Best whiskies to give as a gift

by James Grimshaw May 23, 2024 17 minutes

Whisky is a near-alchemical gift to mankind; a golden libation so much greater than the sum of its humble parts.

The simple yet complex union of grain, water and yeast – unified via arcane processes dating back to prehistory – is a powerful one, and an exceedingly valuable one to boot.

That so few ingredients can create such a vibrant and wide-ranging market of eaux-de-vie is, to say the least, remarkable. That the cradle of whisky-making civilisation resides in Scotland is especially so, and testament to the power of tradition, of graft, and of mastering a craft. These lofty truisms can make buying a good whisky a spooky prospect, though, and particularly so for those less versed in the stories and histories of distillation and maturation. In looking to buy something special for a whisky-loving loved one, what should you be looking for?

What makes a great gift whisky?

Truly, any whisky given as a gift is ‘good’; after all, it is the thought that counts. However, there are a great many variables that separate the ‘good’ from the ‘great’ – and the whisky-lover in your life undoubtedly deserves the greatest.

Age is the most commonly understood variable of the bunch, as aged whiskies are given more opportunities to develop complex and rewarding flavour profiles than their younger, brighter counterparts. The personal, professional and financial investment required to sit on a whisky for years, if not decades, is often reflected in the market price, though this price can be just as easily attributed to the sheer quality of the end product.

Regionality is another crucial consideration, not just for the form of the bottle’s contents but also for the preferred flavours of your lucky giftee. Different regions beget different practices, and dramatically different flavours as a result.

The Scottish isle of Islay is world-renowned for its deep, smoky, peated whiskies, while Speyside is better known for smooth, balanced, fruity distillates. Over the pond, whiskey production takes a different form altogether; bourbons are defined as bourbons due to the high corn content of the mash, often sweet and oaky in character, and almost all produced in the state of Kentucky.

Field of dreams

Ultimately, the strength of your whisky gift relies more on how well you know your giftee’s palate than anything; it’s up to you whether you’d like to reinforce said palate, or challenge it! Unless you’re buying a plastic bottle of mysterious brown liquor from your local off-license, there aren’t really many wrong answers here. For your benefit, though, here is a wide-ranging round-up of right answers, from independent distillers to internationally-recognised producers.