Ordering a drink is a simple thing, just two or three words: “Moscow Mule,” “Old Fashioned,” “G&T.” Until the bartender asks for your brand preference. Belvedere or Svedka? Hendrick’s or Gordon’s? So many options of varying prestige and prices that so few of us understand.
Andy Im, bartender at Rappahannock in Richmond, says that when choosing between top-shelf versus rail liquor brands, one should consider the following:
Type of liquor. Vodka, for instance, is flavorless and usually mixed with something to drown out the alcohol, making differences between brands minimally noticeable. In top-shelf tequila, however, a higher percentage of agave makes the difference more obvious.
Purpose. Well liquor does the trick for downing several shots in quick succession. But for slow and steady sips, the complex flavors in a mid- or top-shelf variety stand out. One of Im’s favorite sipping gins is Richmond-based Virago.
What you like. Im advises ordering for personal taste, whether it’s considered classy or not. His regular order: a Miller High Life and a shot of Jim Beam.
**Rail or well alcohol: a bar’s default lower-cost variety of each liquor, stored in easy reach of the bartender. Top-shelf, in contrast, are top-of-the-line brands, displayed up high.
This article originally appeared in the December 2024 issue.
