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11 dreamy whisky gifts to put under the tree

Read time 5 Mins

Posted 05 Dec 2024

By
Evan Jones

Bottles of top whiskies against an illustrated Christmas backdrop.

From bourbon and Scotch to Japanese and Australian styles, there’s a whisky for everyone in this Christmas gift guide.

If the perfect Christmas gift exists, it must surely be whisky. It starts as a gorgeous gold liquid in a beautiful bottle and only gets better from there. Plus, it comes from right across the globe – we’re talking about homegrown Australian whisky, classic Scotch and Irish examples, American whiskey and those ever-popular Japanese drops.

That breadth of styles also means whisky can star all on its own – neat or on the rocks, if preferred – or take the lead role in whisky cocktails like the Whiskey Sour or Manhattan. And unlike, say, wine or beer (which are also absolutely excellent gifts, of course), whisky lasts pretty well indefinitely once opened, meaning whoever gets the gift of whisky will get to think of you and your generosity across the months ahead. 

The only downside to it all is that, with so many wonderful whiskies out there, it can be hard to find the best whisky for a Christmas gift. Lucky for you, your mates at Dan’s Daily have sipped and sampled across the range to find the whiskies worthy of a spot under the Christmas tree – and the best glass for them, too. Whatever your budget and whoever you’re buying for, we’ve got you sorted.

Denver & Liely Whisky Glass

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1. Denver & Liely Whisky Glass

Aussie duo Denver Cramer and Liely Faulkner saw the rest of the whisky glasses available and thought they could do things better. And boy, they were right on the money. The result is the Denver & Liely Whisky Glass, which has a spaceship-like profile that includes some clever design. The hand-blown, hand-cut crystal glass is wide at its base, providing extra surface area to enhance flavours and aromas, while the tapered opening gives everything a boost as it reaches your nose and mouth. It is, simply, one of the very best whisky glasses you’ll find.

Price: $54.99

2. Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

With records going back to 1608, Irish whiskey producer Bushmills claims to be the world’s oldest licensed distillery. That’s a pretty handy pedigree and reason enough to reach for a bottle of the Bush when gift-grabbing this year, but the Bushmills 10 Year Old has plenty more going for it to impress the discerning drinker this Christmas. Ageing in a combination of sherry and bourbon barrels lends this single malt a fruity and fresh flavour profile backed up by vanilla notes, while the 10-year maturation brings a mellow, easygoing character that makes it an approachable sipper for all levels of whiskey appreciation.

Regular price: $78.99
My Dan’s member price: $70.00
Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

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Nikka Whisky From The Barrel

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3. Nikka Whisky From The Barrel

In the past decade or so, Japanese whisky has risen from relative obscurity to worldwide fame, but the nation’s whiskymaking prowess is nothing new. Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka, started the distillery in 1934, and this 500mL bottle of Nikka From the Barrel continues the fine tradition, producing a whisky ideal for drinkers looking for a gentle alternative to Scotch and Irish styles. Locked inside the Nikka’s iconic squat, square bottle is a whisky blended from more than 100 batches. The Nikka team then further ages the whisky before bottling it at 51.4% ABV, giving the final whisky a fine balance of potency and mellowness, with hints of sweetness and smoke.

Regular price: $109.99
My Dan’s member price: $89.00

4. Archie Rose Distilling Co. Single Malt Australian Whisky

We tend to get a little parochial when it comes to Aussie producers but, honestly, it’s hard not to when they’re this good. While we love Sydney distillery Archie Rose for its legendary gin, this single malt Australian whisky shows that the team has mastered the brown spirits, too. Here, Archie Rose leans right into quality Australian ingredients, taking six local malts (whiskies typically only use one or two) before ageing in Australian apera, ex-bourbon and ex-rye casks. The result is a heady and rich whisky with notes of coffee, dried fruits and chocolate that is a perfect sipper for anyone in your life looking to celebrate our homegrown heroes.


Regular price: $122.99
My Dan’s member price: $99.00

Archie Rose Distilling Co. Single Malt Australian Whisky

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Glendronach 12YO

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5. Glendronach Sherry Cask Matured 12 Year Old Scotch

Since the Glendronach was founded back in 1826, it’s always come back to sherry – ageing whisky in sherry casks, that is. For its Glendronach 12 year old expression, the Highland whisky producer turns to two different types of sherry casks, borrowing the richness of both oloroso and Pedro Ximenez. The result is on the sweeter side, with flavours like gingerbread, chocolate and sweet, dried fruits, making it an ideal after-dinner whisky for anyone lucky enough to get it in their stocking.


