It's taken me a while to get comfortable choosing a bottle for a bourbon lover I don't know very well. Don't get me wrong I still panic from time to time, but there are three basic rules I try to follow...

I buy Elijah Craig Barrel Proof if I find it for under $100.

The Bourbon Women love it. Mark on the Bourbon Life loves it. I love it. I've given it to bourbon nerds, brought it to bourbon club tailgates... no one has ever been mad at me for showing up with a bottle of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.

It's an allocated bourbon, which means it's not always going to be on the shelf. But if you're outside of Kentucky, you have a decent chance of seeing it from time to time. If you're at your local shop for any reason, glance through their top shelf or ask if they have any in the back. Buy it and stash it away for the next time you need to make friends with a bourbon drinker.

I buy something local, good, and not widely distributed

For me, after years of living in Seattle, that's Woodinville Rye. You'll hear the guys on The Bourbon Pursuit, especially Fred, bring up Woodinville. They love the cask strength bourbon, which is hard to find outside of the Seattle area (though you can find it in Kentucky). But for me it's all about their rye. Even thought I haven't lived in Seattle in years, I still pick up a bottle from time to time and introduce Kentuckians to the deliciousness that is Woodinville.

If I'm traveling I'll do a little searching and I'll talk to folks at a small shop or a bourbon bar to find out what local brand they love. Or if I happen to drop into Washington DC, Austin, or Nashville anytime soon, I'll use It's Bourbon Night's bourbon hunting videos to find a shop and a local pick.

I buy store picks.

A store pick is a risk from a flavor standpoint, but not from a bourbon nerd standpoint. A Knob Creek, Russel's Reserve, or Four Roses Single Barrel barrel pick is a great option. Known brand, good product, but if it's a single barrel pick, suddenly it's a really interesting option. This bottle is a Knob Creek store pick from Metropolitan Market in Seattle, that the wine and spirits manager said was one of the best picks they've ever tasted. You can find store picks in bigger stores like Total Wine, smaller local shops, and sometimes even bourbon bars.

Ok, if you hung with me through all of this tell me... what did I miss? What am I not thinking of? What's your favorite bottle to gift?

The Top Three Bourbons I Give As Gifts

The Top Three Bourbons I Order For People New To Bourbon