2015 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Booze

Walk into any liquor store and you’ll see hundreds of options. You can zero in on your dad’s favorite drink when picking a gift, or you can get creative and choose something he wouldn’t buy for himself. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

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The good folks at Crown Royal have introduced the brand’s first-ever blended rye whisky, so this is something delicious and unique that you can pick up for dad. As you would expect from Crown Royal, this whisky is very smooth. It’s crafted from 90% rye and tastes great either neat, on the rocks, or in traditional rye cocktails like a Manhattan or Old Fashioned. It also comes in that beautiful Crown Royal bottle that makes any bar look classy.

Patrón XO Cafe Incendio

This is an awesome gift for anyone who appreciates premium tequila or enjoys flavored liqueurs. This delicious new offering from Patrón is a spicy and sweet liqueur that is perfect as a sipping drink to savor and enjoy, or as a shot to get the party going. Patrón XO Cafe Incendio starts with Patrón Silver tequila and draws its flavor from the spicy Mexican arbol chile along with the sweet richness of Criollo chocolate. We recommend drinking it straight after chilling the bottle in the refrigerator. You can also use it for cocktails, and as a kicker, to spice up your coffee or hot cocoa in the winter months. You can keep a bottle in your fridge year-round as a permanent addition to your home bar.

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2015 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Gadgets

Gadgets dominate our lives, so you can start your shopping with dad’s phone. If he has the latest and greatest, don’t bother. But if he’s still tied to his lame flip phone, then you can go with an iPhone or a new Android phone to get him into the 21st century.

If you’re looking for something a little different, however, we’ve put together some ideas for you. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

Fitbit Charge HR

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There’s an ungodly number of fitness trackers these days, but after testing out some of the other major players in the game, the Fitbit Charge HR (available at Walmart) is hands-down the best of the bunch. The “HR” refers to the included heart rate monitor located on the underside of the band, which provides additional data like your daily resting heart rate the time spent in different heart rate zones (peak, cardio and fat burn) during exercise. The tracker is housed in a rubber watch band that’s a lot more comfortable than the bangle-styled Jawbone and Nike Fuelband, and it contains a small display screen that lets you cycle through the following data: clock, steps, heart rate, distance, calories burned and floors climbed. When used in conjunction with the mobile app or online dashboard, you can track specific workout sessions and monitor your sleeping habits (including time spent awake or in a restless state), and when paired with your phone via Bluetooth, the display shows Caller ID notifications. The Fitbit Charge HR also has pretty great battery life, so you can spend more time using it instead of waiting for it to charge, which is the whole point of the product in the first place.

SOUL Run Free Pro Headphones

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We’ve reviewed some of SOUL’s on-ear headphones in the past, and while they proved to be a solid alternative to the more popular brands on the market, they never really wowed us in any way. However, that’s not the case with their latest in-ear model, the Run Free Pro, which improves upon other likeminded wireless headphones by getting rid of that cumbersome earhook and utilizing an interchangeable ear lock system that provides a custom fit guaranteed to stay put no matter how active your lifestyle. The Run Free Pro is comfortable enough to be worn for long periods, and features wind noise reduction technology that allows runners to listen to music outdoors without interference. They’re also waterproof and sweat-resistant, while the sporty design smartly hides the mini USB charging port inside the buds. The integrated remote control can be a little difficult to operate blindly, but that’s a minor complaint about an otherwise great pair of in-ear headphones perfect for the dad who frequents the gym or marathon circuit.

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2015 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Gear

Guys are pretty easy to shop for. Most of the time, you can just get stuff you’d buy for yourself. Here’s a grab bag of Father’s Day gift ideas geared towards looking good and improving your daily life. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our annual gift guide.

The “Cleveland” Shoe from Lebron James

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Lebron James has taken the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, and now, this new color scheme for his Lebron 12 men’s basketball shoe from Nike is flying off the shelves, especially in areas rooting for James’ hometown team. If your dad still appreciates a cool pair of sneakers and likes to play hoops, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cooler gift than these vibrant kicks. Of course, there are other color choices as well, but this pair featuring the Cavs colors may be your best bet… unless he’s a Bulls or Warriors fan!

