12 Best Gifts For The Bourbon Lover In Your Life

Some people are easy to get gifts for, but some can be a little more difficult. One way to pick out a personalized present for a loved one is to think about the things they enjoy and bourbon is a great topic to hone in on. Bourbon-related gifts are fun, exciting, and most importantly, they're often products that people wouldn't buy for themselves.

Of course, you could take the easy route and buy them a bottle from one of the more popular bourbon brands, but it may not have the pizzazz you're looking for. You could up the ante by purchasing one of the many rare and allocated bourbons, but those are difficult to find and often incredibly expensive.

To help you out on your bourbon gifting adventure, we've put together a dozen gift ideas you can use to let your loved one know you care about them and understand what kinds of things they enjoy. Some of these ideas are more practical, like a set of Glencairns. While other ideas are more exploratory, like a whiskey smoker kit. There's a broad range of gifts here to choose from and, at the very least, it'll be good inspiration to get the gears turning.

Have you ever been at a bourbon tasting and watched in bewilderment as the other participants describe hints of cherry, leather, or tobacco? If so, the Bourbon Nosing Kit is here to help. It's a simple design with 18 individual containers containing a small amount of the actual items corresponding with popular bourbon notes which you can use to get more familiar with what people are talking about. There's also an expansion you can add on with an additional 18 items.

Purchase the Bourbon Nosing Kit from Bespoke Post for $69 or $148 with the expansion.

You can make whiskey infusions at home, but this DIY Whiskey Infusion Set is a great way to introduce the concept to friends and family. The set includes three types of wood chips and six different botanicals you can add to a whiskey of your choice (alcohol is not included) alongside two empty bottles with customizable labels and a half dozen stainless steel whiskey stones. Customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so be bold and give infusion a try.

Purchase the DIY Whiskey Infusion Set from Amazon for $59.

This Whiskey Advent Calendar is part sampler and part free trial of Flaviar's Black Membership program. The advent calendar itself contains 24 different 50 milliliter bottles of a wide variety of whiskeys both new and time-tested. If you're getting tired of the same old whiskey options, this is a great way to explore what's out there. And it comes with a "hotel keycard" which gives you one full year of free access to Flaviar's VIP program, complete with special pricing and access to limited-edition bottles.

Purchase the Whiskey Advent Calendar from Flaviar for $250.

This is a great book for a coffee table as it's easy to pick up and flip through in passing. Full of lush photography and insider info, "The Bourbon Drinker's Companion" is a fantastic gift for the thinking drinker or anyone interested in the spirit's history. This hardcover book covers a lot of ground by sharing details about America's various distilleries while also offering tasting notes on the different whiskies America has produced. The price may vary as it appears to be currently on sale.

Purchase "The Bourbon Drinker's Companion" from Amazon for $19.39.

Every bourbon lover is going to be familiar with the ever-popular Knob Creek, but there's one bottle on offer that is just unique enough to make for a great gift. We reviewed Knob Creek's Bourbon X Rye earlier this year and the limited edition blend of Knob Creek's 9 year old bourbon and 7 year old rye did not disappoint. You can buy a bottle nationwide at your local liquor store or from select online retailers while supplies last, so you may want to hurry before it's too late.

Purchase Knob Creek's Bourbon X Rye from Knob Creek for $50.

Easily one of the best gift ideas on this list is this Whiskey Smoker Kit which comes with a lot of goodies to play around with. The main idea is to provide your loved one with the tools they need to start smoking their whiskey, which is when you burn flavorful wood chips and trap the smoke inside the glass. There are six different wood chips provided alongside two gorgeous tumblers, two round ice molds, a cocktail smoker top in the shape of a whiskey barrel, and a butane torch.

Purchase the Whiskey Smoker Kit from Amazon for $50.

If the person you're shopping for enjoys unique bourbons, this cask finished bourbon is a fun and affordable option. If you want a deep dive on just what this bourbon is doing, we reviewed the Great Jones X Wölffer Estate Cask Finished Bourbon when it came out earlier this year. The bourbon is finished in red wine casks and best served either neat or with a whiskey rock.

Purchase the Great Jones X Wölffer Estate Cask Finished Bourbon from Great Jones for $60.

A thoughtful gift is one where you try to make it as personalized as possible, showing you know the person inside and out. What better way to put that unique touch on a gift than with a personalized whiskey decanter set. The decanter has four different themes to choose from which allows you to put the recipient's name on it. It's a classy addition to any living room bar set complete with two tumblers and nine chilling stones.

Purchase the Whiskey Decanter and Stones Set from Amazon for $90.

In the bar world, ice is king; but it doesn't need to be. Chilling stones are a unique way to cool off your bourbon without diluting the drink via melting water. There are a lot of great whiskey stones on the market, but Quiseen's set is a premium choice at an easy price. The stones are made from natural soapstone, come with a velvet carrying bag, and are infinitely reusable. Simply freeze them and pop them in your drink like ice.

Purchase the Chilling Stones Set from Amazon for $8.

A bottle of cherries may seem like an odd gift idea, but trust us, these babies are delicious. What makes these such a great gift is that unique space wherein gift products reside, somewhere between practical and desirable. High quality bourbon cherries aren't cheap, unfortunately, which means not many of us are going to buy them for ourselves. But a luxury food item that pairs perfectly with bourbon is just the thing a bourbon lover will be sure to appreciate.

Purchase the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries from Amazon for $20.

Speaking of luxury whiskey products that people don't purchase for themselves, ice molds are a fun way to spruce up your home bar. There are a few different shapes that whiskey ice molds come in, but the sphere is a classic. There is a trick you can follow to make perfectly clear ice which certainly elevates the experience, but the process is simple: Just add water. This is a set of four which is also a plus.

Purchase the Silicone Ice Ball Molds from Amazon for $13.

If all else fails, gifting premium whiskey glassware is always a safe bet. For the person who truly has everything, glassware is something you can always have more of. Sometimes glasses chip or get lost and a fresh supply is needed. The best glass for drinking whiskey neat is a Glencairn due to its tulip shaped body and sturdy base. Bourbon lovers are undoubtedly familiar with the brand and will be happy to receive the real deal instead of a cheap knockoff.

Purchase the Glencairn Glass Set from Amazon for $30.