A glass of Baileys with ice has become a festive tradition in millions of homes over Christmas. So why not treat someone (or yourself) with this gift pack that includes a 70cl bottle of Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur and two espresso glasses.
What do you get when you combine bourbon (whiskey) and bourbon (biscuits)? And what do you get when you add some candy canes? You get this unique festive tipple, Bourbon Bourbon – Candy Cane, which has been created by Atom Labs.
Salcombe Brewery’s limited-edition yuletide ale makes a perfect stocking filler or gift. This well-structured, malt driven beer is made from crystal, chocolate and wheat malts which bring it warmth and body. The plethora of hops build on the chocolatey malt base and add a bittersweet finish to this festive beer. The pack includes three 500ml bottles of Christmas Tide.
4. Tom Savano ‘around the world’ cocktail tasting set
Cocktails
This Christmas carousel features six 100ml single serve Tom Savano cocktails, taking cocktail lovers on a flavour journey around the world. Espresso Martini, Cosmopolitan, Negroni, Mojito, Lychee Martini and Old Fashioned cocktails are included within the tasting set.
Built around a core of delicious rum, this expression from Project #173 is clearly inspired by the Christmas pudding with notes of many yuletide flavours. Expect candied orange peel and mince pie filling on the nose; nutmeg, dried fruit and a subtle buttery hint of vanilla on the palate; and a finish of orange zest, almond, dried cherry and ginger. Sip alongside a slice of Christmas pud.
The Cotswolds Distillery’s Cloudy Christmas Gin returns to the shelves for the festive season. Packed full of flavour, it is distilled in a traditional copper pot still and features nine carefully considered botanicals, including sweet zesty clementine and cardamom.
7. Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter and A Tale of the Forest
Whisky
Launched last year, Glenmorangie’s A Tale Of Winter (£75; clos19.com) is a limited-edition 13-year-old Highland single malt Scotch whisky which captures the cosiness of wrapping up in a winter jumper. Created by Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation, this winter warmer bursts with fruit and honey, cocoa dust and spice. This year, Glenmorangie has also unveiled its new limited-edition single malt – A Tale of the Forest (£75; clos19.com) – the brand’s first ever whisky crafted from barley kilned with woodland botanicals, including juniper berries, birch bark and heather flowers.
The humble Brussels sprout has been used by Pickering’s to create this festively flavoured gin. With tasting notes of juniper, underlying citrus and a peppery finish, more than 10,000 “lonely and forgotten” Perthshire sprouts were sourced to make this best-selling festive tipple.
NIO Cocktails has your Christmas drinks menu covered with six festive-inspired serves. Created by Italian master mixologist Patrick Pistolesi, the pre-mixed cocktails included are: Spiced Negroni, Winter Sidecar, Christmas Margarita, Apple Rum Punch, Christmas in Manhattan, and Snow Daiquiri.
This festive expression by Black Cow Vodka is “Christmas in a glass”. Packed with the flavours of Christmas pudding, this spirit is naturally infused with the fruits and spices traditionally associated with the festive season. Drink it neat over ice, topped with champagne, or mulled in hot cloudy apple juice.
That Boutique-y Gin Company’s Yuletide Gin is unmistakably festive. Its 24 botanicals include juniper, cassia, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and Christmas tree needles, plus distillates made from Christmas cake, chestnuts, Christmas pudding, lebkuchen, mince pies, panettone, an entire gingerbread house, and frankincense and myrrh. As if it wasn’t festive enough, edible gold flakes added post-distillation transform Yuletide Gin into a snow globe.
The newly-launched SWISH “cocktail party in a box” is available in two sizes (two or four people) and with Light (5% ABV) or Virgin (0.0% ABV) tipples. Each box includes a range of exquisite SWISH Cocktails alongside two options of bar-quality glassware – either tall cocktail glasses or coupe cocktail glasses – as well as bags of Savoursmiths bubbly and serrano chilli potato crisps, Mr Filbert’s French rosemary almonds, and Mr Filbert’s Italian black truffle and sea salt mixed nuts.
Beer Hawk’s online shop is packed full of festive goodies this year, including the Christmas Yard of Ale. Eight of Beer Hawk’s favourite crafty cans are included and the yard is sure to go down a treat for your beer-loving family and friends.
The Whisky Exchange’s 2022 Christmas offering has been unveiled – and it’s a good old-fashioned festive tipple. A whisky that cannot be found anywhere else, this festive marriage brings together rich sherry-matured whisky from Blair Athol with elegant old grain from Strathclyde and Cameronbridge, classic Speyside malt from Glen Elgin and spicy new-oak-matured Linkwood to create a dram that’s packed with Christmas flavour. Available from The Whisky Exchange shops and online, it is priced at £84.95 per bottle. Engraving options are available for an additional £10.
