Awesome Whiskey Gifts

I look forward to putting together this post all year!  I LOVE conjuring up a little collection of my favorite whisky themed gifts to give to loved ones this holiday season.

Hope this can provide a little help – either to you as the giver, or perhaps as the receiver (just send your gift giver this link!).  And in no particular order, I present to you this year’s list of Whisky Gifts!

DECANTERS

You can go about this two different ways: new or old.  Here are some of my favorites!

Crate & Barrel Decanters

Crate & Barrel launched a nice line of decanters this year, ranging in price from $29.95 – $44.95.  I think these are pretty great for the home, office or home office!

Vintage Decanter found on Etsy (seller: SFKvintage)

Or you can go with something like this! – a vintage piece with unique accents.  Etsy has a lot of cool ones (tip: just search for “decanters,” if you look specifically for “whiskey decanters” you’ll see the prices sky rocket). This particular beauty (sold by SFKvintage) is only $40 and sure to be a sophisticated way to enjoy your favorite dram!

ADVENT CALENDAR

Every year (ok, let’s face it, every month!) the UK-based online store, Master of Malt, does something cool.  They somehow always seem to be one step ahead of everyone else.  And further more, they’re genuinely good people; kind, funny, open & honest…  Just the kind of people you want to support.  This year, they put together an Advent Calendar.  BRILLIANT!

Master of Malt’s Whisky Advent Calendar

But just in case that is not for you … er… I mean the person you’re shopping for (isn’t that you?), they also have this really cool “Home Blenders Kit” – I’d LOVE to get one of these from Santa!

Master of Malt’s Whisky Blending Kit

BOOKS

With one’s ever growing whisky library, one ought to keep up to date with the latest printed releases as well as the liquid kind.  This first one is a GREAT choice for any Whisky Geek (in case you’re not sure, I’ve taken the time to define such geek-dome in an earlier post).  Written by Corsair Artisan Disillery’s owner & master distiller, Darek Bell,  Alt Whiskeys is summed up as: Alternative Whiskeys and Techniques for the Adventurous Distiller … a copy of this just landed on my desk this week, thanks to Darek, and I can’t WAIT to snuggle up next to the fire with a great dram and get to reading!

Darek Bell’s Book available on Amazon.com

There is also Dominick Roskow’s The World’s Best Whiskies that’s been on my list for a while now.  I always love Dominick’s work – he has a lot of passion and knowledge about distilleries all over the world and he’s yet another wonderful whisky guy (starting to sense a theme here? What can I say?! I find it MUCH easier to support people who are intelligent, talented and humble … no egos for me, please!).

Dominic Roskow’s The World’s Best Whiskies available on Amazon.com

ART

Why not get that whisky lover in your life a beautiful piece of whisky-related art?  I love the quiet elegance of this Old Whisky Barrel print by Olivier Le Queinec.  Choose your print medium (metal, acrylic, canvas, framed, or even greeting card) and your size.  You can find something in any budget as prices range from $4.95 – $257.62 USD (with prints starting as low as $16).

Old Whisky Barrel print on Fine Art America.com’s site

WHISKY / WHISKEY

And lastly, a bottle of the good stuff!  It would be ridiculous for me not to suggest my own whisky but I also don’t like the idea of using this blog solely for shameless self promotion.  That said, I AM recommending Brenne Estate Cask as the whisky gift du jour for the following reasons:

Brenne appeals to just about everyone.  I have been (happily) surprised by the incredibly wide range of fans; from young male & female post-collage undergrads to established, middle-aged peat-freaks, to your typical wine-o’s, to your typical whisky-geeks and beyond.

Photo courtesy & (c) by Ken Buschner/Studio-2B.com

I have been shocked by the number of Islay Scotch drinking fans who have gravitated towards Brenne (which is on the complete opposite end of the taste spectrum – no smoke, no peat, all fruit).  Also, the number of non-whisky drinkers who have also picked up bottles for both their own consumption and as gifts.  The point is, this whisky is smooth, so easy to drink and has lots of vanilla and fruit notes that there is little about it that can offend someone while at the same time offering tons of complexity for people to enjoy.

You can easily buy this online at Park Ave Liquors HERE

So there is my plug – not because it’s mine but because I so wholly believe in it as the whisky you can share with everyone and not worry about turning anyone off to this great world of whiskies … on the contrary, you may make a few more fans!

Hope you are all having a wonderful time this season – don’t forget to stop and smell the spruce!