To be drinkable straight, a liquor has to be of top quality, as you feel it most when you have it straight. A straight drink means not adding anything to your drink, so no ice, or any cocktail ingredient, water, or anything else; it’s just the drink and you.
Straight is also synonymous with straight up or neat. So, since your glass has only what’s in the bottle, you should make sure that you are having a good-quality drink.
In a cocktail, things are even easier. You can have a cocktail with an obviously low-quality drink and still enjoy it. Even if you add only ice and nothing else, it could mask well what the drink lacks and turn it into an easily drinkable beverage.
That, however, doesn’t happen with straight drinks. If you are having your drink straight, you will feel absolutely every ounce of flavor, either good or bad. So, when it comes to straight drinks, you absolutely need to make sure that you are having a good drink.
Everyone defines a good drink in terms of their preferences, but generally taken, no good drink is overly aggressive, causing a painful burn and an unbearable hangover. A good-quality drink is easily drinkable, flavorful, smooth, and aromatic with a kick you can enjoy.
There are drinks that mask pretty well, for example, flavored vodkas. They burst with artificial flavors and colors, but they are delicious. This is where the kick kicks in.
Also check: 25 Best Sipping Bourbons to Drink Neat
If you feel like you are getting drunk quickly and the level of wooziness doesn’t match the amount of alcohol you had, then it is safe to assume there’s something fishy going on.
Never continue drinking a drink straight if it doesn’t suit you well. In essence, you can drink vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, tequila, bourbon, etc., straight, but not all representatives of these categories work or are intended for slow sipping.
So, if the alcohol tastes good, but it doesn’t sit right with you, you better stop where you are, hydrate, and move on.
Choosing the best alcohol to drink straight is not always an easy task. You may choose a good one but not like it, or you may like it, but the drink turns out to be lousy. So, before daring to have a drink straight, you need to educate yourself a bit on the subject to choose the best one for you.
Remember that mixing drinks, especially when drinking them straight, is never a good idea, so you should stick to whatever drink you pick. Therefore it is of utmost importance to choose wisely.
Top 20 Liquors To Drink Straight
In this article, I will give you a list of 20 liquors you can drink straight according to your taste and preference.
1. Johnnie Walker Blue Label
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Johnnie Walker is a well-known name in the spirit department, even more so because it offers multiple labels suited for a wide range of consumers.
Even though the Blue Label is the Johnnie Walker’s most expensive product, it is worth buying if you like drinking your liqueur straight. It is exquisitely seductive on the nose with hints of smoke and toffee.
It invites you further with supple and well-balanced chocolate, berry fruit, and hints of cedar and citrus protruding the deep flavor, creating playfulness and teasing.
If you like something strong yet elegant, pour yourself a glass of neat Johnnie Walker Blue Label and let it envelop you. Containing 40% alcohol, it will give you a nice gradual kick you will definitely want to feel again.
Also check: 20 Best Whiskey To Drink Straight
2. Johnnie Walker Black Label
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The Black Labels is another one of Johnnie Walker’s finest. Rich and full of flavor, this spirit is for you if you like old classics. Robust and assertive, this drink will greet the nose with spice and peppery notes, and a subtle citrus freshness.
This spirit has 40% alcohol, so go soft and slow on it. The finish is, as you might expect, creamy and smooth, with hints of fruit and smokiness. Mid-palate, it is rich, smoky, and spicy, with herbal notes and toffee tones.
3. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey
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The Tennessee Honey variety of the Jack Daniel’s brand is the softer version of the Old Number 7 and is, therefore, very popular to drink straight.
It is infused with natural honey, which is where it gets the honey-like color and consistency. It is an exquisitely delicious and smooth drink and a little gentler with 35% alcohol.
This spirit has honey written all over it. It starts with subtle notes of vanilla and smokiness, and mid-palate, it shows its true colors with the silky hone flavor. Starting with the aroma, the body, the color, and the aftertaste.
The finish is long, smooth, and lingering, with a warm burn and a delightful aftertaste.
4. Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey
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Made specifically for the British royal family as a courtesy and a token of respect for visiting Canada, this premium Canadian whiskey has remained a royal story to this day. This premium whiskey is smooth and refined textbook whiskey that will charm you all the way from the nose to the burn.
It starts gently, with vanilla and citrus tones. It goes on uncovering, and mid-palate, it is oak and vanilla flavored, carrying you to the smooth finish and lingering aftertaste. Its alcohol content is 40%, so don’t forget that this is a potent spirit, even though it is very gentle.
5. Teremana Anejo Tequila
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Known as the “people’s tequila,” the Teremana tequila is cheerful, colorful, flavorful, and easy to drink. Since it is an anejo type, it is well-rested, over a year, and since it is Teremana, it is 100% agave.
Ideal for slow sipping, you can drink this tequila as a shot too. It starts with subtle sweet agave tones on the nose, going on to vanilla, agave, and citrus notes mid-palate, ending with a smooth finish and a warm but sharp burn that could make you cringe.
With 40% of alcohol content, you shouldn’t underestimate this drink, as it can easily get you drunk, especially if you are doing shots with it.
