Secret Santa Whisky Gifts for All Budgets
It doesn’t seem like two minutes since I was writing about summer whisky cocktails and which drams to pair with your BBQ foods. Yet here we are, somehow in the countdown to Christmas 2025.
Christmas is one of our most hectic periods here at GreatDrams, but it also happens to be one of our favourite times of the year. Call me a big kid if you like, but I love Christmas time. Not only is it socially acceptable to drink whisky before midday, but it also means I get to treat my nearest and dearest to a selection of different gifts, and hopefully enjoy building a new Lego set if I get chance.
On the topic of gifts, I used to find the whole Secret Santa thing a bit cheesy, and dare I say, slightly tacky. Then, I decided to set myself a challenge. Whenever I took part in a Secret Santa, I’d make sure that the gift I bought was whisky-based, no matter the budget. Over the years, I’ve become somewhat of an expert so thought I’d share my wealth of knowledge with you all today.
If you’re somebody’s Secret Santa and you know they’re a whisky lover, here are some gift ideas no matter the budget.
Scented candles are a bit of a lifesaver when it comes to Secret Santa. Because of their popularity, you’ll be spoiled for choice when selecting one, and you can also choose from all manner of weird and wonderful scents.
I personally like the more unusual scents. Instead of things like ‘lavender and honeysuckle’, I prefer scents like ‘old bookshop’ or ‘damp woodland’ and scents of that nature. I’ve also noticed at various markets and fayres, that this year’s scent of choice seems to be ‘honey and tobacco’, which I also liked.
For whisky lovers however, you’ll almost certainly be able to find whisky scented candles, usually for between £15 and £20, and even some for under a tenner. You can get fruiter, sweeter-smelling candles that emulate the aromas of a Speyside, smoky and peaty candles to represent a fine Islay expression, and even caramel and vanilla bourbon scents for those who enjoy a dram from across the pond.
Socks may very well be the new Lynx Africa gift set at Christmas, but they’re always useful and they’ll serve as a funny Secret Santa gift if nothing else.
If you’re shopping for a whisky-lover and want a cheap, cheerful, and humorous whisky gift, whisky socks are great. You can get socks featuring a dram of whisky, branded bottles, whisky quotes, casks, and much more on top.
Listen, I’m not going to get into a debate about serving ice with whisky, especially Scotch. The simple fact is that some whiskies are elevated with ice, and some people simply prefer to enjoy their whisky over ice. I always say Scotch should be enjoyed however you like to enjoy it.
If the recipient of your Secret Santa gift enjoys their drams with ice, giant ice moulds are a fun little idea. Smaller ice cubes tend to melt quicker and can dilute the whisky much faster, whereas larger ice cubes will melt slower.
There are plenty of options available to choose from, including spherical moulds, square moulds, skulls, and loads more besides, including Star Wars! These too, are usually available for less than ten quid.
A fine whisky deserves to be enjoyed out of a fine drinking vessel, which is why whisky drinking glasses are so popular at this time of year.
From tumblers and highballs to tulip glasses such as copitas and Glencairns, you’d be surprised by just how many different types of whisky glasses are actually out there.
Speaking of a Glencairn, how about this GreatDrams limited-edition Glencairn whisky glass, which can be yours for the princely sum of just £5.99.
If you’re looking for a more meaningful, heartfelt gift for a whisky drinker in your life, I can wholeheartedly recommend a good quality personalised hip flask.
Hip flasks are great for long walks in the countryside, rounds of golf, fishing, or anything else where you might fancy a wee snifter of the good stuff.
Personalised hip flasks are especially popular because they add a more personal feel to the gift and show that you’ve put some thought and effort into it. A lot of retailers and private sellers now provide the option of engraving a hip flask or personalising it in some way, so take a look around and see which designs jump out at you.
A Whisky Subscription
Whisky subscriptions have become hugely popular over the years, and for good reason. Not only do they guarantee you whisky deliveries on a monthly basis (or however frequently you choose to have them delivered) but you also get to sample mystery drams and a variety of different whiskies you probably wouldn’t have previously considered.
Whisky subscriptions are a great Secret Santa gift because the lucky recipients get to enjoy a selection of whiskies, as well as learning more about the drams including their history, tasting notes, serving suggestions, and things of that nature. If they do find a dram they particularly enjoy, they can then go ahead and treat themselves to a bottle.
A Bottle of Whisky
Finally, saving the most obvious until last, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of whisky.
If the person you’re buying for has a favourite whisky, by all means treat them to a bottle. If, however, they don’t have just one favourite but prefer drams from a certain region, try and see if you can find a whisky from that particular region that you think they’ll enjoy.
Buying a bottle of whisky as a Secret Santa gift may seem like a cop-out, but trust me, no whisky drinker will ever be disappointed if they’re gifted an entire bottle. I know I wouldn’t be.
How much you spend is entirely up to you. There are plenty of decent bottles out there around the £20 – £25 mark, or you could opt for an award-winning dram for just £45.
If you’d like to learn more about your favourite whiskies, or simply treat yourself to a dram or two in the process, head on over to GreatDrams.com and take a look at the diverse selection of unique whiskies we currently have in stock.
With an impressive selection of limited-edition, rare, and award-winning whisky, as well as heaps of whisky info on our blog, it’s the perfect spot for any whisky lovers out there.
Greg
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