Father’s Day is almost here, and there’s still plenty of time to get Dad a gift. Whiskey (or whisky, as the case may be) or other bottles of booze are always a safe bet, and a few brands are offering specialized, personally engraved bottles for the occasion – or any occasion, really. Here are a few selections to consider ranging from affordable, to “Look, Dad, I have a real job and can finally buy nice things. Also, I’m moving out of the basement.”
Crown Royal
Most people instantly recognize Crown Royal’s purple fabric bag, a trademark that gives this mid-range whisky a little bit of flair. For Father’s Day, you can head on over to the Crown Royal online shop and order a customizable bag ($9.95) or label (free) with a message of your choosing. Crown Royal has a special promotion going on until June 19th – enter CROWNFATHERS at checkout, and you can get one customized embroidered bag for free (the whisky is sold separately). Whether you’re going for the hyped-up Northern Harvest Rye, the classic Deluxe, or splurging on some XO, this is a good gift for Dad. If you’re strapped for cash, just get him the bag and he can buy his own whisky for it – I’m sure he’ll understand.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
This one is for the big spenders, but this beautiful bottle and box is a special treat. Johnnie Walker Blue Label is the Cadillac of blended scotch, a mixture of some of the finest whiskies that the brand sources for blending. You can order a bottle for $225 at Johnnie Walker or Reserve Bar for Dad and add a message in a variety of languages up to 45 characters in length. Just remind your father to maybe not drink this with soda; save that for the Red Label.
Avion Tequila Reserva 44
Avion’s Extra Anejo isn’t your average tequila – it’s aged for 43 months in oak barrels in a temperature controlled cave, sort of an evil villain’s lair of spirits aging, before being finished for a month in what they refer to as “specially selected petite barrels.” The crystal decanter-style bottle can be personalized with a three-line message for Dad through Reserve Bar for a cool $195.
The Glenlivet 18 Year Old
The Glenlivet has overtaken Glenfiddich to become the world’s number one selling single malt, so why not give your dad what everyone else on the planet seems to be asking for? You can have the 18-year-old expression of this Speyside-style scotch bottle engraved with two lines of text for $135 at Reserve Bar. Just remind your dad that the text might be easier to see when the bottle is empty and maybe he’ll pour you a dram or two.
Richard Hennessey
Listen, throughout your life (if you’re lucky), Dad has provided for you. From paying for you to go to Little League even though you really didn’t want to, to buying you tube sock after tube sock, to occasionally taking you out to eat at Chili’s, the man has dropped some cash on you. So you shouldn’t blink at the $4,800 price tag for this custom-engraved bottle of Richard Hennessey cognac from Reserve Bar, a tribute to the brand’s founder made from a blend of 100 cognacs, some of which date back to the early 19th century. Don’t be a cheapskate and spend $4,799 on some swill.