You have been invited to a party and you are going to take a bottle of bourbon for the host, but you have no idea what bottle of bourbon to take. Instead of just randomly walking into a liquor store and grabbing a bottle, use this guide to help you figure out what bottle to take. It’s nothing crazy in-depth, but it should get you on the right path pretty quickly.

Pick 1 – The Host’s Favorite

This should be a no-brainer, but if you know your host has a favorite bourbon, go grab a bottle of that. It shows that you put some thought into the selection and you know it’s going to be consumed. If you don’t know the host’s favorite, ask their family and friends. They might be able to give you a few ideas based upon their experiences.

Pick 2 – Your Favorite

When it doubt, take something you know you can drink and enjoy. Odds are, the host will open the bottle and share it with the people at the party. So if you know you like it, you know there is a chance others will like it as well.

If the host doesn’t open the bottle, then you know they’ll try it at a later date. Taking your favorite will leave them with a memory of you and you’ll get a call/text once the bottle is opened.

Pick 3 – A Solid Standby

If you don’t know what your host will like or if you aren’t a bourbon drinker yourself, you might not know what bottle to grab. That’s ok! Let’s go with a few old standbys:

1. Woodford Double Oaked
2. Old Forester 1910 or 1920
3. Maker’s 46
4. New Riff
5. Four Roses Single Barrel or Small Batch
6. Elijah Craig
7. Larceney

This list isn’t all inclusive, but it should get you a decent bottle at a decent price point. It all depends on what you want to spend and what’s available in your local area.

Pick 4 – Something Special

If you are looking for to really wow your host, then you might want to consider picking up something special. I like to define special in a few different ways:

1. Something that is hard to get – This would be a bottle of an allocated bourbon such as Eagle Rare, EH Taylor, Blantons, Bookers, etc. These are hard to find and usually sought after by bourbon drinkers.
2. Something that is unique – You’ve heard me say this again and again. I’m a huge fan of store picks. When you are looking for a cool bottle to take to a party, stop by your local liquor store and grab a store pick.
3. Something that means something to you – There will be some bottles in your life that you have a special connection to. It might be from an experience you shared with a friend, it might be from a distillery you loved when you visited Kentucky, or it might be something else that holds a special place in your heart. This is a great opportunity to share that experience with someone new.

Pick 5 – A Bottle From Your Collection That Isn’t Your Favorite

Have you ever gone into a liquor store and purchased a bottle of bourbon, get home, open it, and realize that you made a mistake.

Let your mistake be someone else’s opportunity to try a new bottle.

This might be a jerk move, but it’s a great way to get rid of a bottle of bourbon that isn’t your favorite. And who knows, they might 100% love the bottle. Each person has a different palate and what you dislike might be right up their alley.

Conclusion

I hope this guide gives you a few ideas on what bottle of bourbon to take to a party. I hope you have a great time and I hope your host enjoys the bottle you have selected. Remember, this guide is just a starting point and you can make your own choice when it comes to a bourbon to take.

Cheers!