Updated April 2026.
There is no official best whiskey gift. Read the type: bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish. Straight means two years and no added color or flavor. Bottled-in-bond is a US type.88, not just 100 proof. Age under four years must be stated. A 1.5-ounce pour at 40% is one NIAAA drink.
Related: good bourbon, straight bourbon, bottled-in-bond.
Label vs pour
| Language | 1.5 oz drinks |
|---|---|
| Type | From labeled ABV |
| Straight | 1.00 at 40% |
| Bottled-in-bond | 1.25 |
| Under 4 years | — |
A 750 mL 40% bottle is about 17 drinks. Four pours are four drinks. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- 27 CFR 5.143 types. 27 CFR 5.74 age statements. 27 CFR 5.88 bottled-in-bond.
- NIAAA December 2025.
- 27 CFR 5.143 / SWR / FDR — read the neck
- 27 CFR 5.88 — not just 100 proof
- is 27 CFR 5