27 Best Bourbon Gifts for Him That He'll Actually Use

If he still drinks bourbon from a wide tumbler, this is the gift that will change how it tastes. The Glencairn's tulip bowl funnels caramel, vanilla and oak up to the nose and keeps the alcohol burn from dominating, which is why it is the standard at distillery tasting rooms. Two glasses mean he can share a pour with you.

A good starting point for a man setting up his first home bar. The 25-ounce decanter holds most of a fifth, the four rocks glasses cover a small get-together, and the sphere molds are a nice bonus. At around $30 it is an easy gift for a birthday or a new apartment.

His initial engraved on a heavy rocks glass is a small touch that makes the gift unmistakably his. It works for a groomsman, a dad or a boyfriend, and it pairs neatly with a bottle of the bourbon he orders when he goes out.

Bourbon drinkers who cradle their glass slowly warm the whiskey with their hand. These hand-blown double-wall glasses stop that, and the bourbon appears to float inside the glass, which gets comments every time he pours for guests.

For a milestone birthday or a promotion, this hand-blown globe decanter with a glass ship inside is a gift that stays on display. Filled with amber bourbon, the ship looks like it is sailing, and the four etched glasses complete the set for his office or bar.

He is the one who brings the good bottle to the cabin, the tailgate or the friend's dinner. This vegan leather bag holds two bottles upright and adds four insulated steel cups, so he never has to drink good bourbon out of a red plastic cup again.

A smoked Old Fashioned is the bar trick every bourbon man wants to pull off at home. The smoker lid sits on the glass, the torch lights a pinch of cherry, oak or hickory chips, and in ten seconds the drink picks up a campfire aroma. Six wood flavors give him plenty to experiment with, and everything arrives ready to use.

Not every guy wants a butane torch on the kitchen counter. This electric smoker lights the chips at the push of a button and charges by USB, so smoked bourbon cocktails become a weeknight thing instead of a weekend project.

The ultimate project gift for a bourbon man who likes to tinker. Because the barrel is small, spirits pick up char and vanilla from the oak in weeks, so he can take a young, inexpensive bourbon and taste it develop, or barrel-age a big batch of Manhattans for a party. It comes with a stand, spigot and bung.

Plenty of men love an Old Fashioned but never bother with sugar cubes and bitters at home. This award-winning mix does the work: a splash in a glass, two ounces of his bourbon, ice and an orange peel. One bottle makes 32 drinks.

Once he tastes a cherry soaked in Woodford Reserve, the neon grocery-store maraschinos go in the bin. Made in Louisville by Bourbon Barrel Foods, these are a small but real upgrade to every Manhattan and Old Fashioned he makes.

Large spheres melt slowly, so his bourbon stays cold for the whole pour without turning into bourbon-flavored water. These molds make twelve at a time and include a bin and tongs, which matters when he is pouring for a crowd.

For the man who wants his bourbon cool but never watered down, steel stones are the answer. Eight cubes live in the freezer tray, the tongs keep fingers off them, and the magnetic box makes them look like a proper gift rather than a kitchen gadget.

The difference between a bar Old Fashioned and a home one is often just the ice. This tray freezes directionally to push the cloudiness to the bottom, leaving clear 2-inch cubes that melt slowly and look great on his Instagram or his bar cart.

If the Bourbon Trail is on his bucket list, this guide helps him plan it and gives him a passport to stamp at each stop. It is a perfect pair with a bottle from a distillery he has not visited yet.

Most bourbon fans forget what they thought of a bottle two weeks later. A dedicated journal for tasting notes, prices and favorite pours helps him learn his palate and makes buying his next bottle easier.

Give him the excuse to host. These flight mats guide guests through aroma, palate and finish for several bourbons side by side, turning a few bottles and friends into a proper tasting night he will want to repeat.

The coaster is cut from a real bourbon barrel stave, char still visible underneath, so a piece of a distillery sits on his desk. With a Glencairn and a tasting wheel included, it is a complete small gift for under $25.

Barrel-proof bourbons can be hot right out of the bottle, and a few drops of water open them up. This glass pipette lets him add exactly that, and it costs less than a cocktail at a bar.

Every home bar needs one thing on the wall. This barrel-head sign with bourbon and cigar artwork gives his basement, garage bar or den a finished, lived-in look.

When his bottles have taken over the pantry, two barrel-style shelves put the collection on display where guests can see it. They mount on the wall or sit on a counter, so they work in apartments too.

A white oak map of the Kentucky distilleries is a great gift for the man who has done part of the Trail. It marks where he has been and reminds him where he wants to go next.

For the guy who pairs his bourbon with a cigar on the porch, this acacia tray holds both in one spot, so the glass does not get knocked and the ash stays contained.

Maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels is a lovely crossover gift. He can use it to sweeten an Old Fashioned, glaze salmon or upgrade Sunday pancakes, and it shows you thought about bourbon beyond the glass.

If he grills, this bourbon-barrel smoked pepper will be on every steak and burger he makes. It is an inexpensive, unexpected gift that pairs naturally with a bottle.

A candle is not the obvious gift for him, but this one smells like aged whiskey, vanilla and oak rather than flowers. Light it in the den or by the bar and the room smells like a distillery tasting room.

Designed in Louisville, these bourbon-and-horses dress socks are a fun stocking stuffer or a light add-on to a bigger gift, especially around Derby season.