What is the best shot when buying a round for friends?

As an addition, always pair your whisk(e)y with a great toast to your friends, life, or wife!

Like many others have suggested, Whiskey is a great shot assuming your boys can handle it... which they should. But let's not forget about the always reliable tequilla shot... preferably silver, unchilled, no salt, with an optional lime for those who need one... and stay out of the well.

I always go with:

whisk(e)y
tequila
Starry Night (half jager/half goldschlager)

With the introduction of new "Barenjager" there is a new shot "Butter Bee Good":

Layer Irish Cream on top of Barenjager and Buttershots.

Depending on the proportions, you'll enjoy a delicious mix chocolate, butterscotch, and honey flavors. But be careful, Barenjager still packs the 35% alcohol punch of traditional Jagermeister!

Four Horsemen (shot): To truly put hair on your chest

Recipe- You will need Jack Daniels Whiskey, Jim Beam bourbon, Johnnie Walker Scotch Whiskey, and Jose Cuervo

Get ready to party after downing this bad boy.

The people I work with are big into trying to poison people with Four Horsemen for their birthdays. It's really not all that horrible though. Perhaps they just don't have as large a drinking problem as I.

Anyways, if you like the friends, people seem to like Surfer on Acid.

If not, a shot of Campari will usually gross out all but the most hardened italian.

Another vote for Whiskey, but I'd suggest "Maker's Mark"http://www.makersmark.com. Still American, but a lot smoother than Jack & Jim.

If it's that time in the evening when you're going to turn that corner and make it a bender, a chilled vodka shot or two will put everyone over the edge for good.

I think it has to do with the people, place, occasion and most of all the mood!...if it's few guys just hanging in a bar drinking beer I'd go with whiskey, probably Jameson or jack.... If its a night out with friends celebrating a Birthday or something similar I'd go with Tequila...cheers!

Everclear.

Flaming Lamborghini.

Extremely cool shot, very entertaining and strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY2pwNYaVHc

A round of Godfather shots always does the trick with me and my buddies, 3/4's of your choice of blended scotch (I'd take Ballantines, Black Grouse, Dewers) topped with Amaretto. Tastes great, warms you up and you're ready for another one straight away!

Jeremiah Weed. Its rugged and tastes like jet fuel. Need I say more?

Double Espresso Van Gogh vodka. 70 proof vodka with actual espresso in it. Tastes great and is highly caffeinated. Not too many people know about it, but everyone I've ever bought it ofr loved it.

www.vangoghmartinis.com/

Irish Car Bomb: Guinness stout, Bailey's Irish cream and Jameson Irish whiskey

Ketel One, shaken over ice, strained into shot glasses. Served with an olive. Classy, James Bond-ish, and very good.

I'm a fan of wild turkey 101 for occasions like this. It's pretty tasty, if a bit rough around the edges, and there is a good chance at least one person in your group can't handle it.

It's a shot, not a mixed drink, so stick with one type of liquor. I prefer tequila. A GOOD quality silver tequila is best for shots, never drink cheap tequila......ever......for anything! If the bartender asks if you want it chilled, say no, or they will shake it with ice creating a watered down mess. Salt and lime is up to the shooter.

If you don't like Tequila, a good whiskey will do.....nothing cheap though

I would have to say the best shot to share with friends or kick off the night would be a shot of chilled Patron Silver, no salt, no lime. Follow it up with your favorite bottled beer. If chilled properly it will not water it down.

I've purchased a lot of rounds for friends. Unfortunately, even with only male friends, I've found that it's hard to find one type of shot that everyone will enjoy (or event attempt to drink). I'm assuming most of that goes back to bad experiences with some types of liquor.

The best thing I have found that everyone will drink are shooters. Some have several types of liquor and additives that kill most of the taste of any specific spirits but make them vastly superior in potency than a simple shot. (That's the idea behind a shooter). They aren't huge drinks and generally can be taken quiet quickly. Also, if there happen to be ladies in the group they can indulge as well. At least as far as your wallet can support

Shooters tend to be regional (or go by different names in different geographies) so names can be misleading. However go with a Liquid Cocaine for the guys. Goldschlager, 151 proof rum, and Jagermeister. Just a couple of these and I wouldn't recommend driving for a couple of hours.