6. 818 Blanco
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Even though the 818 tequila is very new on the market, it has managed to establish itself among the big boys. Even though the tequila blanco variety is considered best for shots, the 818 blanco is also excellent for slow sipping.
Considering that it rests for a month before bottling, which not many tequilas blanco do, it has an expressive vanilla flavor mixed with sweet agave and citrus notes. It is excellent for slow sipping as well as shots, but don’t forget that 40% alcohol is a lot, so be mindful of making the most of your drinking experience.
7. Four Roses Small Batch
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For Roses small batch is the gentle soul among the spirits. It is floral, fruity, fresh, and citrusy. On the nose, you can feel notes of mellow spice and hints of sweet oak. The palate tastes like rich fruit and caramel with hints of vanilla.
The overall flavor combines ripened red berries, dried spice, and caramel. The finish is smooth, deep, and creamy, with a lingering aftertaste. The 40% alcohol in this spirit means that you shouldn’t be fooled by its gentility, so go slow and gently.
8. Captain Morgan
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One of the most famous rum kinds, sweet and warm, Captain Morgan, will charm you with its brown sugar and sweet spice notes. It even tastes sweet and spicy, inviting you to dive deeper into its substance.
As the sip unravels, it exhibits expressive notes of vanilla, hints of oak, and even more sweetness and warm spices. It is also slightly milder than other spirits, with 35% alcohol content, unlike the 40% typical for most spirits.
9. Malibu Rum
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Malibu rum is coconut-flavored rum. It is delightfully sweet, creamy, gentle, and even satiating. This is an excellent drink to have; in fact, straight is the way Malibu Rum is intended to be drunk.
It is also wonderfully mild, with only 21% alcohol content, so you can enjoy it without worrying about getting too drunk too soon. White and seductive, it will bedazzle your eyes before it enchants your palate.
With its sweet coconut-pina colada flavor notes, you will definitely enjoy every ounce of taste it can offer you. Even if you like stronger drinks, if you like the taste of coconuts, you will most certainly enjoy this drink.
10. Grand Marnier
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Grand Marnier is an orange-flavored brandy, very particular and very delicious. While brandy usually tastes like grapes, Grand Marnier has an expressive orange flavor and an explicit citrus freshness. It retains the typical brandy fruitiness and sweetness with a touch of originality and innovation.
The alcohol content of 40% is there to remind you that this drink still has an edge. In addition to the dominating orange flavor, Grand Marnier also has hints of vanilla and oak. It has a warm, smooth, and gentle finish leaving you with a delightful aftertaste.
11. Cointreau
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This is a very deep and complex drink, perfectly balancing bitter and sweet flavors. The most expressive flavor is bitter orange, and the secondary supporting flavors are sweet spices tasting notes.
Smooth all over, it climaxes in the finish, gentle and rough at the same time. With the 40% alcohol content, this is still a pretty strong drink, so you might want to pace yourself with it.
12. Hennessy Cognac
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Hennessy is one of the big four cognac houses and definitely more than deserving of its spot on this list. Transitioning elegantly from sweet brandy fruitiness to burnt wine, each sip of this drink tastes differently as the temperature changes.
This is a warming drink, ideal for a winter night by the fireplace, but don’t be too naive with it, as 40% of alcohol content isn’t to be underestimated.
13. Aperol Aperitivo
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Aperol Aperitivo is a common and frequently used cocktail ingredient, but what many don’t know is that you can enjoy this drink straight as well. It is delightfully bittersweet with zesty orange notes, delicate bitter herbal undertones that intensify the orange flavor, subtle woody notes, and salinity. It leaves you with a delicious zesty orange with grapefruit that lingers for a while after having the sip.
It is also very mild, with only 11% of alcohol, meaning that you can have a few glasses without any concern about getting woozy too quickly.
14. Jagermeister
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With 35% of alcohol content, Jagermeister is definitely a strong drink. It is a very flavorful and exceptionally aromatic beverage. It is expressively refreshing with explicit herbal notes leaving a pleasant minty note after you swallow the sip.
It isn’t for everyone, though, as it is pretty particular, so you should have it only if you like strong herbal notes. Its high viscosity makes Jagermeister easy to drink and very pleasant for the palate and throat.
There’s an unusual statement about Jagermeister that it causes a burn, but you feel a pleasant chilly sensation and a minty flavor in your mouth after you swallow. So it is best described as not burning, but burning.
15. Bluecoat Barrel Finished Gin
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Gin is usually a bitter drink and is often used mixed in cocktails or at least with one more drink to milden it up. However, if you find the right gin, you will be surprised at how easily drinkable it is.
The Bluecoat Barrel Finished Gin is very flavorful. It has the typical gin bitterness, but it is very pure and not overly aggressive.
With 47% of alcohol, this isn’t a mild drink, but it is definitely worth at least a try. It has delightful hints of caramel, reminding of whiskey with juniper and pepper notes. It also has notes of caramelized citrus, maple, vanilla, and orange.
16. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
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With smooth, smoky, and black pepper notes, this is a premium vodka best drank straight. Vodka is usually a very sharp drink with a strong sting and an unpleasant, or even painful bite, so it is common to mix vodka.
Tito’s Handmade vodka, however, drinks straight excellently. It is still vodka, so expect a particular sting, but not at all, as you might have gotten accustomed to. Still, you shouldn’t play fast and loose with it as it has 40% alcohol, so go as slow as possible.
Vodka, in general, is known to be pretty merciless, so keep that in mind when having Tito’s. Nevertheless, it is an unusually flavourful and aromatic drink you will certainly enjoy. Still, a piece of advice, don’t give it a try if you aren’t a fan of strong drinks, as it won’t sit right with you.
17. Chopin Potato Vodka
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This is the world’s most awarded vodka with a unique creamy texture and high viscosity and is best known as “the no-burn vodka.” Even if you aren’t a fan of vodka, I advise you to give it a whirl, as you just might like it.
With a subtle green apple and vanilla aroma, it greets the nose before it reveals its creamy and earthy flavor. This is a whole-bodied spirit with a long, clean finish and a nice fresh aftertaste. As I said, it doesn’t burn, which is a rarity for vodka and the reason why it is so highly regarded by the drinkers and vodka enthusiasts.
Its alcohol content is 40%, making this vodka a strong spirit. The fact that it doesn’t burn doesn’t mean you should get carried away, so be careful.
18. Martell Cognac
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With its sweet grape and woody-tasting notes, this drink is definitely a very seductive one. It is sweet on the nose, with orange tones, bringing you further with a deep grape notes and a slightly burnt dimension.
Martell, like Hennessy, is one of the big four cognac houses, so its quality is indisputable. It is easy to drink, leaving a fruity and floral aftertaste you will have a hard time forgetting. Its 40% alcohol content suggests that you shouldn’t take this drink lightly but instead go gently.
19. Don Julio 1942 Anejo Tequila
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The Don Julio 1942 Anejo tequila is one of the most renowned tequilas for slow sipping. It is deep, full-bodied, delicious, and rich. You can feel the sweet agave, transiting toward smokiness and dried fruit.
It is pure art n a tequila bottle, especially if you take a closer look at its deep amber shades, inviting you to explore every ounce of flavor it hides behind the glass.
It has the standard 40% alcohol content tapping your shoulder, reminding you that it is still tequila you are drinking, and as gentle and flavorful as it is, it can turn against you if you don’t pace yourself.
20. Cutwater Fugu Horchata Vodka
This is a delightful and creamy drink tasting like horchata. It tastes like spicy habanero peppers, creamy horchata, and aguas frescas with sweet and juicy pineapple. All these flavors compete with each other all the way through the sip creating a real fiesta in your mouth.
It is a playful and teasing drink you will certainly enjoy in spite of the burn and slight sting. The 40% alcohol in this spirit are there to give you a nice kick and remind you to take it easy.
What Is the Best Type of Liquor to Drink Straight?
The best liquor to drink straight is whiskey. However, alcohol is an art and a craft, and there are as many opinions on this subject as there are drinkers. Therefore, some would find vodka or rum to be the best alcohol to drink straight.
Whiskey has been declared as the best because it is the most versatile. It is a deep and rich spirit offering many different flavors and notes of different types of textures.
There is a wide range of whiskeys you can drink straight, from classic, textbook whiskeys, to honey and fruit-flavored ones, to those tasting like coffee and dark chocolate.
Tequila is also versatile, but it is more aggressive than whiskey. Vodka is the spirit that most people drink, probably because it is the most predictable spirit, as there is a high degree of consistency between vodka brands.
Still, there are vodkas that are totally unpredictable and out of this world, but vodka enthusiasts are those who can genuinely appreciate the drink.
Gin is mostly drank mixed because of the bitterness, but it is still a great drink to have straight if you get the brand right. Rum is a delightful spirit to have straight, and depending on the brand and quality of the bottle, it may become your favorite drink.
Brandy is also very popular to drink straight, especially if it comes from one of the most famous cognac houses, i.e., Hennessy, Martell, Remy Martin, or Courvoisier.
What Is the Smoothest Alcohol to Drink?
A high-quality alcohol is a smooth alcohol, so any alcohol can be smooth if it is of top quality. The most famous smooth alcohol is whiskey, particularly Johnnie Walker Blue Label, but it isn’t the only one. There are many smooth whiskeys, such as Jack Daniel’s, Crown Royal, and many others.
The longer the alcohol ages, the smoother it gets, so make sure you get a well-rested bottle if you want to have a smooth drink.
What Is the Best Liquor To Get You Drunk?
Any alcohol can get you drunk if you drink more than you can handle, but the best one is vodka. Vodka is the purest alcohol because it is distilled for a minimum of four times. Therefore it is very pure and contains no added flavors or colorings.
This means that you will get drunk quickly, but the hangover will be very tolerable, especially if you have good-quality vodka.
What Alcohol Is the Easiest to Drink?
Beer is the easiest to drink. Frothy and light, it doesn’t burn or sting and can also be very delicious. Wine is also easy to drink, as well as smooth spirits and high quality.
