What do whisky lovers want for Christmas? That’s a question we can answer, not just because we’re the best whisky shop in the world but because we, too, are whisky lovers.
The answer, of course, is whisky.
We know it’s tempting to try to ram the stockings with all kinds of vaguely related whisky paraphernalia in an attempt to seem more interesting or involved than simply buying a bottle of whisky.
Don’t. We couldn’t care less if your present is another bottle of our old favourite. We do not want that. It’s ok. Gift-giving is not a competition. Even knowing what our old favourite is enough of a compliment.
If you don’t happen to know for sure, then we’re here to help. Below are the top whiskies, as well as other ideas from gift packs, tasting sets, and even whisky baubles. Our guide to buying whisky for Christmas is now live and worth consulting too, as is our sister feature, What whisky lovers DON’T want for Christmas.
Which whisky to buy: the classics
To start with, we’re going to give you a few options of whiskies that you can’t go wrong with. Nobody would be upset to find any of the following whiskies under their tree:
Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old Whisky
The ultimate sherry-finished single malt that even non-whisky drinkers appreciate.
Lagavulin 16 Year Old Whisky
A benchmark for smoky whisky with an industry-wide seal of approval.
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Whisky
The perfect all-rounder and a staple in any good drinks cabinet.
Four Roses Bourbon Whiskey
The kind of big taste, bargain whiskey that makes bourbon brilliant.
Redbreast 12 Year Old
The critic’s fave, the apple of our eye, and with a bonus Project Wingman Bird Feeder!
Which whisky to buy: the cool and underrated
Glen Elgin 12 Year Old Moscatel Cask
Glen Elgin is a blender’s secret weapon and the connoisseurs’ choice for those in the know.
Shortcross Rye & Malt Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey newcomer with bags of personality and flavour.
Morris Australian Single Malt Whisky – Tokay Barrel
What happens when an Australian wine master takes their expertise and applies it to whisky? Sublime results.
Masthouse Single Malt (Double Pot Distilled) Whisky
Rich and fruity English whisky that is impossible to have only one dram of.
Wormtub 10 Year Old Whisky
A whisky geek’s go-to with more character than a Shakespearean villain.
Which whisky to buy: the Christmassy kind
Christmas Cake & Dark Chocolate & Medjool Dates & Cinnamon 8 Year Old Whisky
Does what it says on the tin. Which is an awful lot.
Big Peat at Christmas Whisky
A sensational, seasonal, smoky sure-thing, this is the first Big Peat Xmas finished in sherry casks.
Seaweed & Maple Syrup & Butterscotch & Christmas Cake Whisky
Does what it says on the tin. Which is an awful lot. But with smoke.
The Whisky Advent Calendar
It’s never too late to enjoy Advent, and who would turn down 24 great whiskies?
Paul John Christmas Edition 2025 Whisky
Cream sherry casks make this Indian single malt extra festive.
Other perfect presents: gift sets, baubles, glasses, and more
Whisky gift sets
There are plenty of products on our site that aren’t just bottles of whisky. We have a dedicated whisky gift set section full of fancy presentation tins, branded glasses, and neat accompaniments. For example, The Glenfarclas 15 Year Old Gift Set comes with a 70cl bottle of a brilliant Glenfarclas 15 Year Old, alongside a 50ml miniature of the Glenfarclas 25 Year Old and Glenfarclas 105. The Teeling Small Batch Gift Set gives you two beautiful glasses, while the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Guitar Case Gift Pack speaks for itself.
Tasting sets
Rather than one bottle, why not a tasting set with six different wax-sealed drams? That’s just about the best stocking filler we could ever think of. If you need inspiration or know they’ll love one we’ve already put together, there are plenty of pre-made tasting sets to choose from, too. Like our own Christmas Whisky Tasting Set.
Drinks by the Dram Whisky Baubles
Still real whisky that they can drink, but with the bonus that it comes in a beautiful, festive receptacle. This is a set of six baubles, each one containing a different 30ml dram of whisky from some brilliant producers. Little wooden toys or cheap choccies have nothing on these…
LSA Whisky Islay Jug & Walnut Coaster
One of the few whisky gifts that we will appreciate that doesn’t contain actual whisky is a really good glass. Something like the LSA Whisky Islay Jug & Walnut Coaster, designed to heighten the drinking experience by allowing you to concentrate on the aromas and flavours. But don’t ever gift an empty glass, people. A dram, a bottle… it needs some whisky to go with it.
Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026
The same can be said for a good whisky book, like the Malt Whisky Yearbook. A superb resource for any whisky lover, it’s packed with up-to-date distillery info, the latest on whisky shops, whisky sites, and new expressions, as well as new articles from top whisky folk. But we can’t make this point enough: it’s still worth making sure you have actual whisky to go alongside it.
This article was first published on 30 November 2023. It was updated on 27 November.
