If your dad likes to imbibe on occasion, ditch the tie or the grilling apron as a gift idea, and go for something spirited this Father’s Day.
Credit: xxxx
Credit: xxxx
For the old-fashioned dad: High West pre-batched Old-Fashioned ($29.99, 375 milliliters, 86 proof) gets added richness from maturation in used rye barrels. All that’s needed to make a cocktail is a glass and ice. Pour over, for top notes of sandalwood and cassia bark, as well as orange zest, dried cherry and a hint of cinnamon buns on the palate. A bottle makes six cocktails. highwest.com
Credit: Courtesy of Select Aperitivo
Credit: Courtesy of Select Aperitivo
For the classic dad: The spritz dates to the end of the 19th century in northern Italy. Since 1920, a Venetian spritz has been made with Select ($26.99, 750 milliliters, 36 proof), a ruby red aperitivo made from 30 botanicals that resonate of macerated rhubarb roots and juniper berries, as well as floral, grassy, citrusy, balsamic and spicy flavors. selectaperitvo.com
Credit: Courtesy of Tip Top Proper Cocktails
Credit: Courtesy of Tip Top Proper Cocktails
For the dad who likes it all: Tip Top Cocktails’ new Summer Classics eight-pack ($39.99) contains two each of four of its 100-milliliter, ready-to-drink classic cocktails — which include the Old-Fashioned, negroni, bee’s knees, margarita, daiquiri and Manhattan. It makes having a proper cocktail at a cookout or the pool easy and delicious. tiptopcocktails.com
For the natural explorer: Wyoming Whiskey’s limited-edition National Parks No. 2 straight bourbon whiskey ($69.99, 750 milliliters) has sandalwood on the nose, toffee on the palate and a lingering leather and black pepper finish. In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park, $5 per bottle (up to $150,000) will go to support Yellowstone Forever, the park’s nonprofit. wyomingwhiskey.com
Credit: Courtesy of Barnard Griffin Winery
Credit: Courtesy of Barnard Griffin Winery
For that father-daughter bond: Rob Griffin, founder of Washington’s Barnard Griffin Winery, and his daughter, winemaker Megan Hughes, collaborated on a four-bottle set: a 2019 Rob’s Red Blend, a blending of cabernet, syrah, petit sirah and grenache that Griffin calls “his other baby”; a 2016 Reserve cabernet; a 2020 chardonnay; and a 2021 Rose of Sangiovese. Normally $97, the set has been discounted to $67.90 for Father’s Day. barnardgriffin.com
Credit: Courtesy of Blackened
Credit: Courtesy of Blackened
For the dad who digs metal: The latest limited edition of Blackened ($69.99, 750 milliliters, 90 proof) is inspired by Metallica’s album “Rye the Lightning,” and was created using a sonic enhancement process. Master Distiller Rob Dietrich finished Kentucky straight rye first in Madeira casks, and then in Caribbean rum casks, while “Rye the Lightning” played, and low-hertz frequencies visibly shook the finishing barrels. blackenedwhiskey.com
Credit: Courtesy of Bare Bone Distillery
Credit: Courtesy of Bare Bone Distillery
For the dad who drinks vodka but loves bourbon: Bare Bone vodka ($20, 750 milliliters, 80 proof) is billed as “the vodka for bourbon lovers.” Distilled from a two-grain mash bill, similar to bourbon, Bare Bone is handcrafted in Texas, and triple charcoal-filtered, for added flavor and texture. It’s available at Tower Beer, Wine and Spirits and Total Wine. barebonevodka.com
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
For the dad who loves rosè: Dads drink pink, too. With a label inspired by early illustrations from the New Yorker in the roaring ‘20s, the Pale ($16.99) is a new rosè made with red grapes from Sacha Lichine, the creator of Whispering Angel. The 2020 rosè is made from dry rosè grapes grown in the Vin de Pays du Var region of France, lending it aromatics, a light fruitiness and a clean finish.
Credit: Courtesy of Glendalough Distillery
Credit: Courtesy of Glendalough Distillery
For the singular dad: Glendalough’s seven-year single malt Mizunara Finish ($99, 750 milliliters) is the first Irish whiskey to use mizunara oak, making it as unique as your dad. The tree, native to Japan, takes 200 years to mature, and doesn’t grow straight, which makes it difficult to form into casks. Whiskey seeps deep into the porous wood, giving it the exotic flavor of sandalwood, woody spice and a fruity finish. glendaloughdistillery.com
Credit: Courtesy of Catan Pisco
Credit: Courtesy of Catan Pisco
For the adventuresome dad: Catan pisco ($35.99, 750 milliliters) is the first American pisco brand, and the first pisco made in Chile by a female-owned company. Made from Pedro Ximenez grapes grown in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, it is silky smooth, with a gentle finish. It has all the versatility of vodka, with the aromas and complexities of sipping tequila. catanpisco.com
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