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Liquor Library
Best Whisky Gifts NZ: Whisky to Give at Every Budget
The best whisky gifts in NZ: a bourbon, a blended Scotch, a single malt, a smoky Islay and a Japanese whisky, plus The Whisky Den gift box.
The best whisky gift for most people is Johnnie Walker Black Label: a smooth 12 year old blended Scotch with a little smoke. Buffalo Trace is the easy bourbon, and a Japanese whisky such as Hibiki Harmony suits a big occasion.
Choose by how they drink: a bourbon if they mix it, a blended Scotch if they sip, and a smoky single malt only if you know they like smoke.
Quick answer
Best all-round gift
Johnnie Walker Black 700ml
A 12 year old blend with sweet vanilla, ripe fruit and soft smoke.
The safe bet
Kentucky bourbon with caramel, vanilla and oak.
The big occasion
A balanced Japanese blend with honey, orange peel and white chocolate.
Buffalo Trace
A bourbon that suits almost anyone.
Rich caramel, vanilla and oak, smooth and balanced. Good neat, on ice or mixed.
- Style
- Kentucky straight bourbon
- Try it with
- Ice, or in an old fashioned
- Per nip
- About $2.39
Johnnie Walker Black
The gift whisky most people hope for.
Made from whiskies matured for at least twelve years, with vanilla, ripe fruit and soft smoke. A safe step up for a first good whisky.
- Style
- Blended Scotch, 12 years
- Try it with
- A little water, or ice
- Per nip
- About $2.61
Glenfiddich 12
A classic single malt.
Fresh orchard fruit with apple, honey and soft spice. An easy single malt for someone starting out.
- Style
- Speyside single malt
- Try it with
- Neat, or a drop of water
- Per nip
- About $3.70
Laphroaig 10
For someone who likes it smoky.
Intense peat smoke, iodine and sea salt, balanced by sweetness and oak. Smoke divides people, so buy it only for a known fan.
- Style
- Islay single malt
- Try it with
- Neat, with a drop of water
- Per nip
- About $3.26
Hibiki Harmony
For a milestone or a thank you that matters.
A blend of malt and grain whiskies with honey, orange peel, white chocolate and subtle oak, bottled at 43%.
- Style
- Japanese blended whisky
- Try it with
- Neat, slowly
- Per nip
- About $7.39
Not sure what they drink?
Think about how they drink, not just what.
If they mix their whisky, choose a bourbon. If they sip it, a blended Scotch is the safest step up. If you cannot tell, give The Whisky Den and let them choose the bottle.
The Whisky Den
Snacks for a whisky drinker, with the bottle you choose.
A ready-to-give whisky gift for a dad, a boss or a mate, wrapped, boxed and delivered NZ wide.
- What is in it
- Salty, smoky and sweet snacks
- Bottle
- The one you choose
Quick answers
What is a good whisky gift?
Johnnie Walker Black is the safest all-round gift. For a bourbon drinker, Buffalo Trace. For a big occasion, a Japanese whisky such as Hibiki Harmony.
What is a good gift for a man who likes whisky?
Match the style he drinks. A bourbon for a mixer, a Speyside single malt like Glenfiddich 12 for a sipper, and The Whisky Den if you want to add snacks.
Is smoky whisky a good gift?
Only for someone who already likes it. Smoke divides people.
What if I do not know what they like?
Give The Whisky Den, or a gift card, so they pick their own bottle.
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