Cheap vs Expensive Cocktails | How to Drink

[@howtodrink]

Hey, I've got a podcast, and I really truly deeply need you to give it a listen, you're gonna love it! bit.ly/MidnightLocal OR check it out on youtube: www.youtube.com/@MidnightLocal We are loving our new high-quality Viski Glassware. If you want to pick some glasses for your own home bar use code HOWTODRINK15 for 15% OFF on all glasses and bar tools site wide - viski.com/howtodrink One way you can make sure you are using great spirits in every cocktail you make is to head over to Curiada and shop the How To Drink Collection. You will find lots of the bottles we use on the show - bit.ly/goodbetterbestdrinks Viski: viski.com/howtodrink Curiada: bit.ly/goodbetterbestdrinks Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2 twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW Blind taste test 10 Vodkas - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWbFcpqNjbGback Best Whiskey under $20 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIqqc5qFr7KilZo $3000 Whiskey worth the hype? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXiQhoybhqenqKs

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

You're awesome 🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤

[@mattia_carciola]

Nice episode! Curious about why you didn't use Fortaleza as a premium tequila, just to try something different than usual?

[@MrHavy09]

Hey Greg cool vid. For the El Presidente & Daiquiri I would recommend checking out Column Still/Spanish Style Rums (Don Q, Brugal, Angostura, Bacardi, Flor De Cana, Havana Club) to keep an apples to apples comparison. I love me some Plantation & RL Seale 12 but there blended rum (Pot Still + Column Still) and have more of a richer flavor imo Premium Vodka: Stolichnaya Elit Vodka Premium Light Spanish Rum: SelvaRey Light Rum Premium Tequila: Fortaleza, Tequila Ocho, El Tesoro - I personally consider Don Julio/Patron middle shelf

[@CAP198462]

Okay, now what do you say to those people who when they make cocktails pull out their locally produced batch 2 of 20 bottles? Is that making a fundamentally better cocktail or are they just being pretentious/boastful?

[@trishblakely3476]

Please talk about Auntie Mame. It will be very top drawer!

[@aidanboyle7374]

I've seen this suggestion before but I want to re-up it because I think it would be neat: you could have Meredith read the tasting notes you gave to a drink in a past episode without saying what the drink was, and then you have to try to make a drink that matches those notes

[@SkeletonKnifeFight]

That's a really good idea!

[@Arkouchie]

This is an amazing idea, please use this greg

[@mattia_carciola]

I'd love that

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

This

[@kilo3989]

Yo this'd be so cool!

[@8MVargas]

Wish you would have done this blind not knowing which were the cheap ones and which were the expensive ones. Wouldve been fun to see!

[@phantomchef2217]

This exactly

[@Oudyne]

Agreed some sort of blind test would have been great.

[@Spencer_Sp]

He’s already done that

[@sc149]

Would still be a good new video!

[@RandyDanger]

​@@Spencer_Spdamn I guess he can never do that idea again 😢

[@schan_ban]

"Bourbon is bourbon" - that line is gonna get a lot of ppl riled up lmao

[@mkmasterthreesixfive]

gotta throw the man some Frey Ranch and ask again

[@nicholascampanella5329]

You should do an episode where you review costco/kirkland brand spirits vodka, tequila, gin, bourbon, scotch etc against their name brand counterparts.

[@TacoUP]

most of them are made from name brands not by Costco. I doubt he'd be hard pressed to find discernable differences if any, especially if he bought the brand that makes costco's stuff

[@GameKiwi]

@@TacoUP yeah like i don't know if it's still the case, but at one point at least kirkland vodka was made by grey goose. now an episode where he tries to identify who made the kirkland brand...that might have some gas in it

[@camloch]

​@@GameKiwithey actually have two different kinds (and they're more or less the same price)! One has a red bottom and the other has a blue bottom. One is Grey Goose, the other I believe is Belvedere.

[@McNasty43]

@@camloch Sam's Club has a Grey Goose clone too. It comes in a square bottle, and it's not available all the time. The "French" vodka, $20. Highly recommend.

[@theparagonal]

​@@camlochThe grey goose one is miles better than the other. It's really noticeable, at least to me. It's like 4 dollars more, and well worth it!

[@mattia_carciola]

I think Gin are so much different from each other that it can make way more difference than the price tag. Choosing the right or wrong one for the cocktail one is going to prepare could completely flip the overall flavour profile.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

Yeah the gin really didnt represent the point well.

