My folks drank Chivas. That's what I keep on hand. I don't drink it though. Drambui is more my speed from time to time. It's a whiskey flavored liqueur. Quite nice in the wintertime. Johnny Walker is popular too, lots of price points for that. Then are much fancier brands too.

A quick Google search mentioned the Glenlivet Reserve. Thanks Penny!

I’ve had all of these and enjoy them all. Most are under 50 but those that aren’t are still under 100. My shot drinking days are long inthe past — but I’d drink/sip any of them.

Jamesons

gentleman jack (jack Daniels)

makers mark

angels envy

Woodford reserve.

I also have a list of small batch whiskeys my nephew gave me on his Christmas list. I haven’t tried any of them but if small batch is your pref, I can dig up the list!

Isn’t glenlivet scotch?

I consider bourbon to be whiskey. Different then scotch. Glenlivet is scotch.

A very good bourbon is Maker’s Mark. Excellent bourbons are numerous and pricy. (Bourbons are the new ‘in’ thing, so there are lots to choose from.)

Blanton's Special Reserve is excellent but you'll pay for it.

My husband likes a shot of Irish whiskey at times and enjoys Knappogue Castle, a bourbon whiskey. It comes in various prices depending on age, etc.

Maybe I haven't tried good whiskey. I may have to try one of these fancier bottles.

Yes - are you looking for whiskey or whisky?

I do not like whiskey/bourbon but I LOVE Angel’s Envy. Has to be the rye though.

My DH likes the Angels Envy and at a better price point Buffalo Trace.

If you can find it, Blanton’s is top notch. It’s my DH’s favorite. Others in order of his preferences are: Basil Hayden, EH Taylor small batch (another Buffalo Trace product almost as good as Blanton’s, prob should put this as #2), Maker’s Cask Aged or Maker’s 46 (made by Maker’s mark but a notch above). These are all bourbon whiskeys.

If you want scotch, go with single malt and I like Glenmorangie, the older the better.

Thanks for all these suggestions! As I mentioned, I'm not sure what she prefers-scotch, bourbon, whiskey (American), whisky or straight rye, but from what I'm learning, there is a LOT of variety out there! I'm thinking a sipping whiskey-but I suspect she'd like anything, and any choice would be good for her bar collection.

Whistlepig.

Also if she likes Rye, Sapling makes a great maple rye- this is lovely for sipping.

Scotch and bourbon are very, very different. Many times, people who like one don't like the other (I'm one of those - I can't stand scotch but love bourbon). Maker's Mark would be a nice gift in my book!

My guys (DH and sons) like

Angel's Envy (esp the Rye, finished in rum casks and has a sweet note -- in case that helps with what she might like) (near $100)

Red Breast 12 (about $60)

Bulleit Bourbon or Rye

Longbranch (not as $$, but quite good with a unique mesquite note -- a Wild Turkey/Matthew McConaughey's venture that may be hard to find in some places. The son in PA canot get it and took . a bottle back from TX)

4 Roses Single Barrel (Bourbon)

Redemption Rye (but Angels's Envy if more top shelf )

Maker's Mark

Eagle's Rare -- made by Eagle Trace

My son says Blanton's is thought of as very good but he has not had it.

Since there are so many choices and you are not sure what she prefers, how about a gift card to a really nice liquor store.

Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whiskey.

Short story - We were headed up to Cape Breton Island on2014 for our first visit and the Celtic Colours music festival. Staying in Baddeck at the Broadwater Inn. People come from around the world come to this festival. The innkeeper said they'd be doing single malt tastings throughout the week and invited me to bring a bottle and participate. I knew there's be folks there from Scotland and other points bringing their favorite to share.

I was intimidated. What could I bring from Arkansas that would impress this crowd? I discussed my challenge with a guy at a local liquor store. He suggested Yamazaki. It isn't sold in Nova Scotia so at least it would be new to most. Fast forward - it was judged the best.

The next year Yamazaki was judged the best single malts in a world wide blind tasting, kind of like when Napa's Stags Leap Winery won best Cab in in a blind tasting in France in the 1970s.

I think your friend will be impressed.

Glenfiddich is devine. But a really good whiskey like this (and others) is meant to be sipped not shot. It’s too good to do down that quickly. I hope your friend also sips.

<<I agree .. many most of the above are wasted on shots!!

also agree bourbon drinkers don’t necessarily like scotch and visa versa. I hate scotch, my mom hates bourbon, my dad drinks both.

Exactly, weathy. I am not usually a bourbon drinker, but after going to several bourbon tastings, it is much like a wine tasting. You should take a very small sip and let it roll around in your mouth to adjust your taste buds. The second sip (and after) is guaranteed to taste much different and better.

