Building a great whisky bar at home takes time and money. If you’re short on either one of those two things, set smart priorities in choosing your bottles.
Don’t worry; I’m here to help. When compiling this list it was of utmost importance that I have something for everybody, single malt lovers, blended scotch whisky lovers and people who end up with cocktails.
So one day at Sidecar, I and Angad Singh Gandhi talked about how to stock the essentials (PS: I subtly inserted Sidecar because Angad thinks that they pay me to promote them)
Also about Angad Singh Gandhi, he is the brand Ambassador of Glenfiddich India and thus had the most insight for this task. He quotes “Choosing just the essentials is basically what we did here, Everything was handpicked for a reason”.
Single Malt Whisky
Glenfiddich 12 Y.O is a whisky I relax with, it’s nice, simple, and tasty. Glenfiddich 12 isn’t what you would call an exciting whisky which will stir up a whisky aficionado, but when considering a home bar it’s a pretty good single malt to have. This one is readily accessible to anyone who wants a soft and easily drinkable single malt. At a price point of INR 3700, this one is surely worth the money.
Blended Whisky
I always have guests over who prefer blended whisky. It’s also no surprise when you get to know blends make up more than 90% of whisky consumed globally. They’re incredibly important to the industry and for blended whiskies it’s all about weaving profiles together to create consistent styles. My choice here is the Chivas Regal 12 Y.O. , an absolute classic, and an all-time favorite. It’s one of the first whiskies I ever tasted and can be found in many Indian homes.
Bourbon Whiskey
I was confused between Jim Beam and Jack Daniels but choose the former only because this is a series for an affordable setup of whiskies. A price point of 1930 for Jim Beam White 1000ml doesn’t hurt at all considering all I pay for my old fashioned outside. A sweet whisky with gentle notes of vanilla and a toasty yet sweet finish. You can make a pretty good Old Fashioned with it but with other not so sweet whiskies the recipe just backfires so you’ll have to adjust it a bit.
Irish Whisky
You didn’t think we’d make it through all six without getting an Irish Whisky in the mix, did you? Here comes the Jameson’s Irish Whisky. I personally suggest the classic as your pick out of all the options available at the Airport Duty Free. At around 2400 a pop this one is quite affordable. Jameson’s is particularly favored as a shot but many people don’t realize it’s good in cocktails, too, Give it a try sometime!
Blended Whisky
Johnnie Walker Black Label is a choice for all those who are looking for entry level whisky in the JW portfolio. Its got some smoke which balances well with dark fruits, and sweet vanilla and works wonders with cocktails.
Special Mention
Monkey Shoulder is the last of my pick, a cocktail enthusiast’s choice of dram. A popular malt whisky that pays tribute to the malt men who spend day and nights just to create a something extraordinary. It’s interesting how Monkey Shoulder brings in making of three whiskeys together. The flavor is unique, it gives you a citrus and woody spice hint, along with some vanilla, honey, and cinnamon.