[@DebatingWombat]

While that’s true, most cocktails calling for gin is some type of London dry and not one of the plethora of artisanal gins with all kinds of other flavours, botanicals etc. Hence, it doesn’t really make sense to test anything but London dry when considering price tags. Can you totally change the taste of a cocktail by using, say, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin? Sure, but then you’re effectively making a different cocktail, not comparing like with like. And I say that as one who loves Drumshanbo in a G&T, but I would never consider using it in such a price tag test, because the flavour is radically different from your “standard London dry” that a comparison makes no sense. Whether Greg chose the “right” types/range of “standard London dry” can always be discussed (some would have called for such staples as, say, Beefeater’s or Gordon’s), but going markedly outside of that flavour profile would introduce so many variables as to make this more a test of cocktail varieties than price tag.

[@mattia_carciola]

@@DebatingWombat "Sure, but then you’re effectively making a different cocktail" which is, in fact, an excellent point I didn't think about. There sure are differences between different London dry gin bottles, but it's often small enough to be able to switch around.

[@patricklippert8345]

Nothing tastes sadder than well gin.

[@smytherichbourg9344]

Except well tequila…

[@HighTechCinnamon]

In a similar vein to this episode, it would be cool to see one where you do traditionally expensive cocktails on a budget. The sticker shock when finding out how much some of these bottles were for some Tiki drinks was kinda alarming. I don't know. I just can't justify spending 25-30 dollars on a bottle that is used very minimally for one or two drinks yknow

[@xwife6293]

*laughs in amaro* i'm over here like "oh 40 bucks for amaro nardini? at least it's not 60 like nonino or 50 for braulio, both of which i bought gleefully". the beautiful campari for 30 bucks? dirt cheap. also, as a tiki nerd, i'm trying to think of which ingredients are expensive besides almonds costing an arm and a leg to make orgeat with. smith and cross is my fav mai tai rum and it's *only* 30 something bucks for such a gorgeous and irreplaceable bottle. you don't need fancy triple sec or anything but that clement creole shrubb with the agricole base is phenomenal in a mai tai, if noticeable at all. allspice dram i guess is expensive if you don't like it in very many drinks but it literally doesn't go bad and you only need a like a quarter or half ounce per drink, ever. basically, the only thing i think is too expensive is chartreuse.

[@HighTechCinnamon]

@@xwife6293 i love smith and cross fr. Best rum. I think for me I would have to buy these other bottles all at once and that's why its expensive for me. I know it will be worth it though.

[@dougmoore6612]

I will always leave a comment that I prefer these videos where you don’t torture yourself. Love it!

[@eosborne6495]

Not gonna lie, I have a soft spot in my heart for a Manhattan made with rotgut bourbon and oxidized Martini and Rossi vermouth. It’s the kind of drink that makes me wanna get plastered in an airport.

[@brandonp7503]

You've described an awful cocktail made with awful ingredients in an awful place, lol.

[@IG40kman]

​@@brandonp7503Nostalgia is powerful

[@knightsolaire5351]

@@brandonp7503do you understand the concept of the saying “soft spot”?

[@asdfgidji879]

I think theres definitely something fun about drinking shitty liquor, passing abottle of $8 whiskey around and watching oppenheimer was just a fun time did i enjoy the whiskey? no thats what made it fun tho tbh

[@kurt9894]

This comment is completely deranged and relatable

[@someguy4262]

I have something to add here re: Crystal Head and vodka in general. Basically, if you're putting vodka into a cocktail and it doesn't taste like melted plastic (I'm looking at you Russian Prince), they're all basically the same. But if you're drinking them straight some do outperform others. Not necessarily relative to price-points, because there's garbage everywhere in the vodka field, but there's much more pleasant stuff relative to other stuff. Crystal Head I bought once years ago because it was a neat glass skull I could stick on a bookshelf. It's still the best vodka I've ever had, despite me expecting nothing from it. It was like drinking water. Almost no alcohol taste to it whatsoever, and I've never understood how they pulled it off. It was mid-shelf price at the time, and if it was available for the same price these days (or at all in my region) I'd still probably buy it as my go-to. I prefer my vodkas not to taste like rubbing alcohol, and that vodka doesn't.

[@toddj1432]

I'm a daiquiri dinner and have found that Plantation is a damn fine Rum for mixing. Not expensive, about $20ish a fifth. Dude your vids are just awesome. They have actually helped me up my game in mixed drinks. Meredith is also an super addition to this channel. You've totally upped your game since they early times!

