Whiskey is obviously a great gift for somebody special, but it’s also a gift for the shopping procrastinator. Driving to three different stores to track down the right size of jersey or search for the perfect kitchen gadget is a drag, and doubly so when you’re working under an oppressive feeling of urgency. But the liquor store? The selection is always good, the hours are regular, and you can banish worries about sizes and fits from your mind.
So, with Father’s Day right around the corner, here are five sure bets for bottles to make dad happy and shopping a breeze.
Glen Grant’s newest release is refreshingly simple, a 15-year-old malt aged entirely in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled without color or chill filtration. A nice balance between fruit and malt makes this whisky easy to love, plus there’s the delightful backstory of the eccentric “The Major” James Grant himself, an early adopter of electricity and cars as well as an enthusiastic lover of travel, gardens, and surprising guests with his hidden “dram hut” tucked away at the back of his garden (sounds like a fun party). Could that be your dad? Then Glen Grant might be for him.
Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon
For something with an explicit father-child story, pick up a bottle of Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve single barrel bourbon. Selected, the story goes, in tandem by master distiller Jimmy Russell and his son, master distiller Eddie Russell, this is a no-frills, no-BS classic Kentucky bourbon, bottled at 110 proof without chill filtration.
If dad’s daily drinker is something light-bodied—think Canadian whisky or blended Scotch—he’ll probably dig I.W. Harper 15-Year, a light yet lively bourbon from Diageo that revives a historic brand from the 1800s. Sweet and just a little spicy, this eminently sippable bourbon comes in a square, decanter-style bottle that looks and feels a lot more special than the standard cylindrical 750.
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The Quiet Man Eight-Year-Old Irish Whiskey
This Luxco-backed release celebrates a father’s legacy and the virtues of keeping your mouth shut. “In more than 50 years behind the bar, my father saw and heard it all,” says son and brand founder Ciaran Mulgrew. “But like all good bartenders, he was true to the code and told no tales.” Whether your dad’s a bartender, somebody who bartenders need to keep quiet about, or simply a man who sees no need to clutter the air with too many words, he’ll like The Quiet Man.
Old Pogue Five Fathers Pure Malt Rye
Having one dad to lecture you about lawn edging and programming your thermostat feels like plenty. Five? Hold on to your gas grills. This malted rye whiskey from Old Pogue Distillery pays homage to John and Paul Pogue’s ancestors, all the way back to great great great grandfather H.E. Pogue 1, who allegedly began distilling rye on the current distillery site way back in 1876. It’s got a spicy kick that goes perfectly with an 800-page biography of Woodrow Wilson.
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