Father’s Day is coming, and you’re probably going through the usual agony over what to get the Dad in your life. Assuming he doesn’t need another necktie, tool kit or electric toothbrush, why not get him something really useful---like a bottle of single malt Scotch? For many gift-givers, price is the obstacle. However, any lover of the dram would be pleased with Speyburn 10-Year ($29), a bargain compared to The Macallan 10 Year Fine Oak ($54). Is one any better than the other? It’s obviously a matter of personal preference, even though The Macallan has a more robust advertising budget.

The official start of summer comes three days after Father’s Day, which means many of us will be drinking more rum. Before you reflexively reach for the Bacardi, consider Brugal. The history of the two families is intertwined: the hailed from the same town in Spain, came to Cuba on the same boat and both founded distilleries. Their paths diverged after the Spanish-American War, when the Brugal clan left for the Dominican Republic. In the Caribbean today, rum is synonymous with Brugal.

Stay tuned next week for more of Ken Schechet’s reporting from Asia. He’ll be in Vietnam, focusing on the street food of Hanoi and regional cuisine around the country.

Here are last week’s posts:

Speyburn: Affordable Single Malts

Brugal Rum