Repeal of Blue Laws, which prohibit alcohol sales on Sundays in many jurisdictions, and an increase in cable television advertising seem to have favorably impacted sales and helped increase buyer awareness of more upscale liquors.

Starting a bar at home is fairly easy. All it takes is the room to store it and the cash to pay for it.

Costs could be high if you select only top-shelf or premium liquors, so start slowly and build your selection over time, adding specialty liquors, mixers and liqueurs as you go.

Almost every type of liquor has a "mixing" brand and a "sipping" brand, with the exception of gin. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of the various types of liquors. Prices are determined by your location and taxes, so all are approximate. All prices are for 750-milliliter bottles, unless noted.

Bourbon: Jim Beam and Wild Turkey make good, moderately priced varieties.

Canadian: Canadian Club (under $20 for the 6-year-old variety) and Seagram's Crown Royal (about $25) for mixing with waters or carbonated beverages and Wiser's Very Old Whiskey (about $30) for sipping.

Gin: (Aromatics such as juniper berries impart flavor into this 80- to 90-proof beverage.) Bombay Sapphire (about $25) lists coriander, cassia bark and lemon peel among its aromatics. Small-batch gins are gaining in popularity for their crisp taste. One is Hendricks (about $30), which contains the essences of cucumber and rose petals. Beefeater's is a quality gin made in London that costs under $20.

Liqueurs: Orange-flavored, coffee-flavored and blackberry-flavored liqueurs ($15 and up) are good to have on hand for mixing specialty drinks, and a creme-flavored liqueur, including Bailey's Irish Creme (under $20), is also good for an after-dinner drink.

Rum: Whether you prefer the dark, molasses-based or the lighter, sugarcane-based version, rum is a bar necessity. The beverage goes well in sweet drinks including pina colada or daiquiri, and carbonated beverages such as mojitos or Cuba Libre and, if properly aged, sipped straight. Traditional rum is usually bottled and sold at 80 proof, but Bacardi makes a 151-proof version that sells for about $20.

Light rum is good for mixers and fruity drinks; Cruzan (under $15) from St. Croix is a great choice. For darker rums, Jamaica's Appleton Estate (under $20) is good.

Scotch: Chivas Regal ($28.99), Dewar's ($21.99) or Glenfiddich ($31.99) cover most bases.

Tequila: Tequila is made in Mexico from the fermented and distilled sap of the agave or century plant. The basic mixing choice is Cuervo Tequila, also called Mixto (under $20). A cottage industry of finer tequilas, some made from the blue agave plant, others aged or flavored, has elevated tequila drinking to a trendy affair. Brands such as Cabo Wabo (from former Van Halen lead singer Sammy Hagar) runs $40-$70 and top-of-the-line sipping tequilas such as Jose Cuervo Reserve can cost more than $100.

Vermouth: Every home bar should carry a bottle of vermouth, an aromatic white wine steeped with herbs, plants, roots, leaves, peels, seeds and flowers. Martini and Rossi is a fine selection at under $10.

Vodka: Generally made from corn, wheat or potatoes and distilled to 80 to 100 proof. It's good to keep a couple of bottles on hand, as vodka is a favorite for mixers and martinis. Affordable (under $20) choices abound for brands including for Smirnoff and Absolut. If you are planning to make martinis or serve the beverage as an aperitif, better quality vodka, such as Chopin (about $30) is preferable.

Whiskey: Whiskeys are produced in the United States, Ireland, Canada and Scotland. Bourbon, Scotch and rye are types of whiskey. Each is distilled using different ingredients (corn mash, rye, malt, barely or blends), and each has a distinct flavor and color characteristic.