[@Lolzosaurus]

As I don't have any more white rum at the moment (finished a Bacardi bottle recently) and I couldn't find the Hamilton while placing an online order, I am glad to have stumbled upon your comment. I have used the Plantation 5 year before. But to hear that their white rum is also a sound option is most helpful!

[@thejustlawofshamash]

Daiquiris are my go to drink when making cocktails at home, and my go to for that is Don Q Cristal. It is a very lovely rum, and a fifth in my area only sets me back 13 and some change. Also makes a very lovely mojito. I should pick up a bottle of plantation 3 star and do a side by side comparison on my own time to see how they stack up against each other

[@Mokiefraggle]

@@thejustlawofshamash Don Q Cristal is _fabulous,_ especially given its price point, as is Plantation (my and my fiance's dark rum of choice). This channel has be great for finding out about reasonably priced (and sometimes less-reasonable but "no, you really should use this, trust us") liquor, and has led to us experimenting and trying so many new drinks...not to mention just investigating and trying things for the heck of it.

[@BickBoomin]

I’ve been told to try El dorado 3. I absolutely adore plantation 3 star so I’m excited to try the el dorado 3

[@slimpunk]

Would love to see this test with a tiki drink or something with 12 other ingredients. How much the alcohol quality matters when there are so many other flavors.

[@sydneycardoza7034]

As someone whose liver cannot for the life of it process alcohol or I could end up in hospital, I’m not sure how I got here to these videos but with your descriptions it makes me feel like I’m part of the experience without having to actually partake. I can imagine how it feels and tastes and it makes me feel like I’m missing out a little less in the experience in the best way possible.

[@clifcorcoran9917]

Midnight local is great and I'm always happy to see more episodes of it.

[@D_ytAcct]

I'm glad you did this one! I've always sworn by diff base brands bringing so much variation in note and quality.

[@kareningram6093]

I wish you had done the taste test blind. Knowing how expensive something is absolutely affects the flavor. I saw a study on this with wine and it was fascinating.

[@Mugen_ZZ]

Have you tried Bribary rum?

[@qcdon73]

Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russel is one of my favorites! I love musical version too but they're just so much more to the none musical version too!

[@murphyc97]

Greg I bought some Viski glasses after your last video with them and I love them. Went way too long without a highball glass - plus the measurements on the website made shopping for ice molds really easy Thanks for the promo code!

[@Lotharia88]

Loved this!! I've always wondered if quality matters when it comes to cocktails

[@numanuma20]

Thank you so much your channel! You got me into rum and I’m now in a rum rabbit hole in looking up rum cocktail recipes and having tons of rums now.

[@bagman017]

I liked this a lot. I usually reach for the midrange for mixing but I always worry about shorting myself by not spending just a little more for some bottles.

[@terrymiller111]

Great--no, EXCELLENT production values. Love the work.

[@markzsombor6059]

This is always a good question to probe. My only critique is that all the cocktails you made her are relatively simple and the base spirit is doing a lot of heavy lifting, so you should see a difference if there is any to be found. Cocktails with other big flavor additions may be different. For example I've found with the Paper Plane the bourbon used doesn't cause much of a difference as the Amaro Nonino is more dominant of a flavor. Similar to something like a Negroni.

[@zealotblitz4331]

I just made the first drink for a party of friends and family, they absolutely adored it! It was absolutely incredible. I still can’t believe how much they enjoyed it.

[@ryand7764]

Basic Four Roses is under 20 bucks for a 750ml, so you may not be in 8 dollar rotgut territory, but it's not that big of a step up. I would have gone with something more in the midrange like the small batch or single barrel. Or another brand in more of the 40 dollar range.

[@CicadaAppreciationSociety]

I agree. I've found that for old fashioned I like Evan Williams Bottled in Bond or Old Grand Dad BiB. Both a good budget mixer bourbons but at 100 proof the don't get watered down easily in a cocktail. OGD is same mash bill as Basil Hayden (both made by Jim Beam) just younger and higher proof.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

@@CicadaAppreciationSociety ogd>basil hayden

[@DebatingWombat]

Yeah, I think there’s an argument for adding a 4th tier, so it goes bottom/mid/top shelf + premium. This would make for a clearer comparison of where on the “price ladder” it might make sense to stop. Also, I found the lowest tier representatives a bit uneven, especially the $8 bourbon and Bacardi Gold both being the lowest in their category. One seems to be really bottom shelf, while the other inching more towards a middle shelf and certainly not in the kind of tier that the lowest bourbon and tequila occupies. Hence, some of the categories seemed more like a bottom shelf/(lower) middle shelf/premium comparison, while others were more like middle shelf/top shelf/premium.

