When a host known for throwing excellent parties extends an invite for their holiday gathering, it’s undeniably exciting. But it can also be daunting — proper etiquette advises bringing a gift for the host, but finding something perfectly suited to the event is a challenging proposition. Here’s how to win the evening: Arrive bearing a premium bottle of bourbon and the fixings for the perfect cocktail.
Start With a Crowd-Pleasing, Versatile Bourbon
Woodford ReserveThe key to this thoughtful offering is a strong base — not just any bottle will do. Woodford Reserve’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the best boozy base. Woodford’s award-winning spirit is perfectly balanced, combining more than 200 flavors in a recipe that begins with a nose of mint, orange, vanilla and tobacco before moving through notes of cinnamon, chocolate and spice and reaching a smooth and creamy finish. If you detect hints of almond, apricot, black pepper or brown sugar, you aren’t mistaken; this bourbon’s range has an almost never-ending depth.
Such complexity is only achieved through careful dedication to craft, but a rich history helps too. Woodford Reserve has both: its Kentucky distillery, a National Historic Landmark, dates back to 1812, should your host be curious. And it has one of the world’s only heat-cycled barrelhouses, where the whiskey ages in new charred oak barrels. Even without knowing these details, your fellow partygoers will experience luxurious results with every taste.
Craft the Cocktail Kit with Premium Ingredients
Woodford ReserveWhile Woodford’s bourbon can easily stand on its own, it’s deftly complemented by one of the distiller’s premium cocktail mixes or specialty bitters. Created in collaboration with Williams Sonoma, the mix set contains carefully selected blends for whiskey sours, spiced apple cocktails, and a classic old fashioned. Woodford’s barrel-aged bitters add another element to any drink with six unique flavors: chocolate, orange, aromatic, sassafras and sorghum, spiced cherry and peach.
Now for the finishing touch, the final facet to this already-exquisite gift: one of Woodford’s personalized bottle labels. The addition of a heartfelt holiday message is guaranteed to garner appreciation and serve as a fond reminder of the occasion with every tipple (should the bourbon last beyond the evening’s event).
With something to delight aficionados who take their bourbon neat, as well as those who prefer it with the extra fixings, this cocktail trifecta is sure to impress any host and contribute to a merry and memorable occasion for all.