Buying quality liquor can be an intimidating experience, whether it's picking out the perfect
birthday gift for a connoisseur, or expanding an alcohol repertoire previously reliant on
whatever cheap stuff you drank in college.
But taking the easy route and adding booze to mixers and cocktails is a missed opportunity.
Choosing a high quality alcohol means mixers are no longer needed — so you can put down
the fruit punch flavored drinks and start drinking like a grown up.
These are the alcohols that are so good, you can actually drink them straight.
Crown Royal XR Whiskey
Crown Royal was literally made for royalty, first crafted as a gift for King George VI
and Queen Elizabeth, the first ever reigning monarchs to visit Canada.
The "Extra Rare" incarnation, made in now closed distilleries, is considered such an
extravagant whiskey that Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve gifted each of his teammates
a bottle after they won the 2017 World Series.
As the Crown Royal website puts it, the flavor is "rich and complex" and leaves a "long,
peppery and warm" finish.
Margarett Waterbury of The Whiskey Wash agrees, saying it's totally worth its $130 price tag.
"It's a satisfying luxury experience and the stuff tastes just like you'd hope; a deeper,
more resonant version of the easy drinking Crown Royal you know and love."
Becherovka
If you're after a bitter liquor from the Czech Republic — and who isn't?
— Becherovka is the best.
The color is golden; the consistency slightly syrupy.
The flavor starts harsh, but ends up smooth, leaving drinkers with what can only be described
as a "Christmasy" aftertaste.
It's easy to shoot, but sipping it works just as well.
Many in the Czech Republic also swear by its medicinal qualities.
The herbal liquor is certainly an acquired taste, but Becherovka cocktails are swiftly
appearing on trendy bar menus around the world.
Connoisseurs swear by drinking it straight.
Reyka Vodka
You wouldn't sip on rubbing alcohol, so why would you buy booze that tastes like it?
Luckily there's vodka out there like Reyka, an incredibly smooth small batch spirit from
Iceland that barely leaves a burn in the back of your throat.
Drinking it is almost like taking a clean, crisp sip of water, and water sourced from
arctic springs that run through a 4,000 year old lava field is an integral part of the
distilling process.
If that wasn't enough of a reason to try it straight, the vodka is also filtered through
lava rocks, and harnesses the country's naturally occurring geothermal energy to produce each
bottle.
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon served neat is the way to go for most serious bourbon drinkers, particularly those
residing in Kentucky, where 95 percent of the world's bourbon is produced.
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is consistently victorious when it comes to winning bourbon
accolades.
Even at 100 proof and 50 percent alcohol by volume, the taste is incredibly smooth and
mellow, with a lingering but pleasant finish.
The Four Roses website politely offers cocktail recipes for drinkers getting used to the brand,
but notes that their Single Barrel Bourbon has been handcrafted to be enjoyed on its
own.
Ron Zacapa 23 Rum
Not mixing rum into a cocktail seems out of place for some, but when you find a great
rum like Zacapa 23, you understand why it's best enjoyed on its own.
Originating in Guatemala, it's a departure from Cuban and Puerto Rican rums, but that's
part of why it stands out.
This particular rum is blended using rums aged six to 23 years.
The result is a slightly sweet, buttery taste that can stand completely on its own.
Spencer Spellman of Whiskey Tango Globetrot says,
"It's rich, flavorful, smooth, and I'd never even consider adding to a cocktail.
My recommendation: Pour an after dinner glass neat and pair with a nice piece of dark chocolate."
Kings County Distillery Chocolate Whiskey
Speaking of chocolate: Chocolate plus whiskey sounds awesome, but few have managed to marry
the two as well as Kings County Distillery.
Their chocolate whiskey, made in Brooklyn, combines their signature Moonshine with ground
cacao bean husks.
The result is a bittersweet taste with a warm finish that is surprisingly smooth.
While it's tempting to throw together a chocolate based cocktail, you'd be doing the whiskey
a disservice if that's your first introduction to the brand.
Qui Platinum Extra Añejo Clear Tequila
As Shante Cosme of Complex magazine writes,
"A fine tequila does not require you to lap up a rim's worth of Morton's salt for it to
be palatable, nor does it need to be saturated with a sea of sugar laden sour mix."
And when it comes to the world's first platinum extra añejo tequila, drinking it neat is
definitely the norm.
The typical amber color is removed after being filtered nine times after the aging process,
then distilled a third time, according to Men's Journal.
It's part of why, when you're drinking it, there's no overbearing alcohol smell or harsh
burn.
It's a tequila that's meant to be enjoyed over a long period of time like when you're
watching the sun go down in Mexico rather than rushing to suck on a lime after some
sloppy shots.
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