Question about vodka, rum, bourbon

[Travel60]

I'm not much of a hard liquor drinker...maybe a glass of wine now and then. For my next bookclub meeting, I'm doing a theme that fits the book. I found a drink recipe that represents the theme. It calls for vodka and rum or bourbon so I went to liquor store. Was totally overwhelmed with types and variety of costs of each. Bottles from $9.99 to $300. And pretty big bottles. I don't want something that tastes like turpentine but also don't want to spend $150 on a punch for 8 ladies. The store was busy with only one clerk or I would have asked for help. What should I look for when I go back?

 

[PalmettoPath]

Wow, that is a tough question as you can imagine. So many personal preferences involved in that, lol. Vodka, rum and bourbon are three very different spirits. It sounds like you have some sort of punch recipe and then you can use any of those three spirits as the alcohol component. If that's the case, then vodka would be the least contentious (you may not even be able to taste it). Rum would likely be the next most noticeable (a clear rum versus a dark or spiced rum) and the bourbon would be the most noticeable. So the "safe" route IMO would be to go with vodka and something like an Absolut. Good brand somewhere in the middle of the pack. Since you're making a punch, you don't need a spirit that is meant to shine on its own or as the star of the cocktail. But you also don't want bottom shelf either. Another consideration is to know what is the base of your punch? These spirits may pair differently with whatever you are using as your base.

 

[Her Dotness]

Smirnoff vodka, Bacardi rum and Evan Williams bourbon are all decent, relatively inexpensive brands.

Most punch recipes will have fairly strong flavors otherwise, so I wouldn't worry about pairing as PalmettoPath suggests.

I doubt any of your guests will notice anything other than it's delicious punch, and one would hope they're far too well-mannered to say so if they don't think it is. Yanno?

 

[Moliphino]

If it's going in punch you don't need to worry about getting anything fancy.
Smirnoff/Stoli/etc level for the vodka.
Bacardi white rum if it just calls for regular rum.
I'm not a fan of bourbon, so no recommendation there. If it's rum OR bourbon, I'd go with rum.

 

[Wendy31]

What kind of punch is it? What are the other flavors besides the liquor?

I can’t drink vodka at all - vodka gives me an almost instant migraine.

My current favorite rum is Papa Pilar - there’s a blonde & a dark.

For a cheaper rum (especially in mixed drinks), I like Blue Chair Bay white rum. Barcadi also works well.

My current favorite bourbon is Old Forrester 1897.

Edited to add - W/o knowing the other flavors of the punch, though, I’d think rum would probably be a good choice.

 

[leebee]

It depends on what else you are mixing with the alcohols. If you have a fruity punch, you won't notice the liquor flavor as much as if you are drinking them on the rocks, or as the only alcohol in a drink. I have trouble with vodka (all I can taste is alcohol) so no recommendations, but I'd not go with the cheapest brand... Smirnoff, Three Olives, or Deep Eddy (I do like their red grapefruit vodka) maybe? Bacardi is usually my choice for rum and it's reasonably priced. As far as bourbon, it's my "alcohol of choice" but I'm not too snooty about it. Maker's Mark is my preferred brand, but Jim Beam is pretty OK, too, especially if it's mixed in something (it's what we used at DD's wedding in a maple-cider punch as MM was just too expensive for the volume we were making).

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I like Rain vodka.
For Rum, I like Barcelo Imperial Rum
Whistlepig Piggyback for whiskey drinks
Bourbon: Elijah Craig or Four Roses are both good.

For punches:

Rum Runner

Pink lemonade vodka

Ginger bourbon (I like a bit of simple syrup added to this, because I like it a bit sweeter)

​

 

[evilmommie]

Those 3 spirits all have very different profiles. Can you post the ingredients of the drink you are going to serve?

Brands I'd recommend that have great taste and don't break the bank:
Kettle One or Tito's - Vodka
Appleton Estate - Rum
Knob Creek or Bulleit: Bourbon

 

[_19disnA]

Might also look around online for a simple spiked punch recipes. Can recall one my parents used at various parties included frozen orange juice concentrate, 7UP and a moderately priced bourbon (Seagram's or Southern Comfort). The alcohol is generally a flavor in the background so I think you can find something that is fairly easy to make and doesn't require a lot of pricey liquors that you won't have a need for after the party.

Generally a good idea to let the party goers know the punch contains alcohol. Many punch recipes just taste like fruit punch.

 

[Planogirl]

I would only add to avoid cheap Bourbon. There are reasonable priced varieties as mentioned but a truly cheap Bourbon is pretty vile.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I'm not much of a hard liquor drinker...maybe a glass of wine now and then. For my next bookclub meeting, I'm doing a theme that fits the book. I found a drink recipe that represents the theme. It calls for vodka and rum or bourbon so I went to liquor store. Was totally overwhelmed with types and variety of costs of each. Bottles from $9.99 to $300. And pretty big bottles. I don't want something that tastes like turpentine but also don't want to spend $150 on a punch for 8 ladies. The store was busy with only one clerk or I would have asked for help. What should I look for when I go back?

If you're just making a punch, no need to get the expensive stuff. Ask the store people which make good inexpensive mixers.

 

[BayouQueen]

Inexpensive, but solid: Smirnoff vodka, Bacardi Gold rum, Jim Beam Bourbon.

(You heard this from someone else. lol)

 

[Travel60]

Thank you everyone. I will be visiting liquor store again tomorrow....maybe early before the crowd!

Because some asked, the recipe calls for roughly equal parts orange juice, pineapple juice, sour mix (home made), vodka and either rum or bourbon. Garnished with marichino cherrt and orange slice. Served over crushed ice.

I think I will go with the rum.

 

[Wendy31]

Thank you everyone. I will be visiting liquor store again tomorrow....maybe early before the crowd!

Because some asked, the recipe calls for roughly equal parts orange juice, pineapple juice, sour mix (home made), vodka and either rum or bourbon. Garnished with marichino cherrt and orange slice. Served over crushed ice.

I think I will go with the rum.

Yes, I agree. With those ingredients, rum would work well, I think.

Since it’s for a book cub, the Papa Pilar rum I mentioned above is an award-winning rum from the Ernest Hemingway Distillery in the Keys.

 

[longboard55]

I would go with Tito’s vodka. Not expensive and smooth with no heavy flavor.

 

[JLTraveling]

I would go with Tito’s vodka. Not expensive and smooth with no heavy flavor.

Really? I'm not a picky vodka drinker, but I find Tito's vile. I'd go with Smirnoff personally. My rum default is Bacardi or Captain Morgan, but I love the Papa Pilar suggestion above since it's for a book club.

 

[mikehn]

orange, pinapple, and dark rum of your choice. Leave out the sour mix please, hemingway would roll in his grave

 

[Sinder]

orange, pinapple, and dark rum of your choice. Leave out the sour mix please, hemingway would roll in his grave

LOL I would agree but she said the sour mix was homemade. Store bought sour mix is an abomination but homemade using fresh ingredients can be very good.

If it were me OP I’d use RumHaven. It’s got a subtle coconut flavor because its made with coconut water. I think it would go nicely with the other ingredients.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I don't know too much about Vodka or Rum, but for Bourbon I would recommend Evan Williams or Old Forester 86 - they are not too expensive, but are good, solid bourbons.

 

[Elleshoodat]

I will only drink Tito's when it comes to vodka, but I agree that blend of mixers calls for rum, so Papa's Pilar gets my vote!