[@JaredSutter]

I agree, the difference in price between old fitz 15 and basic four roses is staggering. There's a ton in the $40-60 range that would have been a more interesting comparison

[@matthewgoebel8785]

I cannot disagree with this ...

[@Dojibu]

Out of curiosity, what sortsa oranges do you use for your twists? I seem to rip and tear the peels and I never seem to see any of the spritz like you capture on camera. I love the flavor or Navel oranges, but Mandarins are easy to peel and small.

[@gillh9]

The booze you used are different proof, which makes a huge difference. Old Fitz is 100 proof, and also a wheated bourbon. If you used the same-ish bourbons try it again with: Early Times Bottled in Bond Four Roses Single Barrel (which admittedly is more expensive than the regular Four Roses, but TOTALLY worth it). If you wanna try it with wheated bourbons try it with maybe: Larceny Barrel Proof (but proof it down to 50ish percent with a touch of water) OR Maker's Mark 101 Buffalo Trace/Old Weller Antique (although these are also stupidly expensive in some places)

[@magickmarck]

This guy bourbons

[@JaredSutter]

Regular 4 roses is $25, and no one should ever buy it. Small batch is so much better for a few more dollars, and single barrel is also great if you're willing to go up to ~ $50

[@xXJK97Xx]

love planation rum. always a go to. going to try making clarified painkillers this weekend

[@andhag]

Denizen's aged white rum is really underappreciated. Their Merchant Reserve (deservingly) gets a lot of love but the aged white is also fantastic, especially in a Daiquiri.

[@Rkgardne]

Totally agree. Unfortunately, the rest of my drinking buddies prefer Plantation 3 Star, so that’s what’s often used, and I gotta admit that makes for a smoother mouthfeel. But, the Denizen is good and versatile. They have a 5 year as well, bought a bottle but haven’t opened it yet. I bet it’s also gonna be great.

[@roybokelman4215]

A more bracing rita is 3 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime juice, 1 oz triple sec or cuantro, curaçao, or gran mariner, tsp agave syrup and a pinch of salt in the shaker. Shake until cold and open pour

[@crispyjeffers]

A nice rum to use for the daiquiri comparison in addition to the Hamilton White Stache would be Probitas from Foursquare. Still not very expensive (~$30), but would be interesting to compare it to the others, as it was created specifically to produce high quality rum cocktails.

[@slimpunk]

Exactly this. Probitas/ Veritas is the “top shelf” white rum.

[@jpangia]

@@slimpunk I do not like the term 'white rum', it is meaningless. W & N is 'white' for chrissakes and it is 126 proof. unaged rhum agricole is also 'white' and tastes nothing like any of these rums. bacardi is column still. the hamilton and probitas are both a combo of column and pot still. apples and oranges.

[@LyK0sa]

​@@jpangianothing wrong with the term white rum, after all, rum isn't the only spirit that has massive variation within a category. Gin is extremely varied, scotch is extremely varied, even the subdivisions of scotch are varied. Islay doesn't automatically mean heavily peated, bruichladdich and bunnahabain are both Islay distilleries known for unpeated whisky. Even focusing on a particular style (E.g. Peated) has a wide range of styles within that category.

[@LyK0sa]

Probitas (or veritas here) is a great rum, it's usually my go to for an el presidente. On that note, I swear el presidente is usually made with a white rum, I thought half the reason for the tiny bit of grenadine was to give it that slight pinkish hue

[@slimpunk]

@@jpangia Ok? You are correct that the color is basically meaningless, yet most people know what kind of rum you’re referring to when you say “white” or “silver.” Only an idiot would think to use Wray & Nephew or an Agricole Blanc in a recipe that doesn’t specifically call for it.

[@timasendorf2920]

Excellent plug for the Podcast Greg!!!

[@Elyoslayer]

Every time I hear people swearing they can distinguish vodka brands in cocktails I just roll my eyes.

[@MichaelaRtoS]

I will say most vodkas are interchangeable, some are more acetone-y/turpentine-y than others...HOWEVER, I will say that I could probably pick out a Western Son. It has a REALLY distinct mouthfeel. But like if you're comparing a Stoli to a Titos to a Recipe 21, I'd have nothing.

[@LeatherDaddy97]

I mean if they are different grains and water sources, you definitely can. If you put a wheat based vodka and a corn based vodka next to each other they are distinctly different. That said, most major brands in america are made by 3 distilleries, including titos which is made by mgp.

