Alcohol Professor’s 2020 Holiday Gift Guide For Whisk(e)y Lovers
Discover the best gift for your favorite whiskey drinker this holiday season.
It’s that time of year again - time to try to figure out what to get for the whiskey lover who has everything. The simplest way to get them a unique bottle is to go to your local liquor store and ask if they have any private barrel selection. It’s a little more complex this year because of the pandemic, but this also means you can get really creative with gifts - things like cocktail kits and subscription boxes are going to be a big hit this holiday season. If you want to find something truly unique for the whiskey lover in your life, read on. (See last year’s gift guide here.)
Double Gold Winning Bottles
The New York International Spirits Competition is held every year. Of the bottles entered, only a few are distinguished with a Double Gold Medal.
Below are the American whiskey Double Gold Winners for 2020:
Photo courtesy of Uncle Nearest
10th Street American Whisky STR Single Malt - American Single Malt is a category that is growing in popularity, making this bottle one that can bridge the gap between a Scotch drinker and an American whiskey enthusiast.
Barrell Craft Spirits Barrell Dovetail - This highly-awarded release combines whiskeys finished in blackstrap molasses, port, toasted French Oak, and Dunn Cabernet casks.
Bulleit Rye - This rye whiskey is 95% rye and 5% malted barley with no additional flavoring grains like corn or wheat, making it a spicy base for your favorite rye whiskey cocktail.
Elijah Craig Bourbon - This is one of the most consistently high-rated bourbons on the market, making it a solid choice for any bourbon lover.
Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel - The Beam family has been in the whiskey business for 225 years, and you don’t stay in the same industry that long if you don’t know what you are doing. These are always great single barrels to snag at your local retailers when you find them.
Local Choice Boones Bourbon - This is a project by musician Tyler Boone, who also happens to have a talent for whiskey. The native of South Carolina had this bourbon made by South Carolina Distillery The Striped Pig.
Redemption Barrel Proof Bourbon and Redemption High Rye Bourbon - At 9 years old and 105.7 proof, the barrel proof bourbon is sure to please serious bourbon lovers, while the high rye bourbon is a great gift for those who want to make a spicy bourbon cocktail.
Rittenhouse Rye - This is a standard fixture at most bars as it makes for excellent rye whiskey cocktails and is also a great sipper.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey 1820 Single Barrel Whiskey - Named for the former enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey, this brand keeps raking in the accolades because of both the quality of their whiskey and the purpose of their mission.
Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve 10 Year Bourbon - Jimmy Russell and his son Eddie have been making whiskey for decades, and this is consistently one of the best ten-year-old bourbons on the market.
100 Seasons - Proof and Wood was founded by Dave Schmier, who also founded and later sold Redemption Whiskey. He has a keen eye, or palate, for exceptional whiskey, and this 25-year-old blended whiskey is sure to be no exception.
Books About Whiskey
These are a few of the fantastic books that have come out in 2020. Books make great gifts for the bourbon or American whiskey lover in your life because it allows them to expand their knowledge on a deeper level, and who doesn’t have a little extra reading time these days?
Whiskey Master Class - Lew Bryson has been covering whiskey for three decades, making this an authoritative resource for any whiskey lover’s library. This book covers how barrels work, the art and science of making whiskey, and many of the finer points of distillation explained in a way that is accessible to non-distillers. There are tasting notes and photos of your favorite distilleries up close and personal.
Which Fork Do I Use With My Bourbon? - Peggy Noe Stevens and Susan Reigler are powerhouses in the bourbon industry. Stevens was the first woman to become Master Taster in the bourbon industry, and Reigler has been writing about bourbon since before it was cool. Together they put together the ultimate guide for throwing bourbon parties, complete with recipes, table layouts, and more. (See my review of the book here.)
American Whiskey - Richard Thomas, Owner and Managing Editor of The Whiskey Reviewer, put together a beautifully illustrated book about the current landscape of American Whiskey. He covers marketing myths, major historical points in the American whiskey industry, definitions and processes for different categories of whiskey, and more. (See my full review of the book here.)
The Definitive Guide To Canadian Distilleries - Davin De Kergommeaux is the definitive expert on Canadian whisky. From his previous book, Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert, I learned that I had a lot wrong about Canadian whisky. In this book he partners with Blair Phillips to explore the surprisingly packed landscape of distilleries making everything from absinthe to whisky throughout Canada, broken up by region. (See my review of the book here.)
Photo courtesy of Maps International
Unique Whiskey Gifts
If the whiskey lover in your life already has all the bottles and books they can stuff into their house, it’s time to get creative.
Scratch Off Whiskey Distillery Map - It’s time to start planning your next whiskey getaway, and what better way to do that than to scratch off the places you’ve already been and plot your next course? This map doesn’t include every distillery in the USA, but it hits many of the major ones.
EAVES BLIND - What do you get for the whiskey lover who has everything? A blind tasting kit complete with a Zoom call with Master Distiller Marianne Eaves! This kit contains blind samples, water samples, and the coveted black Glencairn glass.
Art Eatables - This is hands down my favorite bourbon chocolatier! Art Eatables truffles are made by painstakingly matching the right cocoa with the specific whiskey going into it, so there are literally dozens of different combinations available. You can get everything from Taste of the Trail to truffles with your gift recipient’s favorite bourbon in them. This year they also released the solid chocolate Glencairn glass!
Texas Whiskey Trail Advent Calendar - The folks at the Texas Whiskey Trail sent me one of these and it’s so cute! If you have a whiskey lover in your life who’s had all the bourbon already, it might be time to introduce them to Texas whiskey.
This Might Be Bourbon Coffee Mug Gift Set - This set comes with a cheeky mug that totally gives away that you’re really drinking bourbon on that Zoom call, bourbon socks, and bourbon flavored coffee.
Waxed Canvas And Leather Whiskey Tote Bag - It’s time to start planning your post-COVID get-togethers, and if you’re like me it’s literally always your job to bring the cocktails. This tote will help you do it in style!
Cocktail Kits - There are tons of options here, many at your favorite local watering hole or bottle shop because of COVID restrictions this year. But you can also find subscription boxes and single delivery cocktail kits, like Shaker and Spoon or Liquor Lab. Here’s a story I recently did about home cocktail kits.
Vodka Sucks Face Mask - How else would you proudly proclaim your love of brown spirits to the world during a pandemic? Fred Minnick wants to be sure everyone knows that bourbon is in your heart.
Saved By The Box - One of the many parties in planning for next summer is a 90s-themed party based on Sam Slaughter's book Are You Afraid Of The Dark Rum (review here). This box really cuts down on the planning as it's full of trivia cards, party straws, slap bracelets, and more.
Tasting Mat Templates - When it’s safe to have friends over for a bourbon tasting again, you’ll want to have these tasting mat templates ready to print out. The mats come in different configurations complete with tasting wheels.