Shinola Watches

While everyone else may be talking about a new watch from Apple, there are incredible watches made right here in America that you should be checking out as well. The Runwell model (pictured below) is a classic, hand-assembled watch made in Detroit by Shinola. If dad appreciates stuff made in America, then this could be a great gift idea. Features of the watch include a sapphire crystal, Super-LumiNova printed dial details, a solid stainless steel case with screw down crown, three hands and date indicator driven by the Detroit-built Argonite 1069 high-accuracy quartz movement, and a laser-etched case and etched lightning bolt on the buckle. Anyone who values attention to detail and beautiful styling will love these watches. Browse the Shinola site for watches, and then check out their leather goods as well, along with the bicycles!

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2015 Father’s Day Gift Guide: Entertainment

Everyone loves watching a great movie or TV series, so we’ve compiled some of our favorite releases from the past few months that most guys will enjoy. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our Father’s Day gift guide.

The Wire: The Complete Series

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Now that “Breaking Bad” has completed its remarkable five-year run, there’s a good chance that some people are rethinking their decision to christen “The Wire” as the best show in television history, but for our money, the HBO crime drama still owns the top spot. A gritty, intelligent, complex and well-acted series that fired on all cylinders throughout most of its five seasons, “The Wire” represents TV drama at its finest, anchored by a fantastic ensemble cast that rivals “Game of Thrones” in its sheer size and ability to squeeze great performances out of even the smallest roles. Digitally re-mastered in a new 16:9 widescreen ratio and broadcast in its entirety earlier this year, the complete series makes its Blu-ray debut just in time for Father’s Day. Though some have argued that the change from the original 4:3 ratio disrespects the show’s intended visual composition, it’s something that will likely only bother a select few, because it looks absolutely stunning. Many of the included extras have been carried over from the previous DVD release, but there is a brand new cast and crew Q&A from the Paley Center for Media’s reunion panel that’s a must-watch for all fans of the show.

Frank Sinatra: Five Film Collection

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It’s not the first time that a studio has released a Frank Sinatra movie collection in conjunction with his birthday, but Warner Bros.’ five-disc set – which spans two decades in the singer-turned-actor’s film career – is the first one to ever be released on Blu-ray. Featuring some of Sinatra’s finest work in front of the camera, the collection includes a trio of musicals (“Anchors Aweigh,” “On the Town” and “Guys and Dolls”) and two of the best crime movies of the era (“Ocean’s 11” and “Robin and the 7 Hoods”), three of which have been newly re-mastered for their Blu-ray debut. Though the fact that it only contains Warner Bros.-owned titles means that it’s not a definitive collection by any stretch of the imagination, this is still a great gift for any fan of the Chairman of the Board. Plus, it comes with hours of bonus material, like vintage MGM shorts and cartoons, audio commentary by Frank Sinatra Jr. on “Robin and the 7 Hoods” and “Ocean’s 11” (alongside Angie Dickinson), featurettes for “Guys and Dolls,” and a 32-page photo book with movie stills and behind-the-scenes photos from each film.

Goodfellas: 25th Anniversary Edition

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Though Martin Scorsese finally won his first Oscar for the 2006 crime thriller, “The Departed,” after decades of being snubbed, it should have happened 16 years earlier with “Goodfellas,” which is hands-down one of the greatest gangster movies ever made. The film has it all – sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll, and even a little violence – but what’s most impressive is the manner in which Scorsese pieces it all together, breaking a number of traditional filmmaking rules along the way. Everything about the movie is top-notch, from Scorsese’s daring direction, to Nicholas Pileggi’s hard-hitting script (an adaption of his book, “Wiseguy”), to the rock-influenced soundtrack, to some fantastic performances by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of psychotic gangster Tommy DeVito. The two-disc 25th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray includes all of the previous extras from the 2010 release – including a pair of audio commentaries and a behind-the-scenes featurette – as well as an all-new retrospective, a 36-page photo book with an accompanying essay, and a letter from Scorsese.

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