and vanilla.

At the bar
With pineapple juice and ice it makes a quick Piña Colada. It also works with cola, with orange juice or in shaken tropical drinks.

History and drinks (2)

Created in the early 1980s to simplify making the Piña Colada. It is made with Caribbean rum and coconut flavoring, and today it belongs to Pernod Ricard.

BMW · Malibu Surf

Rums and tequilas

White rum

Bacardi Carta Blanca

Puerto Rico (a brand born in Cuba) · 38% ABV · since 1862

Clear, light and dry, with vanilla, almond and a hint of fruit.

At the bar
The standard white rum for the Daiquiri, Mojito, Cuba Libre and Piña Colada.

History and drinks (24)

Bacardi was founded in 1862 in Santiago de Cuba by Facundo Bacardí Massó, who bet on a lighter rum, charcoal-filtered and aged in oak. The family left Cuba after the nationalization of 1960; today the headquarters are in Bermuda and the main distillery is in Puerto Rico.

Alien Sky · Bacardi · Between the Sheets · Blue Hawaii · Caribbean Coffee · Cuba Libre · Culto a la Vida · Daiquiri · Don's Special Daiquiri · Eggnog · Grog · Hemingway Special · Horny Bull · Hurricane · and 10 more

Gold rum

Bacardi Carta Oro

Puerto Rico (a brand born in Cuba) · 38% ABV

Golden, with vanilla, caramel, banana and toasted oak. Rounder and sweeter than Carta Blanca.

At the bar
A fuller-bodied Cuba Libre, punches and tropical drinks. Also good over ice with ginger ale.

History and drinks (13)

It is the gold rum in Bacardi's core range, sold in some markets as Bacardi Gold. It picks up its color during its time in toasted oak barrels.

Captain's Coffee · Chocolate Quente com Rum · Dark 'n' Stormy · Don's Special Daiquiri · Hot Buttered Rum · Hurricane · IBA Tiki · Jungle Bird · Mai Tai · Old Cuban · Planter's Punch · Three Dots and a Dash · Zombie

Flavored rum

Bacardi flavored rums (Big Apple, Razz, Limón)

Puerto Rico (a brand born in Cuba) · 32% to 35%, depending on the market ABV

Flavored, sweetened white rum: green apple in Big Apple, raspberry in Razz and lemon with other citrus in Limón.

At the bar
With ice and lemon-lime soda, tonic or juice. In cocktails, they replace white rum in fruit Mojitos and Daiquiris.

History and drinks (1)

A range of flavored rums built on Bacardi's white rum. Limón, from 1995, was the first; the other flavors came in the 2000s.

CaipiRave

Spiced rum

Captain Morgan Original Spiced

Caribbean (a brand created in Jamaica) · 35% ABV · since 1944

Golden and slightly sweet, with vanilla, caramel and spices such as cinnamon and clove.

At the bar
Cola and lime is the most common serve. It also works with ginger ale or ginger beer.

History and drinks (1)

The brand was created in 1944 by Seagram, in Jamaica, and is named after the 17th-century Welsh privateer Henry Morgan. The spiced version, Original Spiced, reached the US market in the 1980s. Today it belongs to Diageo.

CaipiRave

Light Cuban rum, aged 3 years

Havana Club Añejo 3 Años

Cuba · 40% ABV · since 1934

Pale straw in color, with vanilla, banana, oak and a hint of smoke. Dry and light.

At the bar
It is the classic rum for the Cuban-style Mojito and Daiquiri. It also works in the Cuba Libre.

History and drinks (24)

The Havana Club brand was created in 1934 by the Arechabala family, in Cárdenas, and nationalized after the revolution. Since 1993 it has been sold worldwide by a joint venture between the Cuban state company and Pernod Ricard. The 3 Años is aged three years in oak.

Brazilian white rum

Montilla Carta Cristal

Brazil · 38% ABV · since 1957

Clear and light, with a sugarcane aroma and a slightly sweet palate.

At the bar
A workhorse rum for the Cuba Libre, Mojito, Daiquiri and batidas.

History and drinks (24)

Montilla is one of the best-selling rum brands in Brazil, launched in 1957. Carta Cristal is the clear version in the range, alongside Carta Branca and Carta Ouro.

Gold tequila (mixto)

Jose Cuervo Especial Gold

Mexico · 38% ABV · since 1795

Golden, with cooked agave, caramel and vanilla, and a slight spiciness on the finish.

At the bar
Margarita, Tequila Sunrise and Paloma. As a shot, with salt and lime.

History and drinks (19)

In 1795 the Cuervo family received the first royal license to produce tequila commercially, and the distillery is in the town of Tequila, in Jalisco. Especial Gold is a mixto tequila, made with at least 51% agave sugars, that blends young tequila and reposado.

