Christmas Whiskeys

With the holiday season approaching I though I would make a post about some of the whisk(e)ys that make good gifts. The first on my list is the phenomenal Pappy Van Winkle 15yr and 20yr. This is probably the most high class bourbon you can purchase and it is well worth the price. It's unbelievably smooth and has a great sweet taste along with a strong wood flavor. I would assume the wood taste comes from sitting in oak barrels for 15 or 20 years and it is well worth the wait because this bourbon receives my highest ranking. I think it is the one bourbon worth the hefty price tag. If you get this for a whiskey aficionado, they will not be disappointed, I will personally guarentee it. If they don't like it, I will buy the rest of the bottle from them. 

The other bourbon I recommend with a cheaper price tag is Woodford  reserve. This is actually one of the best bourbons for a moderate price. I know people that actually consider this the best bourbon around, period. I would be inclined to agree, but I am a sucker for the oak barrel taste that Pappy brings to the table. That being said you can pick up a 12yr Van Winkle for a little more than Woodford and still get the premium Van Winkle taste; however, if you are really looking to save and want a fantastic bourbon, you can't go wrong with Woodford.

For those of you that have friends hooked on Islay malt scotch, I would recommend Ardbeg nam beist. It is one of the peatiest malt scotches I have ever had and it goes down, oh, so smooth. Laphroaig and Glenlivet scotches are also good, but chances are a person who loves peaty scotches has already had these. Ardbeg comes in a few different year varients that differ significantly in price. The nam beist (16y) fetches about $70a bottle, and the normal Ardbeg(10y) comes in at about $50. I have only had the older one and I can safely say it is well worth the money. I know some others who have had the younger one and say that it is comparable to Laphroaig, which makes it a good whiskey as well, but not quite as good as its older brother.

Well those are the best gifts I can think of at the moment, feel free to comment on any you would recommend.