[@darkbreaker9767]

I could distinguish Crystal Head from... everything else. Crystal Head is the worst vodka I've had

[@kleinerprinz99]

a good vodka has not taste to it, if you can taste it out of a cocktail or different vodkas its just foul

[@McNasty43]

@@darkbreaker9767 I find Tower to be worse than Crystal Head.

[@BeauYarbrough]

Thank you for your service, Greg.

[@usonianm]

Extra points for the clip from Auntie Mame! You should do an "Upson Daiquiri" sometime. Or a whole segment on famous drinks from film?

[@brandonp7503]

He did a segment on famous drinks not that long ago. I distinctly remember he did sweet vermouth on the rocks with an orange twist from Groundhog Day, but he did others, too.

[@KatherineGanzel]

Really fun video! The drink of choice in my household is vodka based and while my husband had no problem with the cheap stuff, I definitely had bad hangovers from the Popov brand. I also thought the smell wasn't very good. Just another perspective. 😁

[@HappilyMundane]

Very recently started trying cocktail making at home, had lots and lots where it calls for lime and I've hated almost all of them. Decided to make myself a daiquiri after watching you make it, and it's the first one so far that I have truly enjoyed. I honestly think it was just the simple addition of... well... simple. Most of the recipes' I have seen so far lack any sort of additional sweetness, and I have a pretty major sweet tooth, so I might go back through the catalog and just add simple to them and see where that leads me. I mean I also just like Rum above most other spirits so that could easily be it as well, but very pleasantly surprised anyways! This is why I watch HTD😄

[@dwaterson21]

Lime juice really needs sweetness to balance it, or it just winds up being TART. Also, simple syrup and bitters are like ketchup. Use as desired.

[@LyK0sa]

Not sure I've seen any standard daiquiri recipes that don't call for simple, aside from the hemmingway, which originally only used maraschino for sweetness (but most people still add a little simple just to help balance it better)

[@PolynicesEteocles]

Thanks to this channel I've gotten into cocktails recently and the biggest surprise for me what was an immense difference using quality vermouth makes to cocktails that involve it. Even expensive vermouth isn't that expensive so it's an easy change for everyone to try.

[@LyK0sa]

Hmm, I don't know about that. I'd recommend using a good vermouth (my go to is cocchi), but given the short shelf life I'd say that it works out pretty expensive compared to the actual base spirit.

[@PolynicesEteocles]

@@LyK0sa Yeah, I guess depending on how much you use and how quickly it may go off (though keeping it in the fridge does help immensely) you might be right. My first point still stands, though, good vermouth is good. :)

[@Duganator]

Please do a part 2 of this with modifiers. It's worth knowing which of those are best for their costs. Triplesec/Curaçao Creme de (insert flavor) vs schnapps Liqueurs & eau de vie Special modifiers & their blatant knockoffs

[@r1master]

17:46 somone got a little excited grabbing that glass LOLZ!!!

[@jackwriter1908]

And another Episode of getting Greg drunk! Oh, by the way if you need a new video idea how about something like a _Spiderverse_ themed Episode. You did something similar for Super Mario if I remember correctly... But with Cocktails themed to dofferent Spider-People that could be fun!

[@jacobdegregoris9946]

Very cool idea! I was surprised at how well the bottom shelf bourbon performed.

[@jamesm2577]

This is a really useful video, Tasting comparisons always seem to be just base spirit alone rather than it's contribution to a cocktail. Empress1908 botanist hendricks & bombay sapphire will get you totally different aviation/gimlet highbal/waterlilly/army& navy. Those are just the gins I know with those cocktails & they can take the drink itself from "oh don't make that again for me" to "wow! that's really good". I don't know whiskey/burbon though :( IMO use Empress for the aviation & botanist for most of the rest to really pop but hendricks & bombay will do well in all

[@numanuma20]

FIY Greg, R.L. is made in the Foursquare distillery which is a very high end distillery. The Foursquare rum sells for a lot.

[@ardenlorken]

I don't know what the chemical reactions would be, but I think an episode where you revisit the worst drinks you ever made, but eat the Miracle Berry first to mess up your taste buds, would be cool.

[@Persephoneia01]

Miracle Berry only changes affects sour flavors so it probably wouldn't change much of unless the cocktail was citrus heavy.

[@ardenlorken]

@@Persephoneia01 I didn't know about the sour thing, some of the people I watched tried almost all kinds of foods.

