Father’s Day drinks: choose by taste rather than defaulting to “dad whisky”.

Whisky and beer can be excellent Father’s Day gifts, but they are not compulsory equipment for being a father. Coffee, tea, wine, cider, gin and alcohol-free drinks can be just as thoughtful when they match what the person actually enjoys.

A good recommendation begins with flavour and habit. “Dad” is a relationship, not a tasting note.

A mixed beer selection, a coffee from an interesting origin, a whisky tasting set or a bottle from a favourite wine region can create something to explore rather than something to unwrap and forget.

The useful step is one degree beyond familiar: recognisable enough to feel personal, different enough to be interesting.

If Father’s Day involves a barbecue, char, smoke, salt and fat become the pairing clues. Pale ale, lager, cider, rosé and lighter reds all have roles depending on what is actually on the grill.

Very heavy wine is not automatically more masculine, nor particularly helpful with a plate of sausages in the sun.

For someone who drinks coffee every day, fresh beans, a grinder upgrade or a better brewer may deliver more enjoyment than a bottle opened twice a year.

The same logic applies to tea: frequency of pleasure is a perfectly respectable measure of gift quality.