The Best Tippling Stick in the World

Try as we might, we can't all be Rihanna, sauntering along city sidewalks in a Balenciaga throw, wine glass in hand. But as any committed boozer or college coed worth their weight in Solo cups will tell you, traveling from points A to B is not a reasonable excuse to temporarily slow your consumption of alcohol. Leaving your bar cart to climb into the back of a taxi or, worse, face down public transportation on the way to your next destination, is already an emotional buzzkill without having to be a literal one, too. Why wouldn't you want to take some spirits along with you? The kids, I'm told, call these to-go beverages "roadies" in some parts, and they are often a vital component of a night on the town.

But, even in the less Puritanical corners of the world, where open container laws aren't so oppressive, there are times when conspicuous drinking requires a bit of discretion. Fortunately, our forebears grappled with satisfying the dueling needs of decorum and freewheeling imbibing years ago and came up with a suitably eccentric solution: the tippling stick.

To be clear, the tippling stick serves the same purpose as a flask tucked into your purse or pocket. But, it gives your mobile liquor habit a sizably greater amount of flair. It would be foolish to even try to compare a tin can with a flimsy screw-off top to the handcrafted, beechwood tippling stick offered by the stalwart English riflemakers James Purdey & Sons, for example. The Purdey stick—which, the company notes, is suitable for formal occasions, but not everyday support—can be yours for $260, and features a 50ml crystal flask underneath the polished knob, replete with a cork stopper. If you're going to flagrantly dismiss public intoxication ordinances, you could be worse off than to do so with the aid of the Royal Family's preferred field sports outfitter. Style-conscious drinkers and erstwhile undergrads looking for an upgrade, take note; beloved Barbadian pop singers, however: you just keep doing you.