2016 Bourbon & Banter Holiday Gift Guide
It’s hard to believe but it’s that time of year already. Yep, time to stock up on gear for your favorite bourbon lover – even if that bourbon lover is yourself. Take our advice and be generous to yourself this year.
It’s hard to believe but it’s that time of year already. Yep, time to stock up on gear for your favorite bourbon lover – even if that bourbon lover is yourself. Take our advice and be generous to yourself this year. After all, you’ve had to put up with increased prices and reduced allocation of your favorite whiskeys.
To assist you with your holiday shopping this year we’ve put together the 2016 Bourbon Holiday Gift Guide. As in previous year’s editions, you’ll find a collection of items curated by our team members to enhance your bourbon lifestyle. Links are provided for each item as well as a short description from the team member who put forth the recommendation. (So if you have any questions you can direct your questions to them for a faster response.)
And if you still want more ideas we invite you to check out previous year’s gift guides:
Lastly, to help kick off your holiday shopping, you can use the code: drinkcurious to save 15% off your entire purchase through Sunday, November 27th. And remember, there’s FREE SHIPPING on everything in our store.
Once again, all of us at Bourbon & Banter would like to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy some quality time with family and friends during this holiday season.
DRYNKWARE’S ORIGINAL HIP STIRRER
drynkware designs and produces high-end, unique and fun bar utensils to elevate your guests’ experiences. In addition to providing a fun and interesting stirrer/holder for your garnish, they will help your guest “keep track” of their drinks. drynkware’s flagship product, the Original Hip-Stirrer, features popular vintage designs in both Highball and Old Fashioned lengths. These classic metal stirrers are perfect for mixing up your favorite beverages while offering a reusable and eco-friendly stirring solution. Find out more and purchase today.
~ James Knudsen
WELLER STAGG ’16 CAMPAIGN DRINKWARE
The 2016 election season is over, but it doesn’t mean you need to lose hope. There are at least four more years to show your support of the only ticket that will never let you down – Weller Stagg ’16. Buy a few sets of our unique drinkware and show your support of a “Full Proof America.” Get your Weller Stagg’16 Drinkware today and #drinkcurious.
~ Pops
DAVID WONDRICH CLASSIC COLLECTION
For me, the holidays have always been a time for gathering with loved ones. Whether friends or family, everyone seems to gravitate toward the punch bowl. The new David Wondrich Classic Collection from Cocktail Kingdom makes that experience even more appealing.
The inside of the punch bowl reads “Edamus bibamus gaudeamus. Post mortem nulla voluptas.” which according to my perfect Latin translates to “Eat, drink, banter. No pleasure after death.”
~ Thomas Fondano
VINTAGE WHISKEY LABEL T-SHIRTS
Whether you’re a diehard whiskey lover or you’re shopping for one, Bourbon & Banter’s custom vintage whiskey label t-shirts are the perfect way to show off your love of America’s Native Spirit. Buy a few for yourself and a few to surprise your friends. You can’t find these t-shirts anywhere else and they’re sure to make you stand out in a crowd.
~ Pops
GLENCAIRN WHISKY TRAVEL CASE
For the Bourbon-serious traveler, one should never be without the appropriate glassware. Snag this sleek carry-on case that safely stows two of your precious Glencairn glasses. Be “that” guy or gal at the next ill-equipped Bourbon tasting or shindig by always having the perfect whiskey quaffer available at a moment’s notice.
