Last checked: 6 October 2026.
Buying whisky for someone else is harder than it looks. A bottle is a guess: if you pick the wrong one, it sits at the back of the cupboard. A whisky tasting set takes the guessing out of it. Instead of one large bottle they get several small ones, each a different whisky, with someone to explain what they are tasting. This guide sets out our four tasting sets, what is in each, and who each one suits.
Our four whisky tasting sets at a glance
| Tasting set | Drams | What is inside | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box | 3 x 3cl | A Scotch trio, an American trio or a surprise selection, in a wooden box that can be engraved | A thank you, or a present with a name on it | From £20.99 |
| The Book of Scotch | 5 x 3cl | One single malt from each of the five whisky regions of Scotland, inside a 20 page illustrated guide | Someone who wants to understand Scotch | £59.99 |
| Japanese Whisky Tasting Set | 6 x 3cl | Six Japanese whiskies in a presentation box | The curious drinker who has tried Scotch and wants something new | £69.99 |
| Premium Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Set | 6 x 3cl | Six Scotch whiskies aged from 15 to 21 years | The serious Scotch drinker, or a special birthday | £89.99 |
Every dram in every set has a QR code that opens a guided tasting video for that whisky. You can see all four in our whisky tasting set collection.
What is a whisky tasting set?
A whisky tasting set is a small collection of different whiskies in miniature bottles, chosen to be tasted side by side. Ours are 3cl each, which is 30ml, or about one US fluid ounce. That is enough to nose the whisky, taste it neat and taste it again with a drop of water.
What turns a box of miniatures into a tasting is the explanation. Each of our bottles carries a QR code. Scan it and you get a video that tells you where the whisky was made, how it was matured and what to look for in the glass. Each set comes in its own presentation box, ready to give.
The four sets, one by one
The Book of Scotch: for someone who wants to understand Scotch
This is a book and a tasting in one. Inside a 20 page illustrated guide to Scotch whisky are five single malts, one from each of the five whisky regions of Scotland: Lagavulin 8 Year Old from Islay, anCnoc 12 Year Old from the Highlands, Tamdhu 12 Year Old from Speyside, Kingsbarns Doocot from the Lowlands and Glen Scotia Double Cask from Campbeltown.
The guide covers the history of Scotch, how it is made, where the flavour comes from and what the different casks do. Read a chapter, pour a dram, watch the video. By the end they will know which region they like best.
Japanese Whisky Tasting Set: for the curious drinker
Six Japanese whiskies in one box: Fuji, Shinju, Togouchi, Hatozaki, Akashi and Matsui Mizunara Cask. Full bottles of Japanese whisky can be hard to find and expensive to buy, so six drams side by side is an easy way to find out what all the fuss is about.
See the Japanese Whisky Tasting Set
Premium Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Set: for the serious Scotch drinker
Six Scotch whiskies, every one of them aged 15 years or more: Glenrothes 18 Year Old, Highland Park 18 Year Old, Glengoyne 15 Year Old, Tamdhu 15 Year Old, Glenfarclas 15 Year Old and Isle of Skye 21 Year Old. Five are single malts and one is a blend, and between them they cover Speyside, Highland and Island styles.
Whiskies of this age are costly to buy as full bottles. This is the set for someone who already knows their Scotch, or for a birthday with a nought on the end.
See the Premium Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Set
Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box: a present with a name on it
Three drams in a wooden presentation box. You choose the style: a Scotch trio, an American trio, or Surprise Me, which is a selection from around the world. We choose the whiskies, so the drams vary.
The lid can be engraved with a name, a few words or a logo, which makes it a keepsake once the whisky has gone. It suits a thank you present, and it suits a company sending something to clients or staff.
See the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box
Which tasting set for which occasion?
- A Christmas present: The Book of Scotch. It is a gift to unwrap and then spend the quiet days after Christmas with.
- A special birthday: the Premium Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Set.
- Father's Day: the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box, engraved.
- A thank you: the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box.
- A corporate gift: the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box with your logo on the lid.
- Someone new to whisky: The Book of Scotch, because it explains as it goes.
- Someone who has every bottle already: the Japanese Whisky Tasting Set.
A tasting set or a bottle?
If you know their favourite whisky, buy the bottle. If you do not, a tasting set is the safer present. They get to try several whiskies, they find out what they like, and nothing is wasted on a full bottle of something that was not to their taste.
Want a bigger present? Look at the advent calendars
Our whisky advent calendars are the same idea on a larger scale: 12 or 25 drams, each with its own tasting video. A 12 day calendar can be given on Christmas Day and opened through the twelve days of Christmas.
- 12 Day Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
- 12 Day Whiskey Advent Calendar, the one to choose when you are not sure what they drink
- 12 Day American Whiskey Advent Calendar
- 25 Day Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
- 25 Day Whiskey Advent Calendar
You can see all five in our whisky advent calendar collection.
Sending a tasting set as a present
We can deliver straight to the person you are buying for. Enter their name and address at checkout, and use your own email address.
Questions people ask
What is the best whisky tasting set to give as a gift?
It depends on the person. For someone learning about Scotch, The Book of Scotch. For a serious Scotch drinker, the Premium Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Set. For something personal, the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box with an engraved lid.
How much whisky is in a tasting set?
Each dram is 3cl. The Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box holds 9cl in total, The Book of Scotch holds 15cl, and the two six dram sets hold 18cl each.
Is a whisky tasting set good for a beginner?
Yes. It is the easiest way to try several whiskies without buying full bottles, and every dram has a video that explains it.
Do you have a Japanese whisky tasting set?
Yes. It holds six Japanese whiskies: Fuji, Shinju, Togouchi, Hatozaki, Akashi and Matsui Mizunara Cask.
Can a whisky gift be personalised?
Yes. The lid of the Wooden Whisky Tasting Gift Box can be engraved with a name, a few words or a logo.
Do the tasting sets come in a gift box?
Yes. Each set comes in its own presentation box, ready to give.
What is the difference between a tasting set and a whisky advent calendar?
Size, mostly. A tasting set holds three to six drams. An advent calendar holds 12 or 25, behind numbered doors, to be opened one a day.