I should mention that she does like sipping, she's gone to several tastings. I have Four Roses as a recommendation as well as the Glenlivit. There was also one called 1792 Full Proof Bourbon that was rated as a good one too on a site.

Unfortunately we have only state run liquor stores, so a gift certificate is not an option. I want to help her stock her bar-so I'm really looking over all your recommendations!

There are scotch whiskeys, Irish whiskeys, Canadian whiskeys, wheated whiskeys...lots to choose from!

Bernheim's Wheated Whiskey is fantastic. Crown's Bourbon Mash Whiskey is very smooth.

I wouldn't really call Glenlivet or Glenfiddich "scotch." They're both single malt whiskies, meant to be drunk/sipped straight, no ice or water. There are better single malts out there (and worse) but Glenlivet is a nice starter whisky if someone is just beginning to develop a taste.

I was going to suggest Makers Mark - it's one I keep on hand for friends.

I'm not much of a whiskey drinker. If I were having a shot of something, it might be Cointreau.

I have been a bourbon drinker since my college days at UGA when we’d sneak a flask of bourbon into the game tied to our leg with an ace bandage, lol. Back in those days, it was Jim Beam...but I have SIGNIFICANTLY improved my taste in bourbon since! Makers Mark is my go-to...but I do enjoy Woodford and Basil Haydn. Your friend will appreciate your gift!

I'm a rummy, but Crown Royal seems popular around here.

Four Roses. Pretty bottle is a bonus!

I love a good bourbon. I cannot recall the name of the fancy and most delicious bourbon I had at Musso & Franks last year, but I found another that tastes very much like it: Old Granddad.

http://thewhiskeyjug.com/bourbon-whiskey/old-grand-dad-review/

Red Breast was recommended by someone else above is an Irish Whiskey - most people I know seem to like it whatever kind of whisky / whiskey they usually prefer to drink.

Glenlivet is an excellent Single Malt Scotch

If she is a whisky fan you won’t go wrong with a lot of the recommendations people have shared here.
Happy Shopping!

My personal favorite is Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch. It is a very refined bottle and is priced accordingly. It doesn't matter what brand or even style people prefer, if they know good whiskey they will appreciate this product.

It has also been stated that such "Top Shelf" spirits aren't really meant to be drank a shot at a time, mixed or chased with other beverages, but to each his own.

Willett Top Still Reserve, Blanton, or Barton’s 1792

DH likes Crown Royal, just the regular, but the Black is good, too. Whiskey is not my thing.

Lagavulin is my favorite.

My scotch-drinking co-worker nearly fainted when I presented him with a bottle of Oban single malt scotch. One of my bosses orders Bulleit bourbon.

Garrison Bros. (made near me in the TX hill country) is my favorite. I’m not sure if it’s sold nationwide, though.

My brother and I like Bushmill's Irish whiskey, but I mostly just use it to make an Irish whiskey pie that has an Irish coffee flavored custard filling. We both hate Scotch but have had some Bourbons that we like, but we both prefer Bushmill's.

Lars - care to post that recipe?

Now this is a question I can get behind.

My favorite mostly easy to purchase bourbon whiskeys:

Blantons

Bulleit

Makers

4 roses

Buffalo trace

Lars! We should drink some Bushmill‘s together. It‘s my whiskey. Usually over a couple of ice cubes but divine in eggnog.

In high school three friends and I called ourselves the Four Roses. Haha. I haven’t drunk any bourbon since the mid 60s.

I started buying Blanton’s years ago. Then it got popular by being highlighted on tv shows and I can’t find it anywhere. I prefer Rye, but my son prefers Whiskey or Bourbon. I gave him a bottle of Blantons for his 21st so it’s all my fault. I’ve bought him a bottle of something different every year. Here is a list of the ones he really liked.

Angels Envy

Whistle Pig

Jeffersons(ocean aged I think)

Hudsons

There are a few others but these are what came to mind.

nini804, just the smell of Jim Beam makes me swoon. Not in a good way. A memorably collegiate rugby party evening of over indulgence.

Jamieson - Distillers Cut ( limited edition so you may not be able to find it) but has the most delicious hints of butterscotch

I ended up buying Four Roses Small Batch. It was highly recommended as a sipping whiskey. She was thriled with it. Her new house is a tiny cottage and she's asked me to help her decorate (Yay!!) so we might be able to share a nice glass or two. Who knows, I may develop a taste for it.

JRB, I use the recipe from the Orowheat Bakery Cookbook, and so it is not digital, but I will look into writing it down. I just use the cookbook when I make it. The book has been out of print for some time - I bought in the in 1970s and used it in San Francisco for a lot of the items that I made for Island Restaurant in 1977. I recommended this book to a lot of people, and one of them started up a new restaurant called Just Desserts on Church Street, which became very successful, using the same recipes that I had been using at Island Restaurant at Sanchez and 17th Streets.