Father’s Day is always a toughie. Do you take your dad out? Cooking him a delicious meal? Or make him his favourite cocktail at home? What else do dads love? Enter Team Plus Ones with our guide for what to get your dad (or stepdad, father-in-law, or a dad-type figure in your life) this year.
For the dad who loves a perfect food & exotic drink combo.
Considering the abundance of world-renowned grapes and incredible native ingredients in Australia, it’s fantastic to see Feels Botanical producing a spirit that highlights the flavours of our country. Feels Botanical Eau De Vie (meaning “water of life”) is a traditionally distilled grape-based alcohol that uses sustainably sourced native Australian botanicals for some truly unique flavour combos. Their current lineup includes four blended spirits which are crafted in very small batches. Our favourites were Bask which is distilled with hemp, quandong and Kakadu plum and Revel, which has coffee, ginseng and Illawarra plum. This is definitely a spirit that calls for a delicious paired meal & unique cocktail creation.
With renowned chef Dan Churchill recently joining Feels as a partner, its little wonder that foodies across Australia are keeping a close eye on what kind of culinary marvels he’s cooking up. It’s also great to know that each Feels is free from grains, gluten, preservatives and added sugars (for any dads on a health-kick). So go on, cook your dad a Dan Churchill inspired BBQ and mix up some tasty paired drinks.
For the dad who loves to keep it hot.
Does your dad love a good hot sauce? If so, it’s time to elevate the game with the TRUFF variety pack. The pack features the og hot sauce, hotter sauce, and white truffle blend, so you can get a feel for all the complex flavours combining red chilli with delicate truffle. There’s even a mini pack: perfect for carry ons, handbags and meals on the go! The sauces pair delightfully with meats, vegetables, sandwiches, and a broad range of other products. Our personal favourite is to sprinkle them atop a hot bowl of pasta!
For the whisky-loving dads
If your dad is a whisky lover, then he’ll know this bottle right away. In fact, our dad even went to visit the distillery in the highlands of Scotland! Aberfeldy 12 year is a honeyed dram with notes of fruit, spices, lots of vanilla and just a hint of smoke which makes it perfect to sip neat or mix in a cocktail. Matured in a combination of Sherry & Bourbon casks, the highland scotch mixes perfectly in a twists on an old fashioned; the Aberfeldy Gold Fashioned. Mixing one up couldn’t be easier too! Take a shot of Aberfeldy 12 year, half a teaspoon of honey, a big dash of Angostura bitters and a dash of orange bitters. Stir over ice until fully-desolved and serve with an orange twist – delicious!
For the fancy dad who loves gin.
What better way to let dad know how special he is than by treating him to a special gin. The main difficulty of course is that with so many stunningly delicious tipples produced, it’s often hard to know which bottle to go for. Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru launched earlier this year to a lot of well-deserved hype. Using premium sustainably grown Spanish fino lemons, mandarin & sweet navel oranges from Mercia, this is a flavour combo you will want to try neat or over ice to get the full impact. For a delicious twist on a negroni, try using one part each of Bombay Premier Cru, sweet vermouth, Martini Riserva Speciale bitter and top with a lemon twirl and Spanish olive (yes, you read that right). Your dad might just have a new favourite cocktail!
For the smooth dad who loves rum.
Is your dad a rum fan? If so, Diplomático Exclusiva Reserva may be right up his alley. It’s sweet and smooth, with aromas of orange peel, toffee, and liquorice. Silky on the palate, and follows with hints of toffee fudge for a seductive and long-lasting finish – an ideal drink for a night-in. Best of all, there’s a special Father’s Day pack you can get him. It comes with everything he could need: a rum glass, a round ice cube mould and of course, the rum itself.
For the dad that loves a local craft beer.
Three award-winning makers – Westward Whiskey, Stomping Ground Brewing and Proud Mary Coffee – partnered to create the ultimate limited-edition beer for Father’s Day. The Westward Whiskey Barrel-Aged strong Ale is packed full of flavours of coffee and smooth golden syrup, aged in Westward’s American Single Malt Whiskey barrels all the way from Portland, Oregon (where Collingwood’s sister venue Proud Mary Coffee is also based). After two long months in barrel, the Head Distiller of Westward Whiskey and the brewers at Stomping Ground added cold brew espresso – known for its notes of blackberry and chocolate – from Proud Mary. The result is a luxe beer that’s made with your dad in mind! The good news is that you can share a stubbie or two of it yourself at Collingwood’s Stomping Ground Brewery (just watch out, its 10%!), or order your dad a special boilermaker pack that comes with a whole bottle of Westward Whiskey for try at home!
For the health-conscious dad, don’t worry – we’ve got you too!
Whatever your dad’s reasons for cutting the booze, the hardest bit can be finding a satisfactory substitute. For too long, non-alcoholic alternatives have failed to quench the celebratory cravings, but we’re happy to report that’s not the case with Aussie made Drummerboy.
Crafted in Sydney from Australian ingredients, the full-flavoured non-alcoholic distilled spirits range features replacements for gin, bourbon, tequila, vermouth and Italian Aperitivo. If you’ve been paying close attention to your favourite bartenders then you’ll know that’s almost everything you need for most classic cocktails! Hello non-boozy negronis, sparkling spritz’s and tasty ‘gin martinis’. It’s also fine to drink neat over ice, or with a classic mixer. Perfect for any dad that wants all the flavours and none of the regrets the next day.
For dad’s that want to learn something new.
We get it, not all dads want a drink. So this Father’s Day, ClassBento is encouraging Dads and their families to carve out quality time and embrace social connection at Melbourne’s best creative gems. At experiences run by local artists, makers and foodies, Dad can craft his own ceramics at pottery classes, tap into his creativity with glassblowing or excite his senses at hands-on cooking classes. There’s even a blacksmithing class for something completely different. Designed to help spark conversation, ignite Dad’s curiosity and form long-lasting memories, a hands-on class with the two of you could be a great bonding experience!
However you’re enjoying your time with your father, grandfather, uncle, or dad-type figure this year, we hope we’ve made the hard task of finding the perfect gift and experience just that little bit easier.
Father’s Day is on Sunday, 4 September 2022. If you’re having some celebratory tipples with dad, please drink responsibly.
– The Plus Ones Team
