The Ultimate Christmas Gifts For Drinkers

Wave goodbye to the headache of finding gift ideas and panic buying, because we’ve sourced some top-notch Christmas gifts for wine, beer and spirits lovers. Stocking fillers, hampers, experiences…we’ve got it all. Let’s get straight into it.

The BEst STOCKING FILLERS for Drinks Lovers

Miller Lite’s Beernaments

You’ll have to be quick if you want to get your hands on these; with numerous television appearances in America, they’ve become extremely popular! The idea itself is pretty simple - cans of beer shaped like ornaments and voilà: Beernaments. These boozy baubles are scheduled for more releases so just check the link and jot down the release date if you want these elegant additions to your Christmas Tree.

Find here: $19.75

Football Ice Cube Moulds

Has there ever been a better time for football shaped ice than the first ever winter World Cup? These Kikkerland twin moulds make 5cm ice balls with surprisingly detailed patterning and will be just what’s required for any England fan, particularly English supporters celebrating a possible World Cup win… or drowning their sorrows.

Find here: £9.99

Mermaid Gift Set

Any gin lover will be delighted to pull these beauties out from their stocking. It’s a lovely way of dipping your toe into The Isle of Wight Distillery’s alluring selection of gins, which use locally foraged botanicals and sea salt to impart a fresh, island sea air feel. Refreshing and crisp, it includes 50ml of Pink Gin, Salt Vodka and original Mermaid Gin!

Find here: £17.28

Cotswolds Whisky Taster Pack

Founded in 2014, this distillery produces some of the best English whiskies going, and what an introduction this is: three 50ml bottles of their signature selections!  There’s the rich and fruity Signature Single Malt, the toasty, re-charred Founder’s Choice and the moreish Peated Cask to finish. Perfect to try before committing to a full bottle of your favourite!

Find here: £22.95

Barbadillo En Rama Sherry Gift Box

Now this is a sherry that is too good to leave out for Father Christmas! Barbadillo Pastora Manzanilla Pasada En Rama (15%) is a dry and crisp sherry with extra depth and character that comes from the en rama (from the barrel) style. delicious as aperitif, it is also fantastic alongside bolder winter dishes. You also receive two varieties of gourmet olives, two sherry glass copitas and the wooden box itself can be use as retro wall art at the end – neat.

Find here: £35

The BEst Drinks HAMPERS for Christmas

Mouse & Grape - Cheese & Wine Hamper

You can’t beat a mouth-watering Christmas hamper, and Mouse & Grape have put together some beautiful selections. Each combination has been thoughtfully and expertly selected and includes various amounts of luxury wine and cheese depending on which you opt for. There’s Italian, Spanish, French, Red, White, Sparkling – whatever combo you can think of! Don’t they just look gorgeous? We thoroughly recommend trading up to the truffle honey. One for Christmas day or gifting.

Find here: £75-£225

M&S Collection Christmas Giftbox

A box of pure indulgence - exactly what Christmas is about. Watch as they pop open the premium Prosecco, munch the Marc de Champagne truffles and savour the beautifully moist fruit cake, perfectly matured christmas puddings and dark Dominican Republic chocolate. What a treat for your giftee! Maybe they’ll even share it?

Find here: £45

The Deli Society

The Deli Society source hundreds of artisan products from the UK and Europe to offer top-quality, delicious, deli foods, many of which you can’t find anywhere else. They’ve assembled their best discoveries in a number of bundles encapsulating the finest wine, cheese, meats, chocolate and nibbles of each country. There’s so much selection here, whether it be the French Madelyn with delights like crisp Bourgogne wine and Camembert, or the Spanish Gabriela, packed with classic Manchego cheese, delicious Rioja wine and mouthwatering Chorizo. The only problem is which one to choose!