Amansa Patroa · Blue Shark · CaipiRave · Estilo Vitoriano · G-Spot · Grand Margarita · Horny Bull · Levanta Saia · Long Island Iced Tea · Margarita · Paloma · Redheaded Slut · Silver Bullet · Tequila Bum · and 5 more

Entry-level silver tequila

Tequilero del Leste Prata

Brazil (a domestic brand)

Prata (silver) indicates the clear version, with no wood aging. A simple flavor, meant for mixing.

At the bar
Use it as a silver mixing tequila: Margarita, Tequila Sunrise and Paloma.

History and drinks (19)

An affordable brand sold in Brazil. The original catalog records only the name, and there is no reliable information on the producer or the composition to go beyond that.

Gins and vodkas

London Dry gin

Bombay Sapphire

England · 40% or 47%, depending on the market ABV · since 1987

Clear, in a blue bottle. Lighter and more citrusy than the classic gins, with juniper, coriander, lemon and a floral, peppery note.

At the bar
Gin and Tonic, Dry Martini, Negroni and Tom Collins. The light profile helps in citrus and floral drinks.

History and drinks (36)

Launched in 1987, based on an English recipe from 1761. The ten botanicals sit in baskets and are infused by the alcohol vapor, instead of being boiled in the still. It belongs to Bacardi and is distilled at Laverstoke Mill, in Hampshire.

Angel Face · Aviation · Bee's Knees · Boa de Cama · Bramble · Bronx · Cardinale · Caruso · Casino · Clover Club · Corpse Reviver #2 · Dry Martini · French 75 · Gimlet · and 22 more

Brazilian dry gin

Seagers

Brazil

Clear and dry, with juniper and citrus notes, in a simple profile.

At the bar
Gin and Tonic, Negroni and long drinks with citrus.

History and drinks (36)

A long-established entry-level gin in the Brazilian market. It is one of Stock's brands in Brazil, alongside Amaretto dell'Orso and St. Remy.

Angel Face · Aviation · Bee's Knees · Boa de Cama · Bramble · Bronx · Cardinale · Caruso · Casino · Clover Club · Corpse Reviver #2 · Dry Martini · French 75 · Gimlet · and 22 more

London Dry gin

Tanqueray

United Kingdom (created in London, now distilled in Scotland) · 47.3% (43.1% in some markets) ABV · since 1830

Clear, dry and intense, with dominant juniper, coriander and a spicy finish.

At the bar
A benchmark for the Gin and Tonic, Dry Martini and Negroni. The high ABV stands up well to the ice and the tonic.

History and drinks (36)

Created by Charles Tanqueray in London in 1830. The recipe uses only four botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica root and licorice. Today it is owned by Diageo and distilled in Scotland.

Angel Face · Aviation · Bee's Knees · Boa de Cama · Bramble · Bronx · Cardinale · Caruso · Casino · Clover Club · Corpse Reviver #2 · Dry Martini · French 75 · Gimlet · and 22 more

Swedish vodka

Absolut

Sweden · 40% ABV · since 1879

Clear and clean, with a light grain note and a smooth finish.

At the bar
A neutral vodka for the Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary and Caipiroska.

History and drinks (42)

The name comes from Absolut Rent Brännvin, a spirit launched in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith. The current vodka was relaunched in 1979 for export, is made from winter wheat in Åhus, in southern Sweden, and belongs to Pernod Ricard.

Alabama Slammer · Amansa Patroa · Appletini · Baileys Espresso Martini · Betty Blue · Black Russian · Bloody Mary · Blue Hawaii · Blue Lagoon · Blue Shark · Caipiroska · Cape Cod · Chernobyl · Chocolate Coffee Martini · and 28 more

Brazilian vodka

Orloff

Brazil

Clear and neutral, as expected of a mixing vodka.

At the bar
Caipiroska, batidas and long drinks with juice or soda.

History and drinks (42)

A widely distributed, affordable Brazilian vodka. The original catalog records only the name.

Brazilian vodka

Rajska

Brazil

Clear and neutral, with a simple profile.

At the bar
A mixing vodka for the Caipiroska, batidas and drinks with juice or soda.

History and drinks (42)

An affordable Brazilian vodka. The original catalog records only the name, and there is no reliable information to go beyond that.

American vodka

Skyy

USA · 40% ABV · since 1992

Clear and very neutral, with a clean finish. It comes in a cobalt blue bottle.

At the bar
A neutral vodka for the Cosmopolitan, Vodka Martini, Moscow Mule and Caipiroska.

History and drinks (42)

Created in 1992 by Maurice Kanbar in San Francisco, with the aim of a purer vodka, quadruple-distilled and triple-filtered. Today it belongs to the Campari Group.

Vodka

Smirnoff

Russia (origin of the brand); produced in several countries · 37.5% ABV · since 1864

Clear and neutral, charcoal-filtered, with a light grain sweetness.

At the bar
Moscow Mule, the drink that helped launch the brand in the United States, plus Caipiroska, Bloody Mary and Screwdriver.

