1. The Newbie: The World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom

Dave Broom, well-known whisky writer and aficionado on all things related to alcoholic beverages has released a second edition of Dave Broom's World Atlas of Whisky. If you love whisky, you simply have to have one of these. It’s the enthusiast’s essential guide and contains a wealth of whisky wisdom in Broom’s characteristically witty style as well as maps of the different regions.

2. The Know-all: Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2017

This is a goodie as it’s released annually, so it could become a standard part of the Valentine’s Day gift hamper for your whisky-loving better half. Jim Murray’s opinion is powerful enough to skyrocket even relatively unknown whiskies into stratospheres of fame that result in sell-outs almost overnight. When Yamazaki won World Whisky of the Year, Murray shocked the whisky world by deviating from Scotch but the market followed his guidance and we’re willing to bet that the growing popularity of Japanese whisky in general is in no small part a result of Murray’s opinion.

3. The Scientific: Teroforma stones

These are amazing because they don’t melt and so they won’t dilute your whisky as it reduces its temperature. This means you can choose how much water goes you’re your whisky and then, after only four hours in the freezer, add these soapstone cubes to chill your whiskey in five minutes or less. You can even have them engraved with "I love you". Schmaltzy? Maybe. Useful? Definitely.

4. The Humorous: Balls of Steel
Along similar lines to the whisky stones are Balls of Steel. The BOS team developed a proprietary technology called the Arctic Core™. They are stronger than any rock, stone or solid ice mould out there. Also, they have a funny name.

5. The Luxurious: Whisky Lover’s Box Set

There are loads of Whisky Lover's Gift Boxes out there online. Most of them contain a whisky decanter and glasses; a bottle of whisky; drinks chilling stones; a savoury snack and some dark chocolate to pair with a delicious dram. Most will arrive beautifully packaged, together with a personalised gift card in a special gift box. What's not to like?

6. The Connoisseur: Glencairn Tasting Glasses

Glencairn tasting glasses are used by master blenders around the world.

They have a tapering mouth to allow for easy drinking while maintaining essential aromas. The wide bowl allows for an elegant display of the liquor's colour and the solid base makes them easy to hold and difficult to knock over. Aside from the functionality that they offer, they are simply beautiful and made from crystal glass. It’s no wonder that they are described as “The definitive festival tasting glass of the last decade, this is a modern design classic of its genre.”

7. The Serious: Ravenscroft Crystal Taylor Double Old Fashioned Decanter Set

Ravenscroft Crystal is an 120-year old, respected manufacturer of handmade lead-free crystal glasses, bottles and whisky decanters. The company uses old-world European craftsmanship together with modern design. We recommend the Ravenscroft Crystal Taylor Double Old Fashioned Decanter Set which is a mouth blown, European-made whisky decanter set created from lead-free crystal. The decanter is 10? high with capacity of 34 oz (1 liter) and the 4 glasses are 4? tall and fits up to 10 oz of liquid (300 ml).

8. The Quirky: Rocking Glasses

Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of quirky character when it comes to a dram? These rocking glasses are sure to be a talking point when you have friends over for a little Friday evening whisky. And they’re beautifully made too.

9. The Obvious: The Gift of A Great Whisky

Regardless of what you’re considering as a gift for the whiskey lover in your life this year, we don’t think that there’s anything that tops a bottle of the good stuff. Be it a Scotch from their favourite whisky region (like the Islay-based Ardbeg), some good old American bourbon, or a bottle of quality Rye to make her an Old-fashioned, you can’t really go wrong. Also, it’s a win-win as s/he is most likely to enjoy a dram with you…

10. The Splurge: Whisky Distillery Tour in Scotland

We can’t imagine any whisky lover turning down the opportunity to kick back with a wee dram of the world-famous elixir in its homeland. There are loads of opportunities for whisky tours in Scotland where you can completely immerse yourself in the world of whisky.

By: Emily Stockden