We’ve covered a few gift ideas so far. Here are our Top 5 whisky gifts for 2019:
Whether you have a special occasion coming up or you’re getting a head start on holiday shopping (no judgement), we like to help. “What’s a good gift idea for a whisky lover?” is a question that gets asked a lot. So we put together a list of what we think are the best gifts for the whisky lover in your life.
5. A decanter
Remember Mad Men? Sure, Don Draper made some bad life choices, but he was the king of cool when he poured himself a glass from a decanter before staring out at the New York skyline. Whisky doesn’t evolve like wine does when it’s decanted, but an amber-coloured dram looks mighty fine displayed on a home bar or cart. Just avoid leaded crystal for long-term storage.
4. Glasses
Picture this: you’ve discovered the best-tasting whisky with the silkiest mouth feel, but you have to drink it out of a decades-old, dishwasher-scratched glass. What you see affects how you taste. From tumblers and snifters, or even a custom tasting flight, nothing says luxury like a crystal-clear, elegantly shaped glass that nails the presentation and provides a better tasting experience.
3. Whisky flavoured… everything
Toothpicks, coffee beans, maple syrup, mustard, even hot sauce – whisky-flavoured products and whisky-infused foods are easy to bundle together as a gift. If you think it’s a bit too much, consider a basket of foods that pair well, like dark chocolate, fruits and cheese (a stronger cheese for a smoky whisky, a softer cheese for a sweeter one).
2. Bitters
Fancy a hint of cucumber in your mint julep? Some spiced cocoa or citrus zing in your old fashioned? One of the big trends is the renewed interest in bitters. Just a few drops of these concentrated concoctions can work wonders in many whisky cocktails – check out local distillers for some unique handcrafted blends.
And finally…
1. An oak aging barrel
Yes, we do love our barrels. But this isn’t about us – it’s about the whisky lover and the flavours they prefer. Whisky is one of those spirits that people have strong opinions about what they like (or at least, what they don’t like), which makes it tough to pick out a bottle of whisky to give as a gift.
But with an aging barrel, they can take any store-bought spirit and turn it into a custom one. Want to smooth out the edge? Barrel-age it until it tastes just right. Want a bold smoky taste? Leave it in the barrel longer.
You’re giving them control over what their drink will taste like. And for whisky lovers, there’s really no better gift than the perfect drink.
Cheers!
