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12 whiskies perfect for Dad this Father’s Day

Dad deserves a fine bottle of whiskey. Here are Father's Day-approved options

Mark Stock
By
Still life. pour or whiskey in to glass.
Chetty Thomas/Shutterstock

We’ll cut to the chase. When it comes to Father’s Day, neckties are no fun. Cards are just a vessel to prove you stopped at the CVS before showing up at your father’s house. What does Dad really want? Whiskey, whiskey, and more whiskey. Don’t know what exactly to get him? Well, get him one of these. Below, you’ll find a variety of whiskies, one of which is sure to fit his palate.

Even if he already has a decent stockpile, Dad surely doesn’t have all of the below. And if by some miracle he does, remember the accents of the trade, like the best whiskey glasses or great bar gadgets like ice molds. Read on for some great whiskey options that will make Father’s Day a little more memorable.

W.L. Weller Special Reserve bourbon.
Buffalo Trace Distillery

W.L. Weller Special Reserve

Weller is the high-end sibling brand of Buffalo Trace and the label has taken in some serious awards over the years. For the price, this is one of the best bourbons out there, nuanced and wearing its eye-catching burnt orange hue. If Dad is super trendy, swap this tasty option for Weller’s excellent wheated bourbon, a style that’s very much enjoying the moment right now.

FUJI Japanese Whisky.
FUJI Whisky

FUJI Japanese Whisky

The newest offering from FUJI just dropped stateside and it demonstrates all that is to love about quality Japanese whisky. This one is so approachable and inviting, luring you in with apricot, citrus liqueur, and oatmeal notes before revealing flavors of orchard fruit, honey, and poached pear.

Copperworks Single Malt Whiskey.
Copperworks Distilling Co.

Copperworks American Single Malt

If you don’t know about the emerging American single malt category already, get with the program. This distillery out of Seattle makes a great whiskey in that vain, offering an assortment of releases made from malted barley. The latest is twice distilled in Scottish copper pot stills and incorporates all of the best nutty and doughy flavors from your favorite baked goods. Copperworks also collaborates with fellow Pacific Northwest breweries, finishing its spirits in barrels previously used for hearty brews.

Balcones Single Malt whiskey.
Balcones Distilling

Balcones Single Malt

Another fantastic domestic single malt option, this time from the Lone Star State. Balcones has been crafting outstanding whisky for years and this release is no different, showing complexity, balance, and a round finish. There’s a little bit of everything, from hints of toast and tropical fruit to brown sugar and more delicate floral qualities.

JURA Scotch whisky.
JURA Whisky

JURA 18 Year Old

First matured in American white oak small batch bourbon barrels, the whisky is then transferred to Bordeaux red wine barrels for finishing — a way to both keep JURA’s signature style while creating a new flavor profile. Caramel and oak aromas are followed by spices, nuts, and vanilla on the palate with a somewhat jammy finish.

Oban Little Bay Scotch
Oban Whisky / Diageo

Oban Little Bay

Once only available in travel retail stores, this single malt whisky is aged in refill American oak hogsheads, European oak Sherry casks, and refill casks with new ends before finally being married in small oak casks. A nutty nose, a fruitcake body, and a long, dry finish.

Glenfiddich 18-year-old Scotch.
Glenfiddich

Glenfiddich 18 Year Old

Aged in Spanish Oloroso and American oak casks, Glenfiddich 18 is fruity while still maintaining a robust oak character. Moving from ripe fruit on the nose to dried fruit on the palate, it is an elegant and warming whisky every time.

Aberlour 12-year Scotch.
Aberlour Distillery

Aberlour 12-Year-Old Double Cask

This Speyside Scotch whisky is double-cask matured (in a mix of oak and Sherry butts), which provides an aroma of fresh red apples, leading into a palate rich with chocolate, toffee, and cinnamon. The finish brings the baking spices back and lingers on the tongue for a while.

Old Forester 1910 Whiskey.
Old Forester

Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky

The fourth expression in the Whiskey Row Series, Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky is a double-barreled bourbon that was modeled on a recipe created by Owsley Brown in, you guessed it, 1910. The final product has notes of toffee and cedar on the nose, a caramel corn body with notes of spice, and an oaky, spicy finish.

The Tyrconnel 16-year Scotch.
The Tyrconnel

The Tyrconnell 16-Year-Old Oloroso & Moscatel Cask Finish

Unique as far as Irish whiskies go, this release from The Tyrconnell was aged for 16 years in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels before more maturation in wine casks from the Andalusia region of Spain. Those casks were originally seasoned with Oloroso sherry before a second seasoning with Moscatel wine. Jasmine and honeysuckle on the nose, you’ll also find caramel and vanilla on the palate as well as nice citrus flavors.

The Macallan Rare Cask Scotch.
The Macallan

The Macallan Rare Cask

A whisky meant to show the care and craft taken by the The Macallan Rare Cask is composed of handpicked casks taken from around 1% of the total casks available, as they are the only ones worthy of being used in Rare Cask. A combination of sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks gives off vanilla, raisin, and other candied fruits on the nose, leading into oak and vanilla on the palate.

Little Book whiskey
Little Book

Little Book Chapter 6

Now on to its sixth installment, the Little Book series (created by eighth-generation distiller Freddie Noe) is fantastic and worth the price of admission. The latest expression is a blend of four different straight malt whiskeys and one batch of Kentucky bourbon, with a barrel regimen that includes everything from smoked barrel to maplewood and cherrywood staves. Fruit and floral notes are balanced by rye spices, which lead to a long, spiced finish. You can read more about it here.

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Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
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