Are you looking for an extra special gift for the drink enthusiasts in your life? Gift-giving can be difficult but we are making it easier for you with our Holiday Gift Guide. This year, our guide includes whiskey, wine and cigars, including some very hard-to-find (but still available) bottles while they last. Every listing has a link where you can shop directly with the brand. Happy Holidays!
Hooten Young & Jack Carr Warrior Proof American Whiskey
The team at Hooten Young still has some bottles left of this incredible 16 year limited bottle of whiskey. Hooten Young is a proud American company that partnered with #1 New York Times bestselling author, retired Navy SEAL, and creator of The Terminal List series, Jack Carr. Together they produced a whiskey that is the perfect sipper for both friends, veterans and active military members alike.
At 125 proof and a mashbill of Corn (99%) and Barley (1%), this bottle is on the sweeter side, but well rounded by flavors and aromas of apple pie, buttery flaky crust, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla. Smooth and sweet in every drop. We tasted this one neat, but it is versatile enough to show you what is has with a single ice cube as well.
Hooten Young & Jack Carr Cigar
For those who love a quality cigar with their whiskey, you can't pass up the Hooten Young & Jack Carr Cigar packs. Available in a 5-pack or 20-count box, these are hand-rolled at Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Wrapped in a silky Corojo leaf and bound by a rich Dominican grown San Andrés seed binder, these cigars are filled with select Dominican tobacco highlighted by Piloto Cubano, offering a complex profile of depth, strength and balance. Ordering deadline with Hooten Young is December 8th to guarantee these gifts will be under your Christmas tree!
NIKKA WHISKY FROM THE BARREL
Nikka From The Barrel is a blended whisky which was released in 1985. The development of this expression started with an aim to deliver full flavors and richness of whisky like "from the barrel", which only blenders can sniff and taste. The secret behind its gorgeous flavor is the unique combination of complex blending, higher ABV of 51.4% and "marriage process.
The iconic square bottle reflects its concept "a small block of whisky" and embodies the intense and rich flavors of the whisky inside. Long after its launch, this bottle is still timeless and recognized for its ultimate simplicity.
For those who love Japanes whisky or want to brand out and discover something new for their palate, you really can't go wrong with this expression from Nikka. The complex formula is created by blending more than 100 different batches of malt and grain whiskies. After blending, the whisky is filled into used barrels and matured for another few months. This "marriage" process harmonizes all components in the formula, resulting in a mellow taste. This is a 500mL bottle. As a bonus, this smaller size bottle will fit great in most Christmas stockings!
友人や大切な人と一緒に飲むと楽しい気分になりますように。
From Dancing Goat Distillery of Cambridge, Wisconsin comes two very unique and memorable gift ideas for your holiday shopping this season. This is an American Single Malt Whiskey, called Stillman's Sonder, boasting a 10 year age statement. This project began as orphaned barrels without an identity and culminated into a whiskey that took a decade to create. Through three rounds of blending, finishing, and re-barreling, the Dancing Goat Distillery team created this polished and reimagined Single Malt Whiskey ready for your glass.
- Virgin oak casks, at several toast and char points
- Ex-bourbon casks
- Wisconsin brandy casks
- Cognac casks
- Calvados casks
Berens Old Fashioed Brandy
Dancing Goat Distillery has partnered with Charlie Berens to create a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned Brandy that is a real palate pleaser. Berens is a Wisconsin nateive, comedian and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Midwest Survival Guide. The distillery says that this brandy is made from the best grapes in the United States and it sounds like a perfect gift to give this holiday season. At 90 proof (45.0% ABV) it is super approachable by everyone, even if they aren't a regular spirits drinker.
As a bonus, you can create a Berens Brandy Old Fashioned with this simple recipe:
- 2 oz Berens Old Fashioned Brandy
- Orange wedge
- Cherry
- Sugar cube
- 2-3 dashes of your favorite Bitters
- Sweet, sour or press floater
- Ice (don't overdo it)
Drop your orange wedge in the glass and add the sugar cube. Toss in the cherry and Bitters. Muddle until you're happy and then add Berens Old Fashioned Brandy. Pop in a couple of ice cubes and then add your floater. Drink, smile, repeat.
Johnny Pickles Distillery Red Stinger Hibiscus Whiskey
If this bottle looks familiar to you, it is because we shared our thoughts on this back in October. From Johnny Pickles Distillery in Texas comes one of the most unique tasting whiskey bottles to ever grace our tongues. This easy-sipping, 80 proof whiskey is made of 100% local corn and is infused with hibiscus and other natural botanicals to present flavors that make you wonder if you're really drinking whiskey. Sweetened with Stevia, the color is dark red and reminiscent of Merlot wine with the viscosity of a Ruby port.
This drink is very versatile - neat, rocks, add a splash of soda and easy to pair with spicy foods! In addition to Red Stinger Hibiscus Whiskey from Johnny Pickles Distillery, make sure you check out their other spirits for the holiday season!
The Ingram Distillery Whiskeys
The Ingram Distillery uses what nature gave us, the Mississippi River, to age and mellow their whiskeys on floating barrelhouses. This creates extraordinary spirits that are highly revered by whiskey lovers while offered at a pricepoint that is attractive for everyone.
Bourbon 105 Proof
The 105 proof River Aged Bourbon from The Ingram Distillery is a perfect gift for those looking for something they have never experienced. Unique doesn't begin to describe what you get in the bottle. The nose of citrus zest, strawberry tart, floral and coffee lay a foundation for flavors of honey, orange peel, cacao, cinnamon and baked apples. This bourbon gives the taster a long, mellow enjoyable finish with chocolate cream pie, vanilla, carmelized sugars and hints of tobacco.
There is a LOT going on here and everything we have tasted from The Ingram Distillery has really been wonderful. Elevate your gift-giving this year with this bottle. You'll not only find a great expression of flavors, but a story that is fun to explore and tell.
Long ago, bourbon's journey to the marketplace took the path of America's rivers, where the rise and fall of the water played a subtle yet essential role in its aging. Today, below the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, our floating rickhouse honors this legacy. By literally rocking the boat, our unconventional maturation process pays tribute to bourbon's river-aged roots for a complex, mellow and unforgettable taste.
Tasting Notes: Juicy jam, floral honey, maple, oak spice.
Palate: Marzipan, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Finish: Creamy, chocolatey warmth that lingers delightfully.
Paper Boat Cocktail Recipe:
- 3/4 oz Uncharted Bourbon
- 3/4 oz Grand Marnier
- 3/4 oz Aperol
- 3/4 oz Lime Juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a glass. Sip. Enjoy. Repeat.
The Ingram Distillery and Drink The Bottles are giving away a bottle of Uncharted Bourbon this month. Follow us on Instragram for details on how YOU could win a FREE bottle for yourself!
