Whisky Worth Sharing: Father’s Day Bottles He’ll Love

Father’s Day is a time for appreciation, and what better way to show it than with a bottle that speaks to character, complexity, and great taste? Whether your dad’s a seasoned connoisseur or simply enjoys a good pour with a good story, this year’s selection covers all bases.

From bold American bourbons to elegant single malts and rare cask finishes, each of these whiskies offers more than just flavour, they carry craft, care, and conversation. Some are great value, others are limited editions, and a few might even surprise him with something completely new.

Whether he’s toasting quietly at home, sharing a dram with you, or adding another gem to his collection, these are whiskies worth raising a glass to. Let’s take a look at this year’s standouts, starting with a ten-year-old bourbon that’s all buttery toffee, burnt orange, and toasted pecans.

American Bourbon 10 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) Whiskey. 45.8% - £59.95 from Master of Malt

A deep amber at time well spent in oak. On the nose, it’s immediately generous with burnt orange peel, buttery toffee, and toasted pecans. There’s a rich undercurrent of maple syrup and worn leather which I loved.

The palate opens full and sweet, with golden syrup and vanilla fudge giving way to clove, cinnamon, and a trace of cocoa. There’s a chewy texture to it, bold, but not brash, balanced with hints of dark cherries and rye spice developing in the mouth. 

The finish is long, fading slowly through nutmeg, ginger, and toasted marshmallow. 

Thank you — here is a professionally polished and cohesive article that integrates all your content, presenting The Antiquary 21 Year Old in a refined editorial tone suitable for high-end lifestyle, drinks, or gift guides:

The Antiquary 21 Year Old  40% - £96.50 from Tomatin

Founded by J&W Hardie in the 19th century, The Antiquary brand was known for its forward-thinking approach, pioneering in both style and substance. The 21 Year Old expression remains true to its roots while appealing to the modern whisky drinker, especially since the packagin has been updated and looks fantastic. 

The whisky is predominantly made from Highland and Speyside malts, supported by Lowland grain whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 21 years. Maturation in tawny port casks sourced from Portugal’s Symington Family Estates adds a layer of richness and complexity, enhancing its already intricate structure.

The nose is immediately exciting with vanilla and oak. Notes of nectarine, cereal, heather, saffron, and dark mocha follow, with a graceful backdrop of orchard fruit, think baked apple, sultana, and a dusting of cinnamon.

On the palate, the whisky is silken and measured. Dried fruit and orange peel sit alongside honeycomb, spiced plum, and hazelnut. A subtle edge of toffee and dark chocolate lingers, softened by the mellowing influence of the grain component. Hints of charred game and citrus give way to a maritime flourish of sea salt and red fruits on the finish.

The finish is long with shortbread biscuits, bitter chocolate, and demerara sugar creating a well rounded and great value whisky. 

Each bottle is presented in a distinctive, angular decanter that blends antique charm with a modern edge, a nod to the Victorian and Edwardian design influences that inspire the brand. 

Four Roses Small Batch 45% - £31.75 from The Whisky Exchange
USA

The American whiskey renaissance has brought many old names back into the spotlight, but few have made as graceful a return as Four Roses. Once a bourbon found mostly on overseas shelves, today it’s rightly celebrated at home and abroad and the Small Batch bottling is where much of that respect is earned.

Four Roses is unique in its blending philosophy. Ten distinct recipes are produced by combining two mash bills with five yeast strains. The Small Batch expression blends just four of those ten, selected to balance richness, spice, and fruit.

The nose is warm and generous: caramel, baked peach, and vanilla pod meet a trace of rye spice and clove. There’s also something floral, a hallmark of the distillery’s yeast strains, which adds lift and delicacy.

On the palate, things become more structured. The body is full but never cloying. Rich toffee and brown sugar notes provide weight, balanced bycaramel, toasted oak, and a lovely warm spice. The rye element brings a welcome backbone, making the sweetness feel anchored rather than indulgent, and gives that wonderful spice note. 

The finish is steady and confident, trailing off into cinnamon, honey and a lingering touch of marzipan.

Four Roses Small Batch simply offers incredibly value for the price, so is one that every bourbon lover should have on their shelves. 

Fuji Single Malt 46% - £71 from The Whisky Exchange

It’s easy to forget, amid the cult of scarcity and collector frenzy, that Japanese whisky was built on subtlety, texture, and balance. Fuji Single Malt brings that ethos back into focus, and does so from a distillery many outside Japan are only just beginning to take seriously.

Owned by Kirin, the Fuji Gotemba distillery sits at the foot of Mount Fuji. Its altitude and cool climate lend themselves to slow maturation, while the distillery’s kit, including Scottish-style pot stills and column stills typically reserved for grain whisky, allows for a broad stylistic range. Fuji Single Malt represents their new ambition: to put malt at the heart of the brand’s international identity.

