Merry Christmas Eve, Happy Holidays, or Hi if it’s just another wonderful day for you! It’s that time of the season again where people concede to the over-commercialized American belief of spending monies we do not have on gifts that many will not like. Now by no means am I trying to be bah humbug or say I do not love this time of year, as I do love the holidays; but I prefer spending time with family and friends. But as we all know, Christmas has become the time for giving, whether from the heart or because society tells us it’s the right thing to do. Now I too love to give a wonderful personalized gift, but what I do have a strong disdain for is gifts typically given because someone knows your hobby but that is all they know about you. Thus, every year many bourbon drinkers across the nation are gifted such things as the notorious whiskey stones.

Sorry if the “whiskey stones” comment hits close to home, but many of us avid bourbon enthusiasts have experienced this gift time and time again. On the surface, this gift does sound amazing, but in practical use, many people I know have broken glasses as these true stones smashed through the side of their glass. To make it worse, I have also read several stories of users tipping their glasses back and having a whiskey stone speed forward breaking their front teeth. Now in most cases, we know this purchase came from the heart of that friend or family member so we graciously thank them, head home, and throw them in the drawer with the other 100 whiskey stones we already have.

In addition to the whiskey stones, no matter how many times I tell friends, family members, or acquaintances please do not, I typically always end up with at least three or four gifted bottles of bourbon each holiday season. Now, these bottles are typically labels I have never seen or heard of and I am always told the same story “The guy at the liquor store said you would enjoy this since you like bourbon and review it.” Now I need to take a quick second and state that just because I enjoy and review bourbon, it does not mean I want to try every bourbon, whiskey, and scotch out there. Matter of fact, because this is a hobby I take seriously and truly have little time to enjoy it most weeks, I typically want to enjoy the bourbon I seek out on hunts with Mrs. Bourbon Bossman. Now again, we all know this gift came from the heart so we graciously thank them, head home, and put it on the shelf to regift in the future.

As a side note and for those that do not know, drinking bourbon, whiskey, and or scotch is a personal journey that differs greatly from person to person. We all enjoy drinking this liquid brown gold in different ways, whether that be neat or on the rocks, 80 proof or barrel strength at 120 proof, or a traditional bourbon versus a finished cask bourbon. In many cases, bourbon drinking enthusiasts, which I am finding more and more of as I dive deep into this community, would prefer you ask them about what bourbon they enjoy or in some cases read or watch their blogs.

With that said, I know that I pretty much just said do not give the bourbon enthusiast in your life a gift. This is not true, as we truly appreciate that you want to try and give us a gift related to what has become our passion. All I ask is please research or get to know that individual before just purchasing them another bourbon-related gift. But I know that is not always possible, so here are five gifts that should be relatively safe to give the bourbon drinker in your life:

1. A Local Liquor Store Gift Card
   • Although this might not seem personal, it WILL be used and in many cases might just be that little extra for dollars that he or she would have not otherwise spent to purchase a top-shelf bottle.
2. Glencairn Glass(es)
   • Drinking glasses can become personal, but all bourbon enthusiasts will use these glasses for either sipping neat or having blind tastings.
3. Clear Ice Molds
   • Although not every bourbon drinker uses ice, this gift is still “cool” and will still be used for either mixed drinks or just your everyday soda.
4. Books on Bourbon
   • No matter the bourbon drinker in your life, he or she always loves to learn more about the topic; just always get a gift receipt in case they already have that book. Here are a few of my recommendations:
     • The Whisky Dictionary
     • Bourbon Curious
     • Tasting Whiskey
5. A Personalized Gift (Such as a Logo Hat!)
   • This should be reserved for those who truly know their bourbon drinker and have access to either their logo or to the merchandise from the blogs they follow.

Please remember, drinking bourbon is a personal adventure, so do not be afraid to drink it neat, with ice, or add some water. It’s your bourbon, you bought it, and you should enjoy it how you want to enjoy it!

Cheers! Prost! Sláinte!

Bourbon Bossman