Got a bottle and no idea what to do with it? Start here. We cover eight families of spirits, and each page answers the same questions in the same order, so you can compare one to another at a glance.
First, what makes a drink a spirit?
Every spirit starts with fermentation: yeast eats the sugars in grain, fruit, sugarcane, or agave and turns them into alcohol. Distillation then heats that liquid and collects the vapor, concentrating the alcohol and the flavors. After that, aging, blending, adding water, and flavoring give each spirit its personality. Liqueurs take one more step by sweetening and flavoring a spirit.
Why these eight?
There is no single official list. Many beginner guides name six base spirits: vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, and brandy. We give mezcal its own page because it is so different from tequila, and we add liqueurs because they show up in so many drinks. That makes eight handy teaching categories. Cognac, bourbon, and Scotch are covered inside their parent families, brandy and whiskey.
What each page covers
- What is it?
- How is it made?
- What does it taste like?
- What are the main styles, and when would you use each?
- Which mixers work well, and why?
- What can you substitute?
- Did you know? (a bit of history or trivia)
- Try it yourself
We explain categories first and mention brands only as examples. If your store carries a different label, the page should still steer you right.
What can I make with this bottle?
| If you have… | Easy first drinks | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Vodka | Vodka soda with lime, Screwdriver, Moscow Mule, Lemon Drop | Vodka |
| Gin | Gin and tonic, Tom Collins, Gimlet | Gin |
| Rum | Rum and cola with lime, Daiquiri, rum punch | Rum |
| Tequila | Margarita, Paloma, tequila soda with lime | Tequila |
| Mezcal | Sipped neat, half-and-half Margarita, mezcal Paloma | Mezcal |
| Whiskey | Highball with ginger ale, Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned | Whiskey |
| Brandy | Sidecar, brandy and ginger ale, Brandy Alexander | Brandy |
| A liqueur | Over ice, with soda, or as the sweet part of a sour | Liqueurs |
New to all of this? Lesson 2: Understanding the Spirit Families gives the big picture first.