2013 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Booze

With most fathers, you really can’t go wrong giving them booze, especially if they have young kids or teenagers. And for more great ideas, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

Loki from Highland Park

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Loki is a 15-year old single malt Scotch that is part of Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection, a set of four unique whiskies taking inspiration from the Nordic gods of old. This creation is not for the faint of heart, as it was inspired by the “unpredictable, shape-shifting Loki character.” This Scotch was matured in both Spanish cherry casks along with heavily peated casks, so the result is a whisky with a very smoky punch. The taste is very complex and whisky aficionados will definitely want to try this one out. It comes in the spectacular packaging, and though it’s not cheap at $249 per bottle, for the right dad Loki can help you mark a memorable Father’s Day.

Mount Gay Black Barrel

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This iconic rum brand from Barbados is celebrating its 310th anniversary, so you know you’re going with quality that a dad can appreciate. This new version is hand selected by Master Blender Allen Smith, and the only one to be finished in charred bourbon oak barrels, resulting in a bold (but silky smooth) rum, with pepper, spice and wood notes. It’s great for sipping neat or on the rocks. This will definitely help your dad enjoy a nice summer day for this holiday.

CAMUS Ile de Ré Cognac

CAMUS is known for Cognac, and its latest Cognac offering comes from Ile de Ré (Island of Ré), an island just off the west coast of central France that is also a legal cognac appellation. This new and rare Cognac offers a different taste profile that is perfect chilled and will appeal to both scotch and cognac drinkers. Ile de Ré is very small, so the grapes absorb the sea spray from the air, giving the cognac a salty, maritime quality. Options include Ile de Ré Fine Island Cognac, Ile de Ré Double Matured Cognac and Ile de Ré Cliffside Cellar Cognac.

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2013 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Grooming Products

Our first roundup of Father’s Day gift ideas involves a traditional area with grooming products. Of course, we’re hoping you’ll do better than that cheap aftershave you bought dad when you were a kid. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

Philips Norelco Click & Style

Here’s one for the dad who appreciates that modern grooming habits go well beyond his face. That might be an awkward subject for some dads, but for the right guy, this handy shaver can be a great gift. With the new Philips Norelco Click & Style, men can get a super-flexible electric shaver that can handle all their grooming needs with one convenient tool. The Click & Style is a complete all-in-one system equipped with three attachments that are easy to click on and off for shaving, facial styling, or bodygrooming with a single product. We tested all of them and the ease of use was impressive. The two-headed shaver with ComfortCut blades gives guys the close shave that they would expect from Norelco products. For guys who want some stubble or more growth instead of the all-clean look, they can snap on the beard styler with 5 lengths for the perfect stubble or a neatly trimmed beard. Finally, the skin-friendly bodygroom shaver gives a man the flexibility for a close and comfortable shave or a trim on all areas below the neck. The Philips Norelco Click & Style also features 100% waterproof technology so men can trim, style and shave wherever they want in wet or dry settings.

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Portable USB Shaver from ShaveTech

Here’s a great gift men that travel a lot or need a shaver they can keep in their briefcase. This portable electric shaver from ShaveTech is one of the more unique and interesting products we’ve reviewed in a while. It’s a USB shaver, so it’s ideal for traveling as you can charge it anywhere in or out of the US if you have access to a computer or other USB port. When not charging, the ShaveTech USB port flips up directly into the razor itself. The shaver is no bigger than a typical smart phone so it will fit anywhere from your pocket to your briefcase. The sleek and simple design makes it very easy to use. The top slides on and off revealing the foil shaver head, and the shave with this super-light unit is nice and comfortable.

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Car Review: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.0T

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To say that the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD is a sharp CUV would be an understatement. This new offering from Hyundai is certainly a sweet success built for today’s family, with flexible seating and cargo, strong performance courtesy of dramatic weight savings (266 lbs. lighter than the 2012 model) and advanced safety technologies. The Santa Fe showcases the brand’s cutting-edge capabilities through its bold design, impressive fuel economy and a host of features to delight drivers and passengers with high expectations for functionality and comfort.