Being an ex-bartender I've seen all the crazy shots out there. Every guy has his personal favs. Mine, A Starry Night. Half Jager then float Goldschläger on top. Say goodnight.

As for a round with the buds, whiskey is good, but whiskey is an acquired shot just like it is a drink. Also it can make you cringe just as bad as tequila can if you get a crap whiskey to shoot. Unless you and your buds are looking to get messed up a shot that has at least 1 mixer will dilute the alcohol so you're don't look like Rene Zellweger after taking it. Kamikazes will never do you wrong, Washington apples good call, and Jager Bombs personal choice with friends. If you're pissed at a friend give him a cement mixer.

When with the guys, whiskey is my first choice, with Jack being a favorite of mine. But in a mixed group of friends i go for the LunchBox (4oz beer,1oz orange juice,1 shot Amaretto ) it's not strong and is extremely tasty.

It seems like all the right answers have been given, but I would stress that it depends on the group. You should know your friends and what they'll take. Bourbon and good tequila are nearly always perfect, but I have to say that the Lunchbox is my favorite. When drinking with folks who haven't seen one or had one before, you get the most awful looks, but once the shot is taken everyone is surprised by how good it tastes.

My recipe is half amaretto and half vodka in a shot dropped into about 3 ounces of beer (cheap draft) and 3 ounces orange juice. The vodka adds a little extra alcohol without changing the flavor, and the fact that you're "chugging" the drop-shot adds a little more manliness to make up for the fact that you're drinking Orange juice.

If you want to skip the process of drinking and bring everyone in the bar watching, try one of these:

The Wave

note: some bars consider the #drinks/pp illegal and will not serve this.

Surfer on acid (malibu/jaeger chilled)
Long Island Iced Tea
Irish Car Bomb (or any bomb if you don't like that)

To do it:

Take the shot.
Drink half the LIT through a straw.
Take the bomb.
Finish LIT.

This was invented at 1am on half price night at a bar, it is designed to do the job quick and painless. Everything in it actually sits very well together and it's by far one of the most pleasantly overwhelming drunks.

The record is 23.5 seconds. Cheers.

it depends on the group i'm buying for. a group of all girls or a mix of guys/girls i like tuaca? an italian liqueur or firefly vodka a sweet tea flavoured vodka. both the tuaca and firefly aren't very offensive, so it's good for a mixed crowd of guys and girls. if it's just guys though, usually rounds of whiskey

depends on what they can take, whiskey is always a good choice, other wise do something classy like jagermeister

Hennessy-- can't go wrong.

I prefer Jameson (or Powers if I can find it). If people cringe at the prospect of drinking whiskey, put a splash of Butterscotch Schnapps in there. It tastes like Maple Syrup. Even better follow that up with an orange slice or some OJ and you've got pancakes and OJ, delicious. Also try Crown Royal and Peach Schnapps. Also tasty, and you don't have to surrender your man-card while ordering Red Headed Sluts.

If you're into vodka, and can find it,
Russian Standard is smoother than any of the 'norms' i.e. Grey Goose, Absolut, Ketel One et al. A friend was introduced to it while on a business trip to Russia. He brought two bottles back to Anchorage and then we later discovered it locally. On a trip to Texas, I found it in Corpus Christi and also in Baton Rouge.
If you want to do it as the 'locals' did, on the Black Sea, do a shot and chase it with a pickle. Seriously... We tend to use Vlasic Snackemmms Kosher Dills

A Sicilian Kiss is always a good choice. Strong enough for a man yet good tasting enough for a woman. It's a mixed drink including amaretto and a whiskey. It takes a little kick out of the whiskey for the women but it's still a little strong for the guys.

The best shot is without a doubt Rumplemintz. I have yet to meet the person who does not like it. A nice high proof if you're looking to get loose and a peppermint blast guaranteed to freshen your breath. BEWARE: after a couple, you'll be buying them for everyone without recollection.

A different way to go that is still tasty, in sort of an herby way, is fernet branca. it's tasty and might even help with food breath.