Because most bourbon lovers already buy whatever bourbon they want whenever they find it, there’s not much point in buying a bottle. Thankfully there are a multitude of gift options for the bourbon lover that don’t involve camping out in freezing weather for a lottery ticket that may leave you empty handed. Here’s a list of things bourbon-related that don’t require a folding chair or having pizza delivered to the liquor store parking lot:

• Books are always great. The first two to start your collection should be Michael Veach‘s Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage and Fred Minnick‘s Bourbon Curious. After that, check out this suggested reading list from Michael Veach.
• There’s bourbon flavored coffee, and then there’s bourbon barrel aged coffee. Kentucky Knows makes the literal best bourbon barrel coffee I’ve ever tried. You can pick it up in Tony Davis‘ new shop (337 W. Broadway St Frankfort) or email him here.
• Art Eatables makes the most amazing bourbon truffles. These aren’t bourbon balls, but bourbon truffles, and candy artist Kelly Ramsey painstakingly pairs each chocolate with each bourbon (or whiskey) to make the best possible combination. These candies are truly a work of art! They make great hostess gifts for all your holiday gatherings. Online ordering is available!
• Drunkwood‘s John King is a crafter of all things bourbon barrel. Some of his more popular items include barrel head Fleur-De-Lis, Kentucky state cutouts, and horse heads. But most things are made to order, so email drunkwoodinky@gmail.com for special orders.
• The Louisville Beer Syrup Company makes a non-alcoholic syrup that can be used in your favorite bourbon cocktails or on pancakes. You can order this product, developed by Louisville bartender Russ Meredith, online or pick it up in a number of Louisville locations including 5-0-Lou.
• The Shuckman Fish Co has been a Louisville family business for almost 100 years. Lewis Shuckman has been using bourbon barrels to smoke salmon and cheeses for decades, and some of their specialties are Ale-8-One Beer Cheese, bourbon barrel smoked salmon, and bourbon barrel smoked Parmesan. These products are available at their shop in West Louisville or select Louisville Valu Markets.
• Louisville artist David Nichols uses discarded license plates and bourbon barrel heads to create one of a kind works of art. He does take custom orders through his website– click here for contact info. His art is also available at Revelry Gallery in NuLu.
• Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigars from Pappy & Co make a fabulous gift for any cigar lover in your life, but especially those who enjoy a good bourbon as well.
• ReWicked Candle Company has come up with an ingenious solution to the problem of bottle refilling fraud- put a candle in it! Online ordering is available thru Etsy.

• Bourbon Barrel Foods was put on the map by becoming the first ever soy sauce micro brewery in the United States. Today founder Matt Jamie makes everything you can think of, from bourbon barrel aged sugar to bourbon barrel aged bitters and everything salty and sweet in between! Online ordering is available or you can visit the retail store on Frankfort Avenue!
• J. Shephers Cigar‘s Jason Shepherd has recently brought bourbon barrel infused cigars to the Louisville market. They are available at his shop and select bars in Louisville.
• Old Limestone Mixing Water is the same mineral-rich, iron-free water that makes Kentucky Bourbon the best around. If the bourbon lover in your life likes a splash of water, this is the one to use. Available online and in local retailers.
• Event tickets are always a big hit. Here are some late winter to early spring events from which to choose:
  • Coming up December 22 is Michael Veach’s last Historic Flights of the year at The Silver Dollar for only $25.
  • Package tickets to the Kentucky Derby Museum‘s Legends Series hosted by Fred Minnick are on sale thru the end of the year- $150 for all three events. January’s guest will be Fred Noe, March’s guest will be Tom Bulleit, and April’s guest will be Campbell Brown.
  • Tickets to the 5th annual Bourbon Classic in Louisville, Kentucky are on sale now. This event has grown over the years to include Bourbon Classic Top Shelf, Bourbon Classic Loft, and Bourbon Classic Savor, all of which lead up to the two-day Bourbon Classic.
  • The New Orleans Bourbon Festival will take place in March. This inaugural event will include tastings and seminars all in the place that brought us Bourbon Street!
  • Whisky Live will take place in New York and Washington D.C. in March.
  • The inaugural Bourbon Country Institute will be held January 28th at The Silver Dollar. This day-long class will be taught by Bourbon Historian Michael Veach.
  • Book a tour on Mint Julep Tours! You can go on The American Pharoah tour or spend the day visiting two or three distilleries with a seasoned tour guide!
• Magazine subscriptions are the whiskey gift that keeps on giving. Some popular ones include:
  • Whisky Magazine
  • The Bourbon Review
  • Whiskey Advocate

This is by no means a comprehensive list. These are just the ideas that rattled off the top of my brain on Thanksgiving weekend. I hope you find this list useful. Have a safe and happy Holiday Season!

Here’s last year’s list I totally forgot I wrote 🙂

Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl