In the UK, Bonfire Night has barely passed before stores put up their Christmas decorations and supermarkets launch their heartstring-tugging festive adverts. Not so in the USA, where my home country sets its sights on the most patriotic holiday of them all: Thanksgiving.

Politics in the USA is incredibly divisive, but one thing most Americans can agree on is the joy of getting nearly a half a working week off to celebrate Thanksgiving.

What’s great about this holiday, and why Americans love it so much, is that it is an American holiday that no one else celebrates. We invented it and will continue to celebrate it widely. However, this is not an easy holiday to host – most people finish work at lunchtime on Wednesday (Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday in November) and take the Friday off, too, so if you are hosting, you’ll have your work cut out.

As mentioned, no holiday is more important in the US than Thanksgiving, so for those American readers expecting a particularly patriotic guest, choose a whisky that will suitably match an American tradition that’s been going since 1789. Have a bottle of Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Bourbon waiting on the table – a rich bourbon dressed with a lone star on the bottle, signalling its heritage to the state of Texas. Or instead, celebrate with a Jefferson’s Bourbon – one whose distinctive taste is only matched by its distinctive bottle, adorned with an engraving of the founding father himself.

Got the in-laws coming around? Need to impress them? Enter Whistlepig 12 Year Old Rye. At £150, this is not an everyday drink, but remember that whoever you drink it with will be obliged to bring something nice for Thanksgiving 2017. Finished in a Madeira cask, this rye is a delicious step above from your everyday American whiskey.