A great weekend house bar isn’t about breadth—it’s about precision. You want enough to make a Martini, a Negroni, a Margarita, and a proper Old-Fashioned. You want quality, not quantity. And you definitely don’t want to haul home half-full bottles on Sunday night. The 375ml bottle format solves all of this elegantly: it holds enough booze to make roughly eight to ten cocktails, travels well, and commits you to a curated selection rather than a sprawling one. Here’s the six-bottle kit we’d bring along to our next getaway.
Many of these bottles can be found in 375ml sizes at your local liquor store, or you could buy regular 750ml bottles and pour half into smaller bottles at home.
Everything fits in a bag. Everything gets finished. That’s the weekend bar.
Bourbon. A bottle of a high-proof bottling (we like Old Forester 100, Elijah Craig Small Batch, and Wild Turkey 101) covers classics like Old-Fashioneds and Boulevardiers as well as neat sipping pours.
Gin. Tanqueray or Beefeater gets you Martinis and G&Ts for days. Both are excellent at their price point and among the most versatile bottles in the category. Don’t overthink this one.
Blanco tequila. A properly made blanco (we like El Tesoro and Siembra Azul, among others) is one of the most food-friendly spirits you can pour, and the backbone of the weekend’s most crowd-pleasing drinks—Margaritas, Palomas, or sipped alongside a good meal.
Campari. A half-bottle unlocks three distinct drinks—Negroni, Americano, Spritz—plays with both your gin and your bourbon, and keeps indefinitely.
Sweet vermouth. A 375ml of Carpano Antica, Dolin Rouge, or Cocchi Vermouth di Torino lives in the refrigerator and transforms your bourbon and gin into Manhattans and Negronis. Unlike a full bottle that might sit open for weeks, the half-size gets used and doesn’t linger. Always refrigerate.
Dry vermouth. Same principle as above—smaller bottle, fresher wine. Dry vermouths like Dolin Blanc or Noilly Prat are essential for Martinis and useful as a low-proof aperitif over ice with a lemon twist.
The support crew. Beyond spirits and modifiers, bring a lemon, a lime, a small bottle of simple syrup, club soda, and a bottle of Angostura bitters (look for a mini at your liquor store). These fit in a tote bag, cost almost nothing, and unlock every drink on this list.
Everything fits in a bag. Everything gets finished. That’s the weekend bar.