“Women get flowers. What do men get?” is what Bro Basket playfully asks us. While there are many women who would be thrilled to receive a basket of liquor, there is definitely a masculine tinge to what this company is trying to put forth. With options that include whiskey, gin, vodka, tequila, craft beer, and several others, this becomes a hassle-free no-brainer for a gift this holiday season, whether for friends, family, or a coworker— after all, there would be a Mad Men-esque zing to having this thing delivered directly to your office.

I had the chance to review the Ultimate Whiskey Sampler by Bro Basket. I photographed the entire process, from the unwrapping through the opening of the actual basket. Below are my thoughts:

The Pros:

Simply put, this is a well-made basket. There is nothing cheap about it, and for a value of $99.95, I am happy to report that. Everything from the presentation to the selection to the accouterments (a personalized note for no added charge, chocolate, popcorn, and a sturdy 11 oz rocks glass) is top-notch. Even the basket is a hard plastic that I am sure you can find further use for. There was a 50 ML bottle each of Johnnie Walker Red and Black Labels, Macallan 12, Glenlivet 12 Double Oak, Glenfiddich 12, Maker’s Mark (my go-to), Larceny Bourbon, Bulleit, Knob Creek, and Jameson. This covers Scotch, Irish Whiskey, and Bourbon. For the aficionado, there is enough here to please the palate as well as make for an interesting “grab bag”. For the novice, this is a wonderful introductory sampler to the world of whiskey. This was also packaged with high standards. There was bubble-wrap on the bottom of the box, and a form-fitting foam on top. Once that was removed, the basket was shrink-wrapped and also placed inside another form of gift wrapping.

The Cons:

There is only one, and it may not bother some people. Due to the tight assembly of this basket, the bottles and complementary accessories were glued (probably with a hot glue gun) to each other in order to keep them together and provide something which was both aesthetically pleasing as well as safely delivered. However, it was rather difficult pulling the bottles apart. This was some serious glue. In some cases, the label tore off. Now, if this is for someone who is just going to chug-a-lug or stick them in a cabinet, no big deal. But, if you are someone like me who has a bar and/or display for my collection, this could be a problem. No one wants to show off bottles with partially missing labels. Thankfully, the only noticeable tear was on the Bulleit, but for others, they suffered from minor rips or the impossibility of removing the glob of glue altogether. This may or may not irk you, and I may or may not be nitpicking, but if there is another way to keep this basket together during shipping, I hope they find it. Other than that, great job.

Final Verdict:

I do recommend this basket or one of their many other booze-themed gifts for that special someone in your life. With an array of options, you will no doubt be able to find the one that suits your gift-giving needs the best. With people having less free time these days, this becomes an easy crowd-pleaser. This is not just for Christmas and the holiday season, but year-round for birthdays and other special occasions. I suggest that you visit their website and see what else they have.