Johnnie Walker Private Scotch Tasting

It’s not too late, but for you last-minute shoppers the clock is ticking.

And for those of you who have a whisky drinker in the family, we can’t think of a better gift… assuming you have deep pockets. The Johnnie Walker Private Scotch Tasting Fantasy Gift from the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is sure to please. Straight from their website:

You and 20 guests will be entertained by an authentic Scottish bagpiper, while a Master of Whisky relays the history and palatable attributes of the five premium marques in the Johnnie Walker portfolio: the Blue, Black, Gold, Red, and Green Labels. You needn’t lift more than a snifter, as a top-notch event planner will be on hand to orchestrate the entire evening. Guests will leave with a custom-engraved bottle of Johnnie’s premium-blend Blue Label for their personal enjoyment.

By the way, it all takes place in the comfort of your own home and 100% of the proceeds from this tax-deductible event will go directly to amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Of course, we’d recommend giving this gift with the stipulation that you’d be one of the 20 guests!…

$2,500-$5,000, Bar Drinks

By Jason Bacchetta on December 23rd, 2011

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$5,000 BUY

Coffee Joulies

Coffee Joulies would come in handy for those of us who’ve ever worked at an office or lived the life of a writer. We swear by our hot morning wakey juice to a degree that borders on sickness. Well, with this product you can be guaranteed that your coffee is always hot enough to drink, but not so hot that you have a case against the folks at McDonald’s. By absorbing heat and then re-dispensing it when the temperature drops, this creation can keep your coffee just right all day long.

With the $95 package you get a set of 5 joulies along with a travel tumbler (logo on the side), a carrying pouch, and guaranteed delivery by Dec. 23 in case there are any coffee drinkers in your family. Coffee Joulies are even more supportive than the Canon Camera Lens Mugs, though a heck of a lot more expensive.…

$50-$100, Food & Bev

By Aric Mitchell on December 5th, 2011

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$95 BUY

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

Rogue Ales and Voodoo Doughnut come together to give you an alcoholic beverage that tastes like breakfast.

You read it right. This concoction – described by Rogue as “a collision of crazies” - contains “a baker’s dozen number of ingredients” including (you guessed it) bacon and maple syrup from one of Voodoo’s signature doughnuts. Throw it all in, add beer and voilà!

Unique, no doubt… but something tells us this wouldn’t go so well with pancakes, regardless of ingredients.…

Bar Drinks, Under $25

By Jason Bacchetta on December 1st, 2011

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$13 BUY

Dakota Buffalo Company

Real men eat meat. Even realer men eat buffalo meat. But it’s difficult to find, so chow down on it and everyone suspects that maybe, just maybe, you recently shot a buffalo. And who doesn’t want that kind of rep?But the Dakota Buffalo Company makes actually doing that entirely unnecessary. They’ll deliver buffalo meat directly to any door in the continental United States without the need for you to go all Dances With Wolves.

All the standard cuts are available, from the noble filet mignon to the humble burger patty, all made from grass-fed buffalo that is 60-80% leaner than beef and contains no preservatives or hormones. And they cook in about ⅓ the time it takes to cook an equivalent cut of beef, at ⅓ the temperature, so that’s a time and energy savings as well.

Not available: buffalo wings. Apparently they’re not actually the wings of buffaloes. Who knew?

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Food & Bev

By Doug Sinclair on November 29th, 2011

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$10+ BUY

Bacon Candy

Damn, the Bacon Candy folks love their swine. If you follow this company at all–and if you like bacon, then you should be–you would know they’re famous for taking traditional candy products and injecting a nice shot of pig into the recipe.

Remember those red and white striped candies that you didn’t really like, but you still found yourself sucking them down one after the other to get through church service as a kid? Well, the Bacon Candy people make something that looks just like that, but is filled with the smoky taste of bacon.