~ Erin Petrey
HYDRO FLASK
This is by far and away my favorite purchase of 2016. I drink a ton of water and I have tossed all my other water bottles since I discovered the magic of Hydro Flask. Their all-purpose, durable, sweat-free powder coat finished bottles feature 18/8 Pro Grade Stainless Steel, are BPA-Free & Phthalate-Free and have their TempShieldTM Protection that will keep your beverage cold up to 24 hours (I’ve actually had ice in mine up to 40 hours). The bottles will also keep your hot beverages warm up to 6 hours. On top of all of this, Hydro Flask backs their products with a Lifetime Warranty. Their bottles are available in a rainbow of colors in 7 different sizes ranging from a 12-ounce option for coffee and tea all the way up to a 64-ounce growler to keep your beer frosty. Hydro Flask recently introduced their MyHydro program that allows you to customize each component of your bottle -strap, cap, bottle, and boot- to create a bottle that is uniquely yours. If you are looking for a gift for someone who is always on the go and has to have their water, coffee, tea, beer, or other beverage of choice with them at all times, look no further. This is the perfect gift.
Visit https://www.hydroflask.com/all-products to order or click the Customize option to choose from their 183,456 color combinations with MyHydro. Pricing Starts at $21.95
~ Brent Joseph
P.S. – Hey folks, Pops here. You might be asking what this item has to do with bourbon so I thought I’d weigh in for a moment. The Hydro Flask was a welcome companion at this year’s Whiskey in the Winter festival and helped to keep us hydrated all evening log. It’s hard to beat as a whiskey drinking wingman. If you’re in need of something to keep you company when drinking this is a great option.
BOURBON PATRIOT COLLECTION
Express both your patriotism and your love of American’s native spirit with our exclusive Bourbon Patriot flag collection. Whether you’re looking for a flag to fly outside of your home, a canvas wrap to decorate your home bar or a fine-art poster our Bourbon Patriot flag design will let everyone know that you’re spreading the bourbon gospel. Explore our complete Bourbon Patriot flag collection today.
~ Pops
PEOPLE’S CHOICE BEEF JERKY
Earlier this year I had the luck to get a gift box of jerky from the fine folks at People’s Choice Beef Jerky. I liked it so much that I wrote a very detailed review of my experience sampling their products. If you’re a fan of jerky or have someone in your life that’s a fan, I can’t encourage you enough to give them a try. They’ve got something for everyone but I suggest giving their One-of-Everything box a try. Head on over to their website and take a look at what they’ve got to offer.
~ Pops
ZEROWATER 6-CUP READYPOUR PITCHER
When adding water or ice to your whiskey, the biggest faux pas is adding impure water. These impurities can change the taste of your whiskey beyond “opening up” the flavor. Using distilled, purified water is the way to go! The ZeroWater 6-cup Pitcher knocks out 99.6% of all impurities using a 5-stage ion exchange filter. It is an economical way to have enough purified water at any time to pour into an ice tray or ice mold, or just to add a bit to your single pour, allowing you to control what, exactly, goes into your whiskey. Check it out online if you want to give it a try!
~ Jeff Schwartz
WELLER STAGG ’16 CAMPAIGN T-SHIRT
Whether or not you decide to buy some of the Weller Stagg ’16 drinkware you must buy one of these shirts. Why? Because it’s the best damn election t-shirt every produced. No, we’re not kidding. Ever since we posted it online for sale it’s been on fire – in a good way. In other words, don’t be the only bourbon lover in your area without one.
Need another reason to buy one? Everyone purchase goes to support a “Full Proof America” by helping support Bourbon & Banter cover the costs associated with running the blog. We didn’t want to guilt-trip anyone but hey, you asked for another reason. Get yours today in our online shop.
~ Pops
BOURBON: THE RISE, FALL AND REBIRTH OF AN AMERICAN WHISKEY
Fred Minnick needs no introduction, but he deserves one anyway. He is a bestselling whiskey author, a judge for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and World Whiskies Awards, a bourbon ambassador for the Kentucky Derby Museum, a contributor to Whisky Advocate, a photographer, and a guy willing to talk bourbon with literally anyone on Twitter. Without question, his face belongs on any Mount Rushmore of bourbon experts. In his fourth book, Bourbon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of an American Whiskey, Minnick traces the entire tumultuous history of bourbon from the dawn of our nation to the present-day boom. It’s an essential book for any bourbon lovers library.
~ Brett Atlas