[@watchyourtimeco1]

@@Persephoneia01While it does only affect the sour aspects of flavor, since every spirit has sour notes, it would be interesting to see what would happen if someone (with a reasonably refined palate) were to sample several cocktails "under the influence" of the miracle berry. Personally, I'd love to see this experiment here

[@carefree85a]

no more worst drinks please. he has beaten that dead horse to the ground

[@ICountFrom0]

Okay, no "worst drinks" how about a miracle berry bitters? A set of drinks are selected, from previously drunk drinks, by say, discord and patreon, and he makes them, but this time he takes a sip of each, then adds the miricle berry bitters, and re tastes them.

[@burbguy2195]

Dang it Greg! I’ve been dying to get my hands on a bottle of Old Fitzgerald 15. Now after watching this amazing video, I REALLY want a bottle so I can make an Old Fashioned with it. Thank you for all you do for all of us who love cocktails, and finding new ways to elevate them. Keep all the great content coming.

[@dodgert9034]

I would love to see an episode like this where you tried ultra premium spirits on par with the old Fitzgerald price point/quality and compared them to the lower tiers.

[@j.troydoe1278]

Yes, aged rum and tahitian treat is amazing.

[@dougmoore6612]

Long story medium: Bourbon cocktail - meh, save money Gin cocktail - middle shelf is just fine White rum cocktail - spend the money Dark rum cocktail - meh, save the money Vodka cocktail - it’s vodka. I mean, come on Tequila cocktail - middle shelf is just fine

[@terot8341]

Vodka is vodka, unless it's made in Russia

[@DebatingWombat]

Well, Greg was more into the pricier dark rums, and I think it’s a bit problematic to use Bacardi Gold as a lowest shelf benchmark, especially considering some of the dubious bottom shelfers in some of the other categories (e.g. the $8 bourbon). As he noted, the dark rum segment was more of a middle shelf/top shelf/premium comparison, unless you consider Bacardi Gold a bottom shelf dark rum with an added branding premium, which I’d say is a bit of a harsh judgment.

[@mcFreaki]

for the bourbon i got the vibe "either save the money or really really splash out. don't go half measure though"

[@McNasty43]

@@mcFreaki yeah, that's what I got too. Bourbon is so tightly controlled and regulated that the quality of the bottom shelf stuff is going to be better than the bottom shelf examples of other liquors. I've had $15 bottles of Old Granddad that made a perfectly decent Old Fashioned and whiskey sours, whereas a similarly priced bottle of tequila made a terrible margarita.

[@talltale9760]

@@DebatingWombat $14 for a 750 ml bottle is pretty cheap

[@danjennings5068]

Great comparison and it's good to see where paying more is worth it. I love the plantation and keep their 3 (silver, 5yr, oftd) on the shelf as my go-tos. It'd be interesting to explore more of the mid-high tier space. I feel like that's where you can get more into variations that might depend more on your palate. Going to have to disagree on the hangover thing though. I too thought for a long time that sweet drinks were the cause, but have since spent quite a bit of time at nice tiki bars and been absolutely fine the next day. The big difference is they're not using cheap liquor and hiding it with sugar. Also was on a cruise last year and we defaulted to Tanqueray for our G&Ts and ended up with terrible hangovers. We drink it at home just fine, just not in the quantity that we did on the cruise. Tanqueray 10 was in our drinks package so we switched to that and were much better off for the rest of the trip. Cutting for higher yield definitely results in less desirable materials in the resulting product which you might not be able to taste, but will affect you if you're drinking a lot.

[@Mokiefraggle]

I've found it's also the sheer volume of drinks one can sometimes accidentally put away when drinking sweet drinks made with cheap liquor? I know that at the one college party I attended, I would often just not pay attention to how much alcohol I was actually pouring into a drink because I was mostly covering up the cheap Smirnoff's or Bacardi with a ton of cranberry or cola, and thus drinking them like they were just that. I ended up putting away a lot more than I'd planned on, and thus had my first actual hangover after that night. The only other one I can recall involved an equally absurd amount of pre-mixed margaritas, which are also tooth-rottingly sweet and made with cheap tequila. It tastes good going down, with no real noteworthy burn, so it's easy to just keep going without noticing how quickly you're going through it, as it generally kinda just tastes like limeade.

[@jan-Juta]

I'd love to see a blind taste test with old-fitz, see how much of the difference is the anticipation due to price.

[@Louzahsol]

I work in the alcohol industry in production. When it comes to vodka, as long as its not bottom shelf, it will all taste the same because its almost exclusively made from grain neutral spirit cut with reverse osmosis water. There is one that one company i use to work for makes that is filtered with ozone and it does taste different but other than that its not a ton of difference

[@DamienDrake2940]

There's a distillery here in Indiana that makes a good white rum. Hard Truth located in Nashville, IN. Mostly known for their Bourbon and Rye but the rum is quite good to.

