Words by Leigh Andrews
With the big day fast approaching and with such an amazing choice of gins and gin gifts on the market, choosing can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming - especially if you’re not clued up on the latest trends and releases. Fear not! We have put together a list of little beauties for you. There are all sorts of gins and gin related gifts in here for gin liqueur lovers to the super geeky gin collectors. Each will make sure that you stay on Santa’s good list for next year!
TARQUIN’S FIGGY PUDDING GIN
This needs no explanation as a great gin gift for Christmas. it’s called Figgy Pudding after all! The flavours in this little Cornish beauty invoke thoughts of nights sat next to the fire, toasted marshmallows and just one more mince pie (once they’re gone they never existed, right?). Christmas spices, citrus zest, dried figs and even blow-torched, brandy-soaked cherry wood chips are all infused with Tarquin’s original London Dry Gin so yep, that makes this a full strength gin woohoo! Try it with ginger ale, lots of ice and a wedge of orange. Oh, and just one more mince pie!
ABV: 42%
Size: 700ml
Find Here: UK £35.95
ANGEL FEATHERS APPLE GIN
Angelic Angel Feathers is perfect if you’re looking for an eco-friendly gin gift for that special someone, with the flavour to back it up. Produced in Wales using only seasonal fruits and botanicals from their own micro fruitery, the bottles even have compostable seals and are returnable/reusable. You can even contact Katharine, the owner at www.angelfeathers.co.uk, she is full of suggestions for your empties that go way past the usual fairy lights! Also available in a stocking filler size of 200ml, meaning you could try some of her other flavours too. This gin is gorgeous with mulling spices in hot apple juice or over ice as a sipper.
ABV: 39%
Size: 200ml, 500ml
Find here: £23 - £43.50
ATLAS SHICHIMI GIN
Atlas Gins are inspired by exotic flavours from all around the world and we love them for their complex, unique flavours. Their Shichimi gin (try saying that after having a couple) is inspired by 17th Century, Japanese spice blend, which combines seven spices and is used in traditional cooking. Botanicals in here include Sichuan peppercorn, gyokuro green tea, ginger and nori seaweed, giving it a warm kick with moreish umami notes all freshened up with the juniper and citrus. This is a proper gin to savour!
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find Here: £48
CABBY’S GIN
This small batch gin was distilled in London by almost by mistake! Cabby’s are well known for their rum and they were debating whether or not to put in some juniper, when they discovered an ideal botanical blend for gin. It’s incredibly refreshing and delicately aromatic with notes of lemon balm, dried herbs and lavender, balanced by more exotic spice notes and all underpinned by just the right amount of Juniper. Buying this will also support a black-owned business. Try the rum too!
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find Here: £28.49
TEMPLAR SPIRIT GIN (Daniel Hooper Joker Edition)
If you’re fortunate enough to know a gin collector (they always want to let you taste their latest find!) but are stumped on what to get them for Christmas, then you can’t go wrong with a rare bottle. This striking bottle not only contains a fantastic, classic, smooth London dry gin but how about an actual work of art on the bottle?! Templar Spirits commissioned British artist Daniel Hooper to design and then hand finish each label on this very limited run of 50 bottles of Templar Spirits Gin. If you miss out on this one, fear not, Dan will be working on future limited editions with Templar Spirits.
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find Here: £100
GLASWEGIN CHRISTMAS CRACKER
Now, this is the kind of Christmas cracker every gin lover wants to find on the tree! Feel free to add several, dear husband (I hope he’s reading this!). We’ll even let you off that there’s no bad joke or quality plastic jewellery inside! With 8 botanicals including Scottish milk thistle, coriander, orange flower, Italian juniper, angelica, chamomile, bay leaf and pink peppercorns, this smooth and distinct gin is definitely an absolute cracker!
ABV: 41.1%
Size: 50ml
Find here: £7.95
MARKS AND SPENCER SNOW GLOBE GIN
If you’re looking for a gift for that person who loves Christmas, lots of sparkle and a wee liqueur after dinner (gin purists look away!) then they’ll love to receive one of this year’s Marks and Spencer’s collection of Snow Globe Gin Liqueurs. Since they first introduced their sell-out bottles last year, they have expanded their range to include new flavours and even a monster 1.5L bottle that not only lights up to show off the shimmering 24ct edible gold leaf but also plays a festive Christmas tune! From cracker sets to mixed cases, there’s something for everyone on your Christmas list!
ABV: 20%
Size: 50ml to 1.5L
Find here: £32 - £120
CRAFT GIN CLUB SUBSCRIPTION
The gift that keeps on giving! It will give your gin lover surprises all through the year and you MAJOR brownie points! You can purchase a no-contract subscription to the Craft Gin Club that will send that lucky person a gin box from every quarter to every month. This box is great not only for the fabulous gins which are always full size, and often exclusive distillery releases for club members, but the amazing range of extra snacks, cocktail ingredients, tonics, garnishes and the gin magazine that comes with it.
ABV: Variable
Size: 700ml
Find here: £40 per box
ROCK ROSE REFILL REWARDS CLUB
Following on from the subscription idea, Scottish distillers Dunnet Bay have gone one step further and have set up a refill club. All you need is an empty Rock Rose Gin bottle (buy them a full bottle to go with their refill subscription if they don’t already have one) and at intervals of your choosing from 3, 6 and 12 month memberships, they will send a refill pouch along with some other goodies for less than the cost of a bottle. The recipient can change the gins they receive (their Navy strength gin ROCKS) and once they’ve refilled just put the empty pouch directly back in the post to be fully recycled at source….make sure you have drained that pouch!
ABV: 41.5% - 57%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £30-£34 per refill
SECRET GARDEN CHRISTMAS GIN
Working hand in hand with nature being their ethos and with 600 herb varieties in their distillery garden at the foot of the Pentland hills, the folks at The Secret Garden distillery have created this absolute beaut of a Christmas gin that anyone would love to unwrap on the big day. It’s got all of those gorgeous warming Christmas spices, 100% natural ingredients and no added sugar which obviously means extra chocs can be consumed with no guilt, right?! A really simple serve is all that’s needed as this gin speaks for itself so add lots of ice, light tonic and a slice of orange for that perfect festive tipple!
ABV: 39%
Size: 500ml
Find here: £36.95
See our other Christmas guides on red wines, rum, white wine and more!
