In his essay on gifts, Ralph Waldo Emerson poetically asserted that it is better to give a present that reflects the true spirit of the receiver. "… The rule for a gift… is, that we might convey to some person that which properly belonged to his character, and was easily associated with him in thought," he wrote.

Father’s Day is a great opportunity to put that concept into action. Why not give Dad the gift of a little extra time to reminisce about fond fatherly memories? There is no better accompaniment for a stroll down memory lane than a fine after-dinner drink.

This Father’s Day present him with a bottle of the good stuff and invite him to loiter after dinner and relish in memories of fatherhood, or at least baby making. Here are four recommendations for lovely evening libations that are bound to conjure fond images. Set the tone for Pops by writing one of your favorite memories on the card, or present him with a bottle that is wrapped in a hand written note that simply says, "Linger."

Memories of how it all started over a glass of Madeira

Before I had kids, I thought the best part of having kids was the part where we got to make them. I still remember that day and the smell of the nape of her neck; a spirited scent of sun kissed daydreams balanced with unrealized intent.

A glass of Madeira is sure to transport him back to fond memories of how fatherhood began. Like a lover, Madeira has the poignant acidic taste of sweat intertwined with the sweetness of honey. It’s created by inserting grape brandy into the fermenting wine and once made, it rests in the heat, letting the flavors cook together.

The venerable Madeira company, Blandy’s, has four distinct varieties of five year old Madeira ranging from dry to sweet sold for $24 each. While each wine is made with different grapes, they are all aged in the cantiero process where it is stored in oak casks in the hot attic of the family's lodges in Funchal on the island of Madiera, located about 540 miles off the coast of Portugal.

The driest and highest in acidity, Blandy’s Madeira Sercial, has woody apricot, melon and peach flavors with a long nutty finish. It's light in color like the sun going down in late summer. The second fortified wine in the lineup, Blandy’s Madeira Verdelho, balances acidity with a little bit of residual sugar. It’s a bit rounder, fuller — full of opportunity. It has floral scents and dried fruit, raisin and butter toffee flavors. Both are typically served slightly chilled in white wine glasses as aperitifs, but they are also great as dessert with an assortment of hard cheeses and Lester Young crooning on old vinyl.

Moving up the sweetness scale, Blandy’s Madeira Bual, has a darker amber color and dried fruit, vanilla and wood scents. The sweet raisin and toffee flavors are balanced with acidity. The sweetest in the batch is Blandy’s Madeira Malmsey. The Malmsey is full bodied, dark brown and full of honeyed raisin and almond flavors. Serve this with dark chocolate cake, a red velvet smoking jacket and Lou Reed on the stereo. Let’s hope you won’t have a new brother or sister in nine months.

Remembering the firsts with port

There is nothing sweeter than the first time baby coos "dada." I remember that look in your eyes, that delight on your lips as you stroked my chin and called out to me. I am your dad and you knew it. Nothing will ever compare to that first acknowledged connection. Our bond was forever cemented in that moment.

Bring dad back to the sweetness and simplicity of the baby’s first moments with something equally as stirring and sweet without being overly sugary. Port fits that bill. The classic fortified wine has been revered for centuries for its elegance, hefty structure, complex fruit flavors and round sweetness.

A few ports to consider Warre’s Otima 10 Year Old Tawny, Cockburn’s Special Reserve Porto, and Graham’s 20 Year Tawny Port. The Warre’s Otima, made by the oldest British port company in Portugal, has a lovely rose and tea tawny color with bright cherry flavors rides on top of a racy alcohol engine. It goes for about $26. The Cockburn’s Special Reserve has crazy ripe fruit, lush, velvety texture and is super charged with attitude for $17. If you are willing to spend a little extra — around $63 — go for Graham’s 20 Year Tawny Port.

Graham’s makes this prototypical, classic port with a wine blend that has been aged an average of 20 years in oak barrels giving it vanilla and almond essence layered on top of the raisin and dried orange peel flavors. Serve it slightly chilled in a classic port or white wine glass big enough to let him stick his nose all the way in to breath in the sensuous aromas. The rich tawny loves creamy dessert. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or crème brûlée for a delightful treat that will go well with memories of early parenthood.

The apprentice besting the teacher calls for gin

He finally did it. Look at him sitting next to the fire with hot chocolate; his smile as bright as the fresh powder and as broad as the first run was steep. He conquered the double black. He did it with grace. He did it 300 yards in front of me. He’s on the edge of being a man. I can’t put him back in the bottle.

In every father and child relationship, there comes the moment when the child bests the father in skills that the father has taught. That might come first in video games, move into cards and finally into sports and possibly intellectual pursuits. It can be a father’s greatest joy to see his offspring excel. Well, as long as he is manly enough to accept this as a victory.

Gin is a man’s drink that says accomplishment with every sip. It’s the perfect spirit to accompany memories of the first time she beat her dad in chess. Fortunately for us in Austin, Genius Gin is hitting the shelves of local bars and restaurants this month. CEO and president, Mike Groener, is passionate about aesthetics with a tech exec’s attention to detail. He developed a unique flavor profile for Genius Gin using a cold steep in the base for some of the heat-sensitive botanicals like lavender, angelica root, elder flower and lime leaf for a highly aromatic flavor. Others ingredients like juniper, cardamom and coriander are heated in the distillation to impart flavor.

Dad should have a standard 94 proof gin or a 114 proof Navy Strength gin on hand for Father’s Day dinner. The Old Fashioned has been synonymous with American whisky since the early 1800s. Drink.Well.’s owner and bar wizard, Jessica Sanders, puts her stamp on the Old Fashioned by making it with Genius Gin instead of whiskey, which helps to accent the beautiful cardamom notes of the gin. She shared her recipe so you can make it at home.

Gin-based Old Fashioned

• 2 ounces Genius Gin
• .25 ounce fich demerara simple syrup (2:1 ratio)
• 1-2 dashes Scrappy's cardamom bitters
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Orange peel

Express an orange peel over a double old fashioned glass and drop it in to release the essential oils over the glass. Add simple syrup and bitters. Stir to combine. Add Genius Gin and ice (preferably a large cube to slow dilution). Stir gently until chilled and serve.

Celebrate coming of age with whiskey

Watching you throw your cap into the air was such a shared moment of pride in your accomplishment. You did it! Your graduation night was the first time we ever drank a bottle of whiskey together. That was a moment, a shift in our relationship from father and child to father and grown child taking on the world together.

Whiskey just feels right as an accompaniment to major milestones. Its simplicity, its carmely sweetness, its bracing alcohol burn that reminds you of the flame of life. Treat it with respect and it pays you back with a contented grin.

Angel’s Envy has introduced a limited release Rye whiskey just in time for Father’s Day, and it is available in less than a dozen states, including Texas. Master distiller, Lincoln Henderson, uses 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley and ages the whiskey for at least six years in oak barrels. It is then finished for 18 months in Caribbean rum casks, which began as French cognac barrels. The result is a fun mix of the spicy and earthy rye notes along with vanilla, sherry and hazelnut flavors with a touch of sweetness from the rum barrels.

It’s a smooth finished to dinner, even at 100 proof, so serve it neat or with a set of frozen stones rather than ice. This will set you back about $70, but your dad is worth it.

No matter which bottle you choose or which memory you hope to evoke, give your dad the gift of a little extra time to remember why he loves being a father.

Blandy's Madeira.

  

Photo by Matt McGinnis

Blandy's Madeira.