Want to splash out this Christmas on some seriously special booze? We’ve got you covered with a range of whisky, rum, gin, and more perfect for your gifting needs.
After last week’s collection of bargain Christmas presents from the world of whisky, it was only right that we picked out some more premium options for those who are able to push the boat out a little more this festive season. From Japanese whisky to rum from a legendary lost distillery.
Mars Tsunuki 2022 Edition
The 2022 Edition of Mars Tsunuki Japanese single malt whisky is a floral, creamy, and delicately sweet dram which opens up beautifully with a drop of water. It’s exclusive to us in the UK, but we’ve done the decent thing and shared it with you.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Four Roses could well have featured in our bargain list last week because it’s great value for money, but this premium bourbon was too good to leave out. Complex, rich, and full of a bright fruitiness that sets this one apart from its peers. Who doesn’t love being gifted roses?
Appleton Estate 21 Year Old
Rum is the spirit of the moment and right at the forefront of the revolution the spirit is enjoying is the kind of high-status sippers that rival whisky. Appleton Estate 21 Year Old is a great example of this, the kind of drink you won’t be able to resist telling everyone you know about, even those who couldn’t really give a hoot about rum.
Glen Grant 18 Year Old Rare Edition
Elegance personified, Glen Grant 18 Year Old is so refined you can imagine each glass being poured by a waiter in a tuxedo. This is a subtle treat, one that’s balanced superbly, and a whisky that you should sit with for an evening to watch it evolve with time.
Ledaig 18 Year Old
Is great peated whisky only from Islay? Absolutely not, and the easiest way to prove that is to pour a dram of Ledaig 18 Year Old. From the Tobermory distillers on the Isle of Mull, this is chock full of hearty phenols, smoky herbs, cracked black pepper, and balancing waves of sherry-soaked fruit to create one of our favourite whiskies on the market. Just make sure you don’t buy so much there’s none left for us to enjoy!
Comte de Grasse 44°N
For those who a very fancy gin to gift this Christmas, we’ve got just the thing. Using sustainable production methods inspired by perfume, Comte de Grasse is made using processes like ultrasonic maceration, vacuum distillation, and CO2 supercritical extraction. It’s all very high-tech, but the result is one of the most flavourful and unique products around.
Royal Salute 21 Year Old Signature Blend
The classic Royal Salute expression, Signature Blend is aged for a minimum of 21 years in honour of the 21 Gun Salute that is fired at the Tower of London for royal celebrations. The blue Wade ceramic decanter makes this extra giftable. A present fit for King and/or Queen!
Caroni 20 Year Old (That Boutique-y Rum Company)
Taking the rarest of rums and popping it into a peaty whisky cask is risky business. But That Boutique-y Rum Company are a bold bunch and the chance it took with a legendary drop of Caroni has paid off. If you know someone who loves their rum and you gift them Caroni, they will be forever in debt.
Bunnahabhain Abhainn Araig – Fèis Ìle 2022
Nobody has ever unwrapped a bottle of Bunnahabhain single malt and been disappointed. That’s just like, science. This beauty was released for Fèis Ìle 2022 was drawn from a combination of bourbon casks and Pedro Ximénez sherry octave casks and has the wonderful quality of being a different dram with new flavours to discover every time you drink it.
Bushmills Rum Cask 1997 (2022 Edition) – The Causeway Collection
For a little while, it felt like Bushmills wasn’t letting itself off the leash but the arrival of The Causeway Collection a couple of years ago is the distillery in its finest form. These are sublime spirits, full of intriguing maturations and finishes like this triple distilled single malt Irish whiskey, which enjoyed a stay in American oak rum casks from 1997-2022 before being bottled at a cask strength of 46.2%, without chill-filtration. Fruity, funky, and full-bodied festive fun awaits.
Mijenta Tequila Reposado
Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for Mijenta Tequila, but a principle right at the core of the brand’s approach. Discarded agave waste is used to produce the bottle labels, for example. This is a great demonstration of the kind of premium products the Tequila market has to offer these days, with a huge flavour profile, gorgeous look, and a real commitment to ethical practices.
