Whether we’re talking bonuses, birthday or holidays matters not.
There are certain people on your list who are easy to shop for: the ones who are always up for a drink.
But why not pass on the road more traveled this year (Bulleit, Milagro, Glenlivet et al) and get ‘em something that’ll make ‘em say, “Whoa. This is cool. Now let’s drink it.”
Herein: six gifts that’ll show the bartender or bar nerd in your life that you care.
Cocktail Books
If you want to keep it easy, swing by Amazon and choose from their broad spectrum of bar/cocktail books. Here are a few we endorse:
Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day.
Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff.
The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual by Jack McGarry, Sean Muldoon and Ben Schaffer. $15 – $50
A Punch Bowl
Cocktail nerds and spirits archivists can go on for days about the different varieties and historical significance of punch. The best way to acknowledge that knowledge is to check out the vintage bowl sets at Williams-Sonoma and pair it with David Wondrich’s PUNCH. $50 – $200
The Traveling (Portable) Cocktail Kit
Some secondhand stores or flea markets carry them — but be forewarned, the shakers often arrive cracked or the strainers missing altogether. For a full set with no worries, your best bet is buying one online, from either Kegworks and Beverage Factory. $150 +
For the Behind-the-Pine MacGuyver
Outshine the typical bar gift with the The Shard Keychain, a military-grade, stainless steel, titanium-coated 7-in-1 tool that fits in your pocket and works great for every situation a bar can throw at its tender. $15 +
Art
Framing, shipping and handling will bring the price tag to about $150.)The modern prints from Pop Chart Lab cover a wide range of subjects, including an extensive number of booze-inspired infographics and flowcharts. From the history of Beer to the genealogy of Wine to detailed ingredient maps of cocktails, PCL has go you covered. $30 +
Glassware
Uncommon Goods carries a variety of glasses that make a statement, including a collection inscribed with city maps: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, etc. Because nothing says Manhattan like drinking a Manhattan in a glass with a map of Manhattan. $50 – $75
– Lincoln Chinnery
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