Father’s Day is the 18th June here in the UK and with several countries having Father’s Day this month, The Cask Connoisseur has collated the top ten whisky or beer related gifts for the father who has everything:
1. Whisky Tasting Set: A curated selection of whisky samples from different regions or distilleries, allowing your dad to explore various flavours and styles. Available from numerous retailers, and with some good discounts, you can pick sets that explore styles, regions or countries, even the history of whisky. Two that caught our eye were from Master of Malt (£19.99, flash sale) and perhaps the opposite extreme from The Whisky Exchange (£185) of 20 whiskies that changed the world, which would appeal to any whisky aficionado or historian.
2. Craft Beer Subscription: A monthly or quarterly subscription that delivers a variety of craft beers to your dad’s doorstep, giving him the chance to discover new brews. Prices range from around £20 per month. The one that caught our eye is Beer52, with a monthly subscription of £27 for eight beers. The first “case” of your subscription you will only pay postage (£5.95) and then £27 per month thereafter.
3. Whisky Decanter Set: An elegant decanter set with glasses and a whisky decanter, perfect for displaying and serving his favourite whisky in style. Prices vary hugely but for style and TCC’s favourite whisky glasses, go to Norlan Glass, a decanter and two glasses will set you back from around £350, but your dad will love it. A cheaper alternative would be to buy from the core range of The Glenturret with prices ranging from around £50 a bottle of whisky. The bottles are so beautifully designed they make a lovely decanter after you’ve drunk the whisky.
4. Beer Making Kit: A complete home brewing kit that allows your dad to brew his own beer, giving him hands-on experience and the opportunity to create unique flavours. Prices vary hugely and make sure, if required, they come with the necessary equipment, and are a type of beer your dad likes. It might be old fashioned but this is something you might like to look into first with your local retailer.
5. Whisky Stones: These chilled stones are perfect for cooling whisky without diluting the flavour, ensuring that your dad can enjoy his drink at the ideal temperature. Whisky stones are a love it or hate it product so make sure your dad loves his whisky chilled. Incidentally, the ideal temperature for your scotch whisky is around 18oC. Glengoyne Distillery are offering free engraving and a set of whisky stones on every 70cl bottle ordered by Father’s Day.
6. Personalised Beer Glasses: Engraved or personalised beer glasses with your dad’s name or a special message, adding a thoughtful touch to his beer-drinking experience. There are numerous current offers with free engraving so look and see what your favourite retailer is offering.
7. Whisky Book Collection: A set of books on whisky, including guides, tasting notes, and stories about famous distilleries, helping your dad deepen his knowledge and appreciation of whisky. Once again prices vary markedly, and it can be worth checking out second hand book sellers. The most expensive (and definitely requires a coffee table) was from Selfridges at £1000, more reasonable (at least from a price perspective £10 + P&P) is The Philosophy of Whisky by Billy Abbot, which is described as an informative and amusing read.
8. Beer Cooler Backpack: A portable cooler backpack designed specifically for carrying beer, making it convenient for your dad to bring his favourite brews on picnics, hikes, or tailgating events. Just google it, prices range from reasonable to expensive.
9. Whisky Barrel Aging Kit: A kit that allows your dad to age his own whisky at home using a small oak barrel, enabling him to experiment with different flavours and maturation processes. Most whisky drinkers will have an infinity bottle where you combine the last drops of various bottles or occasionally hope to improve the flavour by “blending”. This can be somewhat hit or miss. A step up is using your own barrel to “age” the whisky. Using a small barrel (usually between one litre to five litres) increases the contact of the whisky with the wood and so it ages much quickly (within a month or two). Remember to check the contents flavour at least weekly and the barrel itself will age over time (add less flavour) so you might want to soak it with sherry or any other spirit before adding whisky. It can be a good way of improving “cheaper” whisky but you will need to experiment and make good notes at the start. Prices start from around £100.
10. Brewery Tour or Whisky Tasting Experience: Treat your dad to a guided brewery tour or a whisky tasting experience at a local distillery, giving him the opportunity to learn about the production process and sample premium offerings. The best tours are not offered on a daily basis or at the cheapest prices. However, they can be unique and memorable experiences allowing dad to sample whiskies he might not otherwise have done. For whisky lovers, one that caught our eye is from the English Distillery at £65 where you get to sample four single cask whiskies. The tour lasts 2.5 hours and you will need someone to drive dad home.
