Bourbon and Home Bar Gifts for the Man Who Drinks It Neat

The man who drinks bourbon neat doesn't want a cocktail menu or a lecture about trying something new. He has a chair, a glass and a bottle he likes. Your job is to make all three a little better.

Amazon generally doesn't ship spirits, so this list covers everything around the bottle. Pick up the bourbon at the store, and know which one he likes before you guess.

The Glass

Glencairn whisky glasses

The tulip shape gathers the aroma at the top of the glass. Plenty of distilleries use them for tastings. It's the glass for slow sipping.

Heavy rocks glasses

A thick base with real weight in the hand. If he takes his bourbon with a cube, this is the glass.

Decanter set

Mostly for looks, and that's fine. A decanter on the shelf says "this man has a bar," even if the bar is a bookcase.

Ice and Chill

Clear ice maker

Big clear cubes melt slowly and don't fill the glass with freezer-burn flavor. It's the cheapest way to make home drinks feel like a good bar.

Large cube molds

The budget version. Cloudier than clear ice, but still a big slow-melting cube.

Steel whiskey stones

Chill without dilution. Purists will argue about them all night, which is a perfectly good way to spend an evening.

For the Tinkerer

Cocktail smoker kit

Puts wood smoke on an old fashioned in about thirty seconds. Every guest asks how he did it.

Old fashioned kit

Bitters, a mixing glass and a bar spoon for the nights he wants more than a neat pour.

Tasting journal

For keeping track of what he's tried and what he thought. Handy when it's time to restock and he can't remember the one he liked.

A good drink is about slowing down after a long week, not getting loaded. Help him do it with style, and keep it responsible.