We found something pretty awesome, part of our series on gifts for bourbon lovers.
This is Part 2 of the series.
Do you love whiskey, the military, bearing arms -- all three? Do you know someone who does? This will have everyone talking.
(Pictured: Whiskey Tactical Military Box Set.)
Price $68.72 (as of the time this was written).
This nifty set has great reviews! One reviewer on Amazon says it has been the centerpiece of his office, on his desk:
"...literally everyone who comes in to my office immediately asks what's that? Once they open it up they are blown away, 1st response: That is SOOO Cool!. The set comes in a real ammo box, it's the real deal, heavy and solid, probably about seven or eight pounds. The contents are packed inside really nice. When you open the ammo box there is a velvet tray that you first lift up, then the contents are revealed, again all packed nice and neat in a black velvet tray. The Glasses are solid and classy, the whiskey stones are shaped like bullets and are stored in a revolver (cylinder), how cool is that? It also includes 2 stone drink coasters and tongs, overall a great set."
A few bulletpoints -- hello pun, now for a few more puns:
- FULLY LOADED: Contains 2 classic low ball whiskey Glasses , 6 whiskey stones ("bullets") housed in 6-cylinder, heavy slate coasters, and stainless steel ice tongs. Ready for any mission.
- HIGH CALIBER TACTICAL BOX: With hinged top and carry handle. Distressed military look.
Good quality, craftsmanship, heavy duty
On Amazon, as of this writing, there were 224 reviews with 92% 5-star and zero 1- or 2-stars. Several people noted they were very impressed, almost surprised by the size and quality -- "...like a real tactical box. I thought that it would be a small box but it's big and heavy." Another: "... case is made of extremely good quality and craftsmanship.'
(Pictured" The set includes whiskey stones shaped as bullets. Very clever.)
Our friend reviews his purchase
'Even though I had read the reviews, I was still impressed by the substantial quality, the feel-- like you could take it into combat and those whiskey glasses would not sustain injuries :)
When I was a kid I ordered one of those mail-order 100 soldiers in a box for $1. I remember being very disappointed opening the package and seeing a bunch of thin flat green plastic men. I suppose I was expecting Hasbro-like G.I. Joes, maybe even with the lifelike beards. My first lesson in buyer beware and you get what you pay for.
I feel as if this very nice set has reversed some of that childhood trauma ;)
I won't repeat what has already been written in this blog. I would say this is a damn-near perfect gift for a whiskey enthusiast, be it bourbon or whisky that wishes it was bourbon. And for military veterans, probably better than perfect, although I do not know to what extent a Navy vet is amicable to green.
Also, many of reviews and descriptions of the set refer to it as the perfect guy gift, and centerpiece for your man cave. But women drink bourbon, if you haven't heard. Mad Men's Don Draper (who started off as Richard "Dick" Whitman in the U.S. Army during the Korean War) faced competition from the likes of Peggy Olson, and today women hold their own defending our country. Many know their firearms better than men. So don't say this giftset is just for men
BTW, I do like how the word for "W" in the military phonetic alphabet is whiskey 😀🥃
As in the bourbon world, there are unicorns in the ammo world too
Since history is a big part of the story of bourbon and American whiskey, we thought we'd look into the history of ammo in the United States.
Just like bourbon hunting, there are collectors who search for vintage ammo boxes. We are talking now about the cardboard boxes you buy at the store -- many going back a century or more -- that have about 20 rounds (bullets) per package
In "10 Vintage Ammo Boxes Worth Big Bucks,' the author describes the sought-after unicorns. Number one is:
U.S. Cartridge Co. Army 44 Colt - $4,500
He writes: "There aren't many boxes of this highly collectible ammunition left in the United States due to age ... circa 1872 and was used by the U.S. military"
Yes, $4,500. That's about the price for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15-Year, and you can't drink the ammo.
25 uses for military ammo boxes
Before you start thinking about making your own tactical whiskey box out of an old World War II ammo box, be advised it would probably not be a good idea. Lead and propellant residue would not be the best thing to store glasses and the other items to make your drinks with.
(Pictured: The resealable military ammunition box, versions of which NATO nations have used for 70+ years. Photo by Douglas Muth, under Wikipedia Creative Commons.)
Having said that, these sturdy, well-made boxes can be used in many ways, particularly for storage and survival purposes, as per the video below.
Western/NATO nations have been using these resealable units for 70+ years. Interestingly the old Warsaw Pact countries used single-use "spam cans" to store and transport ammo, where you would just open it like a can of beans -- or spam as it were -- and discard it afterwards.
The hidden meaning of WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT
If you've come this far, you may have arrived seeking an answer to the question, what is the hidden meaning in the wording on the box?
The answer, of course is the acronym WTF.
Related to that other acronym FUBAR -- F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition. Used in the military, in law enforcement, and elsewhere, when operations have gone FUBAR!
Cheers!
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