Want bottles that cut cost, not quality? Here’s exactly what to buy (thanks to plenty of personal research).

First things first – bookmark this article. We’re about to tell you exactly how to get that full, shiny bar cart that can meet any cocktail request, but for half the price. Let’s make one thing super clear: these aren’t the very cheapest – they’re the cheapest without sacrificing quality. The best for less, if you will. Tried and tested, editor-approved. If you’re wanting to build a fully-stocked home bar cart without spending a bomb, this is how.

A bar cart only really works if you’ve got some variety on there, but the products need to play well together. Investing in one bottle of each of the key cocktail spirits, something you can sip and mix, means you’ll have everything you need to create a huge array of drinks at any given moment.

It’s also important to note that a well-stocked bar cart pays dividends again and again, so it’s worth doing your research and buying ahead. Dashing out to get last-minute drinks when friends show up (or worse, ordering delivery) can mean spending more than you’d like on something not as good. And while we’re suckers for a cocktail night out (there’s too many excellent bars not to), sometimes the wallet won’t allow it – or you just feel like hosting at home.

Ahead, explore the best bottles to build your cart on a budget.

Our affordable spirits hit list:

Vodka: Vodka &
Tequila: Pueblo Viejo Tequila Blanco
Gin: Gordon’s London Dry Gin
White rum: Bacardi Carta Blanca
Dark rum: Substation No 41 Rum
Bourbon: Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Whiskey: Dewar’s 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whiskey
Vermouth: Cinzano Rosso Vermouth
Triple sec: Marie Brizard Triple Sec
Amaretto: Luxardo Amaretto
Bitters: Angostura Bitters
Lime juice: Cocktail Essentials Single Pressed Lime Juice

The vodka

There are plenty of cheap vodkas, but not all are made equal. Some are barely drinkable. Vodka & is simply brilliant, and not just for the price. It’s Australian made and charcoal filtered to cut the afterburn and make it smooth enough to enjoyably sip straight. It’s also gluten free and comes in a very chic, minimalist bottle. Remember, money can’t buy style.

Price tag: $32
Use it in a: Cosmopolitan

Gordon's Gin, Pueblo Viejo Tequila, Vodka & on a bar cart

The tequila

A top-shelf tequila, while worthwhile, can really set you back. And to be honest, if your tequila goal is mixing cocktails, you don’t need to spend a lot. Blanco is the least expensive (as it’s the least aged), and Pueblo Viejo Tequila Blanco is on the lower end of the price spectrum. Why go for this one? Because like the premium bottles, it’s made with 100% Blue Weber agave. Tequila has to be made with at least 51% Blue Weber, but many cheaper bottles are what’s called ‘mixtos’ – meaning the other 49% is made up of other added sugars like molasses or high fructose corn syrup. These may have some place in cocktail-making, but if you’re after something you can mix and sip, definitely shoot for 100%. The purity and complexity of the agave plant will shine through and, trust us, you can taste and smell the difference.

Price tag: $59.99
Use it in a: Tommy’s Margarita

The gin

There are so. many. gins. Incredible amounts. Pages and pages, shelves and shelves of them. But for your budget bar cart, you want a versatile, do-it-all gin, before you get into the flavoured or specialty bottles. For the Swiss army knife of gins that won’t blow the budget, we recommend Gordon’s London Dry Gin. A solid London Dry Gin will work for your G&Ts, Negronis, and Tom Collins, and Gordon’s is a classic make: botanical and clean, distilled from handpicked juniper berries.

Price tag: $43.99
Use it in a: Last Word

The white rum

If you can afford to, it’s worth investing in both a white and dark rum. They are each the basis of many great cocktails and aren’t always interchangeable. For your white rum, you can’t go past Bacardi Carta Blanca. Sometimes things are popular for a reason, you know? Bacardi Carta Blanca is the world’s most awarded rum, but remains inexpensive.

