It may seem a bit early to be thinking of Christmas, but as with the rest of this year, time is going fast. So we’ve pulled together 12 gifts that we think would be ideal for the cocktail lover in your life (or yourself, possibly!)
(Note: this is not sponsored. This is just stuff that we thought was interesting … and keep in mind, this is the first, but my guess is it won’t be the last of these gift guides, so keep an eye out for future Christmas posts …)
A. Shag – ‘Palm Springs’ – Earthenware Cocktail Set
Your mother will be the first to tell you …use a coaster! And if you are, why not splash out of coasters that make you seem far cooler than you are? It’ll raise the level of your Christmas drinks and make your guests reassured that they, in fact, really did come to the right party.
B. Death & Co – Cocktail Journal
There is nothing more frustrating than suddenly having a brilliant cocktail idea in the middle of the night and nowhere to write it down. Keep this cocktail journal by your bed, in your work satchel, or beside you at dinner … you never know where inspiration will strike.
C. The GlenDronach 15-Year-Old Revival Whisky
You, yourself, may not be exceptionally refined in character, but that doesn’t mean your Scotch shouldn’t be. So why not include a dram that offers honey-glazed apricot and ripe fig with a crescendo of black cherry into your nightly Christmas de-stressing routine?
D. Hatch Cocktail Shaker
If you’re going to make cocktails at home for your holiday guests, why not be super fancy about it and use a shaker that at least resembles cut crystal (but won’t break the bank …) There are Daiquaris, Bees Knees and Chartreuse Gin Daisies that are just waiting to be shaken up in style.
E. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
There’s a little-known fact that those found to use bright red, candied cherries for their cocktails are automatically put on the naughty list. So do yourself a favour, and grab the much more adult version of a Maraschino Cherry for all those cocktail decorating endeavours.
F. Italians Do It Bitter Shirt
Let’s face it, Italians do really do tend to do it bitter, and we have them to thank for every amaro (or amaro-related) product we put in our glasses. So why not acknowledge the love and remind people of your superior taste buds and inclination towards all things bitter (without having to use the word Negroni …)
G. Spritz Cocktail Ornament
There’s really no better way to fizz the season than with a Spitz Christmas ornament. If you really love cocktails, then it’s time to commit to the theme and bring your love of the liquid onto your tree as well, and it beats those plain babbles any day.
H. Meehan’s Mixology Spoons
Do you really want to be the person who can’t whip a set of Meehan’s Mixology Spoons out of your pocket at a moment’s notice? Cocktail emergencies do happen, and when they do, you could be the one that saves the day … just saying …
I. Secret Garden Christmas Gin
Tis the season to have a Christmas Gin readily on hand, so why not make it festive? Freshly distilled Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cardamom are blended with Juniper, Coriander, Angelica Root, and winter savoury to create a Christmas gin that even Rudolf will probably try and swipe.
J. Art Deco Coupe Cocktail Glass
If you are having people for drinks, then using the glasses you nabbed from your local pub will never do! We’re sure Emily Post would be the first to advise that proper cocktail glassware, especially over the festive season, will ensure good manners from all in attendance.
K. Home Bar Rimming Board
Sure, you could just sprinkle salt onto a plate and achieve the same result, but where is the fun in that? If you have a specific rimming board, there’s not a Margarita being made that won’t know how serious you are about your (most frequently Tequila-based) cocktails.
L. The Oxford Companion To Spirits and Cocktails
When David Wondrich (historian and author extraordinaire) decides to write about all things cocktail, he doesn’t mess around. This is a tomb of a book, but that is because it seriously has everything you need (and really should know) about cocktails inside it.