[@SyntheticEvil]

Long story, yes. Short story, no. But honestly, I think that it really depends on two things. What drink are you making and how "experienced" is the person drinking.

[@andresbarajas2863]

perfect demonstration of why you need a quality spirit for alcohol-forward drinks, esp OFs and Martinis....ideally something bonded or higher is always preferable, as shown here...and lots of good white rum blends out there like Banks 5 or the Plantation blend, and if Bacardi 1909 Superior Heritage Edition still out there for around $20 seek that one out....for me i love Uruapan charanda in a Daiquiri, its a Mexican rum that tastes like an agricole and only $25 for a liter bottle!

[@LeighHenderson]

I just want to say that I love Midnight Local. Y'all have a great chemistry and conversation.

[@Radio_Active369]

Glad to see Greg speak well of the Don Julio blanco, I love that stuff and it's my go to for tequila. The limited 1847 anjero in the tall bottle is some damn fine tequila as well but its expensive stuff.

[@timshulepov]

6:26 -- I used to make Negronis with Monkey 47 but decided to stop because I realized that some of the notes that Monkey has were basically being lost/overshadowed by Campari. Interesting to see that it's a similar situation with Martinis.

[@rudeboyjohn3483]

I recently fell in love with William Wolf Peacan Bourbon. Cheap, but thoroughly enjoyable. (Tullamore is still my all time fave whiskey)

[@derranged28]

I recommend Tanqueray No. 10 for all your gin needs. A spiced rum, like Old J, is great for making a daquari.

[@totaltrumpet]

Can u do a video explaining different rums like u said spiced is way different than the ones in El presidente but idk what that category was

[@Whuditlooklike]

A top shelf martini will use Tangueray 10... but not basic Tanq.

[@benjaminhaise7317]

Love the vids. In love with the pod. Excellent work.

[@timshulepov]

2:06 -- I haven't had Old Fitz, but I found the tobacco note Craig described in Calumet Farms 16 Single Rack Black. That bourbon also has other beautiful notes to offer, so if anyone is looking for that experience and doesn't want to spend $500+, maybe Calumet Farms 15 or 16 would be a decent substitute.

[@Doc-Holliday1851]

Crystal skull is surprisingly good. You can drink it neat and there is actually a flavor profile to it.

[@GSL.Adventures]

After watching an old video on the El Presidente of yours it quickly became my favourite drink. I seem to have changed measurements along the way for 2 shots rum, 1 shot vermouth and 1/2 shot of orange Curacao. Going to have to retry with the measures in this vid. Still have not been able to find Pierre Farrand in Australia so I often end up having to use contreau.

[@dutchvanl]

I got so excited to see him pull out the RL Seales! It's such a good rum.

[@lolzguyl]

This comes timely as I'm messing around with rum and coke! There are some amazing rums out there and I want to elevate this college-associated drink to an actual cocktail worth its salt, using something better than Captain Morgan spiced rum. I'm trying a bunch of different rums, I'm throwing in bitters, various citrus fruits, the occasional liquor, blending rums, different types of cola, etc. Maybe a smoked rum and coke could be something!

[@kanedafx]

Great vid! Love the comparisons. More like this!

[@randocalzonian4756]

The 3 bottles I use the most are Very Old Barton bourbon, Pinnacle vodka, and fireball. Not quite bottom shelf that I know of, but they get the job done

[@Gogreenoo3]

Awesome video, as always! Great concept, I like comparing the results at different price points. Love what you do!

[@utsteinproductions]

Plantation 3 star rum is what I use for Daiquiris

[@TonyChD]

Greg, if you're paying $35 (or so) for a $20 bottle like Four Roses... if you're spending that much on 4R for just nine more at $44 you can get a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel. Also, if you're looking for a higher end white rum I cannot recommend Probitas enough - blend of juice from Foursquare in Barbados and Hampden Estate in Jamaica. My go-to for both a Daiquiri and an El Presidente.

[@michaelpigg2493]

We use tanquaray as our well and Bombay sapphire as our top shelf where I work at

[@robbles76]

Getting so close to my wish of a Daiquiri Matrix! Different rums and different ratios. 2:1:1, 3:2:1, 5:2:1, 10:3:2, etc.

