The anniversary bottle

Three years ago, my dad passed away unexpectedly from pancreatic cancer. On the anniversary of his passing, I typically spend the day looking through photos, calling loved ones, and then drinking a glass of Glenlivet 18.

On the surface, Glenlivet 18 isn’t a particularly special whisky. Part of Glenlivet’s core offerings, the 18 is available at most liquor stores. Most internet reviews describe the whiskey as palatable but lacking interesting notes, especially for its $150 price point. In addition, in recent years, Glenlivet has decided to lower the ABV of the whiskey from 43% to 40%, making it even less flavorful than it used to be.

Overall, it sounds like Glenlivet 18 is a slightly expensive whisky with no special characteristics - so why drink it?

The answer is because my parents gave it to me on my birthday.

A birthday present

As I’ve become older, my parents seem to treat birthday presents as a token to mark the anniversary of my birth rather than something memorable from my wishlist. I’ve been graced with measuring scoops that were clearly swag from my dad’s work, a mug warmer from the 1980s that would probably start a fire, and of course, an endless supply of socks to keep my feet warm.

But in 2021, my parents surprised me with this bottle of Glenlivet. The bottle was originally purchased on a cruise my parents went on where my dad claimed he got it for a good deal (duty free of course).

When I received it, I was in surprised for a two reasons. First, it clearly was an intentional gift - one that acknowledged my interest in whisky. Second, I never actually expected this bottle to be consumed in their lifetime. After returning from that cruise, the bottle sat in their glass cabinet on display like a trophy for nearly a decade.

Sadly, I was somewhat right about the second reason. Several months later, my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and then passed away afterward. My sister and mother came to visit shortly after and I decided in his honor, I would open this bottle and we would all toast in his memory. Now, every year - I continue this tradition.

An anniversary bottle

When my father passed I wrote an article for Put This On about two watches that I inherited from him - a 1954 solid gold Rolex Air King and a digital Seiko M158. While one watch clearly has a higher monetary value compared to the other, it’s surprising to see that I view the Seiko as the real heirloom.

Heirlooms should not be measured in their dollar amount but the accumulation of stories, memories, and experiences that surround them. While the article for Put This On was written around watches, I find the same for whisky, too.

Collecting and drinking whisky is a notoriously expensive hobby. While the number of bottles that are available to drink at an affordable price is far and wide, many people still focus on rare and overpriced whiskeys. Pappy Van Winkle and William Larue Weller are nearly unattainable and sell for astronomical prices in secondhand markets. Even a bourbon like Weller 107, which ten years ago was both bountiful and found at a reasonable price of $30, is now rare and costs more than double its price.

A new bottle of Weller 107 I managed to find for retail in Ohio next to the last bottle I was able to find in California

While these whiskies are certainly enjoyable, their price is unwarranted and has diminishing returns. Moreover, while the lore behind these whiskies is enticing - they are simply stories, stories that you, yourself are also able to create.

When I think about how my dad bought this whisky and gave it to me, I get a little sad and feel disappointed that he was not able to travel more. Shortly after this trip, my ailing grandmother moved in with my parents, which made traveling more difficult. A few years later, COVID emerged and the world went into lockdown. It was only when it seemed that COVID was getting better that my dad shortly passed.

Drinking this whiskey is in a way to honor my dad for many things: for his thoughtfulness in this present; for his dedication in taking care of his mother-in-law; and for all that he sacrificed to ensure the best for my mother, sister, and myself. And while this bottle of whiskey is slightly expensive, I would feel the same regardless of the cost.

And that’s the truth. You don’t need an expensive bottle (or someone to pass away) to have an experience like this. Instead, find any bottle of whiskey and tie it to something meaningful. Are your friends scattered around the globe but you have an annual reunion with them? Create a tradition where you all drink the same bottle of whiskey when you’re together.

Are your children older and reaching the legal drinking age? Buy them one of their first drinks at a whisky bar and then make sure to treat them to the same whenever you get to see them next.

The possibilities are endless - what matters really is the memories that you create around them. For me, I’ll continue to drink this one to celebrate and honor my dad.