Holiday 2021 Shopping Lists, the Bourbons: Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled-in-Bond

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that see the most use. For example, a good pair of running shoes is often a much more loved gift than a fancy pair of Gucci’s. And that is the niche this bottle occupies.

For about $40 USD, you’re getting a bulletproof daily sipper. Maybe you’re gifting to someone who has tried some Makers Mark, or some Woodford, and they’ve had a few versions of Beam, but they’re not sure if they’re ready, or interested in, these big barrel proof monsters people talk about on Instagram. Or maybe it’s the opposite situation, and you’re buying for someone with a whiskey room at their house who already has a complete BTAC set and complains that the Glenfarclas 21 just doesn’t hit like it used to. For both situations, these are people in need of a good daily drinker. One might be just dipping some toes into the deep end, and the other is so sauced they’ve forgotten the simple joys.

Friends, I contend this bottle is the answer for such a gifting question. This is simply right down home plate bourbon flavors of caramel, brown sugar, a touch of cherry cola, and a supporting appearance from barrel char. And those flavors are beautifully harmonized and layered, resulting in you experiencing the ground zero of the classic American bourbon flavor profile.

This bottle is simultaneously infinitely friendly and attention-grabbing. It’s robust enough to command respect, but it’s extraordinarily approachable. This bottle isn’t throwing any funky adventures or surprises your way, but it methodically delivers classic bourbon flavors with every pour. If I had a neat pour of this every weekday, you’d get no complaints for me.

So, remember, you don’t have to splurge on a bottle of Pappy 15 or Macallan 25 to give a perfect Christmas gift. Sometimes it’s the simple joys that make life.

Image courtesy of Jon who also writes on Low Class & High Proof.

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