My dad never needed much on Father’s Day. Most years, we’d end up celebrating on a family beach vacation with the holiday wrapped up in a flurry of sunburns, sandcastles, and trips to the local ice cream parlor. 

This childhood whirl of vacation and simple celebrations (and the fact that my Mom did most of our gift-giving for us) made it much harder – as I got older and moved further away – to pick out the perfect Father's Day gift. 

If you’re stuck in a similar situation, we’ve got you covered with a foolproof Father’s Day gift: bourbon. Find Dad the perfect bottle of bourbon (or whiskey) from one of these local distilleries. And, make sure to scroll to the bottom – we’ve got a recipe to go with it.

Wigle Whiskey

Wigle, the first rye whiskey distillery in Western PA since Prohibition, paved the way for Pittsburgh distilleries. What better gift to give Dad than one that combines booze with history?

Though their bill of spirits is long -- the specialty barrel finishes are worth every penny -- the classics, Wigle’s Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon and Pennsylvania Straight Rye, are steadfast in flavor. The bourbon sips with sweet, nutty flavors and warm notes; the rye tastes of tart cherries and stone fruit followed by layers of cinnamon and clove.  

Put the good spirits to use in the Earl Grey Old Fashioned recipe at the bottom of this article.

Kingfly Spirits

Though sweet, caramel-y spiced rum is their heritage spirit, I am partial to the blended bourbon whiskey from Kingfly Spirits. This blend is custom-made from four to twelve-year-old barrels crafted by distillers in Tennessee and Kentucky. It's smooth and warming, filling taste buds with sweet, oaky notes. 

Liberty Pole Spirits

The Peated Bourbon and Bourbon are two of the best bottles found at Liberty Pole Spirits, located in Washington, PA. (Bottles can be found at PA Libations in the Strip District.) 

Does your Dad love smokey flavors? Treat him to the Peated Bourbon, which combines peated scotch and American whiskey to reach a spirit that is both sweet and smokey, delighting the palate with its unique flavor profile. The Straight Bourbon Whiskey takes a more classic approach, carrying sweet notes on the nose and leaving drinkers with cinnamon and warm spiced flavors at the finish. 

Stoll & Wolfe

Find Straight Bourbon, PA Rye Whiskey, and a bourbon and whiskey blend on the docket at Stoll & Wolfe. The distillery, located in the small town of Lititz, follows recipes and methods passed down from master Pennsylvania distiller and their namesake, Dick Stoll.

Fill Dad’s glass with any of the whiskey iterations, ranging with flavors of sweet, rich oak, and vanilla (the straight rye whiskey) to bright spices and banana bread (the blend).

Wigle Whiskey’s Earl Grey Old Fashioned

Ingredients

2 oz Wigle Wapsie Valley Bourbon (or spirit of your choice)

1/2 oz of Earl Grey Infused Simple Syrup

2 Dashes of Wigle Aromatic Bitters

Orange Peel 

Amarena Cherries

Instructions

Combine bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain your cocktail into a rocks glass over a big ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel and cherries. Cheers!

RECIPE BY AARON DOLAN/ STORY BY MAGGIE WEAVER/PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER MULL