A gentleman’s guide to Father’s Day drinks

Whether it’s Santa or the Sith Lord Vader, if there’s a patriarch knocking about in your family, he’s sure to appreciate some pampering this Father’s Day. But there’s no need to fuss, since most daddios are at their best if they’re left alone with a drink.

So why not earmark a quiet corner for him on Sunday June 19 and make sure he has something special to sip on? Here are some suggestions that’ll make his day.

Bourbon

There are few finer whiskies than those from the Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky. The family-owned distillery opened its doors in 1935 and amongst its many distinctions, is that it’s the only heritage distiller to produce every style of American whiskey. From Mellow Corn to the Larceny wheated Straight Bourbon and one of our favorites, the stunning Rittenhouse Rye, a whiskey for the assertive, no-nonsense fathers out there. For the all-rounder, we often opt for the Elijah Craig, an indispensable addition to any discerning drinks cabinet, it has all the quintessential complexity and quality of Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Beer

If Dad has forgotten to take his meds, then how about serving up a crisp German Pils? The extraordinary world of choice and craft can be a bit of a head-scratcher and sometimes the old man simply wants a decent, summer sipper with character. Pils and lager-style beers have had a bad rap in recent years, but only because so many brands have made cheap examples — when brewed correctly, the style is sublime. Krombacher proves this point emphatically. Family and privately owned for centuries, Krombacher is one of few locations in the world lucky enough to brew with a natural water source. Discovered 300 years ago, the Felsquellwasser — meaning rock spring water — is amazingly soft and therefore ideal for brewing lager, as are the beer’s classic German hops (Hallertau and Siegel) and its cultivated yeast strain.

Mezcal

But if you really want to get Dad thinking, then how about a true discovery in the Lost Explorer Mezcal. Maestro Mezcalero Don Fortino Ramos has been mastering the art of distilling mezcal from more than forty years and his daughter, Xitlali, works closely by his side now, preparing to one day become the family’s second generation mezcalera.

At the heart of the Lost Explorer Mezcal are agaves that grow on ancestral Miztec land in Valles Centrales, Oaxaca for more than seven years. After the agaves are hand harvested, they’re baked in stone lined pits, then the juices are crushed out and left to ferment with wild yeast, before being distilled. Of the over the more than fifty varieties of agave that could be cultivated, the trio of Lost Explorers utilize the Espadín, Tobalá and Salmiana, and each will bring something different to the final distillate.

We’ve opted for the Tobalá, with its drier quality and touch of tobacco and wood, that converts to a sweeter chocolate with a hint of lemon citrus. Incredibly complex and flavorsome, Mezcal is one of the last, true artisan spirits.

This article was originally published on Spectator Life.