Price: $127.99

6. Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Scotch whiskies tend to get divvied up by their region, with neighbouring producers often sharing a common style. Islay – which is an island off Scotland’s west coast – is home to whisky distilleries known for burning local peat to impart their barley with an intense smokiness, and none do the style better than Laphroaig. This Laphroaig 10 year old single malt is peaty, a little oceanic and the sort of intensely-flavoured whisky best suited to those who love flavour dialled up to 11.

Price: $122.99 
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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Blanton's Single Barrel Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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7. Blanton’s Single Barrel Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The idea of a single-barrel bourbon – where a particular release of bourbon whisky is drawn out of one unique barrel – wasn’t really a thing before Blanton’s came along. Now, just about every bourbon whiskey distillery does its own single barrel release but, for our money, Blanton’s is still king. This Single Barrel Special Reserve makes a great introduction to the Kentucky distillery and specialty bourbon in general. Expect a smooth texture and flavours of vanilla and toffee that’ll suit American whiskey lovers and discerning cocktail makers alike. Plus, that bottle.

Price: $130.00

 

8. The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask Scotch Whisky

The Balvenie doesn’t follow the leader and, with this rum barrel-finished whisky, it’s easy to see why. For its 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask, the distillery buys unaged rum from the Caribbean, ages it in its own barrels, then sends the rum back and uses the barrel to finish ageing its Scotch whisky. It’s a labour of love, to be sure, but it pays off with one of the more unique and downright delicious whiskies to be found, loaded with flavours like sweet vanilla, baking spices and subtle notes of dried fruit. For an extra special treat, we have a guide to pairing Balvenie with food right here.

Regular price: $171.99
My Dan’s member price: $148.00
The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask Scotch Whisky

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Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva Scotch Whisky

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9. Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva Scotch Whisky

There’s no rule that says aged whisky is better than young whisky, but try telling that to this stunning 21 year old Glenfiddich. Much like the Balvenie Caribbean cask before it, this Glenfiddich malt is finished in rum casks, lending the whisky a brown sugar sweetness and spicy ginger notes to round it off. As a 21-year-old whisky, though, this guy has had plenty of time to mellow, morphing with age from the typical fresh, lively Glenfiddich house style into something intensely rich and complex, becoming a special Speyside Scotch befitting a special someone in your life.

Regular price: $339.99
My Dan’s member price: $249.00

10. Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel Bourbon

There’s a subset of drinkers who will swear black and blue that the only way to really taste a whisk(e)y is to get your mouth around a cask-strength spirit – that is, whiskey that hasn’t been diluted with water by the distiller. Cask strength bottlings often sit well above 50% ABV and, at a heady 62%, this splendid, potent Blanton's Straight From The Barrel bourbon magnifies flavours like dark chocolate, hazelnut, caramel and butter to offer a whiskey experience that real bourbon lovers will cherish.

Price: $324.90

Blanton's Straight From The Barrel Bourbon

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The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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11. The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Spend more than half a century practising a craft and you, too, may be able to create something as refined and luxurious as The Balvenie PortWood. This 21-year-old dram is the crowning achievement of the distillery’s longtime malt master David Stewart (who has an MBE for services to whisky). He’s a big reason why The Balvenie has spent the past few decades winning endless gold medals. Awards aside, the PortWood is sought after for its finely tuned balance of rich, aged whisky and port cask finishing, with the sweet fruits and spice notes from the port mingling with the Balvenie’s signature honey cereal flavours. The result is a whisky of power and intensity with a finish that goes on and on and on.

Regular price: $448.00
My Dan’s member price: $420.00
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Nikka WhiskyFrom The Barrel Japanese Whisky 500mL
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Archie RoseSingle Malt Australian Whisky 700mL
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The Glendronach12YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700mL
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image credits: FashGif (Greta Larkins)
Authour image
Evan JonesEvan Jones is a Melbourne-based writer who believes that enlightenment can be attained with nothing more than a sour beer, a good sandwich and sunshine.
Tags
Hit ListChristmasIrish WhiskeyAustralian WhiskyJapanese WhiskyWhisk(e)yScotch WhiskySpiritsAmerican WhiskeyGiftingAustralian whisk(e)y
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