It’s that time of year! Time to buy gifts for all of our loved ones, and maybe something special for ourselves (treat yo’ self!). As someone who typically buys a good bit of whiskey as gifts for friends, I figured that it might be useful to share my choices for this year for a couple different categories of gift-recipients.
Advertisment
Best Whiskey For Bringing As a Party Gift
If you’re heading to a holiday party and want to bring a small gift for the host, especially one where you don’t know their whiskey tastes, you’re going to want a good middle of the road bottle. A good craft whiskey that reflects well on your knowledge of things other than just Bulleit Bourbon and Jack Daniels but doesn’t break the bank.
You want Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey.
There’s great flavors here, but nothing too bold. In my opinion it hits all the right notes to appeal to pretty much any whiskey enjoying person. And, bonus, they likely won’t have it in their liquor cabinet already.
Best Whiskey For Serving in a Punch
You might think that this is an easy choice. “Just buy something dirt cheap!” But there’s a catch. If you’re just buying it for the alcohol content, why not just get a vodka? If you’re getting a whiskey, then you want something that adds the whiskey flavors, not just the alcohol content.
In this case what you’re going to want is a bottle of Evan Williams. It’s a solid bourbon that has some amazing flavors all while being dirt cheap. It might have made a good gift, as well… if the bottle didn’t scream “I found this on the bottom shelf of a liquor store behind some red Solo cups.”
Best Whiskey For Gifting Your Work Colleagues
For the Co-Worker You Like
Work colleagues can be a bit of a minefield. Especially with office politics, choosing just the right whiskey that says “I appreciate you shuffling my ticket to the top of the queue” without overtly hinting at the blatant bribery that’s happening is critical.
In this case you should probably look into a bottle of Old Forester 86 Proof. Delicious and smooth drinking in any format, while not being in such an ostentatious bottle that it will draw much attention it’s the perfect choice.
For the Co-Worker You Hate
So this co-worker threw you under the bus a few months back? Show them your, ahem, appreciation with a bottle of Jim Beam Red Stag. On the surface, it looks like a solid bottle of a well established bourbon brand, but what’s inside is (in my opinion) more disgusting than Fireball. There might be a better use for this spirit besides subtly trying to display your disdain for someone’s existence… but if there is, I haven’t found it yet.
Best Whiskey for a Whiskey Newbie
There are a few distilleries that I absolutely adore. One that has a particularly soft spot in my heart is Tuthilltown Spirits, and specifically for their Hudson Baby Bourbon.
The Baby Bourbon is the perfect bourbon for someone just getting into this area of distilled liquids. It’s absolutely delicious, smooth and rich with some amazing flavors. Plus it comes in a pretty rocking bottle!
Best Whiskey for a Whiskey Connoisseur
I’m going to be honest, I haven’t tried this one yet (hence the stock photo instead of my own). But I absolutely adore Lagavulin for their bold flavors in a traditional scotch whisky, and the Offerman edition seems to have struck the fancy of many a whisky drinker this holiday season. Probably not something that someone can justify buying for themselves, but if you get a bottle for them I get the feeling that they would be eternally grateful.
And there you have it. Gift options for (almost) every person on your list. Happy whiskey drinking this holiday season!
Advertisment