11 minute read
The Luckbox Gift Guide
Our favorite items to level up your brain, your body, your bar and your home base
By Kendall Polidori
bar
PEDESTAL MIXING GLASS
For spirits that shouldn’t be shaken, this 17-ounce lead-free crystal glass is a sure-to-be appreciated gift and a stylish addition to any at-home bar.
—$43, viski.com
NEAT GLASS
Judges use the artisan NEAT Glass at more than 40 major spirits competitions. It’s a leadfree European crystalline glass that fits perfectly in your hand. You be the judge.
—$12, theneatglass.com
GLOBE SHAKER
We love the detailed profiles of the continents on this shaker. Their slightly distressed look recalls antique maps, and there’s even a compass etched into the shaker’s wooden cap.
—$40, viski.com
THE SMOKY TWELVE
Benriach Distillery, located in Scotland’s Speyside region, prides itself on having a distinctive flavor-forward portfolio of single malts complete with unpeated, peated and triple-distilled whiskies. The Smoky Twelve has an extraordinarily sweet and smoky flavor derived from three-cask maturation in bourbon, sherry and Marsala. Perfect for a Penicillin cocktail. ABV: 46% —$68, benriachdistillery.com
JONES SODA
Luckbox couldn’t resist the chance to print bottles of My Jones Soda with past covers. The company can customize labels as personalized gifts for birthdays, weddings, holidays and other special events—or just for fun. Enjoy flavors like green apple, strawberry, lime and classic root beer.
—$45 (custom 12-pack), jonessoda.com
TRAIGH BHAN BATCH 5
With notes of mango, maple, bacon and soot, this smallbatch release is matured in American Oak and Oloroso sherry casks. It’s a 19-year-old Ardbeg that’s non-chill-filtered for a full flavor, body and depth. It has an herbal, peaty, spicy taste and a long finish, hinting at smoked bacon, warm toffee and butter. ABV: 46.2%
—$286, ardbeg.com
PORT WOOD
The GlenDronach Port Wood, a single malt Scotch whisky, is inspired by the rich history of importing cased port into Scotland during the 19th century. The GlenDronach’s rich, full-bodied Highland spirit has been matured in the distillery’s Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, followed by a second maturation in some of the finest port pipes. ABV: 46%
— $95, glendronachdistillery.com
PORTSOY
New to America, this Glenglassaugh single malt whisky has been gently matured in sherry, bourbon and port in the distillery’s coastal warehouses overlooking the rolling surf of Sandend Bay. The distillery has roots dating back to 1875 but was restarted in 2008. The full-bodied taste evokes dark chocolate, charred mango and a hint of sea salt. ABV: 49.1%
—$75, glenglassaugh.com
brain
WAVELENGTH
Wavelength, a party game show in a box, is a social guessing game where two teams compete to read each other’s minds. Is it hot or cold? Soft or hard? Wizard or not wizard? Only you can find out! This 2021/2022 Årets Spill Best Party Game Winner is a Luckbox favorite. More than 150,000 copies of the game have been sold in 14 languages.
—$30, cmyk.games
BOHNANZA
Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Bohnanza with this special edition game and see if your card-matching skills are “to bean or not to bean!” The goal of this German-style game is to earn the most gold by planting, harvesting and selling beans. This gamer’s favorite was released in 1997 and has a high rating of 7.6 out of 10 on the BoardGameGeek website.
—$30, barnesandnoble.com
THE MASTER THEOREM
The Master Theorem is a members-only society, but this puzzle book encourages the rest of us to become master solvers on our own. Be forewarned: These are not your average Sudoku or crossword puzzles—think of them as an escape room where you decrypt messages and overcome brainteasers.
—$30, themastertheorem.com
LUCKBOX MAGAZINE
Who couldn’t use a little more luck? Give the gift of Luckbox home delivery with this 10-issue print subscription, including unlimited access to all archived digital issues. Luckbox is the control freak’s guide to life, money and probability. It’s essential reading for overachievers looking to understand the zeitgeist and get more for their money.
—$39, getluckbox.com
JUST ONE
Just One is that party game for everyone. Why sit through complicated rules when you can skip ahead to the fun? This game enables three to seven players to work together to discover as many mystery words as possible. Your challenge is to find the right clue for your teammate. The game has a high 8 out of 10 rating on BoardGameGeek.
—$16, rprod.com
THE UNLUCKY INVESTOR’S GUIDE TO OPTIONS TRADING
In this indispensable book, tastylive’s Julia Spina breaks down the science of options trading. From the basics of options trading to strategy construction and portfolio management, she helps readers develop an intuitive grasp of the risks and rewards.
—Hardcover $28, barnesandnoble.com
body
RAY-BAN META HEADLINER SUNGLASSES
These AI-powered wearables protect your eyes from UV rays, take photos, make calls, and livestream. The glasses have five built-in mics that pick-up voice commands and double as headphones. You can easily control the glasses by setting up a fingerprint touch command. When you’re not wearing them, simply place them in their case to charge!
—$329, ray-ban.com
ZOZOSUIT
The two-piece ZOZOSUIT, combined with the ZOZOFIT app, uses body measurement technology to make an unforgivingly accurate 3D-rendering of your physique. The suit is covered in more than 15,000 fiducial markers that calculate key parts of your body. Available in 13 unisex sizes, the ZOZOSUIT can accommodate a wide array of body shapes. It’s the perfect gift for anyone interested in health and fitness.