The whisky pours pale gold and offers an immediate aromatic brightness. The nose is clean, with green apple, white flowers, and pear drops, underpinned by a suggestion of custard cream and faintly charred oak. It smells precise rather than lush, like a distillation of mountain air and soft orchard fruit.

On the palate, there’s a distinct lightness of touch. The mouthfeel is silken but not oily. Apple and lemon zest lead the way, followed by a hint of almond and vanilla. A gentle peppery note arises mid-palate, offering structure without dominating. There’s no obvious peat, but there is a slight minerality that gives the finish a clean, drying edge.

The finish is subtle and lingering: lemon peel, white pepper, and a flicker of sandalwood..

Fuji Single Malt may lack the instant name recognition of Yamazaki or Hakushu, but its clarity and finesse signal a distillery ready to step onto the world stage. For those chasing the ‘new wave’ of Japanese whisky, this is one to watch, not just taste.

Great Drams Auchroisk 7 year old - 48.2% - £55 from Great Drams

This bold, cask-finished single malt brings a fresh perspective to one of Speyside’s most under-the-radar distilleries. Auchroisk (say it “ARR-thrusk”) may not be a household name, but it’s long been admired by insiders for the quality of its spirit. Matured for seven years and finished in a first-fill rye whiskey cask, this limited edition (just 333 bottles worldwide) offers a beautifully layered dram that marries honeyed Speyside softness with the warming spice of American rye. It has a nose of vanilla-dusted cereal, orchard fruit, and toasted oak. The palate brings a confident hit of rye-driven spice with cinnamon bark, pepper, and subtle herbal notes with malt, and baked apple. Delicious!

Clonakilty Galley Head Rhum Cask 30% - £37 from The Whisky Exchange
A lively blend of Clonakilty Single Pot Still and Irish Grain Whiskey, this expression brings together the warmth of ex-bourbon cask influence with the exotic lift of Rhum Agricole barrels. Expect bright tropical fruit on the nose, with hints of apple crumble and vanilla spice. On the palate, sweet notes of honey and clove develop into a medley of citrus and grassy undertones, finishing with a soft rum-like sweetness and a flicker of maritime salinity that keeps it fresh and balanced.

Clonakilty Double Oak 43.6% - £46 from Master of Malt
This blend of Clonakilty’s own pot still spirit with grain whiskey is matured in bourbon, virgin American oak, and European oak barrels that once held red wine. The result is a whiskey that opens with soft vanilla, fresh orchard fruits, and a touch of toasted wood. A creamy, slightly oily mouthfeel carries flavours of apple, hazelnut, and warming ginger spice, while the influence of the wine cask adds depth without dominating. It finishes with a lingering sweetness of caramel and a subtle return of spice and oak.

Clonakilty Single Pot Still 46% - £59.95 from The Whisky Exchange
Made entirely from Cork-grown barley and triple-distilled in copper pot stills, this is a confident and expressive Irish whiskey. The nose is immediately inviting, with aromas of vanilla, demerara sugar, and fresh kiwi layered over citrus zest and baked pear. On the palate, silky textures deliver notes of caramelised apple, pear, and rich vanilla, followed by wood spice and a dusting of dark chocolate. A touch of orange brightens the finish, which lingers with poise and complexity, hinting at its coastal maturation.

Old Pulteney 15 Year Old 46% - £79.50 from The Whisky Exchange
This coastal Highland single malt balances rich sweetness with a gentle maritime influence. On the nose, it offers layers of vanilla cream, orange peel, and sun-dried apples, followed by subtle hints of sea air and polished oak. The palate is smooth and full-bodied, unfolding flavours of honey-drizzled pastries, salted caramel, and toasted nuts, underscored by soft spice—cinnamon, clove, and gingerbread—with a faint savoury note that recalls seaside cliffs. It finishes with mellow oak, a brush of brine, and a lingering warmth that’s both spicy and softly sweet.

High West Campfire 46% - £79 from Master of Malt
A distinctive American blend that combines bourbon, rye, and peated Scotch, Campfire begins with aromas of caramel, toasted marshmallow, and dried apricot, interwoven with hints of lavender, old leather, and wood smoke. The palate strikes a bold balance: honey-glazed cereal, burnt toffee, and raspberry compote swirl with smoked herbs, clove, and campfire embers. It’s layered and surprising, veering between sweet, savoury, and smoky with impressive control. The finish is long, warming, and gently smouldering, with echoes of rye spice and charred oak.

Loch Lomond 18 Year Old 46% - £80 from Master of Malt
This Highland whisky reveals a refined complexity born of its long rest in American oak. Fresh apple, lemon zest, and soft floral notes give way to richer aromas of stewed fruit and toasted grain. On the palate, it’s silky and composed, showing baked pear, golden syrup, and vanilla cream alongside hints of roasted hazelnut, dark chocolate, and delicate smoke. A whisper of dried tea and subtle coastal salinity emerges mid-palate, adding elegance. The finish is long and gently spiced, tapering off with a harmonious blend of fruit, oak, and faint peat.