Whisky drinkers are passionate people and this is doubly true for bourbon lovers. After all, bourbon is sweet, smooth, and strong, with plenty of nuances. It’s a spirit that people keep coming back to. So, what are the best gifts for bourbon lovers?
The answer depends a bit on who we’re talking about. Do they already have whiskey glasses and a decanter at home? Do they prefer refined gifts or quirky ones? How do they drink their bourbon? Thankfully, there are plenty of options, so you’re certain to find one that works well.
Before we begin with the list, do you want to know the single best gift for a bourbon lover? More bourbon. You could choose a bottle of bourbon yourself, perhaps one of their favorites, but that’s a little boring. Besides, with so many products to choose from, it’s easy to make the wrong choice.
Bourbon of the month clubs are much better. These curated clubs ship out bourbon to you every month. Most focus on full bottles of bourbon, giving recipients the chance to try different types of bourbon. The shipments even include some unusual bourbons that aren’t often seen on store shelves.
There’s also Flaviar, which is a whiskey club for the true experimenter. This one sends out samples of whiskey rather than full bottles and provides plenty of educational content. It’s the single best way to try expensive and unusual bourbon without buying a full bottle at a time.
P.S. If the recipient has an interest in DIY, they might like a used whiskey barrel that they can use for their own projects.
Gifts For Any Bourbon Lover
Whiskey Stones
Modern whiskey stones first became a thing back in 2007. However, the idea has a much longer history, as Scottish people have long used river stones to cool their whiskey.
These days, whiskey stones come in a variety of styles. Some actually are actually made from stone, with nonporous soapstone being the most popular choice.
Stainless steel whiskey stones are popular too. These typically have a gel in the middle that freezes. The gel keeps the stones colder for longer than stone based products. There are also different sizes and styles, including colored whiskey stones and ones that are round rather than square.
Regardless of the style, whiskey stones are designed to keep your whiskey cold without diluting it. They’re excellent for bourbon connoisseurs who don’t want anything interfering with the taste of their whiskey.
Orange Twists In Syrup
Collins has a fun product that consists of ready made orange twists in syrup. These twists are perfect as cocktail garnishes, particularly for an old fashioned cocktail.
They’re also excellent gifts because orange twists can be a bit frustrating to make. There’s an art to getting a long enough piece of orange peel to look good in the glass. Plus, you might not always have fresh citrus fruit at home.
Skipping the twist would be a shame, as it adds flavor and makes the cocktail stand out. So, why not buy some orange twists that will last and are ready to go?
Whiskey Glasses
The right whiskey glass makes a huge difference and there’s no end of styles to choose from. Rocks glasses are a common choice for bourbon, particularly for people who regularly have it on the rocks. A high quality glass often feels solid and has a decent weight to it, which makes the drink even more enjoyable.
You can also find double walled rocks glasses. The second wall on these glasses is excellent, as it reduces condensation, making the glass look much better.
There are also more elegantly shaped whiskey glasses, including the Glencairn glasses. These have a tapered design that traps the aroma and improves the tasting experience.
To make the glass even more special, why not look for engraved products? Some companies even allow you to choose your own engraving, making your gift truly unique.
Decanters
We can’t forget about decanters either. These are beautiful ways to store and display bourbon. Most decanters don’t actually help the whiskey in any way, as they don’t have an airtight seal. That’s not really a problem though, as they still make excellent gifts.
There are tons of stylish decanters out there too, including sets that give you whiskey glasses that match the decanter. Some of these just provide two glasses. Others offer a set of four or even more.
A Bourbon Book
Cocktails are a fantastic way to enjoy bourbon, so why not help a bourbon lover along with a cocktail book? There are huge ones that feature every possible type of cocktail, along with smaller ones that only talk about bourbon cocktails.
For example, the Big Book of Bourbon Cocktails features 100 bourbon cocktail recipes. Some of these are classics, while others are creative modern inventions. The book also provides plenty of information about bourbon’s history and how it’s made.
There’s also The Bourbon Bible. This has a strong information focus, offering details about 140 bourbons, including their flavor profiles and how they can be best enjoyed. There’s plenty else for bourbon lovers at the same time, including 20 cocktail recipes and things to look for when buying bourbon.
Those are just two examples. There are plenty of other amazing bourbon books out there. You could even pair a book with a bottle of bourbon to create an elegant gift.
A Bourbon Tasting Kit
Even dyed-in-the-wool bourbon lovers can get confused by all the bourbon terminology. Trying to understand the differences between bourbons and all the flavor nuances makes things even more complicated.
Tasting kits aim to help by providing detailed directions, tasting notes, and other information. Many even provide a selection of whiskies to make the differences easy to understand.
For example, this Bourbon Home Party Kit is designed as a four-person activity. It provides bourbon, journals, tasting mats, a video, and more. The kit really is a perfect introduction to the world of bourbon. Or, for those just interested in the bourbon, The Spirit Co. has a five-item Bourbon Tasting Set that includes a few rare bourbons.
Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer
The old fashioned is one of the most famous whiskey cocktails. It’s also a perfect way to enjoy bourbon, as you’re only adding a little sugar, bitters, and an orange twist. So, the flavors of the whiskey still stand out.