In addition to this, you can get bacon gumballs, bacon band-aids (don’t worry, ya eat ‘em), and bacon lip balm, among others. Buy some Que’s Barbeque Cologne in the process and smell like what you’re eating. You know you want to.…

Food & Bev, Under $25

By Aric Mitchell on October 31st, 2011

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$7 BUY

Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper

“It’s not going to burn your tongue off,” say the folks at Southern Comfort about their new Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper, but for some of us, that’s all relative. The company does promise to “dial up the burn,” and yes, my GI tract just trembled a little in fear at that statement. While SC has struggled in recent years, they hope to tap in to the young adult market, particularly among men, with a liquor that mixes in classic Tabasco chiles for a little extra punch.

The brand is expected to hit bars and liquor stores soon, perhaps in time for the colder months. Grabbing a batch for you, the wife, and kids–hey, it happens–will set you back around $17. Definitely a nice ghoulish Halloween mix with Jim Beam Devil’s Cut!…

Bar Drinks, Under $25

By Aric Mitchell on October 28th, 2011

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$17 BUY

Cherkees | Beef Jerky Potato Chips

Yes, it’s finally happened. Someone, most likely a mad genius, has combined two of the most dangerous snack foods known to man into one heart attack in a bag. We present to you Cherkees, an insane combination of beef jerky and potato chips. We have no idea how in the world they made these, and considering the fact that it’s a snack that spits in the face of god!, we don’ want to know. But it does have a few things going for it.

First, consider the fact it’s unlike any other snack out there, showing up to a tailgate party carrying a bag of these bad boys is going to make you the center of attention. At least, for about ten minutes anyway. Add to that the fact that, despite our joking above, they’re actually healthier than normal potato chips – a third of the fat and plenty more protein. Follow that up with a pretty reasonable price – $4.99 plus shipping – and we have a winner here.

Cherkees currently only come in two flavors – Cracked Pepper and Hot Pepper – and is only available via their website. Two more flavors are planned for the “near future” – Teriyaki and Smokehouse flavors.…

Food & Bev, Under $25

By Kevin Sullivan on October 25th, 2011

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$5-$10 BUY

Ben & Jerry’s Schweddy Balls

Yup, the ice cream aisle just went R-rated. Ben & Jerry’s has announced a new limited-batch flavor named Schweddy Balls. Inside you’ll find vanilla ice cream loaded with fudge covered rum and milk chocolate malt balls (sounds like a winner to us).

The controversial name is ode to a Saturday Night Live sketch comedy in which Alec Baldwin plays Pete Schweddy, the owner of a holiday bakery who talks about his Schweddy balls — popcorn balls, cheese balls and rum balls.

Yeah, the thought of hearing children running through the grocery store, asking their parents for “Schweddy Balls”… it’s wrong, but we can’t help but laugh.…

Food & Bev

By Jason Bacchetta on September 24th, 2011

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$TBD BUY

Spike Your Juice

From root beer to mini donuts, us guys love to make our own concoctions from the comfort of our homes. It’s just something about the “cool” factor that makes it all taste better. But unfortunately, not all of us can afford the $4,000+ price tag that comes with most personal breweries.

No worries, here’s something that’s just as cool and a hell of a lot cheaper: a DIY alcohol kit called Spike Your Juice. Simply get yourself a 64oz bottle of juice, pour in a packet of Spike Your Juice, and pop the airlock top on. Within 48 hours, the yeast will convert the fructose of the juice into carbonation and alcohol.

Relax men, with an alcohol content that reaches 14 percent, this is far from the wine coolers that your lady friends are enjoying.…

Bar Drinks, Under $25

By Jason Bacchetta on September 23rd, 2011

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$10+ BUY

Choffy | Brewed Chocolate

If you find yourself constantly craving a daily dose of Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino, this new brew just might be your newest addiction.

Choffy is brewed chocolate made from 100% organic cacao beans, roasted and ground. It’s said to be richer than hot chocolate, a replacement for coffee and caffeine, and even healthy for you. According to the company, the Theobromine and Anandamide found in cacao puts you in a better mood and gives you a non-addictive energy lift without the crash or jitters of caffeine. The product was recently featured on The Dr. Oz Show, so expect to hear a lot more about it in the near future.

And it looks like people haven’t hesitated to get creative with Choffy, as evidenced by the Choffy chocolate mousse featured above. That’s enough to persuade us.…

Food & Bev, Under $25

By Jason Bacchetta on September 20th, 2011

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$15-85 BUY

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