Find here: £45 (except the Ooh La La Champagne Edition)

Climpson & Sons X Drag & Wine - Festive Box - Limited Edition

The one and only Beth from our show The Three Drinkers in Ireland and founder of Drag & Wine, has put together a fabulously festive celebration box in partnership with coffee pioneers Climpson & Sons! it includes four expertly selected gastronomic wines (fizz, white, red, and sweet), all ideal for seasonal pairings. In addition to that, there’s Climpson’s ready-to-drink 700ml Espresso Martini and two 250g bags of ‘The Baron’; their legendary, go-to Brazilian coffee beans. Everything is sustainably sourced, so this jam-packed box is ideal to fuel your festivities!

Find here: £150 including delivery (UK only, order by Dec 13th)

The Wine Society Gift Cases

The Wine Society really are the go-to place for reliable wines without massive mark ups and their festive boxes are always a joy. Choose from the festive half case box, the afternoon tea box, the Rhône and Paté case, fizz and chocolate case and many more. Of course, there is also gift membership on offer! Perfect for any wine lover. The even better news is that TWS now offer free delivery with no minimum order (including next day delivery most days if the order is placed before 12.00).

Find them here from £17

Tidal Rum x The Pished Fish: booze-infused smoked salmon

Stunning salmon company Pished Fish specialise in booze infused salmon, whether smoked or otherwise. We tried the smoked salmon infused with Tidal Rum and it was the most delicious salmon we’ve ever tasted. A hint of rum-ness with the elegant smoke and lovely, thick slices of succulent salmon. Order now before they run out! Try the 5 multipack to keep you going over Christmas.

Find them here for £36. 99

The Best DRINKING ACCESSORIES To Gift

Riedel Glasses

The right glass can really heighten the experience of the wine you are enjoying. Riedel make stunning glassware relevant to specific grapes and not only do they look attractive, they a feel great to sip from and help open up the wines as intended, intensifying the best qualities of the wine style in the glass. Their iconic glassware is in high demand, so availability changes frequently but right now, they have pairs of Riesling glasses as well as Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc. A top-class glass is a great way to make every drink feel that bit more special, so why not treat someone this Christmas? Or even yourself!

Find here: £49.95 (usually more!)

The Glencairn Mixer Glass

Whisky aficionados and Glencairn glasses go hand in hand, with it being the official tasting glass at many competitions and events. This Mixer edition is multi-functional, not just for whisky but other spirits and their mixers. The tulip shape enhances the nose and the tapered lip directs liquid to the top of the tongue for full appreciation. If you drink spirits, then this glass should be your go to and it’s bigger than a normal Glencairn so you can add your mixer to it. Isn’t it beautiful too?

Find here: £28

Drinky Tees

Our very own Helena has been busy creating Drinky Tees with the aim of producing affordable drinks-slogan t-shirts and tops that are natural, sustainable and fully recyclable, including the packaging! There’s something for pretty much any wine you can imagine – Riesling Rocks, Life is Rosé, Mama loves Malbec etc. Certified organic cotton and super comfy, plus £1 from every purchase goes straight to the Blue Seas Protection charity! Follow @DrinkyTees and @HelenaSips on Instagram to stay in the loop with new releases!

Find here: Various around £26

Cocktail Time! By Paul Feig

Paul Feig is an American writer, director and producer (Freaks and Geeks, Bridesmaids, The Office, Ghostbusters) who, like us, is obsessed with cocktails. This book is a guide to making not only 125 different cocktails, but also throwing parties, perfect music, glassware, and everything related to cocktail partying! It’s a love letter to everything about them, and there’s even some amusing insider Hollywood stories with each recipe!

Find here: £19.88

The BEsT UNIQUE DRINKS to gift

Gosnells Vintage Mead Selection

Gosnells are the premier modern mead brand who adore bees, and this selection contains their vintages from the last three years. These bottles use raw honey from the same set of hives each year, but due to yearly changes in what the bees eat, climate and crops among other factors, you can taste the difference each year. The usual range is made from orange groves hives in Spain, whereas this uses London hives and comes out at a much stronger 12%. It’s sweet, herbaceous with layered fruity notes and overall, a distinctly bold taste. Give it a go and support the bees in the process!

