Whether you’re looking for a showstopper to add to your drinks trolley, a tipple with a twist or the biggest bottle in town, our roundup of boozy offerings includes the wacky and the wonderful. Here are festive tipples to bestow upon your favourite people this year.
Takamaka white rum
If you’re hunting for a gift for someone with a sweet tooth, Takamaka rum is a choice tipple. It’s full of coconutty, tropical fruity notes, making it ideal in a simple cocktail like a mojito or caipirinha. The dark version would suit a whisky lover: it’s rich, deep and warming in the throat. Available from Master of Malt (£39.95).
Stambecco Tiramisu Liquier
This amaro is sweeter than the brand’s cherry version, but for lover’s of Italy’s most popular dessert, it’s a no brainer of a Christmas gift. The bottle is a sight to behold, and is one to keep once the liquid within has all been supped. We recommend trying it as an after dinner tipple, poured over some ice cream, or whipped into an espresso martini during Christmas week. Santa might enjoy some with his mince pie by the chimney too, who can say? Available from The Whisky Shop (£25).
DelMago bottled cocktails
Made in Piedmont, these cute illustrated bottles are filled with 500ml of your chosen cocktail, from Negroni made with DelMago’s own gin, vermouth and bitter del mago, to boulevadiers with red vermouth, bitter del mago and brandy. Expect well-balanced but potent blends that will have your festive Friday nights off to a swinging start. And who can beat a Negroni made on Italian soil… Available from Sager & Wilde (from £31.50)
Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest whisky
Tried all the single malts? Nearly… It’s time to buy your whisky lover something quite different. Glenmorangie have released a new single malt ‘A Tale of the Forest’, made with barley kilned with woodland botanicals. The recipient can expect juniper, heather, eucalyptus and smoke in amongst all the woodland flavours. A unique taste, coupled with a curvy bottle, beautiful packaging (and fantastical illustration) makes this a quality gift. Available to purchase online from the Glenmorangie (£80).
Haku vodka
Vodka often gets overlooked, but this 100% white rice vodka from the House of Suntory is interesting and demonstrates how subtle a spirit it can be. Smooth, a little fiery and quietly floral, this is a sippable vodka, but also makes for a stellar martini, if you know someone who loves one. Available from Waitrose (£30).
Sagamore Rye whiskey
This rye whiskey is made in the traditional Maryland style, near Baltimore. Housed in a chic and show-off-worthy bottle, this whisky is a blend of two rye mash bills, aged in American oak barrels and proofed with filtered water from a Spring House built in 1909. We love its smooth richness, subtle notes of cloves, and warmth on the palate. It makes a perfect Old Fashioned if you know a classic cocktails lover. Available from xxx Available from The Whiskey Exchange (£49.95).
Mijenta Reposado tequila
The latest expression from Mijenta shows the depth of flavour that tequila can have. This 100% agave tequila surprisingly has a lot in common with whisky – aged in American white oak, French oak, and French acacia casks which all bring bold flavours and a sweet hint of nuttiness. Gift this to the cocktail lover in your life, and make them an Old Fashioned – you’ll be having a very merry little Christmas indeed. Available from Master of Malt (£63.95).
Kyrö Dairy Cream Liqueur
This cream liqueur is produced at Kyrö’s rye distillery in the village of Isokyrö, Finland and doesn’t include any preservatives, artificial colours, gluten, or lactose. The milk used in production comes from small farms close to the distillery and that fresh flavour of the milk comes through in the spirit. There are notes of vanilla, toffee and frangelico with a hint of salt – this is a really special cream liqueur. Enjoy simply with ice, in a white Russian or go WILD and add a splash to a cup of hot chocolate (thank us later). Available from Master of Malt (£19.95).
Beluga Celebration vodka
Commemorating the 115th anniversary of Siberia’s Mariinsk Distillery, this special edition of Beluga comes in glorious gold packaging, making it a worthy gift for vodka fans this Christmas. We found it to be perfect in a martini, and a great accompaniment to canapés or seasonal treats like Gravlax and smoked salmon. Available from Masters of Malt (£39.99).
Cockburn’s White Port
For those pre-dinner tipples when you can’t muster the energy to make a cocktail but want something a bit more sweet and refreshing than wine, Cockburn’s white port. We found it to be the ideal 7pm drink with a sphere of ice and a slice of lemon! Yes. Now we’re festive. Available from Cockburns (£20).
El Rayo tequila
El Rayo tequila comes in two ages – ‘the clear one’ and ‘the gold one’. We love the latter for its smooth, smokiness – it’s mellow enough to enjoy as is but absolutely great in a tequila and tonic, its subtle honiness really comes through. The tequila lover in your life will thank you, but this stuff is so smooth it’s even been known to convert tequila sceptics. Available from El Rayo Tequila, (from £34.95).
