10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 9

Getting this one in just under the wire!  Had a crazy day today, my first day wearing prescription glasses.  I'm seeing in HD, baby!  I can't believe I waited this long to correct my distance vision.  Played golf this morning and could actually see my ball past 150 yards!  I also shot +2 on the front 9 and +6 on the back 9, good for an 80 which made me really love my new glasses even more.  Ok, enough chit chat, let's get down to business with my recommendation for a gift for your bourbon buddy on Day 9 of Bourbon Christmas.

The Cooper Double Old Fashioned Glass from CB2.com

Today we're revisiting glassware again.  Why?  Because you can't just have an elegant glass to sip bourbon out of, you also need an everyday utility glass good for sipping neat, rocky, or cocktails.  That's where the Cooper Double Old Fashioned Glass comes into play.  This glass is awesome.  First off, it's a little wider than your average old fashioned glass and it begins to taper towards the top.  The walls of the glass are a nice thickness too so they don't feel like they'll break easy but they are thin enough that the glass feels comfortable as you sip.  My favorite feature on this glass is the base.  This glass has a great hand to it and that comes 100% from the base of the glass.  It's thick glass that has a heavier weight to it.  This is a man's glass, dammit.  It's perfect for a  spirit like bourbon whiskey. 

The official glass of The BTS

I know I've featured the picture above before but I wanted to show how perfect this glass is for a cocktail like a BTS Old Fashioned.  Look at the way the glass allows for the large format ice ball while leaving a little bit of room for easy drinking.  I currently stock 20 of these glasses at The BTS and have 12 more on order.  Last night I held a bourbon tasting that I donated as an auction prize for the Hurricane Sandy Relief Dinner that Cobaya helped put together and the guests loved them.  At $3.50 each, you'd be a fool not to at least pick up four for yourself.  Only downfall is you'll have to wait until they get back into stock mid-January. 

So, there you have it.  Another affordable gift for your favorite bourbon buddy during the Bourbon Christmas season.  Enjoy!

10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 4

So now for Bourbon Christmas you've got a little piece of bourbon history to read, some great juice, and a nice glass to sip it in.  But what if you want to sip your bourbon on the rocks?  On Day 4 of the 10 Days of Bourbon Christmas, we'll address the topic of ice in a premium way.  Yup, we're blowing the bourbon budget with Day 4's recommendation.  This is the one you get for the bourbon lover who really appreciates his spirit and who takes care of you with bourbon recommendations, tastings, knowledge tidbits, bottle finds, bottle deals, etc.  (I hope you're picking up the hints I'm dropping...)

MackDaddy of Ice - The Cirrus Ice Ball Press

When it comes to drinking bourbon, I always recommend trying it neat first, with no water or ice added in.  This allows you to get the full flavor of the whiskey as intended by the Master Distiller who gave it life.  But sometimes you'll want to add a little ice.  Adding ice will cool and dilute your bourbon, bringing it down in proof.  For many, this makes drinking bourbon a bit more palatable.  Be wary though - traditional ice cubes tend to melt rather quickly and too much can lead to drinking a glass of water with bourbon essence.  That's a buzzkill.  This is where having the Cirrus Ice Ball Press is a major advantage.

You see, ice as a sphere melts slower than ice as a cube.  Why?  Simple science.  A sphere made of ice has less surface area in contact with the liquid in the glass than a traditional cube while allowing for the most possible volume.  This allows for a slow, somewhat controlled dilution of your bourbon without watering it down.  A little bit of dilution will open up the bourbon you're drinking and expose more flavors that may have been hidden behind the higher concentration of alcohol.

Goodness, gracious, great balls of...ice?

Not only does the Cirrus Ice Ball Press help you to cool your drink, it does so in a badass way.  Makes a great impression on guests of your bar wherever that may be.  Check it out in action!

Ok, so it's not the most budget-friendly gift but it sure as hell is pretty cool.  Don't worry if this is not in your price range for Bourbon Christmas.  I'll have a few more ice-related gift ideas for Bourbon Christmas that will produce great results and fit any budget.  Stay tuned!