Top Shelf Father’s Day Guide

He doesn’t want another ugly tie. He wants a cold cocktail waiting for him at the end of a long day. And after all he’s done for you, that’s not too much to ask.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Here’s to you.

| Posted: 27 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

1-10 of 10

• Clase Azul Reposado Tequila

  

  This perilously smooth sipping tequila is produced in Jalisco and aged in oak. Comes in a handmade, hand painted Talavera bottle.

  $80 at Mission Liquor | Buy

  

  | Posted 27 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Hendrick’s Gin

  

  Hendrick’s is a slightly exotic gin made with cucumbers and rose petals. Its softness makes a particularly refreshing gin and tonic.

  Bonus points for the old-timey medicinal bottle, which fits right in with dad’s steam-punk lifestyle.

  $39 at Internet Wines and Spirits | Buy

  

  | Posted 26 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• 1997 Niepoort Vintage Port

  

  Your dad knows his port, so you want something really good, but not $400 a bottle good, you know? This is relatively young, as vintage ports go, but ready to drink. Throw in a few cigars while you’re at it.

  $150 at Wine Access | Buy

  

  | Posted 22 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

  

  If your dad’s a beer drinker, try a selection of interesting options from Bottle Trek.

  This Marzen has been around since 1678. It’s an unusual savory beer with a smoky flavor some compare to roasted meat or sausage.

  $6 at Bottle Trek | Buy

  

  | Posted 22 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Clear Creek Pear Brandy

  

  The folks at Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon grow these pears inside the bottle, scrub the bottle and fruit by hand, and pour in their subtle eau de vie.

  I found out about them on a road trip to Portland with our Mighty Junior editor, Melissa Summers. Her husband warned her not to come home without a few bottles, because he uses the brandy to make unstoppable pear sidecars. Now he can get his fix online.

  (Bottle sans pear is $40.)

  $77 at Amarco Wines | Buy

  

  | Posted 21 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Macallan Fine Oak 15 Year Old Scotch

  

  You don’t want to mess with a man’s scotch. If your dad’s a scotch drinker you probably already know what he likes, so get that.

  If your dad appreciates good scotch, but isn’t brand-loyal (yet), it’s tough to go wrong with Macallan.

  $79 at Beverages and More | Buy

  

  | Posted 20 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Hangar One Vodka

  

  Hangar One Vodka is made by hand in an old military airplane hangar on the San Francisco Bay, and it’s a beautiful sipping vodka or drink base. They use small pot stills instead of column stills, and Hangar One contains none of the weird synthetic flavorings used by larger brands. Tie a bow around the neck, and throw it in the freezer next to a couple of tall shot glasses.

  $32 at Caddell Williams | Buy

  

  | Posted 20 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• La Favorite Rhum Agricole Ambre

  

  Produced by one of the last family-owned distilleries in Martinique, La Favorite isn’t made with molasses, but fresh-pressed sugar cane juice. Dad can sip it, or make an unforgettable block-party punch.

  $47 at Internet Wines and Spirits | Buy

  

  | Posted 19 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Basil Hayden Bourbon

  

  A light, Kentucky blended-bourbon with a dry finish. Bring your dad a rocks glass and ask him how business is going.

  $40 at Beverages and More | Buy

  

  | Posted 19 May, 2008 by Margaret Mason

• Apple-ation Apple Brandy

  

  God bless a vintner with a pet project. Guy Davis decided to take advantage of the organic apple orchards in the Russian River Valley to make small batch apple brandy. Davis eschews the usual practice of fermenting just the apple juice; however, he leaves the peels and fruit in during fermentation for a deeper apple flavor. The results are spectacular.

  $35 at Davis Family Vineyards | Buy

  

  | Posted 23 Feb, 2007 by Margaret Mason