Jonathan Wilson – Enjoy the Bourbon

It's a common dilemma: your dad or husband loves bourbon and they have a birthday coming up or Father's Day is approaching soon. You want to get them the perfect gift, but you have no idea what they want. You just know they love bourbon. But what do you get a man who has everything? Don't panic! We have the answer. So what is the perfect gift for the bourbon whiskey loving man in your life? The best gift for your bourbon-loving Dad is good bourbon of course. Bourbon lovers like to sample new bourbons they haven't tried before. They also love a brand new bottle of their favorite bourbon. The best gift is a combo of bourbon and other bourbon accessories or experiences. So what kind of bourbon, accessories, and experiences should you get? As a dad to two awesome kids and a happily married man of 15 years, I have outlined several options below that I would love to receive from my family. I have included options for all budgets and explained them in a way that even non-bourbon-lovers can understand. You do not have to be a bourbon expert to impress the bourbon lover in your life. I can personally attest these are things I have bought or I would love to get. The Best Gift? Good Bourbon of Course As long as it is stored properly, meaning kept out of the sun and extreme temperatures, bourbon has an indefinite shelf life. Some people may worry that if they get their dad a bourbon he already has, he will not like it or it will go bad. This is not true. For example, I currently have three bottles of unopened Weller Special Reserve in my liquor cabinet and I would be thrilled to receive another...and another...you get the idea. Dad Enjoying His Extra Bourbon If you are new to bourbon and want to drink with your dad, which I promise you would be the best gift ever: bonding time and bourbon, we wrote an article First Time Drinking Bourbon. Here’s What You Need to Know. This article is about the bourbons you should try to start figuring out what type of bourbon flavors you like. Why Dad Will Love ItBourbon lovers like to drink, so they will definitely appreciate the extra stock even if it is a bourbon they already have. Also, us bourbon lovers feel a sense of pride when we see our bounty all lined up, strong and healthy. No one is happy to see their supply dwindling. If you can help dad or hubby stock their reserve, you will give them the gift of joy. Where to Buy & Cost Not sure what bourbon to get dad? Here are a few bourbons you can find at your local liquor store; they are not rare, which means they'll almost always be in stock. I have tried all of these fine liquors and they have a universal appeal to all bourbon aficionados. If you don't want the hassle of going to the liquor store, you can find them on an alcohol-delivery service called Drizly. I put the links below for each bourbon on Drizly. The service is available in most major cities. What is wonderful about Drizly is that you can have your bourbon delivered to your door in an hour or less and not have to leave your couch. BourbonPriceEvan Williams Bourbon (Available on Drizly)$15Wild Turkey 101 (Available on Drizly)$25Makers Mark (Available on Drizly)$30Michters Small Batch Bourbon (Available on Drizly)$45-$50Wild Turkey Rare Breed (Available on Drizly)$45Makers Mark 46 (Available on Drizly)$35-$40Old Forester 1920 (Available on Drizly)$50-$60Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (Available on Drizly)$50 -$60 But buying him just one bottle may not be the route you want to take. Really want to wow your dad or husband? Want to make sure your bourbon lover is truly impressed? Keep reading! Flaviar Bourbon Whiskey Club Membership Give dad the bourbon gift that keeps on giving. Take the guesswork out of getting him the perfect bourbon and get the Flaviar membership for him. Flaviar is a membership program that provides bourbon samples tailored to the club member's desired taste profile. With the membership, you get a new bottle of bourbon of your choosing every quarter and a tasting kit that helps to educate you on the different flavors so you can identify the types of bourbon that you prefer. This membership includes a sampling of bourbon whiskey delivered to dad's door. It also has online tools to help with tracking his collection and to help him learn more about the bourbons he may like. Why Dad Will Love ItDad will get bourbon samples sent to his front door. He won't have to get dressed; he won't have to start the car; he won't have to stand in line with the masses in the hopes of scoring a new bourbon. He will get customized recommendations of what to buy based on his taste profiles. If he doesn't know his taste profiles, this membership will help him to learn more about what bourbon flavors he likes. It will give him an excuse to talk with you about something that he loves, which is really what he wants from you anyway. Where to Buy & Cost Half-Year Membership $190Full-Year Membership $300Click here to go to the Flaviar website to sign dad up for a half-year or full-year membership. Bourbon Socks As a dad or a husband, you pretty much expect to get socks as a present at some point. Instead of boring white or black socks, get him something unique. What is better than warm, comfy socks that show the world you are a true bourbon lover? Why Dad Will Love ItYour dad has been holding out to buy socks because he is waiting to get them as a gift. He will be shocked to get socks that he will actually like. When he kicks his feet up in the recliner with a smooth glass of bourbon, he will be loving life. Where to Buy & Cost $12 per pair. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Venero London Crystal Lowball Glasses If dad is drinking his bourbon out of some cheap thin glasses, he is going to love these glasses. We strongly recommend the Venero London crystal glasses. I purchased these glasses and I love them. What I love about these glasses is the thickness. They feel solid and manly. They have a great design contour as if the glass was actually twisted, but they have a solid square base. They will not teeter. They will not wobble. These are the bourbon man's fancy glass. These lowball glasses are perfect for drinking straight bourbon and also for mixed bourbon drinks like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Bourbon lovers who like mixed drinks want a thick glass that they can fit ice spheres into (discussed later in this article). I have had other glasses that feel like they are going to crack when you put ice in them. Why Dad Will Love ItEvery time dad pours his bourbon into this glass, he will think of you. It's a glass he can use for any occasion. And because they come in a set of four, you'll be able to cheers each other in style while you share some bourbon together. Where to Buy & Cost $32 for a set of four glasses. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Hydro Flask for Outdoor Bourbon When you are in the outdoors going camping, hunting, or fishing, there is no better time to break out the bourbon to enjoy. You don't want to bring your fine bourbon whiskey crystal out in the wilderness to only have the glass shattered everywhere. That is where the magic of the HydroFlask comes in. This HydroFlask is a portable container that is specifically designed to be used for whiskey. The HydroFlask feels like a whiskey glass. It has a stainless steel interior and a honeycomb design that keeps the temperature inside consistent. I have used the HydroFlask myself in my hot tub where I want to enjoy bourbon but don't want the risk of using fragile glassware. Why Dad Will Love ItIt feels great and does not affect the taste of his bourbon. If he likes bourbon with ice, it will keep the ice cold for a long time. The plus side to this flask is that it can also be used for coffee or other beverages while out in the wilderness. Where to Buy & Cost $29.99 for a set of two HyrdroFlask containers. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds There is nothing cooler than a big sphere of ice in your bourbon glass. Literally and figuratively. The advantage of the ice sphere is that it slowly melts into your bourbon. You might be asking, why not just use regular ice cubes from the refrigerator? The regular ice cubes from your fridge will melt faster because of the surface area in the drink glass. The large ice sphere melts slowly, which gives enough water to keep the bourbon cold and to open up the flavor of the bourbon. Some bourbons really taste better with a little bit of water to open up the hidden flavors. The molds are easy to use. They have a fill line for when you add your water and then you just cap them with their rubber top to make a sphere. I also like that they are small enough that you can move them around in the freezer to where you have available space; other brands are bigger and take up more valuable space in the freezer. Why Dad Will Love ItThe ice spheres look cool and will help make his bourbon taste better. This item is paired great with the Venero Lowball glasses or the HydroFlask, as these large ice spheres will fit in both containers. Where to Buy & Cost $9.99 currently for a set of two Tovolo Sphere Ice Molds. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) GlenCairn Whiskey Tasting Glasses GlenCairn glasses are designed specifically for tasting whiskey. The unique shape of the glass, with the more narrow opening at the top, allows the flavors and aromas to come through so you can smell them. Bourbon drinkers like to smell what is called the nose before they actually drink their bourbon. This glass is perfect for tasting because you can get that full smell. The glass also is shaped so you can see the color of the bourbon and swirl it easily to open up the flavors. Why Dad Will Love ItIn addition to being beautiful glasses, he will love this because it will help him to open up the flavor of the bourbon and enjoy it properly. Where to Buy & Cost $32.95 for set of Two GlenCairn Glasses in Beautiful Gift Box. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon)$42.95 for set of Four GlenCairn Glasses in Beautiful Gift Box. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Bartender Set to Make Bourbon Cocktails I really like this 14-piece set from "A Bar Above" because it is an all-in-one kit that gives you everything you need to be making great bourbon whiskey cocktails. The company that makes this set was actually started by a bartender and his wife who wanted better tools to make great cocktails. The bar set is solidly made with professional-grade steel; there is no cheap plastic or other low-quality materials. Why Dad Will Love ItThere is nothing more manly than being able to say like James Bond, "I want that shaken, not stirred." With his own bartender set, he can make drinks for everyone and tell them that you got him this wonderful kit when they ask. Where to Buy & Cost $99.99 for A Bar Above Home Set. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) $78.77 for the Traveling Bar Set. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) A Set of Bitters for Making Bourbon Cocktails If you don't know what bitters are, don't worry. I know they have kind of a strange name, but they are a key ingredient that you add to bourbon cocktails to add different flavor profiles. An Old Fashioned and a Manhattan are the most common bourbon cocktails, but this set of bitters will give you a variety of tastes and flavors to add to your cocktail. This set of 4 from Woodford Reserve has aromatic, spiced cherry, chocolate, and orange bitters. This will give him an arsenal of bitters to add to his cocktail mixes. Why Dad Will Love ItHe will appreciate the different flavors and will be able to experiment with flavors in his cocktails. And if your dad or husband likes to entertain, being able to offer a variety of bitters to his guests will make his day. One of the great joys for bourbon lovers is the ability to truly enjoy your drink; experimenting with different flavors is a big part of that. Where to Buy & Cost $44.99 for a set of 4 Woodford Reserve Bitters. Available on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last Pappyland is the story of Julian aka Pappy Van Winkle, the most well known man in the bourbon business. Pappy Van Winkle is one of the most expensive and most coveted bourbons. This book tells the story of how the greatest whiskey in the world was created. Why Dad Will Love ItBourbon isn't just a drink: it's a way of life. Many bourbon lovers like to immerse themselves in the history. If your dad likes to read, this would be a great choice. There's nothing better than chatting about the history of bourbon over a nice glass of bourbon. Where to Buy & Cost $23 on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Take Dad on a Bourbon Trail Trip and Go on a Distillery Tour There are so many great distilleries in Kentucky to visit. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, aptly named for the roughly 18 distilleries in a 100-mile radius, is a grouping of bourbon distilleries that provide tours and tastings. To go to all of the distilleries and fully enjoy it, you will need 5-7 days around the Kentucky area. You can let your budget be your guide. If you don't like bourbon, you can be the designated driver, which is a gift in and of itself. But if you want to try bourbon with your dad, there are many distillery tour services and custom tour services so you don't have to go along with a group, allowing you to experience the bourbon trail at your own pace. Why Dad Will Love ItAgain, this gift combines bonding and bourbon: two things your dad or husband will enjoy. This gift will allow him to try new bourbons, learn a bit of history about his favorite drink, and have a vacation where he is the star. Where to Buy & CostCan vary from free to thousands of dollars, depending on travel and how first class you want to go. As we say in my family, "let your checkbook be your guide." For more information on scheduling a tour or for planning your trip, check out the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Website. A Bourbon Barrel for the Man Cave How cool would it be to have your own bourbon barrel in your man cave to showcase your love of bourbon? Each barrel comes with a story of what distillery it came from that you can share with bourbon lover. Why Dad Will Love ItIf your dad or husband has a basement bar or garage, he is going to love this. It could be used as a table and is a great conversation piece. Where to Buy & Cost $229 on Amazon (click to see current price on Amazon) Need even more ideas? If you need more information on bourbons before making your final decision, check out our review videos on Enjoy the Bourbon. You can also check out some of our favorite gear on our Recommended Gear page. Above all else, remember that the whole point of bourbon is to enjoy it. Give the gift of joy for the next big occasion and always enjoy the bourbon!