Update on last post!

Most people go for grey goose vodka. I've heard zyr is really really good. Whiskey, johnnie walker blue or black label is generally good.

Knowing your budget will be helpful. Scotch / whiskey can get expensive.

True, since I want to give him something really special I'd expect a 200-300$ budget. I know whisky can be really expensive!

On a side note I heard about Crystal Head Vodka (made in USA I think), I heard it was pretty good

LOL lecoq..we should get drunk together.. my sisters getting married oct 1..rofl..

also IMO although I doin't know good brands, if your'e going to get him something good go for scotch. You won't get a seriously pricy bottle but you can get a good enough one for that price range.

Nice for your sister!

I actually started building a box myself since I'm good at working on wood. Planning on giving him the box, with 2 bottles (whisky and vodka since it's his favorite alcohols), a real good cigar (since it's my favorite thing when I drink), and 2 glasses of each (2 for whisky, 2 for vodka).

He's been a barman for the Canadian Forces and in a bar in Montreal and he really knows about alcohol so I don't want to mess up.

I've got a friend that will work for me to import any alcohol if I need to do so, in the event that the alcohol is hard to find here (you'd be amazed how cheap and bad are the alcohol brands here). Thanks for the ideas, I'll look into the scotch, I just don't know what's the average price for a decent/good bottle (not the top-notch but something that you don't buy yourself too often)... tell me about it and I'll make my homework to find one good brand. About the vodka I know it's a lot cheaper than whisky so I might find an old russian vodka brand somewhere.

If you know any other good whisky brand please tell me!

For whiskey Johhny Walker Blue is real good and will cost you about 180 bucks and won the Editors choice award for Whiskey Magazine.
http://www.whiskymag.com/whisky/brand/johnnie_walker/whisky276.html

Also http://www.whiskymag.com/awards/wwa/2010/ thats a link to the best whiskeys in the world.

http://www.singlemaltwhiskyshop.com/store/japanese-whisky/hibiki/hibiki-21-years-old.aspx This whiskey looks sick and its from japan but "Winning the Gold Medal 3 years in a row at the International Spirits Challenge is no mean feat, but that is exactly what Hibiki 21 Years Old has achieved".

Ok, I asked my parents (I'm Russian lol!) about what the best vodka's are, here are their recommendations:
-Zyr
-Grey Goose
-Crystal Head
-Kauffman's - this shit is ungodly expensive.

As I stated before - Whiskey/malt Johnnie Walker Blue label is a surefire good wiskey, I've had black label before and it's not bad.

haha thanks for sharing.

Johnny Blue, hands down. Find a cigar shop and tell 'em that you've got a bottle of Johnny blue and you're looking for a cigar to pair it with as a gift and they'll hook you up with something nice. Make sure it's an old, grizzly-looking man that you buy your cigar from. Someone young is less likely to know what the F*CK they're talking about.

Vodka is weird because it's rated not on how GOOD it tastes, but how little flavor it has. The more it tastes like water, the better. Ketel One and Grey Goose are always good choices. That skull vodka is OK, but K1 and Grey Goose are way better. Finlandia vodka is also one of my favorites, too, but it's not high-dollar.

If you're lookin to drop money on whiskey and can get the good stuff I'd go over to bourbon and get some Woodford Reserve. Its my personal favorite.

I'm still an Absolut fan.

Well... I tell you that if it comes to vodka you can always rely on Pollack's opinion - buy him what I drunk on New Years Eve - Belvedere and Chopin vodkas


Do not even dare to buy Grey Goose - a vodka made in the pu$$y.

Blue Label for whiskey - but this shit is expensive. Green Label is also "fancy shmancy" but cheaper.
You can also go with may favorite type - gin. but remember only one produced in UK Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray (US made gin tastes like dogs piss).

As for the cigar, G, I know the perfect cigar shop for this in Victoria (British-Columbia), so I'll wait until I work this summer over there to buy it. The guy is 80 years old, he told me he grew up with cigars since his father made the shop. Guy has a big F*CKING stache like no others, dresses a suit. I trust him. He got some from everywhere in the world!

Also Bleep, that whisky from japan looks sick but cannot even be imported here (if I buy it on the website), not even in USA, shit sucks!

I'll try to find the best prices for some Johnny Blue since 3 of you say it's the shit.

For the vodka, I heard about kaufman, I just need to think if I really want to put 200-300$ on a damn bottle

I'll need to find the 2 bottles before building the box, so I'll come back soon with what I'll buy, just to update this thread a bit. thanks for advices!

seconding ketel for vodka.

Great! Read up on picking a quality cigar -- there are things to look for, like the wrapping should be of one large piece of tobacco leaf rather than several odd pieces. Ask 'em if he's got anything with high lithium content like a Cuban. I'd also pick up a cutter for it, too. You can get 'em for less than $10 and he'll appreciate it + it'll look boss as F*CK in the box with everything.



Johnny Green is a good choice, too.

Ketel is rail vodka at a lot of restaurants, thus I can't agree with you that it would be the best choice for a higher end gift.

Yeah already got the cutter ready, bought it 20$ this summer and never used it, it will be for him instead.

Thanks for all the info, got enough to go see in the liquor stores if they got what I want, and how much it would cost.

what's the name of that cigar shop lecoq? I might get my buddy to swing by in summer to get me some too for the wonders of a las vegas bachelor party coming up.

So no one ever forgets...