Find here: £65

Personalised Bottle of York Gin

York Gin creates their range of charmingly bottled gins around the history of the equally beautiful city of York. Whether it’s telling the story of the Roman foundations by using fruit they introduce, the Chocolate Orange flavour honouring the iconic Terry’s, or the Vikings edition with dried nettles and bilberries, both found when digging on Viking sites! Check out their others – they’re fascinating creations even if you’re not going to buy anything. You can now add to the story by gifting someone a personalised engraved bottle matching that lovely historical font.  It’s also a 100% renewably powered distillery, so with a great concept, award-winning gin, and a customised special touch... what a present this is!

Find here: £55-£61

The Best Drinks Subscriptions and VOUCHERS

The Cocktail Society - Bottled Cocktail Gift Subscription

This is the UK’s leading cocktail discovery box, giving you the opportunity to try the seemingly endless options for cocktails so that next time you visit a cocktail bar, you know exactly what to order. These subscription boxes are shipped on the 21st of each month, and contain up to 12 cocktails, 3 snacks and a magazine. These aren’t makeshift home cocktails, they’re intent on being bar quality premium kits to recreate the magic at home. You’ll get everything you need to make your own, as well as ready to drink delights too – the best of both worlds. No more amateur mixology, this is premium.

Find here: £120 3 Boxes

Black Chalk Vineyard Tour and Tasting, Andover - voucher

Nothing beats a vineyard tour to get close to wine, and Black Chalk provide this guided tour of their picturesque Hampshire vineyards where you can gain an insight into what goes into award winning traditional English winemaking. Of course, you’ll then want to taste it, so you’ll finish with a tutored tasting of two signature wines! Not a bad day out at all.

Find here: £22

We’ve included a few great bottles here, but if you want a comprehensive guide of gins, sparkling wines, reds, and whites then we’ve created lists of our recommended bottles for each. Just check out our website! Rest assured; they’re cracking choices (if we do say so ourselves.)

Words by Calum Ecroyd

5 Genius Inventions To Help You Shed the COVID Weight

Words by Aidy Smith (@Sypped)

You’re not alone. As most of the world has been in their own version of lockdown the naughty foods have come into our lives a little more than we’d usually allow, same for that glass of something special each evening. The result? For many of us, the love handles have returned. So much for that summer body, eh? Alas, don’t worry about it. The good thing is, there’s a bunch of new tech and various creations which allow you to combat this face-on. Read below for some simple and convenient ways to get in better shape!

Yo-Yo DESK® BIKE

The Yo-Yo Desk Bike isn’t just another piece of exercise equipment that’ll soon sit in the corner collection dust. This bike will become a fully integrated part of your workday routine. Turn a normally inactive portion of your day into an active one and burn through the fat faster. 

Silent motion technology gets rid of noise distractions while you can work from a laptop with ease and even take video calls while secretly burning the calories. For most of us, working from home has become tedious, not to mention the backpain from spending too much time sitting down. This wonder acts as a stand-up desk too, so you can change your position for a healthier posture.  

Basically, work while losing weight and without noticing you’re even working out. Amazing. 

Price: £400
Learn More Here

The Gym Keg

This one is incredibly simple, but so powerful. We all know we need to drink more water as it’s something that contributes to shedding the weight. It gets a little repetitive having to constantly fill up a smaller bottle of water, so why not just buy something that holds 2.2L of the stuff. That way you only need to fill it up twice during the day and you’ve more than completed your daily allowance. Just be sure not to overdo it though, 2.7L for women and 3.7L for men are the daily recommendations. 

Price: £16
Learn More Here

Noom

There’s a hell of a lot of ‘weight loss’ apps out there, but honestly, very few are based on mountains of scientific research across both biological and psychological fields. Noom helps people to lead healthier lives through behaviour change, making you feel like you’re in control of your life so you can make the hard decisions versus being forced into a situation that makes you loathe dieting. It’s kind of like having a nutrionist, health coach and trainer all in one place. 

