We love drinking in a bar as much as the next person, but there鈥檚 something to be said for making yourself a cocktail in the comfort of your own home while sitting in front of a roaring fire.听So听we鈥檝e rounded up the essentials you鈥檒l need to either start your own home bar听or elevate your existing bar to a transcendent level.
RBT by Rabbit Cocktail Shaker ($50)
Three-piece cobbler shakers (a tin, strainer,听and lid) eliminate a lot of the guesswork and potential mistakes that beginners often make while trying to use the more cumbersome Boston shakers. You can find cheaper shakers than the , but this one actually looks good on your bar cart, and it has a removable reamer attachment so you can juice fresh fruit directly into the tin.
Viski Jigger and Bar Spoon ($19 and $14)
Viski makes every possible thing you could need to stock a home bar, but these 听are our favorites of the lot. Aesthetically, they鈥檙e gorgeous:听a mix of earthy and modern, thanks to a combination听of polished teak and stainless steel. They鈥檙e also practical:听you鈥檒l need both tools for 75 percent of the cocktails you make at home.
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Whiskey Peaks Mountain Glasses ($30 for two)
Class up any situation with , which听feature tiny versions of the world鈥檚 most iconic mountains on the bottom of each. We dig the , but the 听has听its听own charm听as well.
Yarai Mixing Glass ($33)
Shakers are fun and will make you feel like Tom Cruise in Cocktail, but the majority of your drinks will actually be stirred in a mixing glass. These also come in handy if you鈥檙e making more than one drink at a time. 听has become the industry standard because it鈥檚 pretty, durable, and dishwasher safe. Add ice, the cocktail ingredients, and use that Viski bar spoon to stir.
W&P Bartender鈥檚 Knife ($35)
You鈥檇 be surprised how often you need to slice something while making a drink. The straightforward, multipurpose stainless-steel blade on 听makes short work of the ubiquitous orange- and lemon-peel garnishes you鈥檒l need. We听like the heft of the handle and that it comes with a sharpening stone.
High Camp Firelight Flask ($99)
takes a double-wall shaker and flask and听adds a leakproof lid听and two magnetic tumblers, so you can take your cocktail game into the backcountry with style. Mix a batch of drinks at home, throw the kit into your backpack, and enjoy a beverage on a ski lift.