The season of gifting is nearly upon us and if you’re a bourbon lover or love someone who is, we’re going to let you in on a little secret. Lots of folks know that the best bourbon comes from Kentucky, but they overlook all the fabulous bourbon accessories made by our state’s craftsmen and makers.
If you want to truly impress your bourbon loving friends and fam this year, check out some of these fantastic finds!
Karine Rocks Glasses by Chad Balster
Bourbon glasses with the perfect grip. Named for the woman who designed the first set, they’re made with as much clear glass as possible so you can enjoy the color of the bourbon in the glass. These glasses are designed by Chad Balster, a glassblower based in Louisville. Check out the rocks glasses here.
Before you go, check out the Disco Cups! Louisville is the Disco Ball Capital of the world. True story. So you can pay homage to disco balls and bourbon at the same time!
Decanters by Hyland Handblown Glass
If you’re shopping for someone extra special, check out these gorgeous decanters. Each one is made to order, hand signed by the artist and holds 750 ml. No two are alike. If you’re not shopping for someone extra special, but need new life goals, you should definitely start here.
Whiskey Stones by Epic Cellars (and many others)
Bourbon should be enjoyed neat (with a few drops of water), or ultra-neat, without anything… enter the whiskey stones; store them in the freezer, and throw them in your drink, and keep the flavor profile intact.. if you'd like a set of these for free, we're giving sets away! Find out more; hit us up on our Facebook page, and/or follow us on social media
American Flags by Cruise Customs
Not only do Kentucky craftsmen and women make great bourbonware, they can also do some pretty amazing things with barrels. This business was started when a veteran of the Iraq war and his wife created custom American Flags for their Veteran Fathers using reclaimed whiskey barrels.
Now they offer several different flags, like The Colonel, but they make a version of The Colonel that is a bourbon display. Two great things that go great together!
Small Batch Furniture by Matthew & Karine Maynard
Blacksmiths Matthew & Karine Maynard craft the most amazing furniture from barrels and staves. It’s impossible to pick a favorite! Go ahead, try… Their work can be purchased from a number of outlets, which are listed at the bottom of the Small Batch Furniture page.
Maker’s Mark Bowtie by Melissa Sinkovic
Need a gift for that perfect Kentucky Gentleman? We’d be willing to bet he doesn’t already own a bowtie made out of actual Maker’s Mark labels and wax! Check them out at Revelry Gallery in NuLu! They also come as a headband and hair clip version. We agree that they look too good to be true, but this is functionable fashion!
Pappy Van Winkle Cigars by Pappy & Company
We bet these cigars smell fantastic! Pappy & Co has four different cigars to offer, in boxes of ten starting at $139 per box. Pappy & Co is a way for some of Pappy’s Great Granddaughters to show us their take on the family business. The site offers a robust line of gifts, home decor and apparel for all the bourbon lovers in your life!
Cufflinks by Best of Kentucky
This Etsy shop creates one-of-a-kind cufflinks and pendants from the labels of various bourbons. The products and the makers get rave reviews! A great place to look for small items that will make a big impression on your loved one.
Pocketknife by Lucky Peanut Jewelry
Continuing our theme of gifts made from reclaimed bourbon barrels, we give you Lucky Peanut Jewelry who makes a wide variety of things like pocktknifes, money clips, bracelets and tie bars.
Artwork by ColorMeEden on Etsy
Looking for the perfect framed print for your bar? ColorMeEden creates watercolors of various Kentucky Bourbon and then turns it into digital art that you can buy and hang in your home today! The Kentucky Bourbon print is fantastic. Though not really bourbon-related, you should check out this portrait of 2018 Kentucky Derby Winner Justify!
Socks for the collegiate type from various outlets
We won’t pretend these socks are handmade by Kentucky Craftsmen, but we can 100% guarantee that they’re a ton of fun! While we initially found this at the Boone Distillery Co store (after all we're talking about gifts from the Bluegrass State), they no longer have them in stock. We found another place that still has them so I would hurry... these bad boys could soon prove harder to come by than a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 25 year!
Office Socks with flair from Kentucky Made and More
You’re 20 minutes into a boring meeting when you casually cross your legs exposing your bourbon socks that are tasteful, yet still manage to scream ‘I have the best socks in this whole room!’ And you know what? You do.
