7 Affordable Spirits Every Drinks Cabinet Needs
Is your drinks cabinet in need of a refresh? Or are you setting one up for the first time? Either way, it can quickly become an expensive and slightly intimidating business, especially with so many brands jostling for space on the shelf. So, what should you actually buy?
The trick is to set a budget, then decide whether you want familiar names or something a little more interesting. It also pays to buy one bottle from each of the major spirits categories. That gives you versatility, whether you’re pouring for yourself, hosting friends or shaking up a few classic cocktails.
Below are seven bottles to get you started, all around or under the £40 mark (at time of writing), and all offering excellent bang for your buck.
The Gin
Citadelle Gin de France
Hailed as one of the world’s first craft gins, Citadelle has picked up plenty of serious awards since its release in 1996. It was the brainchild of Alexandre Gabriel of Maison Ferrand, the highly regarded Cognac house, and is made at the picturesque Château de Bonbonnet near the village of Ars in France’s Cognac region.
The estate is home to fields of juniper and an orangerie, both of which feed into the gin’s character. Citadelle takes its name from the Citadel de Dunkirk, a distillery that produced genever in the 18th century. A total of 19 botanicals are used in the mix, including cubeb pepper, violet and fennel.
The result is an uplifting, zesty and refreshing gin that is spot-on for a proper G&T but has enough backbone to work beautifully in a gin-based cocktail, too.
The Rum
Angostura Founders Reserve 1824
This exquisite handcrafted blend of rums, aged for a minimum of 12 years, positively oozes class. The name marks the foundation of the Angostura company and the year its now-iconic bitters recipe was first developed. The rums are produced using locally sourced molasses at the Angostura distillery in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad & Tobago.
It remains the only rum producer in the Caribbean island nation, using charred American oak ex-bourbon barrels throughout maturation. Rich caramel, dried fruit and warming baking spice combine to superb effect, creating a rum that feels far more expensive than it is.
Luxurious and smooth, it’s excellent sipped neat alongside a good cigar. A dangerously easy-drinking combination that will have you reaching for another pour before long.
The Cognac
Hennessy VS
Hennessy is the largest producer of Cognac in France and one of the world’s best-known spirits brands, accounting for an astonishing 40% of all Cognac produced in the region. The house was founded by Irishman Richard Hennessy in 1765 after he was discharged from the French army following an injury. Today, it still sits on the banks of the River Charente in the town of Cognac.
This VS, meaning Very Special, is the cornerstone of the brand’s success and remains the foundation of the core range. Hennessy is known for its sweet, fruity and floral style, and this expression layers brown sugar, toffee and soft sultana notes over that signature profile.
It works brilliantly neat over ice, topped with lemonade for an easy long drink, or shaken into a classic Sidecar cocktail.
The Scotch Whisky
Johnnie Walker Red Soul
Red Soul is the newest addition to the world-famous Johnnie Walker range. The Scotch blending giant is aiming to bring new drinkers into the whisky category, and this approachable dram is designed to do exactly that. Created by Master Blender Dr Emma Walker, it’s essentially a sweeter, smoother take on the iconic Red Label.
The smoky edge has been dialled right back too, removing one of the flavour characteristics that can divide opinion among newer whisky drinkers. In its place, you get notes of brown sugar, vanilla fudge and baked apple, alongside golden syrup, cinnamon and warm gingerbread spice.
Easy-going and versatile, it works just as well in a simple highball as it does stirred into a classic Rob Roy.
The American Bourbon
Maker’s Mark
Maker’s Mark is instantly recognisable thanks to its square bottle and signature red wax seal, with each one still dipped individually by hand. The Kentucky distillery was founded by T. William Samuels Sr. in Loretto, and production began in 1954. Unlike many American whiskeys, the mash bill contains no rye, something Samuels reportedly perfected by baking loaves of bread with different grain combinations.
The result is a bourbon loved by bartenders and whisky fans alike for its soft, sweet and expressive character. Expect generous notes of vanilla, caramel, coconut and gentle baking spice, all delivered with an easy smoothness that makes it dangerously drinkable.
Maker’s Mark has also become a pioneer of regenerative farming practices in American whiskey production, using regenerative wheat grown on its own Star Hill Farm. A proper staple for any well-stocked drinks shelf.
The Tequila
Ocho 8 Plata
Tequila, along with its close cousin mezcal, is firmly having a moment. From Margaritas to Palomas, agave-based cocktails are everywhere right now, and Ocho remains one of the best bottles to buy if you want to understand why.
The brand was founded in 2008 by fifth-generation agave farmer Carlos Camarena and the late, great bar owner Tomas Estes. They are widely credited with bringing the concept of terroir to tequila, with each batch made using agave harvested from a single field on a single estate.
The name Ocho, meaning ‘eight’ in Spanish, comes from the eighth sample the pair tasted during their initial trials. This Plata expression is peppery and vegetal, with notes of lemon, black olive and saline minerality running through it.
Excellent as a shot, but even better mixed into a properly made Margarita or Paloma.
The Vodka
Witchmark Single Origin
The Witchmark distillery in Wiltshire has quietly been building a reputation for world-class spirits since its founders conceived the idea during the Covid pandemic. Single malt whisky has been maturing since mid-2024, while its gin has already started collecting awards at an impressive rate. Yet it’s this expressive vodka that may be the standout of the lot.
Made with locally grown Wiltshire barley and produced in batches of just 1,000 bottles, it’s a vodka with genuine character. The texture is creamy and almost oily, giving it a richness that’s often missing from the category.
It works beautifully served simply over ice with a twist of lemon, but also adds real structure to cocktails like a Martini or Cosmopolitan. Think vodka is boring? This bottle might change your mind.
