I’d say essentials include gin, vodka, rum, tequila, whisky, fruit liqueurs, triple sec, fresh juices, salt, pepper, sodas, sugar syrup, lemon and lime.

The corkscrew is your first necessity. You need an ice bucket with tongs or a scoop so that you have an insulated container to preserve the ice. A bar spoon is required for both measuring and stirring. It’s not quite the same as having a cocktail shaker for certain drinks, but it gets the job done. Make sure you get one with a long handle for use in tall glasses. Bar towels should be on hand for spills that are bound to happen, and coasters will help protect your furniture from potential damage. Finally, an extensive array of glasses and stemware should be available, as presentation is very important when making mixed drinks.

Unlike some wines, distilled spirits do not mature in the bottle. This means that your 20 year old, unopened bottle of 18-year Scotch will taste the same as it would have the first day it was bottled. The shelf lives of liqueurs are more temperamental than the base spirits because they contain sugar and other ingredients which can spoil. Most opened (and well-sealed) liqueurs should last for months and even years depending on their alcohol content and preservatives. Cream liqueurs on the other hand, should be discarded after 18 months or so.

Presentation is very important when making mixed drinks, so using the proper glass is a must. It enhances the drink. There are many different varieties of glassware in a number of sizes and shapes. The shape affects the way you are “hit” with the aromas or how the temperature or carbonation/fizz is retained. If you have a wide diversity of glasses, you will be well prepared for every mixed drink and occasion.

Cocktail recipes are usually very simple. The order of pouring ingredients changes with the method of mixing. When it’s “shaken”, all the ingredients are filled in first, followed by ice, and the combination is then shaken. If you’re “layering”, usually you fill in the ingredient with the heaviest density followed by lighter ingredients in the colour sequence of your desire. Layered cocktails are a really great idea for theme parties.

Stir cocktails that use distilled spirits or very light mixers only. Stirring is a more gentle technique for mixing cocktails and is used to delicately combine the drinks with a perfect amount of dilution. Many gin and whisky cocktails are stirred because shaking is said to “bruise” the spirit. When shaking a drink you are achieving four distinct goals of cocktail making – mixing the liquids into a consistent blend, diluting water into the drink from the ice, aerating the drink by “beating” fine bubbles into the liquid and chilling the drink. A shake should be firm and fast.

Assemble a rum of your choice, sugar, club soda, ice, a lime wedge and fresh mint. You will also need a muddler, a Collins glass, and a measuring glass. First, place a lime wedge, a pinch of mint, a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of soda at the bottom of your Collins glass. Use your muddler to gently crush the items and then fill your glass with ice. Measure1 ounce of rum and pour it into your glass at the same time as the club soda. Fill your glass to the top and mix ingredients slightly. Garnish with a lime and mint sprig.