Fine wine online retailer Marlo has launched its luxury wine hamper for 2022 – and it contains three of its favourite wines of the year alongside an abundance of tempting treats and delicacies. Wines included in the hamper are a 2016 Croix Canon, a 2020 Macon-Verze Domaine Leflaive, and a NV Marie Demets Brut. The added extras include a CRWST bake at home pancake kit, Drinks biscuits, Belazu rosemary nut mix, Coco Chocolatier Isle of Skye sea salt milk chocolate, Sweet Lounge vegan fizzy cola bottles pouch, Soffle’s pitta chips, Serious Pig snackalami classic, a pair of dinner candles, two cans of The Bloody Classic bloody mary, and a Marlo tote bag.
The new gift box includes a bottle of No.3 Gin, which has been voted the world’s best four times, as well as two NUDE x No.3 Gin martini glasses, which have been developed using scientific expertise to keep liquid cooler for twice as long as a classic glass.
Do you know someone who loves cocktails… and socks? Then this “socktail” gift box may just be the perfect pressie. Makers of bar-quality cocktails in a can, MOTH (Mix of Total Happiness) has teamed up with John Lewis to create two gift boxes which contain a traditional pair of woolly socks with a cocktail emoji on them and two cans of MOTH cocktails. Choose from the MOTH Espresso Martini and Margarita set, or the MOTH Negroni and Old Fashioned set.
London brewer Two Tribes has unveiled the world’s first AI-designed beer can by using AI-art created on Midjourney and submitted by fans. The AI-PA gift set comes with four cans of the Dream Factory AI-PA beer, a custom glass, and a Two Tribes playing card deck.
Cooper King’s sharing selection box includes three different sustainable 100ml spirits beautifully presented in eco-packaging and perfectly sized to fit through a letterbox. The gift box contains bottles of Dry Gin, Berry and Basil Gin Liqueur, and Herb Gin, along with tasting and serve guides, plus a virtual tasting session.
Created in Jersey, The Tidal Rum is a light and refined spirit which combines rums to give a full spectrum of flavour, from tropical fruits to dried fruit and salted toffee. Delivered in a beautiful gift box, this miniature set comes with three 50ml bottles.
Adding an extra touch to any special occasion this Christmas, the bottle of Champagne Laurent-Perrier’s Cuvée Rosé is accompanied with two flutes. A perfect toast to merry festivities with family and friends.
One for fans of the “black stuff”, this Guinness MicroDraught would make a fantastic addition to the home bar or kitchen. As well as the sleek MicroDraught bar tap, the starter bundle also includes four Guinness MicroDraught cans and two Guinness pint glasses.
The popular “pub in a box” from Signature Brew features a selection of the London-based brewery’s finest craft beers and also includes glassware, snacks, a beer mat, a music quiz and exclusive Spotify playlists curated by music journalists. As well as the standard box, it is also available in Roadie and Studio editions – which come with eight cans of Roadie All-Night IPA or Studio Lager.
Bringing together two timeless classics, the original Jaffa Cake Gin is distilled with oranges, fresh orange peel, cocoa powder and actual Jaffa Cakes. This gift set includes a bottle of the chocolate orange-y good stuff as well as a snazzy enamel mug.
Award-winning Hampshire winery Hattingley Valley has a gift that will ensure a sparkling time this Christmas. The navy and gold box set includes a boutique sparkling wine from the Hattingley estate alongside two elegant Hattingley Jamesse flutes, a bottle stopper and waiter’s friend corkscrew.
This stout gift set includes a milk stout, a bottle of Guinness, Guinness stout glass and a Guinness toucan bottle opener. The hamper can be personalised with up to 24 characters including spaces making it the perfect Christmas gift for any stout lovers.
A personalised present for gin lovers, the “make your own gin” from 58 and Co. Distillery gives customers the opportunity to choose a flavour profile – citrus, spice, herbal or floral – then pick up to six botanicals from more than a dozen options. The master distiller will produce your unique recipe, making it a one of a kind gin that can’t be created or bought anywhere else. All you have to then do is name it, or personalise it, and the distillery will bottle, wax seal, add your personalised label and deliver. Two 70cl bottles of personalised gin are included along with an information card from the master distiller.
The new PerfectDraft Pro keeps beer fresh for 30 days and via the app you can control the temperature of your drink, with a range from 0-12C. Choose from more than 45 six-litre kegs of top-quality beers, including Stella Artois, Tiny Rebel, Leffe, Goose Island, Lowenbrau and many more.
