Ask a Bartender: What Makes a Liquor a ‘Sipping Spirit’?

Spirit bottles can’t speak, so it’s up to us to decide how to enjoy them. Even if a brand promotes its tequila, whiskey, rum, etc. as a “sipping spirit,” there’s nothing stopping anyone from using them in cocktails or for pouring up a round of shots.

While an Old Fashioned made with Pappy Van Winkle or a Manhattan with a base of Red Hook Rye might be delicious, most bartenders’ hair would stand on end at the thought of either. So what divides spirits meant for mixing or shooting and those designed for slow savoring? And what makes a spirit qualify as both?

One of the first — and most obvious — factors is price. Although not a direct reflection of a spirit’s quality, bars have to ensure their drinks are profitable but not so expensive that guests won’t buy them. “Whatever your standard spirits pour is, once you give up about 3 to 5 percent of your margin, it’s hard to justify keeping the price in line with everything else you carry,” says Ben Wald, head of beverage programming at NYC’s The Flatiron Room. “I’ve had great cocktail ideas that end up dying on a spreadsheet because I’d have to charge $30 to $45 just to pay my bills.”

Using expensive spirits in cocktails also leaves little room for bartender error. If they mess up the drink and have to start over, that’s a lot of money down the drain. Another factor independent from quality is rarity. Many prized high-end spirits are released as one-offs or in small quantities, so even if a bar manages to secure a few bottles, they won’t be inclined to make many cocktails with them — let alone include them in a menu drink.

Above all, the crowning characteristic that separates sipping spirits from non-sippers is quality. “A sipping spirit can be any spirit that feels complete without the need to put it in a cocktail, add ice, or a mixer,” Wald says. “I’ve had some amazing spirits that are younger and less expensive than some lauded unicorn bottles that don’t require anything added to them.”

Wald says sipping spirits should deliver on three primary fronts: price accessibility, quality-to-price ratio, and versatility. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon is a great example of an all-rounder. “We have it in one of our top selling drinks, but it’s also so beautiful by itself,” he says. “There’s also this great single malt vodka out of New Zealand called ‘The Reid’ that makes a mean Martini, but I also like to drink it neat.” If a spirit is widely available, punches above its price point, and both sings on its own and plays well with others, then it fits the criteria for a “Swiss Army Knife bottle,” as Wald likes to call them.

When sampling a spirit for the first time, he always recommends drinking it neat first to become acquainted. But behind closed doors, any liquor typically served neat can be a cocktail or shooting spirit, too, and vice versa. It all comes down to personal preference. At the end of the day, that’s what hospitality is all about.

“There are people in the world that genuinely, unironically enjoy drinking Malört neat,” Wald says. “Do you enjoy drinking it neat? Then it’s a sipping spirit. That’s the only test I need to run.”

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