[@Gercho-san]

As a vodka drinker I can say this: My favorite drink is the black Russian (maybe a little basic, but I love it) and I normally use low price vodkas to prepare it. One day I used Absolut and the difference was amazing. Then one day a friend gifted me a Beluga, amazing vodka one of my favorites until now, and I used the last of it to make a black Russian and it was the best one I've ever had. The difference was astronomical. I don't know how to describe drinks and all that fancy talk, I just know what I like and that was amazing.

[@MrCrclark90]

My favorite daiquiri rum is still Probitas

[@kellysalyer1972]

Hey Greg and Meredith, just wanted to say that I agree with your choice of Auntie Mame as a perfectly wonderful movie and a personal as well as family favorite*(* My Mother, her sister my Aunt, and my Grandmother had a deep love of Auntie Mame).

[@QueenOfNoPants]

Great episode! It would have been interesting to do one or two non-spirit forward cocktails (although I suppose you could argue the Margarita isn't really spirit forward). Maybe slip in a Painkiller or even a Last Word with other strong flavors. Then again, you may already be intending to make this a series. 💜

[@EdwardM104]

I think generally the mid price point stuff works well when paired with mid price or just reputable brands of liqueurs. Amaretto, triple sec, Midori are all worth getting a decent brand over the cheap as it won't be the same drink.

[@Jexorz86]

my go to adult beverage, is 1-2 ounces of popov with 8-12 ounces of polar cranberry lime seltzer water. Would love to see your take on that.

[@Lucky008aau]

1:27 I love you text editor! Trogdor! So is "burninating the countryside" a peaty Scotch then?

[@Josh_Stringer]

Try the OF with Early Times Bottled in Bond

[@GoddessAstrola]

If you want the absolute most raggety bottom shelf brand for literally any spirit, Aristocrat. I use that for cocktails if I don't like the person I'm mixing the drink for. I also use Aristocrat vodka in my airlocks when I'm brewing because it kills germs and doesn't spoil my brew if there is a mishap.

[@cade5400]

I think a $30-50 bourbon may have been closer to the Old Fitz than a standard Four Roses. I do find a noticeable step up from something like a Knob Creek 9 vs base roses

[@27dcx]

I REALLY enjoyed this episode, I know taste is subjective but I really appreciate your opinions with these comparisons as you've never steered me wrong before.

[@9804Dracon]

that was the nicest reaction I have ever seen to popov. In my experience it has a very harsh taste that is impossible to mask even when only adding an ounce to a large glass of mixer.

[@jonmoldenhauer347]

I know what you are talking about about the tobacco humidor smell. I don't smoke but I buy leather and unburnt tobacco scented soap.

[@Lucky008aau]

Thank you, Greg, loved this. To sum up, avoid the garbage, find a $20-30 bottle you like. Save the expensive stuff for sipping.

[@doodlesgotskillz101]

When I make screwdrivers, popov is my go to. Popov for making mixers is absolutely my go to cuz its such a cheap good vodka. And if I make a mule, stoli is my favorite.

[@ren8031]

wow i don't think i've ever been this early before! thanks for the video, i can't wait to watch it in full; thank you for all of your hard work!

[@CyrusBluebird]

Spiced rums have a weird cousin in Slovenia and it's old enough to get a regional protection. Also actually becoming based on sugarcane regulatory. This monstrocity exists because Austria didn't have sugar cane producing regions. Also now several desserts call for this weird tincture.

[@neilknight2379]

the worst hangover of my life was from a midrange bottle of whiskey that tasted just like sweet tea when neat. I also threw up over a balcony rail on the beach the night prior from the same whiskey. had plenty of swill that didn't do anything. totally agree that there's not actually a relationship between the price point and the roughness of the hangover.

[@Shojushoju]

Great video! I always prefer to upgrade the liquor in my cocktails when I order at a cocktail bar.

[@Murderblonde]

Not only was this an excellent episode in the OLD STYLEZ of things, but Greg's El Presidente recipe is SO MUCH BETTER than the standard one I'd had before, and I happily swapped those out in my bar recipes app and FAVORITED that mamajama. :)

[@avocares]

After a friend recommended Early Times bottled in bond I have gone through a few bottles. This is the first I found out there is a non bond version.

[@Alexlalpaca]

Meredith! It's been a while since she was in the programme or is it just me that I didn't notice? Anyway, I'm glad to hear her again ^^

[@Johnny547611]

I justed used Tequila Ocho in a marg and it was great

[@cyberkender1949]

R.L. Seale is a very affordable bottle. Check out Mr. Seale's Foursquare ECS bottlings for a Premium rum. Foursquare also makes my favorite Daiquiri, with Probitas. Which is also a nicely affordable bottle.