12 top tipples for Father’s Day
| 6th June 2023
Here’s a dozen reasons to get into the spirit of Father’s Day with VIVA’s round up of the best booze to make the dad in your life’s day.
And what’s more you can order them all online if you’ve left it to the last minute for Father’s Day on June 18th.
Here’s VIVA’s round up to suit all budgets and tastes with 12 of the top tipples to say cheers to Daddio’s everywhere.
Mackmyra Brukswhisky
Try the first ever Swedish Malt Whisky, Mackmyra Brukswhisky. This award-winner is balanced, fruity and smooth and suitable for any occasion. Founded by eight friends in 1999 the plan from the outset was to make a spirit that was quintessentially Swedish. Using local barley, spring water and Swedish oak, the whisky is matured intensely.
The smoky recipe has a Swedish signature and is malted and smoked by hand using locally cut peat together with juniper twigs. A short distance from the distillery, the whisky is then aged in the old Bodås Mine, 50 metres underground. Add to that the sustainable methods used at its climate-smart distillery, and this malted whisky is one not to be missed.
RRP: From £56 for 70cl. ABV: 41.4%. Available from: Waitrose
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Elijah Craig Bourbon bears the name of the Reverend Elijah Craig, known as “The Father of Bourbon,” who established his distillery in 1789 on the banks of Elkhorn Creek in modern-day Georgetown,
Kentucky.
He is credited with being the first distiller to age his wares in charred oak barrels. The clear, unaged corn whiskey became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavour that makes Bourbon what it is today.
Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, America’s largest independent, family-owned and operated distillery and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky. Bourbon, Elijah Craig’s accolades have included Best Small Batch Bourbon and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. RRP: From £44.99 for 70cl. ABV: 47%. Available from: Master of Malt.
Micil Connemara Irish Cream
Micil Connemara Irish Cream is a luxurious blend of sweet Irish whiskey, rich Irish cream, and smooth Connemara poitín from Micil Distillery. Awarded Best Irish Cream at the 2022 World Liqueur Awards. Made using Micil Irish Poitín, distilled with 100% malted Irish barley and spicy Connemara bogbean.
Micil Connemara Irish Cream RRP: From £23.95 for 70cl. ABV: 17%. Available from Micil Distillery
Duppy Share XO Rum
Duppy Share XO Rum is a blend of five, eight and twelve years finely aged 100% column still rums from Barbados. Rich, indulgent flavour notes are balanced out with lighter, more chocolatey-sour notes as the younger and older rums react to each other. On the nose, rich notes of velvet caramel and tamarind are balanced with light and floral tones of toasted coconut and violet.
On the palate, indulgent flavours of butter fudge, caramel and condensed milk delicately marry with accents of apricot, vanilla and nutmeg. Designed to be super premium, this liquid truly re-defines the XO category. Enjoy it neat or in an Old Fashioned.
Duppy Share XO Rum RRP: £40.50 for 70cl. ABV: 40%. Available from: The Duppy Share Rum
Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition
For those who appreciate high quality, attention to detail, artisanship, and authentic heritage Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition is a collaboration between Kentucky Owl’s Master Blender John Rhea and Nagahama Distillery’s Master Blender Yusuke Yahisa, this latest limited edition release blends new and old, showcasing Kentucky bourbon through the eyes of Japanese whisky.
Yahisa is an up-and-coming master blender, through his blending skills, Nagahama Distillery is one of only 10 Japanese distilleries to have earned awards in the world’s three largest whisky competitions (San Francisco World Spirits Competition, International Spirits Competition and the World Whisky Awards), despite being Japan’s smallest distillery.
The Takumi Edition Bourbon is a blend of 4, 5, 6 and 13-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons with mash bills containing corn, rye or wheat, and malted barley. RRP: £120 for 70cl. ABV: 50%. Available from Hedonism
Aviation Gin
Aviation American Gin, owned by Hollywood actor and producer Ryan Reynolds, has been voted the world’s highest rated gin and has helped establish a new style of American gin.
