Dram fine gift solution
From an advent calendar with a twist to a present that really packs a punch, whisky can be a total winner
As the the days grow colder and the nights grow longer, there are few things as comforting on a than luxuriating in the warmth of a nip by the fire. It can also be the perfect present for a friend, significant other or even yourself.
If you’re not sure where to begin — or just want to expand your horizons – The Whisky Exchange offers a variety of gift sets and whisky advent calendars that should steer you in the right direction.
The last few decades have seen big changes in whisky, and these are reflected in the Exchange’s carefully curated 20 Whiskies That Changed The World gift set (£160). This contains two tasting glasses and 20 three-centilitre samples that, as the accompanying tasting book documents, kicked off changes in the way we drink whisky, including the importance of casks in the maturation process.
The Whisky Exchange’s advent calendars also aim to unlock a world of flavour. Traditionalists should appreciate the Premium Scotch and Irish Whiskies Advent Calendar, which contains 24 sample bottles of some of the most popular prestigious whiskies in the world, for £245. The more adventurous, however, may opt for the Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendar (£149), which offers 24 onea-day December drams, sourced from distilleries from Scotland to America to Taiwan.
These sampling sets are a great idea because it’s always best to find out which whiskies best suit your palate before investing in a full-size bottle – and make no mistake, it certainly can be an investment.
Currently the Whisky Exchange is offering a Stories Range from Balvenie, the Speyside single malt distillery in Dufftown. Launched in 2019, this range consists of whiskies based upon the tales of the craftsmen that worked at the distillery over the generations.
The range is priced from an eminently reasonable £40 to more than £600. And if you want to get your hands on their latest release, The Tale Of The Dog, a 42-year-old, you’ll have to register your interest now as the release is extremely limited.
An exceptionally rare dram like this is either an investment or an exceptionally expensive tipple. While the last 20 years have seen a boom in the Japanese cask whisky market, “Scotch whisky is still the most prestigious market and outperforms every other whisky in the world,” according to Ewan Wright, head analyst at investment company Elite Wine and Whisky.
Of course, you have to sit on any investment for a few years if you want to make a good return on it, showing a most admirable level of self-control, indeed –