Father's Day Gifts: Irish whiskeys guaranteed to make you the favourite child
It seems a little unfair sometimes that Mother's Day is all about flowers, chocolates and spa treatments, while Father's Day is socks, ties and gardening tools, but if dad will insist on being difficult to buy for, what does he expect?
If you want to cement yourself as the Favourite Child, however, you can't go wrong with a bottle of decent whiskey. And if he doesn't like whiskey? Well, it's the thought that counts and perhaps he'll let you have a drop whenever you pop over to visit. Win-win.
There's a lot of great Irish whiskey on the market these days, so navigating it can be a little daunting. Here's a guide to some of the most delicious distilled beverages available, so you can pick up something he'll love no matter what your budget.
Bushmills
Antrim's finest, and the oldest licenced distillery on the island, Bushmills should be a staple of any home bar.
At the €20-30 end of the scale, you really can't go wrong with a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush - a very affordable premium whiskey that punches way above its weight. It's great on its own, and mixes really well in whiskey sours, old fashioneds or straight up whiskey sodas.
If you want something a little bit extra this year, however, then take a look at the Bushmills Single Malts range.
The light and fruity 10 Year Old is a great starting point, but if he's a bit more experienced then the bold and unusual 14 Year Old might be just the thing.
Or, if you really want to push the boat out and have €12,000 to spare, Bushmills introduced their oldest ever expression earlier this year with a 46-year-old single malt 'Secrets of the River Bush'. This one's guaranteed to grab his attention - even if you're a middle child!
Redbreast
This perennial favourite picks up awards all over the world every year, and with good reason!
You can't go wrong with any of the whiskeys in the Redbreast family, so it all comes down to budget. At €70, Redbreast 12 is a great starting point and an absolute cracker of a whiskey.
If you've got a bit more to spend, exploring the 15, 18 or 21 Year Old expressions would make this a Father's Day to remember.
There are also a few slightly more obscure entries to the range, including the recently released Cask Strength 15 Year Old, which was launched to celebrate 20 years since the release of the original 15 Year Old.
Tullamore D.E.W.
Tullamore D.E.W. doesn't always get its props, but we're here to tell you it's an absolutely delicious drop. Whether you go for the standard blend or the rum-cask finished XO, these are lovely whiskeys that can be enjoyed alone or in a cocktail. If dad has a sweet tooth, the recently released Tullamore D.E.W. Honey liqueur is definitely worth a taste.
For that extra-special occasion, however, we'd recommend Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old. Retailing at around €50, this is a very classy whiskey and really should be a staple of all liquor cabinets.
Teeling
As one of the trailblazers of the new wave of Irish distillers, Teeling haven't been shy about pushing the boundaries of what's possible with Irish whiskey. In addition to their phenomenal core range, The Teeling 'Trinity' of Small Batch, Single Grain and Single Malt whiskeys, they boast an unbelievable range of experimental, limited edition and super-premium expressions.
A great way to explore them is a visit to the Teeling Distillery, in Dublin's Newmarket, where you and dad can tour the working distillery and try a few of their tasty drops.
Boann
Another relative newcomer, Boann distillery is home to the Whistler whiskeys, which include the wonderfully named PX I Love You, the beautifully rich Irish Whiskey & Honey Liqueur and a delicious Irish Cream liqueur - plus several other excellent whiskey expressions.
In addition to the Whistler, Boann has recently branched out into Single Pot Still, with a trio of different finishes using traditional recipes that are picking up awards all over the place. Definitely worth checking out if dad has a bit of the whiskey nerd about him.
McConnell's
McConnell's is a brand that can trace its history back to 1776, and has been recently revived with a new, state of the art distillery in Belfast's Crumlin Road Prison.
Their entire range is worth exploring, but the just-launched 5 Year Old Cognac Cask Finish is a definite winner.
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