THE LEGEND

In the late 1700’s, in what was then considered Kentucky County, Virginia, a poor Irish immigrant widow named Marcia Mitchell Gavahan began secretly gifting small bottles of fine corn whiskey to the townspeople who had shown her and her six children kindness throughout the year. The bottles would be placed on doorsteps on Christmas Eve marked only with, “Santa’s Reward”. Though many suspected her, Marcia never admitted she was behind it, always replying with a smile, “Maybe it was Santa”.

By the mid-1800’s, the gesture of anonymously gifting bottles of bourbon during the holidays had spread throughout the Ohio River Valley and Upper Midwest. For those lucky enough to receive Santa’s Reward, it became part of a Christmas Eve tradition: Put the children to bed, place presents under the tree, ring some sleighbells, and call out, “Goodbye, Santa!” as he and his reindeer disappear into the night. Then, and only then, would it be time to enjoy Santa’s Reward. It became a widely held belief that a sip of ‘SR’ on Christmas Eve would guarantee good luck and prosperity for the following year.

During the 1990’s, Jim Gaffigan began secretly gifting bottles of Santa’s Reward to friends and co-workers. In 2025, Gaffigan went into partnership with Fathertime Bourbon for a very special limited batch of 15-year-old Kentucky bourbon released under the name of “Santa’s Reward”.

If you have received a bottle of this inaugural precious batch, it is in acknowledgement of your kindness and generosity, which I believe embodies the spirit of my mother and the entire holiday season. Please share it with friends and family. Tell them it’s for good luck. And if anyone asks where you got it, smile and say, “Maybe it was Santa”.

Cheers & Merry Christmas,

Jim Gaffigan

QUESTION & ANSWER

Where is Santa’s Reward shipped?

If you’re age 21 or over, Santa’s Reward is available for purchase online (while supplies last) for shipment in the following states:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming

Do you have any other merchandise for sale?

You can order a Santa’s Reward glencairn from the Fathertime store. Limited quantities are currently available.