My step-dad likes whisky so I often consider it as a gift but never know what to get. Choosing whisky for a gift is really hard if you have no idea what is good. This guest post I was paid to share with you but found it so helpful in giving me ideas for his upcoming birthday so I hope you enjoy it too!
Buying presents can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Knowing your loved one likes something in particular can help, but it can also bring up added questions. If you know someone who likes whisky but aren’t too sure of their favourite bottle, it can be quite tricky to decide on a tipple to gift.
For someone new to the world of whisky, this can be quite daunting. Hopefully, this guide to choosing whisky as a gift will be of assistance in helping you choose the perfect present for your whisky-loving friends!
What Do You Need to Consider when choosing whisky?
There are a few key areas that should be considered before you start looking for a bottle of whisky as a gift:
- what is your budget?
- will the whisky be enjoyed neat or mixed?
- will the whisky be drunk or collected?
Perhaps one of the most important things to consider is how much money you are willing to put towards this present. Whisky tends to be one of the higher-priced alcohol options, so you’re unlikely to be spending under £20-30, with “quality” whiskies coming in at closer to £70-80. As such, the guide is organised by price.
However, it is also important to consider what types of drinker the person you are gifting to is, as this will affect the ‘purpose’ of the gift. Do they drink whisky casually, or are they a collector? Do they like to mix their drink or sip it neat?
Small Budget
If you were only looking to get a little gift, then there are still whisky-themed presents you can buy for under £20. Forget the whisky stones, no one actually wants those, but you could buy a spherical ice mould for your whisky-loving giftee to create ice balls with. These melt slower than regular ice, slowing down the dilution process of the whisky.
Other small budget gifts could include a cocktail shaker or thoughtfully selected glassware to use with their own whisky collection.
£20-£30 Budget
This price range of whisky can be found in supermarkets and can be a good gift for those who are casual whisky drinkers and don’t mind a cocktail. While the likes of Jack Daniels and Grant’s Family Reserve Whisky are great for mixing with a soda or in a cocktail, they’re probably not what you’d pick for a sipping whisky.
This is why the purpose of the whisky must be considered – if the person you are buying a gift for only drinks their whisky neat, then this probably isn’t what they’re after!
Buy Miniatures
One way to get around this is to purchase a selection of miniatures. Miniatures are little 5cl bottles of whisky, that act as a sample for people to try different expensive bottles without having to splash out on a full version. You can get miniatures for about £5 each, so you could buy a few to meet a £20 budget.
This is a great way of gifting top-shelf tipples without having to break the bank. It will also allow them to try a range of whiskies they might not have tried before, and it won’t matter as much if they’re not a fan of one of them!
£40-70 Budget
This is probably the golden area for a present, budget-wise. Most whisky at this price will be good enough to sip on but won’t be too much of a stretch on your bank balance.
In this price range, you’ll be able to find bottles from beloved whisky brands like Macallan, Lagavulin and Ardbeg, as well as those from independent distilleries.
Try Bowmore 15 Year Old Single Malt, Macallan 10 Year Old Fine Oak, or Glendronach 12 Year Old Single Malt for a classic whisky experience.
£80-150 Budget
For a bit more money, you can get your hands on whiskies with a difference. This sort of price range is likely to include new series and limited-run bottles, as well as a few collectable bottles. Perfect if you are buying for someone with a whisky shelf.
At the moment, Japanese whisky is very popular. It has even gained numerous awards for being the best whisky in the world! If you can find Japanese whisky for sale in this price range, it should be well worth it!
In this price range, around £80, you could also do something a bit different and buy your friend a subscription to a whisky delivery service. There are a few options available, but most will see a sample serving of interesting whisky sent in the post each month!
£150+ Budget
Not looking for your typical gift? There are plenty of extraordinary bottles of whisky for you to pick from for a higher budget. If your whisky-lover is a collector or likes the finer things in life, then there are often rare and collectable bottles available over this price point.
While it’s more unlikely you’d be buying this for a gift, whisky investing has become a big deal in recent years. Many people have taken to the world of collecting. As such, there are many auction sites and rare whisky sellers online that will offer a diverse range of tipples.
Be sure to do a bit of research into bottles you find at auction. Some will be a higher price due to the label or rarity, rather than the quality of the whisky within.
Do you have any tips on choosing whisky as a gift? Why not leave a comment with your suggestions?!
