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The best gifts for whisky lovers

The best whisky gifts offer everything you need for a delicious tipple.

The best gifts for whisky lovers
Marc Chacksfield
30 November 2023
People that love whisky tend to really love whisky. Sure, you can be a casual fan. But there are also many people who take their love of the rich, smooth and spicy drink very seriously. Which means if you’re looking for the best gifts for whisky lovers, you need to be sure that you’re getting a present that they’ll actually like and, crucially, want to drink.
We don’t think it’s hard to see why whisky is such a well-loved spirit. It’s infused with the complex flavours from distilleries all over the world, it’s aged to perfection and, if you choose wisely, good bottles are packed with surprising notes.
Although that means there’s a huge amount of choice for the best gifts for whisky lovers, it also means finding the right present for your whisky-obsessed loved one can be an intimidating endeavour. Which blend of whisky should you buy for them? Do you need to choose Scottish whisky or Japanese whisky? Would it be wise to give them a whisky-related gift or always go for the strong stuff?
Don’t worry. We don’t think you need to find the best whisky on the planet to please most whisky fans in your life. Although if you’d like to, our guide to the best whisky in the world will help you choose. Below we’ve selected our favourite fun and interesting gifts to buy for your favourite whisky lover. We’ve got special edition whisky bottles, tasting sets and even some stones to choose from.

Best gifts for whisky lovers

Best gifts for whisky lovers

1. Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky

£39
Buy now from Amazon

If you are looking for a different whisky to give as a gift, then something that's been distilled in England is certainly it. This Cotswolds Reserve Single Malt Whisky has been taste tested by ShortList and is a great-tasting spirit. There's a real smoothness to the taste, with honey and vanilla notes. This is truly a product of its region, using locally sourced water and barley from the Cotswolds.

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Best gifts for whisky lovers

2. Dewar’s 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

Buy now from Amazon

Now, we would just recommend the Dewar’s 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky for taste alone. Neat if offers a rich butterscotch taste, with a smoky peach finish. But, this is also an essential whisky for a Christmas cocktail treat. Recently, to celebrate the launch of the bottle, Ollie Sagerstrom Blom, bartender at Satan’s Whiskers in Bethnal Green, created a cocktail for the whisky.

Called The Ancestor, it's a spin on an Highball and a joy of a drink, and this is how you make the simplified version of it:

Ingredients

  • 40 ml DEWAR’S 12-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky
  • 10 ml pear liqueur
  • 15 ml Stones Ginger Wine®
  • 15 ml maple syrup
  • 5 ml lemon juice
  • Soda water (to top)
  • Orange twist (for garnish)

Directions

  • Build all ingredients in a Highball glass and fill with ice
  • Add soda water and gently stir to combine
  • Garnish with an orange twist

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Best gifts for whisky lovers

3. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership

£85
Buy now from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

There's no better time to become a member of the The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Not only do you get exclusive access to whisky events, tastings and whisky experts, the club has a collaboration that's worth shouting about. The Society Kingdom Collaboration sees the society team up with Scotland's first fragrance house. There are two collaborations, Metamorphic paired with Lightly Peated (the smell combines black pepper with tobacco notes) and Portal paired with Juicy Oak & Vanilla. This has a Scots pine and forest aroma. Get the membership now and you can sample the collaboration.

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Best gifts for whisky lovers

4. Whiskies of the World Tasting Set

Buy now from Master Of Malt

This superb gift set offers five 3cl samples of some of the world's best whiskies. You'll get drams from France, Sweden, India, Australia and Denmark in the set which is a fantastic way to widen any whisky fan's palate - especially if they usually stick to Scottish, Irish and American varieties.

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5. Bourbon Bourbon - Candy Cane

Buy now from Master Of Malt

Well, if this doesn't scream Christmas then we don't know what does. Bourbon Bourbon - Candy Cane is one for those with a sweet tooth. Now, it's not named Bourbon twice because of a mistake, it's because it has been made from whiskey and bourbon biscuits. Kentucky bourbon to be precise, as well as dark chocolate, vanilla, and peppermint, actual bourbon biscuits and real candy canes.

There's a buttery taste on the finish, coupled with hints of peppermint leaf.

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Best gifts for whisky lovers

6. Seaweed & Maple Syrup & Butterscotch & Christmas Cake Whisky

Buy now from Master Of Malt

Nope, we wouldn't usually put seaweed into our Christmas tipple either but it really works in this whisky. What is on the bottle is what you get: Seaweed & Maple Syrup & Butterscotch & Christmas Cake Whisky is a mixture of all these flavours, culminating in a taste that mixes Scottish tablet, booze-soaked raisins and subtle smoke. Incredible stuff.

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7. Smokehead Unfiltered

Buy now from They Whiskey Exchange

We are big fans of Smokehead, a modern twist on Islay whiskies. There's now quite the Smokehead range but our pick is the punchy Unfiltered. Dark chocolate, black smoke and ash-flecked almonds all mix to create a smooth and smokey assault on the senses. This one is perfect for those who crave a peaty dram.

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8. Ledaig 18 Year Old

Buy now from The Whiskey Exchange

You can't go wrong with getting the whisky lover in you life the official 'whiskey of the year' as chosen by judges at The Whiskey Exchange. This 18 year old has a lovely balance of salt, smoke and fruit - offering a light peatiness that never overshadows the complex taste mix. Lovely stuff.

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9. Ballantine's x Flying Goose Sriracha Limited Edition

Buy now from Sous Chef

This collaboration ticks EVERY box for us. Ballantine's x Flying Goose is a hot sauce that's been created in collaboration with Rza from the Wu-tang Clan. The rapper brought the whiskey distiller and original sriracha chilli sauce maker together to "break the mould of what incredible flavour should taste like". We've tasted it and it's a delicious spicy treat that has nods to Ballantine's ripe pear and creamy caramel notes, mixed up with a whole lot of heat.

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Best gifts for whisky lovers

10. Wolfie's Whisky Christmas Edition

Buy now from Wolfie's Whisky

Wolfie's Whisky is a dram that's been created by singer Rod Stewart, in collaboration with whisky legend Duncan Frew. They met at a Celtic game, naturally, and Wolfie's was born. It's a blended whisky with lots of rock'n'roll charm, offering up vanilla and apple notes. This new Christmas Edition is a perfect present for any whisky - and music - fan.

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