ENGINE, a 100% organic gin made in Italy, has released a trendy gift that’s inspired by the world of motors. The 2-stroke kit comes with a 500ml can of gin and two glasses. Handcrafted by master distillers, this craft gin is produced in small batches and bottled by hand in Italy’s Alta Langa region.
Drinks by the Dram’s collection series contains 12 specially-curated drams presented in beautiful wax-sealed 30ml bottles. The range includes whisky, premium rum, premium gin, and tequila and mezcal.
Get the perfect gift for the gin lover in your life. The pack includes a bottle of double-infused Bathtub Gin and a beautiful enamel mug to drink gin cocktails from.
Every great home cocktail bar needs spirits and mixers, but it also requires essential items to create and serve your favourite festive tipples. British jeweller and silverware designer Theo Fennell has a range of barware products which are perfect for at-home cocktail-making. Featured items include a smoke crystal decanter and glasses cased set (£7,250), silver Bloody Mary set (£2,500), and a silver cocktail shaker and copper blue crystal glasses set (£3,950, pictured).
33. Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack and bowtie jigger
Whiskey
This Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack gift set features a sophisticated bowtie measuring jigger, making this the perfect present for those keen on mixing it up this festive season.
This gift pack contains a miniature Silent Pool Gin or Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin plus a Fever-Tree Indian Tonic can and a gin copa glass. An ideal Christmas gift for a G&T lover.
Tinwood Estate, located at the foot of the South Downs in West Sussex, produces some of the finest English sparkling wine including a Blanc de Blancs, Brut and Rosé. For a relaxing Christmas why not give one of Tinwood Estate’s “unwind” gift sets, which includes a bottle of Tinwood and a matching candle.
36. That Boutique-y Gin Company’s retro gin ‘fridge’
Gin
This unique gift set from That Boutique-y Gin Company is a gin lover’s dream. It contains eight 50ml bottles which are housed in a bespoke-design, retro-inspired “fridge tin”.
If a boozy cuppa is your beverage of choice, then read on. Alcoholic tea brand NOVELTEA has released a gift set containing a trio of its core blends: The Tale of Earl Grey, The Tale of Moroccan Mint, and The Tale of Oolong. The gift sets are available as a 25cl or 70cl per bottle pack.
38. 20 Whiskies That Changed the World tasting set
Whisky
This set from The Whisky Exchange takes you on a journey through the groundbreaking whiskies of the 21st century and comes with 20x30ml whisky drams, two glasses and a tasting book. This tasting set has been designed to be enjoyed by everyone, whether you’re a total whisky novice or an “expert” in your own right.
39. Gin-flavour selection tasting set from Drinks by the Dram
Gin
With so many different gins out there, Drinks by the Dram has made life a little easier by selecting some of its favourites for this 5x30ml tasting set. Available flavours include Cherry Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company), Tanqueray Rangpur, Jaffa Cake Gin, Cucamelon Gin (That Boutique-y Gin Company), and Copper Republic Rooibos & Grapefruit Gin.
40. That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Greatest Hits of Whisky: Volume 1
Whisky
That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s radical take on the “whisky box set” is sure to strike a chord this Christmas. Featuring 10x50ml bottles, this is a premium gift that’s perfect for lovers of whisky and music.
Pinkster Gin’s home tasting set for two features five different 5cl varieties – Pinkster Gin, Elderflower & Raspberry Pinkster Spritz, Pinkster Gimlet (pre-mixed cocktail), Hedgepig Wild Bullace and Quince, and Quince 5cl Naked Pinkster (award-winning London Dry). Also included is a sachet of Gin Jam Cocktail Mix, a jar of mini Gin Jam, and Fever-Tree tonics, ginger ale and soda.
Bloody Drinks has your festive hangovers covered with the personalised Bloody Box, also known as the “ultimate hangover kit”. The Bloody Box contains four Bloody Classics (250ml), one tin of Bloody Mary Salt to coat the rim of the glass, one can of Perello Picante Olive & Pickle Mix, and one bag of Bloody Nuts.
And now for something a bit special, which is definitely an option for the “best gifts for those who have everything” list. Only seven limited-edition Penfolds Grange Record Players have been made and they come with a price tag of £55,000. Ideal for someone who loves vintage wine and vinyl records, the console was created in 2021 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Penfolds Grange wine. Just one is available to purchase in the UK, exclusively in-store at Harrods.
As well as the record player, the console doubles up as an integrated wine bar, featuring a hidden wine compartment containing a rare “White Capsule” release Grange magnum duo from the 2010 and 2017 vintages. There’s also a suite of accessories, including a hand-blown Grange decanter, and eight Riedel Extreme Shiraz glasses.
Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
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