Softer and smoother, with juniper in the background and citrus and floral notes in the front, Aviation is a really well-balanced gin that is a great base for cocktails. RRP: £28 for 70cl. ABV: 42%. Available from: , Amazon
Mermaid Spiced Rum
The newest release from Isle of Wight Distillery, Mermaid Spiced Rum, is produced in harmony with the Island’s coastal elements.
The Caribbean rums from Trinidad and the Dominican Republic are finished at the Isle of Wight Distillery. The rum, which is aged between 2-5 years in oak bourbon whiskey barrels, is infused with the Isle of Wight Distillery’s signature botanical rock samphire, fresh white cherries, apricots, honey from their beehives and black salt from the Island’s coastal flood tides.
The rum is gently spiced with local holy grass, cassia and vanilla resulting in a smooth yet complex rum with a hint of sea air, delicate caramel notes and vibrant fruity spice. RRP from £40. ABV 40%. Available from John Lewis
Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky
Launched in October 2017, the award-winning Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky is the first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds.
Crafted using the finest, locally grown Cotswold barley and matured in a combination of highly active STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) ex-red wine casks and premium first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, this single malt is rich, fruity and sippable with notes of honey, Seville orange marmalade and dark red fruits.
All the flavour and with natural colouring, this non-chill filtered malt is certainly one to try. RRP: £39 for 70cl. ABV: 46%. Available from: Sainsbury’s
Carlos I Brandy
Carlos I is produced from Airén and Palomino grapes which are then distilled and aged in American oak casks previously used to age Oloroso and Amontillado sherries for more than 20 years and provides Carlos I with its unique flavour. The Amontillado adds almond and hazelnut flavours, while the Oloroso enriches Carlos I with nutty aromas, old oak and tannins giving it a noble and elegant flavour. Carlos I Brandy is aged in cellars which are over 250 years old.
Carlos I is aged using the Solera system, an age old Spanish tradition of maturing wine in a staggered manner. Carlos I is produced at El Puerto de Santa Maria at Grupo Osborne’s bodega of 250 years. Carlos I is a Brandy de Jerez which like Sherry is produced in a geographically protected region of production, known as the Sherry Triangle.
RRP: From £32.99. ABV: 40%. Available from: Booths
ADRIATICO Roasted Amaretto
Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky
ADRIATICO Amaretto is one of the only amarettos made from real Italian almonds and from 100% natural Italian ingredients in Puglia.
Hand-picked in the Italian countryside, the almonds used to make ADRIATICO are a unique Apulian almond called “Filippo Cea”, which are then roasted before being macerated and distilled to create the classic ADRIATICO Roasted Amaretto. ADRIATICO Roasted Amaretto is blended with cinnamon, cocoa and coffee before a pinch of sea salt from the salt flats next to the Adriatic Sea is added, from which ADRIATICO takes its name.
RRP £28.99 for 70 cl. ABV 28%. Available from: Harvey Nichols,
Uniquely, Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky is a single malt matured in American Bourbon Barrels and carefully finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks.
The combination of Rampur’s unique distillation and maturation process sees Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt Whisky taking traditional Indian heritage and rooting it in contemporary culture. Rampur Asava is non-chill filtered and bottled at 45% ABV, resulting in a ground-breaking expression with perfect balance. RRP: From £67.25 for 70cl. ABV: 45%. Available from The Whisky Exchange
Axia Spirit
A first of its kind, Axia is an extra-dry and unsweetened Mastiha. Pronounced “Mas – teek – ah”, it is a spirit distilled from the resin of the mastiha tree, found on the Greek island of Chios.
Axia is a versatile spirit with an authentic flavour profile with vibrant citrus and vegetal notes and is delicious served neat, on the rocks or in popular cocktails with a white spirit base. RRP: £31.95. ABV: 40%. Available from: Amazon,