Awesome Whiskey

Don’t get caught without something green to wear on St. Patrick’s Day. Luckily, Proper No. Twelve, the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey brand, has emerald pub-crawl hoodies for men, women, and even a darlin’ wee one for your favorite bottle. Hoody-hat bundles too. Grab limited-edition bottle hoodies at select retailers.

Aged & Ore’s handblown, double-walled glasses have a neat trick – the eight lines on their sides aren’t just aesthetic. Each one indicates an ounce of liquid, making them perfect for measuring cocktail ingredients. They’re great for whiskey too, thanks to their bell-shape, and each glass comes with a spherical ice mold.

63Above’s beautiful whiskey glasses are highlighted by a dramatic sculpture that resembles the peaks of Mount Everest. Each one is handcrafted from 100% ultra-clear lead-free glass, with its facets producing a wonderful shimmer beneath your favorite spirit. Sold in a set of two.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Standard Proof’s specialty rye whiskeys are infused with natural ingredients for a big and bold taste. Flavors include an eye-opening Arabica coffee, a sweet honeysuckle wildflower, a zesty ginger root, along with pecan, mint, and pineapple. Sold in 750ml bottles and great for making cocktails.

The producer of America’s highest-rated Single Malt, Westward, introduces an elegant ode to Oregon’s premier grape varietal. Finished for two years in Pinot Noir barrels from Willamette Valley wineries, Single Malt Pinot Noir Cask Whiskey joins their Single Malt and Single Malt Stout Cask on the top shelf.

Raise a glass to the great women of whisky. Jane Walker is a limited-edition Scotch whisky from Master Blender Emma Walker in honor of Cardhu, a 200-year-old Speyside distillery that flourished under the leadership of whisky pioneer Elizabeth Cumming. The blended malt is aged ten years, featuring notes of white peaches.

Pinhook is a new portfolio of American whiskeys, each as distinctive as the winning racehorse on the label. The Kentucky distillery’s 2020 Straight Rye – cheekily called Rye’d On – took Double-Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Available through BevMo, and online at Caskers, Drizly, and Seelbach’s.

This corn whiskey blend introduces natural coffee flavor into the mix. The regular brew is fragrant and nutty, while the dark roast has delicious caramel notes. It’s sweet enough to sip over ice and also tastes great in a cup of unsweetened coffee for a warm-up with a kick any time of day. Find it online at Sip Whiskey or Del Mesa Liquor.

Park City, Utah’s High West Distillery makes some of our favorite bourbon and rye. Now they’ve turned their attention to pre-mixed Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, which spent time in rye whiskey barrels for added depth and flavor. Each 750ml bottle pours 12 cocktails, lasts for 3 years on the shelf, and 30 days once opened.

After maturing eight years in Kentucky, Jefferson’s Ocean bourbon is aged another 5-10 months at sea on an Ocearch shark-tagging ship, crossing the equator four times, and visiting ports on five continents. Sounds gimmicky, but the salt air, temperature shifts, and the rocking of the ship is your passport to complex flavors.

Boxer and MMA fighter Conor McGregor stepped into the whiskey-making ring in 2018, near his hometown of Dublin. He and an ex-Bushmills manager crafted nearly 100 blends before debuting this KO formula. Proper No. Twelve is a proper Irish spirit made with the traditional triple-distillation method in copper pot stills.

Gold-medal winning Woodford Reserve straight bourbon whisky is full of flavor, with hints of sweet aromatics, spice, fruit, flowers, grains and wood. Just the ticket for refreshing bourbon cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Mint Julep, and the summery Porch Swing cocktail, characterized by its use of lemon, honey and peach tea.

If you like to sip your whiskey neat, or maybe with a single ice cube, you want it to be quality stuff. Meriwether’s simply embellished 11 oz. rocks glass serves as a reminder and a pronouncement that you only drink classy spirits, and would never reach for the bottom shelf.

Funny lady Mindy Kaling has put her wit to work writing holiday messages for top-shelf Johnnie Walker Blue Label.Choose from several engravings including “Damn, someone made the nice list.” Grab one at MindysBlueLabelHoliday or the Johnnie Walker Holiday Pop Up at Brookfield Place in NYC. Free shipping with the code MINDY.

What whisky lover doesn’t appreciate a little hair of the dog? Ardbeg has packaged its coveted single malt from the Scottish Isle of Islay in a limited-edition bone-shaped gift tin to raise a glass to their beloved canine mascot, Shortie. Inside is 750ml of the smoky, peaty, flagship whisky, Ardbeg Ten Years Old. That’s 70 in dog years.

In the spirit of the holidays, Jack Daniel’s Distillery built five huge whiskey barrel trees in Chicago, Dallas, Milwaukee, Nashville and Lynchburg. One auctioned barrel from each will benefit Operation Ride Home, bringing US military home for the holidays.

Washington state’s Bad Dog Distillery crafts this bright and flavorful 90-proof bourbon whiskey, which offers up a light and spicy body, toasty oak notes, and a fragrant aroma reminiscent of a good añejo tequila. Good for sipping or cocktails. Available from BigFish.

The Burnt Wood Barrel Co. offers these substantial wooden bar stools, handcrafted from whiskey barrel staves with bent metal back supports. They’re perfect no matter what you’re sipping while hanging out with friends at your kitchen counter.

Made in Washington state using locally-sourced corn, Nightside Distillery’s 90-proof bourbon is developed and smooth, despite no age statement. It’s got lots of desirable caramel and vanilla notes, and is an easy whiskey for casual sippers looking for something a little bolder than the big name brands. Available from BigFish.

Described as “glassless cocktails,” scotch whiskey maker The Glenlivet’s uniquely packaged booze is sure to raise some eyebrows. Each edible pod is filled with a 23ml whiskey cocktail, offering up a burst of flavor much like taking a shot. While they’re a cool idea, they’re not headed to the US at this point.

A great gift for whiskey lovers, Frolk’s substantive set comes with two 11oz crystal glasses and a matching 30oz decanter, both with a unique twisted base design. They come packed in a pinewood box, along with two XL spherical whiskey chillers, a freezer pouch, tongs, and two slate coasters.

Norlan’s unique whisky glass is made from mouthblown double-walled borosilicate glass, and designed for blind-nosing of spirits. Its mirrored interior walls not only look cool, they help aeration and reflect aromas. They also make a clear glass if you prefer to see your whisky.

Beautifully handmade 8 oz. whiskey glasses made from smoked glass that accentuates the amber colors of whiskeys and tequilas. A smooth and wide bottom makes them feel great in the hand. Sold individually, in sets, or with a matching handblown decanter.

What better way to display and store your whiskey bottles than in a whiskey barrel? Back Forty Barrels makes this wall-mountable shelf from a reclaimed barrel stave, and includes the bung – the opening where spirits entered and left the barrel. Also available without the hole.

Man Crates presents a fantastic gift for whiskey lovers. The highlight is a personalized whiskey decanter and matching pair of rocks glasses, along with two ice sphere molds, two slate coasters, and a 33 Drams whiskey drinking journal, all packed in a sturdy wooden crate.

Oak Lane Woodworks handmakes these beautiful and substantial pens using reclaimed wood from whiskey barrels. They can be had with a twist or bolt-action mechanism, crafted from Jack Daniels, Wild Turkey, or Makers Mark barrel wood.