In terms of the most confidence I'd get a sound I'm happy with, trusting quality regardless of price, attractiveness, and not including small custom companies since they come & go faster than I can keep up, and disregarding store/distributor brands and other intentional beginner/stencil brands, in no particular order:
Would: Tama, Ludwig, Gretsch (I feel like Sonor should be in here also but I don't have enough experience with them; I did check out their site recently, and I wasn't drawn to anything, except the SuperDuperPriceyCustom top line option, and I don't have 10 grand)
Wouldn't: DW (those lugs), Mapex (funny since my current git kit is an '06 Mapex Pro-M and my rehearsal kit is '03 Pacific CX), Yamaha (blah finishes), Pearl (L-arm tom mounts bug me)
I think all these companies make great drums, in that, they'd all give me sounds I'd like without much fuss to get there; there's just other stuff that bugs me about those in the Wouldn't list. I'd have a Pearl kit and use some other mounting system. If DW would make those lugs that look like fancy dinner plate covers smaller, they'd move up. Same with Yammie if they'd snazz up the finishes some. Mapex have gotten too kooky with mounts & finishes.