Best Gifts For Bourbon Lovers

Bourbon is one of America’s oldest distilled spirits and is almost synonymous with Kentucky culture. It’s also one of our favorite drinks at La Bonne Vie (both for drinking and cooking)! 

That’s why we say, for Valentine’s, why not put aside the wine for a change–and talk about the best gifts for bourbon lovers. While wine certainly has its charms, bourbon offers an entirely different world of flavors and traditions to explore–and we think it is absolutely romantic. 

But whiskey lovers are a tough crowd to please. Sure, you can find tons of gift guides for bourbon lovers. But most bourbon lovers are already well stocked up on decanters and bottle openers. More of those would simply be a bore. 

Then you have the more unique gifts. From bourbon steak dust to maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels to Woodford Reserve’s bourbon cherries, there’s a lot to choose from. You could even make your own bourbon truffles. 

But only here at La Bonne Vie can you find a round-up of the best gifts for bourbon lovers, that is all about Lexington.

These gifts provide a bit of local flair, and are sure to charm your favorite bourbon lover.  

A Rare Book For A Rare Bourbon

Instead of going online, why not choose a local bookseller like Black Swan Books? You might just find far more than books on bourbon, as this place is a treasure trove of antiquities and finds that date back to the invention of bourbon itself. 

For a bit of bourbon history, you have plenty of titles to choose from. Try, Making Bourbon: A Geographical History of Distilling in Nineteenth-Century Kentucky, considered THE definitive history of bourbon in Kentucky. The author spent about a decade writing it, and it’s got over 600 pages of history to explore! 

Or, give your honey a date night idea. Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide is just the thing for a weekend getaway.

However, you don’t have to shop in-store to discover a good find. Check out this title, Kentucky Bourbon, The Early Years Of Whiskeymaking. It details the history and craft of distilling bourbon all the way back to the Civil War and beyond. You will learn far beyond the details of the distilling… you will learn the kind of stories that will impress friends at parties. 

Give Them A Rare Vintage

Everyone knows that Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon, and odds are, your sweetie has just about every brand we’re famous for. So to find a rare one, we’re talking of the Pappy Van Winkle variety; you will have to shop local. And we’re talking HYPER-LOCAL.

Take, for example, Lexington’s own rare spirits shop, Justin’s House of Bourbon. You can find one of the world’s most extensive collections of bourbon right here. We’re talking about the most diverse and exclusive finds in the entire world, including bottles that will cost you a pretty penny. 100k, to be exact. 

But they have things that come at a lower price tag but still carry significant cache. They have, just for one example, Old Fitzgerald Prime. If you aren’t familiar, Old Fitzgerald bottle and bond runs you $600, but they offer a younger version of the same thing, and you can get it for under $20. 

And they’ve got vintage bottles you can’t find anywhere else. Grab a bottle from your lovebug’s birth year, or even the year you met, or a special anniversary. Ask for Caroline when you stop by the shop. She is the historian over there, and she can help you find the perfect thing. 

A Fine Glass of Bourbon 

Any true bourbon lover knows that a glass of bourbon is only as good as the glass you serve it in. And if your bourbon-drinker loves a vintage spirit, they probably appreciate a fine glass to put it in too.

So serve it up in a rock glass with as much history as bourbon itself. You can find something unique at an antiques store. We find something special every time we visit Scout Antiques or any of the shops on Liberty Road! 

The Best Pairing For Bourbon

Many people don’t know that, much like wine, whiskey paired with the right food can bring out different nuances of its flavor profile. And if you genuinely want to appreciate a good bourbon’s depth, you don’t need a cigar–you need to eat foods that enhance bourbon’s flavors. 

So this Valentine’s think about enjoying a dinner specifically designed to make bourbon the star of the show. If you live in Lexington or the surrounding area (which you probably do, or you wouldn’t be reading this blog in the first place!), then we have just the thing to help. Our chefs aren’t just schooled in food–our resident sommelier knows all about food and whiskey pairings. So tell us what your favorite bottle of bourbon is, and let us design a menu to cater to it. 

You’ll get delicious food, white-glove service, and a dining experience that is, in a word, unforgettable. You need to move fast to snag a booking for Valentine’s, though. Call us at 502-783-7153 before February 6th to reserve your spot.

Create The Right Space

Your honey loves to sip their bourbon – but do they have a beautiful space to do it? If not, create a cozy nook for them. For plenty of indoor selections from a Lexington shop, we love Mulberry & Lime. 

Housed in a historic 1800s home, the grand old house is worth a visit in and of itself. Exploring it yields many treasures. You are sure to find an armchair, couch, or table that will become a part of your sitting room tradition for decades to come. You might even find the perfect shelf to display your honey’s favorite bottles of bourbon. 

Creating a new haven in your backyard? Try Michler’s, known for their inventive approach to creating divine outdoor spaces. And while you are there, you can grab a meal from their cafe, right inside their greenhouse. We recommend their apple dumplings! 

Music for the Night

You’ve got your bourbon, you’ve got your setting – now you just need the music. And bourbon lovers tend to be the type of people who can detect even the slightest of flavor profiles and nuances. So the perfect thing for them might just be their favorite tunes – on vinyl. It’s like a fine bourbon for their ears… music translated into its finest iteration.

Only with vinyl do you get a faithful recreation of the sound the original musician or producer recorded. So if you truly want to experience blues or bluegrass (or any other genre, for that matter) at its finest, a record player is the way to go. 

Browse the collection at Pops Resale. You can find just about anything you want there, and maybe even discover a new love! 

Falling In Love With Bourbon

We hope our round-up of favorite gifts for the bourbon lover in your life helps you cast a spell of romance on your loved one this year. After all, drinking bourbon is such an experience because it is so complex. There are many layers and mysteries to unravel within it – perhaps much like your love itself. 

And it is best enjoyed with someone you love. 

Whether or not you are celebrating Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or other special occasions, booking a Date Night Dinner or Picnic Basket prepared by a personal chef is a perfect opportunity to surprise your honeybun with a truly memorable event (we promise, it will be one that they will never forget!). You bring the bourbon. We’ll do the cooking.