History and drinks (42)

Pyotr Smirnov opened his distillery in Moscow in 1864. After the 1917 revolution the family took the brand into exile, with the French spelling Smirnoff, and the rights were sold in the United States in the 1930s. It was the brand that popularized vodka in the West, and today it belongs to Diageo.

Flavored vodka (green apple)

Smirnoff Green Apple

Russia (origin of the brand); produced in several countries · 35% to 37.5%, depending on the market ABV

Clear, with a green apple aroma, sweet and tart at the same time, reminiscent of candy.

At the bar
The Apple Martini is the obvious use. It also works with tonic, lemon-lime soda or cranberry juice.

History

Part of Smirnoff's range of flavored vodkas, made from the brand's own vodka with green apple flavoring.

Whiskies and whiskeys

Tennessee whiskey

Jack Daniel's Old No. 7

USA · 40% ABV · since 1866

Amber, with vanilla, caramel, banana and toasted oak, and a light, sweet smokiness.

At the bar
With cola and ice, in the Lynchburg Lemonade or in a Whiskey Sour. Also good neat or on the rocks.

History and drinks (20)

According to the brand, Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel registered the distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, in 1866. The whiskey is made like a bourbon, but it is slowly filtered through maple charcoal before going into the barrel, which defines the Tennessee style. Nobody knows the origin of "Old No. 7"; the explanations that circulate are legends.

Alabama Slammer · BMW · Boulevardier · Godfather · Horse's Neck · Hot Toddy · Irish Coffee · Manhattan · Mate-me Devagar · Mint Julep · New York Sour · Old Fashioned · Paper Plane · Remember the Maine · and 6 more

Tennessee whiskey

Gentleman Jack

USA · 40% ABV · since 1988

Light amber, smoother than Old No. 7, with vanilla, caramel and ripe fruit.

At the bar
Neat, on the rocks or in a highball with soda water. It also works in a more delicate Old Fashioned or Whiskey Sour.

History and drinks (20)

Launched in 1988 by the Jack Daniel's distillery. It is charcoal-filtered twice, once before and once after aging, which explains the smoothness.

Single barrel Tennessee whiskey

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel

USA · 45% (47% in the US market) ABV · since 1997

Dark amber, fuller-bodied and more intense than Old No. 7, with toasted oak, vanilla, caramel and spices. It varies from barrel to barrel.

At the bar
It is meant to be drunk neat or over a large ice cube. In a cocktail, it makes a stronger Old Fashioned.

History and drinks (20)

Launched in 1997. Each bottle comes from a single barrel, chosen from the upper floors of the warehouse, where the temperature swings are greater, and the label carries the barrel number and the bottling date.

Bourbon

Jim Beam

USA · 40% ABV · since 1795

Amber, with vanilla, caramel, sweet corn and oak, and a slightly peppery finish.

At the bar
Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Mint Julep and highballs with soda water or cola.

History and drinks (20)

Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of whiskey in Kentucky in 1795. The current name honors James B. "Jim" Beam, his great-grandson, who rebuilt the distillery in Clermont in 1934, after Prohibition. The white label, aged four years, is the flagship.

Blended Scotch whisky

Johnnie Walker

Scotland · 40% to 43% ABV · since 1820

It varies with the label. Red Label is younger, spicy and smoky; Black Label, aged 12 years, is rounder, with dried fruit, vanilla and gentle smoke.

At the bar
Red Label in a highball, with soda water or ginger ale, and in cocktails such as the Rob Roy, Blood and Sand and Penicillin. Black Label neat or on the rocks.

History and drinks (2)

John Walker opened a grocery store in Kilmarnock, Scotland, in 1820, and began selling whisky blends. His son and grandsons created the square bottle, the slanted label and, in the early 20th century, the color names and the Striding Man, drawn by Tom Browne in 1908. Today it belongs to Diageo.

Penicillin · Rusty Nail

Syrups and alcohol-free

Pomegranate syrup

Grenadine

France (origin of the name) · 0% ABV

Deep red, thick and very sweet, with a slight acidity. Industrial versions usually swap the pomegranate for red fruit flavorings.

At the bar
It gives color and sweetness to the Tequila Sunrise, the Jack Rose and the Shirley Temple, which has no alcohol. Because it is dense, it sinks to the bottom of the glass and creates the gradient effect.

History and drinks (17)

The name comes from grenade, French for pomegranate. The traditional recipe is pomegranate juice with sugar; many commercial brands now use flavorings and colorings.

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Flavored syrups

Kaly syrups

Brazil · 0% ABV

Non-alcoholic syrups, sweet, concentrated and colorful, in various flavors.

At the bar
They are used to sweeten, color and flavor cocktails, Italian sodas and non-alcoholic drinks. Use a small measure, because they are very sweet.

History

A Brazilian brand of syrups for drinks. The original catalog records only the name, next to grenadine, in a section called "non-alcoholic liqueurs."