Still Spirits cracked it wide open: build a proper home bar with just 5 bottles? Damn right.

October 1, 2025

Set Your Home Bar Up for Instant Wins: 5 Bottles, Endless Potential

There’s something about pouring a drink from your own shelf that just hits different. It’s not about flexing a lineup of expensive labels—it’s about having the right ones to suit your mood, your mates, and whatever’s sizzling on your BBQ. And yes, you can do it with just five bottles.

“A well-stocked bar isn’t the one with the most bottles. It’s the one that gets used.”

Whether your style leans clean and crisp or bold and layered, these five can cover the lot. With a few solid mixers and simple gear—like our Spirit Bottle & Cap Pack—you’ll be set to shake up solid classics, impress your mates, or wind down with something you made yourself.

1. The Base Player – Vodka

Odourless, almost flavourless, and endlessly flexible. A good vodka is like your Bulldog clip of booze—tightens everything up without stealing the spotlight. Great in a Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary, or Espresso Martini.

If you're crafting your own, the Still Spirits Vodka Flavouring brings that smooth, premium feel—on par with Smirnoff or 42 Below. Add it to a clean neutral spirit using one of our spirit bottle kits, and you’re good to pour. Got soda and lime? You’ve got a summer session.

2. The Beachcomber – White Rum

For when you're chasing something tropical, sharp, and just sweet enough to mellow out the heat. White rum is a classic in mojitos, daiquiris, or even a cheeky piña colada when no one's judging.

The Still Spirits White Rum Essence nails the clean, molasses-kissed flavour, and works like a charm for anyone making their own spirits with one of our home distillation units.

3. The Campfire Companion – Smokey Whiskey

This is for sitting back with your mates once the embers glow. Smokey whiskey cuts through the chatter and brings you straight to barrel-aged territory—think peated Scotch vibes, without needing a full cellar to age it.

Try the Still Spirits Smokey Whiskey essence. It’s simple to blend, hits all those deep, charred notes, and it’s brilliant in an Old Fashioned or just neat, fireside.

4. The Sweet Rebel – Dark Spiced Rum

It’s the loose unit of your home bar collection. Dark, sweet, a bit spicy—it holds its own in anything. Pour it over ice with cola, or dash a bit into hot apple cider on a winter evening… magic.

Still Spirits Dark Spiced Rum brings those warm vanilla, coffee, and clove notes without needing a distiller’s licence. Just blend with your preferred neutral base in our spirit bottle kits and you’ve got something bold and comforting ready to go.

5. The Straight Talker – Kentucky-Style Bourbon

Bourbon's not just for slow sipping by yourself (though no shame there). It's excellent with ginger ale, part of the power trio in a Boulevardier, and absolutely perfect with BBQ ribs.

The Kentucky Bourbon Essence we stock starts with fruity sweetness and finishes strong. You don’t need deep pockets or five years in a barrel—just a quiet weekend afternoon and the right gear.

Mix Without Limits

With these five in your corner, you can cover well over 20 classic cocktails—not to mention custom creations you tweak yourself. It’s the shed-brewer’s version of a Swiss Army knife. All flavour, no nonsense.

Better still, each of these can be homemade with neutral spirits and the right flavour essence—cutting down the clutter in your bar and the mystery in your mixing.

Simplicity: No chasing boutique bottles or wondering what goes with what.
Custom: You blend to your palate—fewer one-size-fits-all disappointments.
Smart Storage: Five bottles, zero waste, max flavour.

What if you want to add a sixth?

Your bar, your rules—but a good gin wouldn’t go astray. Or something seasonal, like a cinnamon schnapps for winter or citrus liqueur for summer sundowners. That said, five gets the job done (and then some).

The Best Home Bars Aren’t Built in a Day

They’re built over time, with purpose. With a measuring cup in one hand and a beer in the other. They come from trying things, blending stuff, getting it wrong, and finally nailing your signature pour.

So, pick your five. Make them yours. Heck—flavour one today, mix it on the weekend, and see which mate asks, “Where’d you get that?” That’s when you know you’ve nailed it.

Until next round,
Candeece