EXTERIOR

Hyundai’s all-new crossover architecture was clearly developed for families that seek size, flexibility and functionality. The Fluidic Sculpture exterior design – a dynamic and fluid design with bold surfaces and balanced lines – plays a huge role in setting the Santa Fe apart from the competition. Our Cabo bronze test vehicle couldn’t have looked better with flashy 19-inch hyper silver alloy wheels. The Fluidic Sculpture exterior of the Santa Fe crossover family invokes the impression of irrepressible motion through a new design concept called Storm Edge, which captures the strong and dynamic images created by nature during the formation of a storm. To create the illusion of constant motion, Hyundai designers use a three-bar hexagonal front grille, LED headlight accents, low stance, rising beltline, roof spoiler and wraparound taillights. These cues let people know immediately that the Santa Fe is a Hyundai.

Design elements also include standard chrome grille and door handle accents and body color mirrors. In addition to the 19-inch wheels, a twin-tip chrome exhaust is also standard on the Santa Fe Sport 2.0T. It also boasts other features like front fog lights, heated side mirrors, roof side rails, automatic headlight control, side mirror-mounted turn signal indicators and premium door sill plates.

INTERIOR

Hyundai hit it out of the park with the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD interior! The sleek design of the Santa Fe, combined with Hyundai’s expertise in interior packaging, delivers a great presence on the road while improving functionality and convenience. The spacious cabin has more shoulder room than the previous generation. The Santa Fe includes a number of convenient standard stowage and storage features, including an overhead console sunglass holder, two front and two rear seat cupholders, door bottle holders, cooled glovebox, enlarged central storage console, front storage bin, front seat back pockets and an innovative cargo under-tray and floor board storage. The Santa Fe Sport also features sliding and reclining second row seats.

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Car Review: 2013 Hyundai Sonata Limited

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When Hyundai released the latest Sonata a few years ago, the design was cutting edge, and now that the current design is running close to the end of its cycle, the design still holds true to this day. For 2013, Sonata built on its trailblazing recipe of high-design and high fuel efficiency with more features, higher value and better residual value than ever before. That’s important, as the midsize segment is more competitive than ever, with new competitors borrowing pages from the Sonata playbook with improved fuel economy and design.

EXTERIOR

First and foremost, you can’t help but notice the panoramic sunroof which is now part of the Limited Premium Package for 2013 as tested. Fluidic Sculpture is a consistent, cohesive design language that is used throughout the entire Hyundai showroom. It considers the interplay of natural, fluid elements with more rigid surfaces and structures to create the illusion of constant motion.

The exterior of the Sonata is long, light and low. The high beltline allows for a long, sleek roofline accented by a third window. A monoform side profile includes flowing lines highlighted by a Hyundai signature chrome accent that spans the length of the car. Normally, this type of trim is only found around the windows. On the Sonata, this trim extends out from the headlamps, juts up along the hood and through the beltline. The face is bold with a large powerful chrome grille and headlamps that integrate precise details. The stance is completed by 17-inch alloy wheels on our Limited edition. It’s amazing how the Sonata design has influenced competitors and reshaped the midsize sedan marketplace.

INTERIOR

The sleek design, combined with Hyundai’s expertise in interior packaging, delivers class-leading interior comfort, functionality and practicality. A sleek roofline typically compromises headroom and interior volume, but at 120.2 cubic feet, the Sonata has more interior volume than many of its key competitors. It is so spacious that Sonata continues to be classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a large car, truly a “class above” other categorized midsize cars. The Sonata shines even in trunk volume, with 16.4 cu. ft. of trunk space that gives it a 6.1 percent advantage over direct rivals. Our test model was upscale and loaded with features, including leather seating surfaces with heated front and rear seats, power driver seat with power lumbar support, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, XM Satellite radio, Dimension AM/FM/CD-MP3 with iPod/USB input, HD Radio technology with multicasting, integrated Bluetooth hands free phone system, navigation with high resolution touchscreen display, rear backup camera, and a booming and crystal clear Infinity premium audio system with subwoofer and amplifier.

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Highland Park introduces Loki

HP Loki bottle & pack 750ml HR - 477

After trying Thor last year, we had the opportunity to check out the latest release for Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection, a set of four unique whiskies taking inspiration from the Nordic gods of old.

Loki is a 15-year old single malt Scotch that will definitely grab your attention. This creation is not for the faint of heart, as it was inspired by the “unpredictable, shape-shifting Loki character.” This Scotch was matured in both Spanish cherry casks along with heavily peated casks, so the result is a whisky with a very smoky punch. The taste is very complex and whisky aficionados will definitely want to try this one out.

It comes in the spectacular packaging you can see in the photo above, so this makes for a great gift idea with Father’s Day coming up. It’s not cheap at $249 but for the right dad Loki can help you mark a memorable Father’s Day.