Poll Results: Favorite Primary Spirit
Well, I left this poll up for a fairly long time. But I watched it closely and noticed that the results changed the longer I left the poll open. Initially whisky was in first place, not surprisingly at about 48% and rum and gin were number two and three respectively. But as the poll gathered votes, vodka started to make a rapid climb in the standings, from about 5% to the current 24% and whisky declined to 31%. So what does this tell us?
Because I left the poll open for a long time, the results indicate that the majority of my regular readers mix with everything but vodka, but the readers who drift here through search engines and links are vodka drinkers. I'm making the assumption that my regular readers read new posts with in the first few weeks of being published.
This result isn't surprising, and it is a good thing that vodka imbiber get a chance to check out Art of Drink and hopefully gain an appreciation for other spirits. Vodka has its place, but variety is what makes the planet fun.
The surprise result was that brandy garnered such a low vote. With drinks like the Sidecar and Brandy Alexander you'd think more people would mix with it. Maybe that is the next trend after rum.
One big omission / goof-up was that I forgot to add tequila to the list. How could I forget that?
Bitters came in dead last with barely 1% of the vote. It still has a long way to go before people are more accepting of this unique product.
Results
Whisky 31%
Brandy 4%
Rum 23%
Gin 9%
Vodka 24%
Bitters 1%
Sweet Liqueurs 4%
Other 5%
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6 Comments on Poll Results: Favorite Primary Spirit
Leave a comment on Poll Results: Favorite Primary Spirit
Vodka is on the rise and will continue on because of the numerous recipes for martinis and other drinks that require a base spirit of different flavors, vodka is that versatile liquor that has the variety of making up or manipulating flavored taste of drinks i.e. Grey Goose Pear with tonic and Kettle One Citron for Bloody Mary's and don't forget Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka for espresso martinis and many more concoctions to be made up, making it fun to prepare and adding excitement to the adventurous drinker requests.
Well I think when you set up the poll as "favorite primary spirit", bitters doesn't stand a chance. It's not really a primary spirit in any drink it's used in, one of the more common spirits is always going to be the primary, and bitters used for its particular dash of flavor.
It's one of a few spirits, like vermouth, that are often used in drinks but never on their own and almost never as the primary spirit in a drink. I'd be hard-pressed to find a drink where bitters even made up much more than 1% of a drink's content! It's low percentage in the poll isn't indicative of it's popularity or acceptance, just it's place in the spirits world. If it had garnered any more than 1% I'd be shocked.
Some people are really into bitters and you'd be surprised at the cocktails that have a significant bitter(s) content. Off the top of my head I'd say the Negroni is one. Also, in a recent cocktail competition, Angostura bitters being used in 1oz and 1/3oz quantities won the competition.
Bitters may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they can make a fine drink is balanced properly.
well by bitters i think he meant campari and amaros like that, not angostura.
As a point of reference, here are actual U.S. market share numbers for spirits by category per Adams Liquor Handbook 2007. Interesting comparison to your reader results, though the categories aren't necessary apples and apples,viz. "whisky". Purists would consider whisky to mean Scotch, and whiskey to mean not scotch.
Vodka 29.8%
Rum: 13.2%
Cordials and liqueurs: 11.8%
American Whiskey: 10.9%
Canadian Whiskey: 8.5%
Gin: 6.1%
Tequila: 6.0%
Brandy/Cognac:: 5.9%
Scotch Whisky: 4.9%
Prepared cocktails: 3.4%
Irish Whiskey: .09%
Interesting. The only thing about the whisky / whiskey debate is the Canadian content, where we use the Scottish spelling.