i’m out of the champagne loop, but tend to view it as a part of a celebration. if you want to celebrate with them, or if they have something to celebrate, then that would be appropriate. as for the differences between the house in which they’re made, i’ve no clue.
quality brown liquors are passed as signs of appreciation. they tend to have to stand on their own, and aren’t used as one of several ingredients in a mix of liquors so they “make their own statement”. single malt scotches do have a romance about them, although they honestly don’t agree with my taste buds.
my first reaction when i want to show appreciation is to send someone a bottle of scotch, unless i know they have a sweet spot for another type of liquor.