A 50 ml miniature holds 1.7 fl oz, barely more than one 1.5 oz pour. Filled with a 101-proof bourbon like Wild Turkey 101, that's 1.4 standard drinks, a taste rather than a tasting. Fifteen small gifts below, then what every legal small bottle size actually holds.
1. Whiskey Miniatures
Three or four 50 ml bottles of different whiskeys make a tasting flight that fits in a stocking. Each one holds about one pour; the math is in the table.
2. A Half Bottle (375 ml)
Where a brand sells a 375 ml bottle, it's half the commitment of a full bottle and still eight good pours. Check the brand's sizes before you shop; not every whiskey comes in one.
3. A Single Glencairn Glass
One Glencairn glass fits in a stocking and makes every pour smell better. Check current price; single glasses and gift sets both exist.
4. Whiskey Stones
Whiskey stones chill a pour without adding water, because they don't melt. They're for the drinker who hates watered-down whiskey.
5. Clear Ice Sphere Mold
A clear ice sphere mold makes clear ice spheres at home.
6. Pocket Flask
A pocket flask for the tailgate or the ski lift. What to fill it with is in the last section.
7. Cigar Cutter
For the whiskey drinker who also smokes, a double-blade cutter. More ideas in our cigar gift guide.
8. One Great Cigar
One excellent cigar is a better stocking stuffer than a box of ordinary ones. The highest-scoring cigar we've reviewed at $12 or less a stick is My Father Flor de las Antillas Toro (94/100), at $7-11. Under federal law the buyer must be 21 or older (FDA).
9. Cocktail Bitters Set
A bitters sampler turns any bourbon into an Old Fashioned. Our Old Fashioned recipe shows how much to use.
10. Jar of Cocktail Cherries
A jar of dark cocktail cherries is the upgrade most home bars skip. It belongs in a Manhattan.
11. Japanese-Style Jigger
A double-sided jigger so his pours stop being guesses. That matters when you're counting drinks.
12. Whiskey Tasting Journal
A tasting journal for the drinker who can never remember which bottle he liked.
13. Leather Coasters
A set of leather coasters protects the table he puts his glass on every night.
14. A Whiskey Book
A good whiskey book for winter reading. Check the reviews and current price; there are many to choose from.
15. Cocktail Smoker Top
A cocktail smoker top adds wood smoke to an Old Fashioned. It's on the list of bourbon cocktails worth trying.
How Much Is in a Whiskey Mini?
Federal rules set the bottle sizes spirits can be sold in. Under 27 CFR 5.203, the authorized sizes at or below a half bottle are 50 ml, 100 ml, 187 ml, 200 ml, 250 ml, 331 ml, 350 ml, 355 ml, 375 ml. Here is what each holds, in 1.5 oz pours and in standard drinks (0.6 fl oz of pure alcohol, per NIAAA):
| Size | Fl oz | 1.5 oz pours | Standard drinks at 40% ABV | Standard drinks at 50.5% (Wild Turkey 101) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ml | 1.7 | 1 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| 100 ml | 3.4 | 2 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| 187 ml | 6.3 | 4 | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| 200 ml | 6.8 | 4 | 4.5 | 5.7 |
| 250 ml | 8.5 | 5 | 5.6 | 7.1 |
| 331 ml | 11.2 | 7 | 7.5 | 9.4 |
| 350 ml | 11.8 | 7 | 7.9 | 10.0 |
| 355 ml | 12.0 | 8 | 8.0 | 10.1 |
| 375 ml | 12.7 | 8 | 8.5 | 10.7 |
So a stocking with three 50 ml bottles is about three pours, enough for a small side-by-side tasting. A 375 ml half bottle is eight pours. Which whiskeys come in these sizes varies by brand, so check before you shop.
What Whiskey Goes in the Flask?
Pick something good that won't hurt to pour freely. These are the whiskeys in our reviews scoring 85 or higher whose price tops out at $35:
- Wild Turkey 101: 88/100, $22-30
- Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky BiB: 86/100, $22-30
For bigger gifts, see our whiskey gift ideas.
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