—$98, zozofit.com
PROXR PICKLEBALL ZANE NAVRATIL “THE STANDARD” SIGNATURE CARBON PADDLE
Want to play pickleball like 2022 No.1 men’s pro Zane Navratil? “The Standard” can help with its shorter, standard-length handle and wide face. Made with T700 ultra-raw carbon face for extra spin and a shock foam edge guard, this top-of-the-line paddle offers the promise of comfortable consistency.
—$210, proxrpickleball.com
LEAGUE AND CO. BOCCE BALL SET
Bring the game wherever you go. This Bocce Ball yard game set is complete with eight solid resin balls, a secure wooden platform, one Pallino, a scorepad and pencils, and an instruction booklet all within a stylish and durable canvas carrying bag. First played in Italy during the 18th century, Bocce ball is a lawn or yard game played with eight balls used to aim at a smaller ball, or pallino.
—$130, bespokepost.com
THE NOBULL MATRYX TRAIL RUNNER
Originally featured in our first (2019) gift guide, NOBULL has grown from a small startup to a rising star in a world dominated by big-name sports brands. It accomplished that feat by offering innovative products and building a loyal following. The Matryx trail runners, for example, are suitable for all-terrain training and feature a durable tread and breathable material.
—$89, nobullproject.com
AI PIN BY HUMANE AI
One of the world’s first wearable AI’s, the AI Pin is controlled by voice commands and hand gestures, and it makes telephone calls, takes photos and plays music. It can recognize food and state its nutritional value, as well as translate between languages. Besides the purchase price, using it requires a subscription for data, cellular and wireless. Humane’s goal is to build technology that feels familiar, natural and human. Clip it to your shirt, pants, belt loop or bag, and the AI pin becomes part of your day-to-day life.
—$699, hu.ma.ne
base
BIRD BUDDY® ORIGINAL SMART BIRD FEEDER
Do you love bird watching but don’t have much time to dedicate to it? Here’s a solar-powered bird feeder equipped with a high-resolution camera for close-up bird shots. The device even identifies birds, with over 1,000 species listed on its system. You can set up bird arrival notifications and learn which food is best for which birds, too.
—$210, mybirdbuddy.com
GRAZA “DRIZZLE” EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Experts interviewed for the recent food issue of Luckbox stressed the importance of knowing where your olive oil is produced. The Picual olives used here were grown and processed in Jaen, Spain. They were harvested in October, before they were fully ripened, and then cold-pressed. The bottle adds a drizzle of flavor to your food.
—$21, graza.co
U3 Coffee
Former tastylive co-CEO Kristi Ross and her husband, Craig Ross, founded U3 Coffee with the mission to “unite the world through coffee.” The idea is to connect the coffee industry’s three verticals—farmers, coffee entrepreneurs and customers.
To that end, the owners are striving to create a new coffee ecosystem. Through U3 Coffee Media, they’re telling the stories behind each cup, sharing relevant stats and educating people throughout the value chain. They mean to bridge the information gap and empower coffee entrepreneurs.
Besides roasting its own single-origin coffee, the company operates an online marketplace showcasing other roasters and entrepreneurs, including Park Avenue Coffee and Mighty Good Coffee Roasting Co. Through its U3 Coffee Bank, the company also gives back to farmers and supports other entrepreneurs.
You can find U3 Coffee at u3coffee.com, or visit the first U3 Coffee Roastery & Cafe in Forest Park, Illinois. It’s scheduled to open in Spring 2024.
In the meantime, brew a cup of U3’s Tarrazu Estate coffee, a sustainably farmed and Rainforest Alliance Certified blend. With hints of milk chocolate, caramelized sugar and orange, this smooth medium roast is ideal for any morning.
—$18, Whole Bean, 12 oz., u3coffee.com
BEASTMODE BY BEAST BLENDER
In partnership with football legend and entrepreneur Marshawn Lynch (aka Beast Mode), a company called Beast Blender is offering the “baddest blender on the planet.” It packs a 1,200-watt motor, comes in a forest green special edition and features a new stainless steel hydration bottle. Lynch says it can help you avoid fumbling your health.
—$172, thebeast.com
BOSE SOUNDLINK MICRO BLUETOOTH SPEAKER
Eighty-seven percent of the nearly 30,000 users who ranked this compact speaker on Amazon awarded it five stars.
Portable and durable, the Bose SoundLink is also waterproof and offers easy Bluetooth connectivity and a long battery life. It’s great for traveling and outdoor activities, like hiking or relaxing on the beach.
—$99, amazon.com
CARRY ALL WEEKENDER DUFFLE BAG
Available in three colors, this simple yet sleek water-resistant duffle bag makes for seamless, stress-free travel. Carry it by the soft leather handles or sling it over your shoulder to use the detachable dual adjustment shoulder strap with cushioned leather padding. The maker, a company named July, calls it a premium and secure bag for elevated travel.
—$195, july.com
DISNEY100 LIMITED EDITION FOUR PIECE
Disney adults, this one’s for you. The Disney100 Limited Edition Four Piece Essential Set was inspired by the debut of Disney’s Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie in 1928. The set includes a nonstick saucepan, stockpot, frypan and a universal lid, plus a pan protector adorned with a black and white Mickey Mouse design.
—$130, target.com
LEVAIN HOLIDAY ASSORTMENT
Don’t stress about baking the perfect cookie when it already exists! Levain Bakeries, known for “New York’s most famous cookies,” has expanded to Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Maryland and Washington D.C. Each thick, scone-like cookie weighs about 6 ounces, and they’re crunchy outside and gooey inside.
—$49/8-pack, $79/12-pack, levainbakery.com
