Whether channelling your inner Tom Cruise in Cocktail or simply looking to add sophistication to your living space, there’s one thing we know to be true: no home is complete without a well-stocked bar cart.
And, no, a couple of dusty bottles left over from past parties won’t do. We’re talking about a carefully curated armoury complete with all the apparatus and guest-worthy glassware you need to shake and stir every drink you desire.
Enter: Esquire Bar Cart, a comprehensive edit put together by a panel of the most discerning wine and spirits experts. They have tasted over 750 products in search of their front-runners for each category; every bottle listed comes with their seal of approval.
Much like a capsule wardrobe, you’ll want to ensure the fundamentals are covered: a quality dry gin, vodka, tequila, single-malt whisky, rum, vermouth and summer-ready apéritif are de rigueur, while just one bottle of Scotch whisky can open up a world of whisky-based cocktails, from a sazerac to a sour.
From there, we recommend experimenting with more niche, new-wave tipples such as a Japanese whisky, Irish whiskey, mezcal, sake or flavoured vodka. And it goes without saying you should always have a chilled bottle of rosé, party-ready champagne, and robust red on hand, as well as a non-alcoholic alternative, too.
If Esquire were to build the ultimate home bar, this would be it.
Best Gin
It’s hard to believe there was a time when gin was only drunk when the grandparents in corduroy and cashmere came calling. Today, the market is full of intriguing releases and your bar cart deserves only the very best.
Seventy One Eau de Nuit Gin
Hepple Hepple Gin
From classic London dry gins to floral pours, our panel put over 100 gin varieties to the test to crown our top 26 for 2023.
Best Rum
Expert-approved white, dark and spiced rums for daiquiris, mojitos and straight-up sipping.
Appleton Estate Appleton Estate 21 Year Old Rum
Equiano Original Rum
Thirsty? We thought so. Head here for Esquire’s guide on how to drink rum (properly), the history of the spirit, and our pick of the very best bottles for your bar cart.
Best Tequila
Whether slammed, sipped or shaken into a citrus-forward serve, tequila is hot right now. And no, that’s not just the picante talking.
Clase Azul Reposado Tequila
Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila
From blanco to reposado and añejo, read up on Mexico’s most-loved spirit and shop our 19 expert-approved bottles for 2023.
Best Mezcal
The tequila boom has well and truly taken hold, but sister spirit mezcal is only just beginning its reign.
Clase Azul Durango Mezcal
Casamigos Mezcal
The Lost Explorer Mezcal Tobalá
Whether you're looking for something to dip your toe into or a more advanced spirit to add to your bar cart, here are our top bottles for 2023.
Best Single-Malt Scotch Whisky
There’s never been a better time to be a Scotch whisky drinker, with over 138 distilleries generating £4.5 billion in 2021 alone. Of course, that makes choosing the right bottle all the more challenging. But after tasting over 40 varieties, these tipples took the top spot.
Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Navigate the nuances of Scotland's finest drams with the help of Esquire’s guide to single malt Scotch whiskies, including 21 of our must-try bottles.
Best Japanese Whisky
Pioneered by Suntory in the 1920s, Japanese whisky has come into its prime. Taste-wise, these whiskies tend to strike the perfect balance between Lowland and Speyside styles, with light smoke and smooth honeyed sweetness.
The Chita Single Grain Whisky
Yamazaki Distillery Reserve Single Malt Whisky
Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky
For an expert-led crash course on Asia’s most coveted spirit, hit up our guide to the best Japanese whisky.
Best Irish Whiskey
Loved for its lighter style and unparalleled smoothness, Irish whiskey is a versatile spirit worth knowing about. Straddling sweet, floral and fruit-forward flavours, it will bring a different dimension to any classic whiskey cocktail.
Method and Madness Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Bushmills 1997 Rum Cask Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Ready to add a dram from the Emerald Isle to your bar cart? Read up on our best Irish whiskeys for 2023, including helpful advice on the different styles and how best to serve them.
Best Vermouth
When it comes to crafting classic cocktails – we’re talking Manhattans, negronis, martinis and more – a bottle of quality vermouth is a must-have.
ESTATE by Asterley Bros
Starlino Rosso Italian Vermouth
Casa Mariol Black Vermouth
Ready to dip your toe in the multifarious world of vermouth? Head here for our expert edit on the best white, rosso and rosé vermouths to drink in 2023.
Best Vodka
A mainstay for any discerning mixologist, there’s more to this staple spirit than meets the eye. Invest in a quality bottle and you’ll reap the rewards, from regenerative Bloody Marys to stiff pre-dinner vodka martinis – and just about everything in between.
X Muse Vodka
Absolut Elyx Single Estate Copper Vodka
Forget what your teenage years taught you — Esquire’s guide to vodka is out to right those wrongs. We promise the vodka will be infinitely better, but as for the hangover… well, the jury’s out on that.
Best Flavoured Vodka
The flavoured vodka market of today is unrecognisable to that of the early 00s (and for that, we are forever grateful). Now, big players and independent distilleries are focusing on natural vodka infusions using authentic fruit, herbs and botanicals in their blends.
Portobello Road Toasted Coffee Bean Vodka
Isle of Wight Distillery Mermaid Salt Vodka
Whichever direction you choose to take – bright and citrussy, rich and spiced, or fruity and floral – our line-up of expert-approved flavoured vodkas will quench that thirst.
Best Apéritif
Nailing the art of aperitivo hour is crucial to rounding off the working day in style. Dry, bittersweet and lighter in alcohol, these expert-approved tipples can be enjoyed straight up, with soda as a spritz, or in a host of pre-dinner cocktails.
Select Aperitivo
El Bandarra Al Fresco Apéritif,
The Aperitivo Co Venice Aperitivo
Bolster your bar cart for the festive season with our pick of the best apéritifs.
