Food & Drink

6 Boozy Gifts from Washington Distillers to Give this Holiday

A whiskey club, boozy advent calendar and other alcohol-fueled gifts that keep on giving

By Seattle Mag December 10, 2015

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There are few things as lovely as getting a gift of bottled goodness – as long as you’re like me, a person who loves tasty spirits, liqueurs and cocktails! If you have someone on your shopping list who feels the same, we have you covered with some choice selections that’ll make you the most popular Santa ever. This week, we’ve listed some bottled gift ideas from our local distillers. Next week, look for a few choice selections made out of this state.

Heritage Distilling Spirits Advent Calendar: I know that Advent has already started, but this amazing number makes a great gift any time (and really, there’s still some Advent-ing left). Open the little windows and you’ll uncover 24 grown-up surprises in the form of 50 ml bottles of Heritage’s award-winning vodkas, gins, and whiskeys. I’ve already been opening mine (I know, I’m lucky!), and it’s amazing – I’m an especially big fan of the distillery’s all-natural Blood Orange Vodka so far: a tangy citrus-y delight, which was my reward behind the December 6 window.

Old Ballard Liquor Co. Viking Ship 6 Pack: This incredibly cute number is a swell gift for all Vikings – and even those who just aspire. It contains six 100 ml bottles of its wonderful aquavits, including Riktig caraway, Alskar citron, Midsommar dill, Nymodog licorice, Tomten Holiday Spice, and the memorable mighty Ragnarok Cask Strength, all packed in a special longship-shaped carrier. As they say, it’s “small enough to sample, big enough to share!” And perfect for gifting. Old Ballard Liquor Co. also has a special holiday four-pack, as well as full-size bottles of its limited-time releases (the last three in the above list).

Sidetrack Shiso Liqueur: If you’re searching for a gift for the adventuresome drinker in your life who is always looking for something a little deliciously different, consider this: Shiso is a favored flavor in many Asian cuisines, but not something used usually for liqueurs. This Shiso liqueur from outside of Kent is herby and botanical both on the nose and in the taste, but there are also little hints of citrus and mint hiding in there. And the color is nearly as memorable as the flavor. It’s swell when sipped solo, but can also stand tall in cocktails.

2bar Spirits Whiskey Club: Have a bourbon lover on your list? A membership in the 2bar Whiskey Club might be the ideal gift. You can decide to have a bottle of 2bar bourbon shipped to them monthly or quarterly as part of the gift (with a discount!), and then they can also take part in all the other membership benefits, including early access to each batch of whiskey, access to limited releases (rye, wheat, corn, and others), invitations to member-only events and programs, and more. It’s the kind of club whiskey lovers have always been waiting for.

Westland Cask #581 Single Malt Whiskey: Part of the Single Cask Reserve line, this exclusive limited-edition whiskey is only available at the distillery while supplies last. The Single Cask Reserve line of whiskeys are selected by Westland’s master distiller and hand-filled at cask strength at the distillery. This particular cask was heavily toasted, but with a light char. The end result is a very individual whiskey, with a wide range of aromas on the nose (pie cherries to white cake to almonds and more), and even more flavors on the palate, including fruits, cookies, nutmeg. It’s a serious sipping whiskey, and one to be savored.

 

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