Price tag: $48.99
Use the white in a: Mai Tai

Barcadi Carta Blanca, Substation No. 41 Rum

The dark rum

For your dark rum, we actually recommend one of the least expensive bottles you can buy, because unlike some really cheap spirits, Substation No. 41 holds its own against the top shelf. We’re not the only ones to notice either; it took out the Rum of the Year Award at the 2020 London Spirit Awards (a major date in the industry calendar), against 500 bottles from 50 countries. Made in Queensland by some passionate hospitality experts, Substation No.41 is rich, vanilla-y and toffee-like, with an aroma like fruit cake. A true find.

Price tag: $48.99
Use the dark in a: Rum Sour

The bourbon

Bourbon isn't always a bar cart must-have, but if you or your crowd are bourbon drinkers then there’s no more important bottle to have. While it can be harder to find really good budget bourbon outside of the US, Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight is an excellent example of American whisky on the lower end of the price spectrum. It’s smooth, bittersweet and head-and-shoulders above some of the competition in the under-$60 bourbon bracket.

Price tag: $56.99
Use it in a: Paper Plane

The whiskey

Whiskeys are like gins in that there are millions of them, but whiskeys are built to age, so the older generations can come at eye-watering prices. From across the globe, the best bottles cost thousands of dollars, and yes, while owning a spirit that costs the same as a small car would be nice, a big budget isn’t essential for enjoyment. If you’re starting with just one whiskey, we recommend investing in an affordable yet decent Scotch (i.e. Scottish whiskey). Dewar’s 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whiskey is a bartenders’ favourite for a reason (and we asked around). With delicious (but not overpowering) notes of butterscotch and citrus, it’s not overly thick or thin (something you’ll know can be off-putting if you’ve sipped a few whiskeys). It’s a thoroughly enjoyable bottle of affordable Scotch that even impresses the experts.

Price tag: $49.90
Use it in a: Godfather

The liqueurs

There are virtually limitless options in this category, so this is the time to consider which flavours you love and what cocktails you specifically want to make. If you’re not sure where to begin for your cocktail mixing starter kit, we recommend three essentials: vermouth, triple sec and amaretto. With these three, you can make a whole lot of cocktails, and even find pour-over classics where no spirit is needed. Vermouth and tonic over ice? A cool, bitter, low-alc summer sip. There’s variation within each liqueur category, but generally, cheaper liqueurs are just fine, as seen with these budget-friendly bottles below.

Vermouth
Cinzano Rosso Vermouth is inexpensive, iconic and the key to many of the best cocktails.
Price tag: $17.99
Use it in a: Negroni

Triple sec
Cointreau is the classic: it has so much complexity and flavour that will enhance your cocktails, but if it’s not in the budget (or high in your cocktail repertoire), Marie Brizard Triple Sec will do the trick.
Price tag: $27.99
Use it in a: Long Island Iced Tea

Amaretto
Disaronno is a go-to, and while it's delicious, some bartenders rate the less expensive Luxardo Amaretto as the better bottle. With $7 between the two, it’s worth giving this contender a whirl.
Price tag: $39.99
Use it in an: Amaretto Sour

LIqueurs on a bar cart with magazines and glasses

The rest

There are many extras a bar cart can benefit from, and you can spend a lot on them… or you could be really smart about it.

Bitters
Angostura Bitters is to cocktails what salt and pepper is to cooking. It’s $25 that will elevate your mixing game.
Price tag: $25.49
Use it in a: Mojito

Lime juice
Yes, yes, fresh is best, but unless you’ve got a tree outside, limes are extortionately expensive, so keep a bottle of Cocktail Essentials Single Pressed Lime Juice on hand.
Price tag: $8.99
Use it in a: Paloma

Sugar syrup
You can buy these pre-made, but it’s so easy and cheap to make (it’s literally sugar and water), and we have a sugar syrup recipe. It will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

Garnishes
This is another one to DIY. Make use of your fruit and veg scraps, have a day dehydrating overripe citrus in your oven or snip herbs from your garden. Fresh, seasonal, opportunistic, environmentally and economically friendly.