Guys who like whiskey are constantly being flooded with novelty shot glasses and whiskey stones. The first are usually a little too kitschy to get a fully authentic reception, and the second have dubious results at best. You’re much better off staying away from the shot glasses and stones if you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone who loves whiskey and who already has the proper glassware for bourbon, Scotch, and whiskey tasting. Branch out. Find something the recipient might not already have. At the very least, they’ll appreciate the thought.
Shaker & Spoon Whiskey Box
One of the biggest downsides to properly stocking your home bar is how expensive it is to keep up — especially if you’re buying specialty ingredients that only go in one or two cocktails. A box from Shaker & Spoon is a good workaround. The company sends everything you need for a cocktail but the alcohol, and it’s all in the quantities you need for just a few cocktails. That keeps your cabinet and fridge clear of all the fruits, oils, bitters, and syrups you’d otherwise have stuffed in there while still allowing you to scratch that mixology itch.
Adventure Nesting Shot Glass Set
Flasks are right up there along with whiskey stones when it comes to the gifts that whiskey lovers tend to get far too often. Instead, go with something a little more civilized and hygienic that lets multiple people use the flask without everyone sucking from the same top. These easy to travel with shot glasses take up little space, are light, and fit perfectly in a bag next to the flask on the next group hike. There’s a carrying case too, so there’s no headache of having a bunch of loose cups rolling around your bag.
Beer Tasting Flight
There are some purpose built whiskey flight setups out there complete with crystal tumblers and a sleek tray, but this set built for beer is actually a great whiskey alternative. I like the old school industrial minimalism of this setup, and this one comes with a carrying handle so it can be taken on the go. If you can get over the heresy of putting whiskey in a tiny beer glass, this tray makes a great addition to any bar cart.
Stoneware Moonshine Jugs
I’m one of those whiskey drinkers who is deathly averse to finishing off a bottle. For a while, my liquor cabinet was an overflowing assortment of open bottles with only a mouthful or so swirling around the bottom. Obviously, this was inconvenient because I was still buying new bottles. The best advice I got for how to deal with it was to designate a forever bottle (also called an infinite bottle), which is a bottle where you pour that last ounce or two into one bottle and mix everything together for your own personal whiskey blend. These jugs are perfect for exactly that, with the added benefit that drinking out of them makes you feel like a cartoon hillbilly.
Craft Whisky Club
It’s easy to get stuck in a whiskey rut: You find a bottle or two that you really like and stick with them, getting dangerously close to choice paralysis at the sight of liquor store shelves full of different names and labels. Craft Whisky Club can make the decision for you. Members get a full bottle sent to their door every other month on the bimonthly subscription without having to spend 20 minutes in the liquor store scratching their head as to which distillery’s latest release to try.
Bourbon Nosing Kit
Having a kit like this means you can nose along with the tasting notes and get a much better sense of how people are finding flavors like cherry, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, or a dozen or so others. Those practice sessions will also give you a vocabulary for whiskey you pick up in the future. At the same time, it might give you a sense of people who are talking complete nonsense and trying to pump their whiskeys up with all kinds of fashionable and fancy but ultimately fictional tasting notes. It’s perfect for anyone looking to brush up on their scent identification before hosting a blind whiskey tasting.
Customizable Wood Journal
One of the better ways to expand your whiskey horizons is to take notes at a festival. There’s no other place that you’re going to have that kind of access, especially because, in my experience, the distilleries that go to those festivals usually bring some of their higher tier offerings. If you take notes as you work your way through, you’ll have a reference point when it comes time to actually drop some money on a bottle. Also, this journal’s cover is made of actual wood, which feels appropriate.
Wall Mounted Liquor Dispenser
Having good whiskey constantly accessible is a good thing for social events or your own nights in, and a dispenser takes this to another level. A lot of the other dispensers I’ve seen have been metal wire rack things that look more like something you’d use for magazines, not your favorite whiskeys. By contrast, this one’s as attractive as it is practical. It has two dispensers with adjustable holders for all your weird sized bottles, plus a little shelf for whatever tumblers and shot glasses that are kept on heavy rotation. It’s a great mix of form and function that would look great in pretty much every home bar.