Best Champagne
A certified party starter and fool-proof gift for the person that has everything, there’s a reason champagne is such a celebratory staple. In terms of criteria, we were looking for bright, vivacious bubbles, crisp citrus and toasted brioche aromas. And, ultimately, a well-balanced glass that makes it all too tempting to pop another bottle.
Dom Pérignon Vintage Champagne
Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut NV Champagne
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV Champagne
There’s a lot at stake when it comes to selecting a bottle of champers, so our wine experts tasted 40 varieties to find those worthy of a spot in your cellar. You asked, we delivered: Esquire’s guide to Champagne.
Best Rosé Champagne
A well-chosen blush bottle can bring a lot to dinner parties and is as versatile as any when it comes to food pairings. We’re talking everything from whole turbot to native oysters. As for sweeter styles? Save those for fruit-forward desserts and young, buttery cheeses.
Perrier Jouët Blason Rose Champagne
Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose NV Champagne
Brut Rose Champagne
Our wine experts worked their way through 25 bottles from the leading champagne houses to find the best rosé champagnes. These are their front-runners for 2023.
Best English Sparkling Wine
Delivering classic notes of crisp citrus, apple and toasted brioche, it’s no wonder swathes of long-standing Champagne drinkers have been won over by a new era of English sparkling wine.
Chapel Down Brut NV
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée
Gusbourne Blanc de Noirs
Our panel put drops from Britain’s best vineyards through their paces, assessing each on aroma, flavour, complexity, balance and mouthfeel. These are the bottles you’ll find in their cellar.
Best White Wine
From perennially popular sauvignon blancs to bold, buttery chardonnays for sipping fireside, our wine experts sampled a selection of 44 white wines from across the wine-making world – assessing each on its aroma, complexity, balance of flavour and finish – to crown their favourites.
White wine bar cart
Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2020
Vasse Felix Chardonnay
Penfolds 'Max's' Chardonnay 2018/19, Australia
Consider this a whistle-stop tour to the world of white wine, including how to store, serve and recommended food pairings, plus the 15 bottles our wine experts are buying.
Best Red Wine
Don’t know your new world from your old world? Your barolo from your beaujolais? Fear not, for our wine experts have sampled over 70 bottles in search of those worth buying.
White Label Cabernet Sauvignon
RedHeads Dogs of the Barossa Shiraz
Purple Owl Pinot Noir
Delving into the world of red wine can be complicated, costly and involve a lot of trial and error to find your sweet spot; read our red wine guide for expert advice on storing, serving and what to spend on a decent bottle.
Best Rosé
Forget restricting yourself to a Provençal pick-me-up when the mercury is rising and embrace la vie en rose — for rosé is a worthy all-weather sipper. Perfect for pairing with everything from charcuterie to seafood, we’ve found the best blushes.
Maison Mirabeau Pure Rosé
Chateau d'Esclans Rock Angel Rosé
Maison Saint Aix 'AIX' Rosé
Head here for Esquire’s guide to rosé, including expert-approved glassware, food pairings, and our favourite blush bottles for year-round drinking.
Best Natural Wine
It’s clear that the natural wine boom isn’t ending any time soon. So, whether it’s an orange wine for food pairing or a pét nat for dinner parties, these are the all-natural drops you should be stocking up on, according to experts.
Tillingham Endgrain White Wine
Nouveau Love Bite
pyramid valley Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Orange 2020
Thirsty? We thought so. Head here to find out which 8 bottles won over the panel of wine buffs.
Best Sake
Getting to grips with sake is a challenge – albeit a rewarding one – so, let our expert guide tell you everything you need to know about Japan's signature drink, including an introduction to different sake styles and how best to drink them.
Tosatsuru Brewery Azure Ginjo Sake
Tamagawa Tokubetsu Junmai
IWA 5 Assemblage 2 Sake
Whether you’re after a lighter sake for easy sipping or a bold, savoury bottle for food pairing, find all the bottles our experts are buying here.
Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Today, there’s a host of alcohol-free substitutes for your favourite serve, thanks to a wave of innovation by distilleries and breweries across the globe.
Botivo Botivo Non-Alcoholic Aperitif
Quench your five o’clock craving with Esquire’s guide to non-alcoholic drinks, including the best no and low beers, wines, and spirits. Beer fear? Don’t know him.
Best Bottled Cocktails
While we aspire to be the type of host who shakes up cocktails to order, sometimes, life gets busy. Which is why we’re all for keeping an array of bottled cocktails on hand should guests drop by unannounced.
Batch & Bottle Hendrick's Gin Martini
Black Lines Spicy Tommy's Margarita
Backed by some of the biggest players in the drinks industry, these expert-approved libations use only the highest quality ingredients you'd expect from your favourite haunt.
Best Gin Gift Sets
What to get the guy who has everything for Christmas? One of our panel-approved gin gift sets, of course.
No. 3 London Dry Gin and Martini Glasses Gift Set
The Kyoto Distillery Ki No Bi Gin Set
The Botanist Gin Gift Set with Highball Glass
Whether you’re sipping it straight, mixing into a martini, or trying your hand at an elaborate pre-dinner cocktail, our experts have a gin selection for you.
Best Whisky Gift Sets
A bottle of whisky makes a fine present, but we’re going one better this December with our expert-approved selection of whisky gift sets.
The Whisky Exchange 25 Whiskies of the World Advent Calendar
Nikka Nikka from the Barrel Ice Bucket Set
The Dalmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky Gift Set
From The Singleton to Suntory, we've found finest whisky gift sets from leading distilleries across the land to save you time, and ensure the recipient only ends up with the very best in their glass.
