Best Whiskey Gift 2017

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Finding the best spirit for a holiday gift can be a daunting task. You don't want to be too generic—unless you really know the lucky recipient wants a bottle of Jim Beam with a bow slapped on it—but you don't want to go over the top either.

Our pick this year? A limited-edition bottle of A Midwinter Night's Dram from High West Distillery in Park City, Utah.

High West puts out a different limited release every year. The 2017 edition is its already-excellent Rendezvous Rye, first aged in new charred white American oak, and then finished in French oak port barrels. 

"This year's release of A Midwinter Night's Dram showcases wonderful notes of roasted pecan and stewed blackberries," Brendan Coyle, High West master distiller, says. "The dried fruits and fig character really opens up with time in the glass, so pour a nice dram and don't rush. It will build in complexity to the very last sip, which makes it perfect for time by the fire as the snow piles up."

Retailing for $100, the beautiful textured bottle is attractive in its own right and promises a delicious whiskey within. Up at 49.3 percent ABV, nearly 100 proof, it's warming all the way down, a whiskey to pour neat and linger over. Rich and pleasantly fruity, it has strong notes of winter-friendly warm spice—like a Christmas dessert in whiskey form. And what more could you possibly want for the holidays?

Carey Jones is a New York-based food and travel writer and the author of Brooklyn Bartender: A Modern Guide to Cocktails and Spirits. Follow her on Twitter at @careyjones.