Alcohol is one of those gifts that can be given at any time. Housewarming party? A bottle of wine will be fantastic! Birthday? I love Ketel One! First communion?

Vodka

Indio Wasabi Flavored Vodka - This Russian-style handcrafted vodka is made in Oregon by Indio Spirits owner John Ufford. They say it is sweet, clean and crisp and great in Bloody Mary’s or Martinis. I like the feeling of too much wasabi on a bite of sushi but I’m not too sure I would want to drink it. Price: ~ $26-$30.

Kauffman Luxury Vintage Vodka - This ‘ultra-premium’ vodka is so limited in production that you have to be put on a waiting list to buy it. They use only natural ingredients and the vodka is distilled 14 times! I personally like the glass bottle it comes in. It’s made by the Saint Gobaine facility in France and designed to be the same quality as perfume glass. Price: If you are lucky to get a bottle it will cost you $199.99.

Blavod: The Black Vodka - It’s vodka and it’s black. Perfect for…well I’m not sure what it’s perfect for (Halloween martinis or 30th birthday parties maybe) but I’ve never seen black vodka before. Blavod is made in the UK by Hayman’s Ltd and actually received pretty decent reviews. Price: ~ $20

Rum

Khurki Rum - Khurki is made in Nepal and comes in this awesome bottle (apparently a Khurki is a small knife). It is a medium-dark rum and according to the reviews is delicious mixed with Diet Coke. What makes it unique to me is a) I’ve never heard of it b) it’s made in Nepal (do they make liquor) and c) it comes in this great bottle. If you are a serious rum drinker check out the review on Scottes’ Rum. Price: ~ $19-$25

Old New Orleans Rum - Old New Orleans Rum is an ‘artisan rum’ produced at Celebration Distillation, the oldest premium rum distillery in the United States. They have several different kinds of rum (Crystal, Amber, Cajun spice) and each is made from only Louisiana sugar cane.The coolest part is that each bottle has an image inside its back label featuring a building or scene from New Orleans. Price: ~ $25

Pritchard’s Cranberry Rum - Cranberry rum doesn’t necessarily sound delicious to me but it does sound interesting. Pritchard’s is made with Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice and is suprisingly still 70 proof. Made in Tennessee and bottled beautifully, it would definitely catch my eye on the shelf. They say its great over ice and that ‘cranberries love limes’. Price: ~ $28

Tequila

Clase Azul Reposado Tequila - The bottle itself (Talavera carafe) is pretty cool but this tequila is supposedly one of the top rated tequilas around. It is made in the Jesus Maria region of Arandas, Jalisco, MX and aged for a minimum of eight months. It has some great reviews but isn’t cheap. This is something you should give only to a true tequila lover. Price: ~ $80

VooDoo Tiki Blue Dragon Tequila - Blue Kiwi infused tequila is said to make a great Blue Martini, shot or mixed with sprite and a lime. Personally I don’t see how kiwi and tequila go together but maybe it’s like peanut butter and jelly. It is made by the Agroindustria Guadalajara distillery in Mexico but has headquarters in Boca Raton. Price: ~ $35

Ley .925 Ultra Premium Anejo Tequila - Their claim to fame is the “World’s Most Expensive Bottle”. With prices ranging from $25k-$225k for one bottle of tequila, this is definitely a high-end gift. The tequila itself is considered ultra-premium, made from 100% blue agave and aged six years. Price: Very expensive

Gin

Desert Juniper Gin - Desert Juniper Gin is produced in Oregon by the Bendistillery, better known for its Cascade Mountin Gin. The Desert Juniper is mirco-distilled from grains and juniper berries and filtered through lava rocks. It is said to be good as a martini or even a gin and tonic. Read the review on Spirits Review. Price: ~ $29

BullDog Gin - This is a London Dry gin made with poppy, lotus leaves and dragon eye. I don’t know what dragon eye is but I’m guessing its a plant, not an actual dragon eye. The Bachelor Guy gives a great review including several recipes to use with it. I like that the bottle has a little spiked collar. This would be a great gift for that tough guy in your life. Price: ~ $30

Old Raj Gin - What makes this gin unique is that it contains saffron, a very expensive and rare spice not traditionally used in gin production. Old Raj is distilled in Scotland by William Cadenhead Ltd. and due to the saffron has a pale yellow color. It is considered premium gin and is not found in a ton of places. Price: ~ $65

Whiskey/Scotch

Hankey Bannister Blended Scotch Whiskey - Mainly I think the name is funny but apparently this is actually pretty good. Hankey Bannister whiskey is made in the UK (dates back to 1757) and they offer four types (blend, 12yr, 21yr and 40yr). I am not positive where you can get this in the states but you can order it online and have it shipped. Price: ~ $25 (not including shipping)

Glenfarclas 50 Year - I am certainly not a whiskey or scotch expert but this one is pretty cool and sounds like it’s good. This 50 yr was made to celebrate the Bicentenary of the birth of the first John Grant. The cask was hand-selected and only 110 bottles were made making this a rare bottle. I doubt there are many places to get this but I did find one place. Price: $5,999

Loch Dhu Black Whiskey - From what I have read it’s really bad. But it is black whiskey which I have never seen before, making it unique. Some quotes from the internet include, “It tastes like cigar ashes mixed with vodka and moldy blackberry jam” and “my guests were mostly disgusted by Loch Dhu“. But who knows, maybe its not as bad as these people say. Plus I don’t believe the 10yr is being made anymore. Price: ~ $45-$60

Well those are some of the most unique brands of alcohol I have found and hopefully they will make a great gift for someone. If you have any others that you know of feel free to comment and let me know. Like I said, MsGift likes alcohol…but for the record she does not condone underage drinking!

3 Responses to “15 Bottles of Alcohol That Might Make a Great Gift”

1. How About an Oil Wand for Your Favorite Cook? | GiftStumped Says:
   June 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

   [...] visitor to the blog then you are already familiar with my adoration of gourmet food (and of course alcoholic beverages. What you may not know is that I actually LOVE to [...]

2. Jon Says:
   June 20th, 2008 at 7:20 pm

   How’d you missed Sub Rosa Spirits’ excellent Saffron vodka and Tarragon vodka?

   http://www.subrosaspirits.com/where.html

   The Tarragon vodka is herbal and refreshing with delicate licorice notes. This infusion is made from fresh Oregon tarragon, a whisper of fennel and a hint of mint. The pale green color is all natural and derived from the fresh herb infusions. 90 proof will kick your butt.

   The Saffron vodka is a blend of 8 spices combined into a unique distillate that is not for the faint of palate. Toasted cumin on the nose with lemony coriander on the mid-palate that finishes with a generous amount of saffron. Grace notes of ginger, black pepper, white pepper, red chili pepper and galangal, a kissin’ cousin of the ginger family. Also 90 proof.

3. Nate Says:
   July 22nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm

   Pendleton whiskey makes a good gift, too. It’s also from Oregon.

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