Saturday, December 1, 2012

Gastronomista Gift Guide - Whisk(e)y


1.  No more drinking whiskey out of coffee cups - class it up with these silver rimmed tumblers.  $25

2.  Looking for something unique to add to your bar?  Flaming Heart scotch is a wonderful blend - spicy, smokey, and sweet with well rounded fruit.  And the bottle is mighty handsome, sure to be a crowd pleaser.  $90

3.  Bowmore 18 is one of our favorite bottles we tried this year - we've fallen hard for all of the Bowmore marks to be honest.  Somewhere in the smokey peat and the salt of the Atlantic - we are in love.  You should be too.  $120

4.  Out in Utah amazing things are happening, specifically at High West Distillery.  They've got some amazing bottles - Rendezvous Rye and Campfire Whiskey being two of them.  But we're into smokey whiskey this year - so we opt for the campfire, a blend of bourbon, rye, and scotch into a bottle that reminds us of the big sky over the wild west.  $52

5.  December 1 marks the countdown to Christmas - keep track with the Masters of Malt Advent Calendar.  One awesome dram every day.  $240

6.  Really aiming to please this year?  Get your beloved VIP tickets to WhiskyFest Grand Tasting 2013.  Yes, we know you will have to wait until October to cash in, but trust me, it's worth it when you taste some of the amazing bottles that are poured during the event.  This year some of the supreme pours included Gold Bowmore ($7,000), Glenmorangie 1963 ($1,500), Brora 30 Years Old ($400), Glenlivet Cellar Collection 1983 ($300), and Balvenie Islay Cask 17 Years Old ($150), to name just a few.  It's an epic event, to say the least.

7.  What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for.  Truth, in poster form.  $20

8.  We love Jameson - we've said it before, and we'll say it again.  But sometimes one needs an upgrade - we recommend Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel.  Delicious.  $41

9.  Looking for something different for your whiskey lover?  Try Hillrock Solera aged & blended bourbon, a method that blends bourbons in the barrel, and then a final aging process in sherry casks.  It's a tasty bourbon that is spicy, caramel-y, and fruity.  $88

10.  Whiskey like water, it helps bring out the complex flavors, as well as keeping it cool.  We like our ice to melt slowly, so we prefer big, impressive spheres of ice that make a pour that much more enjoyable.  $12

11.  Barreled cocktails have been a thing for a few years now, but thanks to High West, now you can buy "The 36th Vote" Barrel Aged Manhattans by the bottle and enjoy at home.  No shaking required.  $56

12.  Three words.  Leather.  Flask.  Holster.  $20

13.  Whiskey stones may be popular, but we like a little water in our whiskey and those stones are a little disruptive in a nice glass.  Here's the solution - whiskey stone glasses - keeps your whiskey cold and you can still enjoy a little ice in it.  $40

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