The Furious Five

Historically, a dram of whiskey has always been a gentleman's preferred companion during long, cold winters -- even more gratifying than a woman's under-the-covers embrace, or a warm cuddly beard extending from your neck to your navel. For a full range of warming Irish options, look no further than Jameson.

Founded in 1780, Jameson has survived American Prohibition, crippling English tariffs, and the mercifully short-lived "Crystal Scotch" craze of '91 to remain the world's fastest-growing whiskey. The company offers five distinct varietals, the granddaddy being Jameson Irish Whiskey, first crafted by founder John Jameson 227 years ago, when calling a guy "JJ" could land you in the stocks. Then there's the 12 and 18 Years, both aged first in olorosso sherry casks, then finished in American bourbon barrels for complexity that rivals any page of a James Joyce novel. For truly singular taste, the pale gold Redbreast is the only aged, pure-pot still whiskey on the market, while the almond-tinged Midleton Very Rare is so extraordinarily smooth, you won't even be angry when you see it in the hands of another man.

Regardless of which you choose, all the Jamesons are malted in closed kilns, untouched by smoke -- so if you're looking for something more reminiscent of barbecue, bury your beard in a bucket of baby back ribs.