Taking stock: The liquors to invest in first

You've found yourself at the Virtual Blender, scrolling through the myriad of bases, mixers, and accents, wondering what it all means. You now realize why you go to the dive on the corner and punish yourself with flat gin and tonics. You're certain that you could never stock a bar with everything you'd need. The good news is you don't have to.

With a little knowledge and a few bottles, you can make most of the great cocktails. As your knowledge grows, so should your stock.

Liquors to loosen your lover

Primary liquors fall into two categories: light and dark. You can substitute light liquors, such as gin, tequila, for each other in many cocktails. My favorites of these light-bodied spirits are gin and rum.

Be aware, many of your peers will feign a dislike for these clear liquors but still request vodka. Don't be discouraged. Only consider this request if it's for a shot straight from the freezer with a tomato juice chaser, and then only if it's before breakfast.

In any other case, save them from themselves: go on about your business, confidently making a gin or rum cocktail. Shake the mix a bit longer or more vigorously than typically prescribed to ensure its frigidity. Trust me, when you serve it (assuming you've followed the rules of proportions), no guest will leave dissatisfied.

Your base supply of primary liquors should include a bottle of your favorite distillate, one that your lover enjoys, and one that the person signing your paychecks would also like.

Some liquors have a loose affiliation with particular seasons or holidays; disregard these stereotypes and enjoy the liquors all year. As far as age goes, remember that liquor doesn't age or go bad once it has been distilled and bottled. A bottle of bourbon labeled 12 years old, will always taste like 12-year-old bourbon. Unlike wine or other fermentations, liquor has found its fountain of youth.

For dark liquors, personal preferences are especially important. Know your guests' preferences when selecting a base liquor to serve. If they tend to be vodka drinkers, you can encourage them to evolve; otherwise, cater to their likes.

Although all whiskeys are similar in color, their tastes vary greatly. If you have friends or relations who enjoy whiskey, find out the particular brands they prefer. Don't assume they'll enjoy a cocktail mixed with whiskey; most whiskey drinkers are very particular in their ways. Unless you have a personal preference or have a dear friend with a brand allegiance, stock your bar with a good dark rum, a decent brandy, and a good domestic bourbon or rye.

Next in line

Until you're adept at the science of mixing cocktails, you won't need many secondary liquors, which are used to add sweetness or bitterness to drinks. They blend with the base to modify its potency in flavor and in proof. Secondary liquors are well worth the initial investment because they're long lasting. Don't do without vermouth, Pernod, and maraschino liqueur. If you find a fruit brandy to your liking, add it to your list. Until you know your favorites, buy 375-milliliter bottles.

Details count

The most popular and successful accents used in cocktails are bitters. Angostura and Peychaud's are two brands found in most liquor stores. A dash or two adds life to even the meekest concoction.

Herbal liqueurs from France are also effective for accenting a drink. Chartreuse are the most common of these liqueurs. Both are blended from dozens of herbs, distilled into potions that only a handful of people know. These liqueurs are expensive, but they add a fabulous finish to some cocktails.

With any addition to your home bar, taste before you buy. A standard request to a bartender is for a taste of something you've never tried. Once you've had a taste, you'll know if that particular liquor suits your palate and if it will add a welcomed deviation to your standard cocktail.

Mix and match

Soda water or "still" water are also commonly used in classic drinks. A good ginger ale is sometimes called for, but never an American cola. The only exception to this is with Coca-Cola produced in Latin America; it's made with real sugar and carbonation. A very tasty Cuba Libre consists of Coca-Cola, 1 ounce gin, one ounce rum, and a dash of Angostura bitters. It's only a decent quencher if the soda comes out of a scratched glass bottle purchased at a Mexican or Carribean grocery store.