Most important cocktail ingredients.

minidazzler

What are the most important ingredients to have for a small cocktail party.

I know Vodka, Gin, Rum, Vermouth, Grenadine, Whiskey, OJ, Milk, Ice.

But for other liquors and liquers?

There will be around 8 people and I want to be able to make at least 6 different drinks. Thanks!

irish_goat

You'd be better making a list of cocktails and then buying the ingredients to suit them, rather than the other way around.

I work as a cocktail barman and I'd say the vast majority of people don't drink gin or whiskey cocktails so you'd be wasting your money/time making them. Likewise, martini's are all fine and good but as I've said on here before, most people aren't used to drinking stronger cocktails and would get much drunker, much faster and you/they might not want this. On top of that, if you buy a bottle of vermouth it's likely to sit in your drinks cupboard for about a decade unless you regularly use the stuff.

Having said that all, I would buy in.

Vodka, white rum, triple sec(cointreau or cheaper version), peach schnapps, tequila, grenadine, orange juice, cranberry juice and ice + lemons and limes.

You could then make Sex on the Beach, Woo Woo's, Tequila Sunrise, Cosmopolitans, Daiquiris, mojitos, margaritas and lemon drop martini's.