How to Start Your Own Home Bar with Just 5 Bottles

April 21, 2025

The Only 5 Bottles You Need to Start Your Home Bar

If you’ve been toying with the idea of creating your own home bar, welcome to your next favourite hobby. Building your spirits collection doesn’t mean spending big or covering every square inch of the garage bench with bottles you’ll only use once a year. With just five essentials, you can kick things off strong—bit of character, a good mix of flavour profiles, and plenty of versatility for whatever kind of night you’ve got in mind.

Start with the Stalwart: Kentucky Bourbon

This one’s like your favourite flannel—reliable, warm, suits just about any occasion. A product like Still Spirits Kentucky Bourbon adds a full-bodied taste with a hint of sweetness you’ll love straight, on the rocks, or splashed into a Friday night Old Fashioned. There’s no need to shell out for top shelf whiskey when this flavouring turns your neutral spirit or vodka into three full bottles of golden satisfaction. It’s like getting your steak cooked just the way you like it—every time.

Whether you’re sitting around the campfire or fixing up a cocktail to impress visitors, this one’s the champion of comfort and class in a single glass. Bonus points: it’s incredibly cost-effective. Anyone chasing the taste without the hit to the wallet will appreciate what this bourbon brings to the bench.

Something White, Crisp, and Cocktail-Ready

No home bar is complete without a good white spirit. Enter Still Spirits White Rum. We’ve all had that friend who orders mojitos every summer like it’s a personality trait—they know something we don’t. This white rum essence turns neutral spirits into a lightly sweet, molasses-kissed flavour that’s ideal for your mixers, especially classic rum cocktails like daiquiris and piña coladas.

It doesn’t need a base pack, which means fewer steps from bench to bar. And because it makes the good stuff without fuss, it’s a go-to when mates rock up unannounced or when you're crafting cocktails in the backyard under fairy lights and good vibes.

Bring in the Smoke: A Whiskey with Boldness

The Still Spirits Smokey Whiskey flavouring steps in when you want something with more punch. Straight up, this essence adds rich character to your spirit, leaning into that peated, barrel-aged goodness without making you wait three years and a full barrel to enjoy it.

The smoky finish gives you that mature, fireside dram taste—a nice change from the usual suspects. It’s also great for blending if you decide to get creative down the track. Picture this on a winter night, fireside, or served in an old-school rocks glass while waxing nostalgic about vinyl records or the footy. Yep, it fits right in.

For the Adventurous Pour: Spiced Dark Rum

Still Spirits Dark Spiced Rum is your wild card—tried once, remembered forever. Infused with chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, and a whisper of coffee, this flavouring turns an everyday neutral base into something worthy of your finest glassware. It’s what you break out when the grill is smoking and the playlist shifts to rock classics!

Ideal for sipping or paired with cola, this spiced rum delivers that punchy flavour experience. Plus, it’s customisable to your taste, which makes it extra fun for blokes who love fiddling until they’ve nailed the mix.

Clean and Clear: The Vodka

Even if vodka’s not your favourite, it plays a big role in any functional home bar. This last pick (Flavours 2.25 litres - 50ml vodka essence) adds the subtle smoothness of a premium brand—you know, the ones your mates demand at parties, but now you can make it yourself. Whether you’re mixing it with soda, lime, or crafting express martinis at home, having a quality vodka on hand unlocks endless options.

This one's especially great if you're hosting or gifting homemade spirits. It gives you that clean, no burn, versatile backdrop that lets every other ingredient shine. You don’t realise how useful a bottle like this is until you run out mid-mixer! It’s like salt in your kitchen—quietly powerful and always missed when it’s gone.

So, What’s Next?

Setting up your five-bottle starter bar isn't about going big—it’s about going smart. A good mix of profile and depth means you always have something that matches the moment. Whether you’re winding down solo or gearing up for Sunday arvo get-togethers, these five picks keep you prepped and proud without overcrowding life or budget.

And remember, it’s not about copying the liquor store wall—it’s about choosing the flavours that reflect your taste, your pace, your place.

Cheers to bold sips and better stories,
Candeece