With Father’s Day approaching, my thoughts are of my father and all others who are here with us in flesh and in spirit! Whether you are toasting Dad and/or the father figure in your life, my number one recommendation for Father’s Day must gift is Appleton Estate’s newest expression — 15-Year-Old Black River Casks — Single Estate Jamaica Rum! This rum is a tribute to our rich history in rum-making, in that it celebrates the source of the limestone-filtered rainwater used to craft Appleton rums. These hand-selected rums are aged for a minimum of 15 years in the tropical climate of Jamaica, with no added flavours! They are made in the Nassau Valley (located in the heart of Jamaica), which provides a unique terroir — lush climate and fertile terrain, not to mention the natural limestone spring that naturally filters and supplies the water, and the naturally cultured non-GMO yeast! This rum is rich and full-bodied with aromas of toasted almond and hazelnut, followed by aromas of intense orange peel, rich vanilla and hints of medium-roasted coffee and molasses. It’s perfect for sipping neat, or on the rocks. The 15-Year-Old Black River Casks edition makes for a perfect pairing with chocolate. Sip and savour!

Here are some other dad-approved options for Father’s Day whether you are gifting him a bottle, mixing, blending, or shaking something up! For my gin-loving 007 dads still celebrating World Gin Day (June 13), here are a couple of lovely options that you can find locally!

The sensationally sippable Sipsmith London Dry Gin @sipsmith. The story of Sipsmith was born out of a “life-long affection for things well-made…and martinis.” And a Negroni Party! The gin revival and “ginaissance” was kicked off by Sipsmith allowing for “crafting gin in genuinely small, characterful batches”. The vision was to smith a London Dry Gin, handcrafted to perfection. This gin is inspired by a 200-year history of London distilling that balances new technology with tradition. Sipsmith is made from a combination of carefully sourced botanicals and pure English wheat spirit. The nose is floral with summer meadow notes, rounded juniper, and zesty, citrus freshness. On the palate dry juniper leads, then reveals lemon tart and orange marmalade!

The Botanist @thebotanistgin …a wild state of mind! My entire journey with The Botanist has been like an episode of Netflix‘s Chef’s Table! This gin was conceived, distilled and handcrafted on the island of Islay, right on the west coast of Scotland. The vision of The Botanist gin is really about distilling Islay — how flavours are distilled — simply put its real essence. This beautiful gin is made with 22 foraged local botanicals delicately picked by, James Donaldson, the in-house forager, leaf-by-leaf and flower-by-flower.

It’s all done by hand, by eye, by nose. It’s the raw heart and soul of the place! This gin is wild, following nature’s blueprint! The aroma is a bouquet of herbal freshness, juniper and sweet citrus. Give it some time to open up and you are hit with sweet, spicy and earthy notes of cassia and coriander. There is a green freshness winding wild aromas of mint, thyme, sweet gale, gorse, and chamomile. The taste is rich, mellow and cool on entry with a relaxed and balanced finish. Free your mind and get wild with The Botanist! This gin is super-fresh, clean and is perfect for doing herbal, spiced, and fruit or vegetal infusions. Think about making dad a cocktail or a classic G & T for Father’s Day!

Let’s lift your spirits! Find and follow me on Instagram @raihndrops!