Other Spirits
VALENTINE'S GIFT GUIDE
Buy Tequila, mezcal, Cognac, brandy, liqueurs, and other standouts for Valentine’s gifting beyond the expected. Give the gift of adventure and toast the team that doesn’t do ordinary.
These are gifts for people who know their own taste and value craftsmanship over trend. Nothing flashy. Nothing forced. Just spirits they can appreciate. Not as much as you, of course….
These drinks may steal their spotlight, but only you can steal their hearts. Hey, you could probably write something like that in your card. Somebody get Hallmark on the phone...
Our top picks
Añejo Tequila
Don Julio 1942 Tequila
70cl • 38% ABV
Silky, indulgent, and absolutely loving the attention, this long-bottled, long-aged Tequila leans into vanilla, caramel and roasted agave. It is smooth. As smooth as the line you wished you said to your love when you first met. Try it on them now with a glass of this to wash you down.
"The perfect Valentine’s with Don Julio 1942. Silky caramel, warm vanilla, and toasted oak, because true love should be slow-sipped and unforgettable."
Lisa Halstead
Buyer & CSO (chief sipping officer)
Italian Vermouth
Cocchi Storico Vermouth Di Torino
75cl • 16% ABV
Dark, herbal and gloriously bittersweet, this classic vermouth brings depth, spice and a little Italian drama to any cocktails. First produced in 1891, it's been a bartender's favourite since before you could drink, so do not treat it as an afterthought.
"Turin – home to football teams, Fiat, that cache of gold bullion Michael Caine stole, and the greatest vermouths known to man. Cocchi is undoubtedly one of the very, very best."
Jake Mountain
Resident doer of things & spirits buff
English Alcohol-free
Pentire Coastal Spritz
70cl • 0% ABV
Fresh, wild and not in the least bit dull, this is an alcohol-free option for people who want the thrill of the night and the following morning too. Pentire breathes windswept cliffs and citrus peel and is proof that grown-up drinks do not need booze to hold your attention.
"Fresh, grown-up, but contains zero alcohol. What it lacks in booze it makes up for in zesty coastal brightness with a bittersweet edge. So you can remember every bit of your big night...."
Giovana Petry
Spirits marketer & pomeranian parent
THE PERFECT SERVE
Spicy Margarita
Loud, bright and flirting with danger, this is the Margarita that turns the heat up. Less romance, more sparks.
Prep
3 mins
Serves
1 people
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
60ml Tequila
20ml Fresh lime juice
15ml Triple sec
Fresh chilli slices or chilli tincture
Garnish: Fresh chilli and/or lime.
Tequila & Mezcal
Forget shots or salt or anything you regret at 2 am. The bottles below are the Tequila and mezcal that people who really love and understand each spirit would drink. We know, because they're the kind of bottles that we drink. And gift. And treat ourselves to.
Cognac & Brandy
Cognac and brandy get a bad rap for being old fashioned. Mostly because they are old fashioned, and that’s the point. Distilled patience, long ageing, and flavours that take their time. These are spirits for slow pours, soft chairs, and conversations that don’t need topping up every five minutes.
Low & No
Valentine's Day, heck, life itself, should never be about punishment or pretending. These are drinks built for flavour first, alcohol second, or not at all. Thoughtful, grown-up alternatives for when you want the ritual without the aftermath. And nobody feels shortchanged.
Liqueurs
Liqueurs are the supporting actors that often steal the scene. A dash here, a sip there, suddenly the whole drink makes sense. From bitter and herbal to rich and indulgent, these bottles exist to add shape, lift, or depth. More useful than you think. More dangerous than they look.
Aperitivo
Aperitifs are about starting well. Bright, bitter, bracing spirits and wines designed to wake the palate and slow the pace at the same time. Best served before dinner, preferably with something salty, and always with the promise that the night is just getting going.
Vodka
Vodka is the ultimate blank canvas: chilled, crisp, and pristinely filtered to strip away the noise and highlight the pure essence of the spirit. Best served ice-cold, it’s a masterclass in subtlety that carries flavors without complicating them, proving that sometimes the strongest statement is the one made most quietly.