While the cocktail is simple, some bourbon lovers won’t have the ingredients on hand. Others mightn’t want to go to the effort. This cocktail mixer makes things simple. It just needs to be combined with whiskey to create an instant old fashioned cocktail.
Ice Ball Molds
Whiskey stones are all well and good, but not everyone likes the style. Sometimes you want actual ice in your drink.
These ice ball molds are the perfect way to do so. You get a large ball of ice that will cool your drink with minimal dilution. The molds often come in trays of four or six, so multiple drinks can be served at a time.
Because there’s a learning curve involved, it might be worth buying a few molds for yourself to practice with. This way you know exactly how they work and can teach the gift recipient how to use them.
Bourbon Advent Calendar
Advent calendars aren’t just for kids. There are plenty of adult-themed ones, including a few that focus on bourbon and other American whiskies. The Spirit Co. has one such product, where you get 24 tiny 30ml bottles of whiskey (enough to get you all the way up to Christmas eve).
You could even get creative and make your own using small bottles and a few types of bourbon. It doesn’t even technically need to be a Christmas countdown. Why not create a version that counts down to a birthday, an anniversary, or a trip away?
Whiskey Gift Baskets
Individual gifts are one thing, but what if you want to go all out? Gift baskets can be perfect, allowing you to combine many different things. You could even play on a theme, like a griller’s whiskey box or one that focuses on booze and snacks.
Most of the items featured on this list would make excellent additions to the gift. You could include items that aren’t related to whiskey as well, like chocolate or even a cigar.
If you’re stuck for ideas, check out the selection at BroBasket. That company is exceptional at building alcohol-themed gift baskets in every style imaginable. Some of their baskets just feature bourbon, while others include multiple types of alcohol.
Oak Infusion Spiral
Barrel aging imparts a rich smoky flavor to bourbon. The flavor increases with aging time. Unfortunately, price tends to increase with the bourbon age as well and we can’t all afford expensive bottles of whiskey.
Oak infusion spirals are a way around the problem. The spiral is designed to fit into the neck of a 750ml bourbon bottle, adding that much-desired richness. You’re meant to wait roughly two weeks for the flavors to fully infuse, but not everyone is patient enough for that.
Bourbon Soap
Bourbon soap is a surprisingly common idea. Many companies now produce such products, which often include scents like oak wood, spices, cedar, and vanilla.
Some products actually use bourbon in the recipe, while others use a combination of ingredients to mimic the scent of bourbon. The soaps tend to have a masculine focus too, which could be perfect for the men in your life.
Soap isn’t your only option either. Plenty of other body products follow a similar theme, including body wash, shampoo, aftershave, and more. Honestly, you could create an entire bourbon-flavored bathroom kit without much effort at all.
Bourbon Coffee
This coffee is fascinating, even though it doesn’t actually contain bourbon. Instead, the raw coffee beans are aged in barrels used for bourbon. This infuses them with a distinct bourbon smokiness.
The coffee is only sold as whole beans, so the recipient will need a way to grind it at home. This isn’t a bad thing though, as freshly ground beans always taste better anyway.
The recipient could even take things one step further and add a shot of bourbon to their brewed coffee.
A Novelty Hip Flask
Bourbon drinkers aren’t always sipping the spirit slowly out of a glass. Sometimes they’re using a hip flask instead, especially if they’re trying to be a bit discreet.
Hip flasks themselves are incredibly common, so you’ll need to think outside the box if you want to get them something exceptional. There’s no shortage of styles out there, including leather flasks and custom engraved ones.
That’s not even counting all of the strange flasks out there, like a glazed donut hip flask, one shaped like a pickle, gamer-inspired flasks and many many more. The best approach is to look for what suits the gift recipient. What are their passions? Their hobbies? What matches their aesthetic?
Bourbon Ingredients
Bourbon can be used in cooking anyway, so why not include some bourbon-themed ingredients? Bourbon smoked sea salt is an exceptional choice, as most recipes use at least a little salt.
There’s even a company called Bourbon Barrel Foods that focuses on ways that you can eat your bourbon. They have some exciting products, including sauces, biscuit mix, and jam.
A Bourbon Cookbook
We talked about bourbon books earlier, but what about one that specifically focuses on cooking with bourbon? We’re not just talking about throwing bourbon into random recipes either.
Instead, the right cookbook will focus on recipes that allow the flavor of your bourbon to shine. Such books should also tell you the best types of whiskey to use for different recipes. There will probably be some bourbon cocktails included as well.
Special Coasters
Coasters can be more than just a way to protect the table. The right coasters can be interesting and exciting. They’d be particularly good if you included a set of glasses as part of the same gift.
The best type of coaster would depend on the recipient. Perhaps they would like something elegant. Or colorful? Or geeky? Etsy is the perfect place to turn if you want coasters that stand out. Creators offer every style under the sun on that site.
A Bottle Of Bourbon
If all else fails, try getting them a bottle of bourbon. Even if they buy bourbon for themselves regularly, they’re going to run out sooner or later.
It’s best to put some thought into it though. Rather than just buying a random bottle, try doing a little research. What types of bourbon do they currently enjoy? You might be able to find something similar but different by looking online or asking a local expert. This way, the whiskey lover gets something exciting rather than more of the same.
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