The BroBasket Profile and Review
“The best gifts for men, period.” That bold statement is the slogan for The BroBasket. Of course, when most of the gifts you offer are full of beer, wine or whiskey you’re off to a good start to fulfilling that promise.
The BroBasket (www.thebrobasket.com) is an on-line retailer of gift baskets for guys…or “bros” if you will. The variety and options available here is extensive. The themes for baskets range from candy, junk food or jerky to beer, wine, rum, whiskey and other spirits. Selecting the right basket seems easy. You can shop by price, recipient (friend, co-worker, boss, client, etc.), occasion, or basket category. The BroBasket allows you to create-your-own basket and several baskets have customizable options.
While I appreciate junk food and jerky as much as the next guy, here at The Whiskey Corner we are most interested in (wait for it)…whiskey! So what can you expect from The BroBasket when it comes to whiskey gift options?
Whiskey Gifts
The least expensive whiskey option is called “Bite of Bourbon” ($59.95 + shipping). It includes 50 ml bottles of Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, Bulleit and Knob Creek. You’ll also find a few snacks (pretzels and popcorn) and a can of Coke. The Coke must be for those who truly test the limits of “drink what you want, how you want”.
The most expensive pre-designed BroBasket option is called The Chief Executive ($459.95 + shipping). It is packed full of various chocolates, a set of coasters and whiskey stones. The whiskey here is all scotch: 750 ml of Johnny Walker Blue and 375s of the Black and the Red.
The Executive is the package that seems to be the most customizable. For $189 (plus shipping) it comes with chocolates, glasses, cigar set (including cigars, lighter, case and cutter) and a 750 ml of Johnny Walker Black. You can add in other enhancements (flask, ice molds, etc.), have the bottle engraved or select an entirely different whiskey for the basket. Some of the whiskey options include difficult to find bottles (i.e., Rock Hill Farm, Kentucky Owl Rye, Weller 12). Of course, you’ll pay extra for those. Rock Hill Farms, for example, is $200. Some of the options, however, actually aren’t that much more expensive than what you find on the shelves these days (Henry McKenna is $55 and Eagle Rare is $44).
The spread from the Ultimate Whiskey Sampler (floral arrangement not included)
The Review
The package that TheBroBasket sent to me to review is The Ultimate Whiskey Sampler ($99 + shipping). It comes with a couple of individual bags of popcorn, chocolate covered raspberries, a glass and ten 50 ml bottles of whiskey. The whiskeys are: 12 yr McCallan Double Cask, Johnny Walker red and black, Glenlivet 12 yr, Glenfiddich 12 year, Jameson Irish, Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, Bulleit and Knob Creek.
Positives: This gift basket presents itself very well. The bros at BroBasket have clearly taken time to figure out how to securely ship the basket so that its contents arrive safely, but still look attractive when it is opened. The recipient is also going to see a lot in the basket. Ten mini-bottles, a handful of snacks and an engraved glass is a lot to unpack. I don’t think anyone would turn their nose up at any of the selections of mini-whiskeys in the basket, either. None are really top shelf, but they are solid daily drinkers that most whiskey fans would enjoy.
Negatives: I would like to have the ability to customize the whiskeys included in this package. As someone who is much more of a Bourbon drinker than a Scotch drinker, being able to modify that mix would be a plus. Also, if I were the sender of this gift it would seem to be a bit expensive. The components of the basket (whiskey, snacks, glass, and basket) would cost on their own about $60-$70 (my estimate). So, you’re paying a bit of a premium for packaging and convenience.
Overall, I really like the concept of this service and think there is a place for it in the market. The depth of options is impressive and the quality of the presentation of the gift basket is something that you’d be proud to send.
I don’t see a BroBasket as being a gift you’d send a friend who lives close by. Personally, I am very particular about picking a Bourbon as a gift for a friend and prefer to deliver it in person (how else can you be sure to get a pour unless you deliver it yourself?).
Some of the three best applications I see for The BroBasket are:
Pure Convenience: If you have an out-of-town relative that you want to get something nice for, but don’t have the time to put much effort into it, then a BroBasket is a fit. You decide how much you want to spend, find a basket that fits your budget and you’re done. You may have paid a little extra, but you don’t have to worry with it anymore. For a last minute Christmas gift that you just need to get done, a BroBasket could be what you’re looking for.
Close (out of town) friend or relative: For that life-long friend or beloved uncle who you want to bless with the gift of whiskey, the BroBasket can be a very good option if you aren’t going to be able to deliver the gift yourself. You might want to pay up for maybe one of the Executive level gifts and customize it a bit, but it would be a definite hit.
Clients: In my opinion, this is where the BroBasket is a great application. You can scale gifts by price based on size of customer or how much you want to impress. You can have BroBasket ship virtually anywhere in the country. And this will present you and your business in a very positive light.
I would encourage you to find your way to www.thebrobasket.com. It is a well-designed web site and is fun to explore. You might find that perfect gift idea for the “bro” in your life. Or maybe you’ll find a gift to send to a woman. I’ve heard that some of them like whiskey, too, but I’m not sure what the feminine of “bro” is. Sis? Chick? I’ll stop now before I get myself in trouble.
