7 perfect Christmas gifts for whisky lovers (that aren’t a bottle of their favourite Scotch)

When you’ve got a family member who likes whisky, buying them a present couldn’t be easier: you find out their favourite whisky and buy them a bottle.Job done.

(Sometimes, you might even get them a gift set that includes a glass too.)

But what if you want to do something a little different this year?

What if you want to get them a gift that they’ll still love, but is a little unexpected.

That’s when buying gifts for whisky lovers can get a little trickier.

Luckily, we’ve scoured the lengths and depths of the internet to find some unexpected gifts that whisky drinkers are bound to love.

(How do we know? Because we’re all whisky lovers here at Whisky Foundation, and we’ve already added all 7 items on this list to our letters to Santa.)

Whisky Foundation picks: 7 perfect gifts for whisky lovers

(Full disclosure: if you’re expecting to see whisky stones on this list, think again. We won’t go on a huge rant about them, but suffice to say, they’re more than a little rubbish. They make your glass look cooler, but they certainly don’t have the same effect on your drink.)

#1: A whisky barrel drinks cabinet

If you’re looking to really treat the whisky lover in your life, then you really can’t go wrong with this gift.

Made from a Speyside single malt whisky cask, these incredible drinks cabinets are the perfect way for them to show off their (probably extensive) collection of whiskies.

(This is pricey – at a cool £299 – but it’s top of our list for a reason. We’ve been particularly good this year in the hopes that it’s on the back of the sleigh.)

#2: Whisky barrel cufflinks

Can’t buy the whole barrel? Not a problem. Why not go for two little pieces of it, hand-shaped into classy looking cufflinks?

They make the perfect present for whisky loving dads and uncles across the country.

#3: Whisky earrings

Look at us – one week we’re writing about women, whisky and equality – the next we’ve included a male-centric gift as #2 on our list of gifts for whisky lovers.

Well, that’s about to change.

Etsy has a whole range of earrings (which, we assume are for women, but could equally be for men) with a whisky theme.

There’s earrings made from whisky barrels, earrings shaped like whisky barrels, and – our personal favourite – earrings shaped like the molecular structure of whisky.

#4: An age-your-own whisky kit

Remember the home-brew trend in the seventies (or, if you’re slightly younger, the one that’s going on right now)?

Well, this is sort of like that.

But better.

(Lots better.)

You won’t have to suffer through a Cabernet Sauvignon that tastes like balsamic vinegar or a yeasty broth masquerading as beer – you’ll get an unaged whisky and an aging barrel to mature your whisky in.

Plus, because of the size of the barrel, you’ll be able to drink your matured whisky in 3-6 months (or you can be a maverick and experiment with longer periods).

Sure, it might not beat your favourite 40-year-old single malt, but it’s a helluva lot more fun, right?

#5: A whisky candle

The previous gifts for whisky lovers have all been for family members and loved ones (with price tags to go with it) but this gift is for a different whisky lover.

This is one of those gifts for whisky lovers you don’t know all that well – the guy you got for Secret Santa (about whom the only thing you know is that he loves whisky) or your Scotch-loving aunt you haven’t seen in three years.

It smells great – just like a great peaty Islay, actually.

#6: The perfect whisky-drinking album (on vinyl, if possible)

There’s only one thing better than sitting down with a nice glass of whisky and the perfect whisky-drinking album – and that’s listening to the album on vinyl.

There’s just something about that faint crackling that lifts the experience up a notch or two.

Now, everybody’s whisky-drinking album is different, so do a bit of sleuthing to find out their tastes (and whether they’ve already got it).

(Oh, and whether they’ve got a record player.)

If you come up bust though, we recommend Living Proof by Buddy Guy.  It’s the perfect whisky drinking album (from the ‘proof’ pun and whisky-bottle-inspired album cover down to the weary, bluesy track list).

Just right for sipping a nice Scotch and unwinding.

#7: A trip to their favourite distillery (or region)

If you want to be remembered as ‘The Greatest Gift Giver, Ever’ then this is the present to opt for.

Not only will they get to visit their favourite distilleries, see the magic happening and sip their favourite (and some new) drams – they’ll also get to go on a trip out to the breath-taking Scottish landscape.

(Plus, it’ll mean some quality time together too, which they’re bound to love.)

What are you planning on buying the whisky lover in your life? Let us know on social media! (Just don’t tag them…)