Daily quizzes educate you and help you understand WHY you need to take certain actions, while the food suggestion features help you make more informed decisions about what you eat without scaremongering you into cutting out everything. Its realistic. You essentially log what food you’re eating which is categorized into green, yellow and red, allowing you to see how healthy you are being. 

The app has shown to directly promote healthier habits, reducing risk of chronic health problems and even reversing diseases. These aren’t just statements either, they continuously publish research in international recognised journals such as  Nature and British Medical Journal (BMJ), which has shown that 64% of Noom users lost 5% or more of body weight, greatly reducing their risk of diabetes and other conditions.

In summary, an app that doesn’t make weight loss feel like a chore is a great start to becoming healthier, so give it a whirl.  

Price: From $200 (£160) per year
Learn More Here

Æcorn Aromatic

Many of us have been guilty of piling on the pounds from drinking too much. The weather has been amazing, happy hour is within reach of your work desk, there’s countless reasons, really. On that note, it’s important to look after your health and a variety of incredible low or non-alcohol options exist, one of my absolutely favourites being Æcorn Aromatic. Not only is it fantastic as a non-alcohol cocktail ingredient, but it makes a stunning G&T alternative. Flavour and texture are two crucial components for me in any non-alcohol drink and this has both in abundance. 

So in sum; get a nice and health tonic water, and to taste preference an amount of this beauty and et voila, your healthier drink awaits. 

Price: £20
Learn More Here

Ember Mug

I’m a total geek of new tech and Ember have just solved a problem that affects many of us when it comes to drinks. If you’re trying to be healthy you make yourself a nice cup of herbal are fruit tea, right? But heres the alarming issue. It goes cold way too quickly, then you get irritated, then you become annoyed and after a trio occurrence you just give up. Ember is the first portable mug that regulates the same temperature based on what you program to your phone. So, your healthy brew will never get cold and you can keep topping it up. You can even take tea that has brewed earlier in the day and the cup will actually heat it up. Genius.

Price: £80
Learn More Here

Like this? Try our latest Drinker Discovery post, 7 Rums That Scream Luxury, and the World’s best Sipping Tequilas

Is this the best wine cooler ever?

We’ve finally discovered a brilliant way to cool wine down that solves loads of problems! Heilo is a new company that is taking cooling wine to the next level with its space saving, incredibly efficient coolers.

The Eclipse

The Eclipse (as seen above) is a solid metal structure that cools within a couple of minutes of having ice added to the eclipse section. It stays very cold, bottle after bottle. As there is no messy water, the ice doesn’t melt as quickly, so you use less. Other big selling points are that the bottle doesn’t get wet and drip everywhere and the label stays dry. Designed with the perfect amount of space around the the bottle, cool air hugs it without dissipating too quickly, which means it can be a compact package, taking up less space on your table. So, no water, no mess, space efficient. What’s not to love? It comes in a choice of six finishes and retails for £55 - 59.

The Heilo

The Heilo design is more of a classic cooler, only better. Add just 5 ice cubes at the bottom and pop in your bottle of already chilled wine and it will keep its cool for a lot longer than most. There’s no condensation either, thanks to the raised platform inside which allows air to circulate. The premium finish is super smooth and you can engrave it too for an extra special gift. Heilo comes in a choice of three finishes and costs RRP £49.

Need some wine suggestions for what to put in your cooler? Here are some key suggestions for Summer rosé, Chardonnay and Cotes du Rhone.

what to quaff with Cockroaches and Crocodiles

I have been lucky enough to grow up living all over the world. My father was in the Forces and later became a diplomat. One of the continents on which I lived was Africa, first of all in Sudan, before the war, from the age of 7 to 10. I was soaking up knowledge, experiencing different cultures, peoples and foods. It was then that I first tried locusts and honey. I thought it was delicious, but I was about eight and had a sweet tooth for the honey. I returned to Africa in my late teens and early twenties to live in Kenya. I revisited the locusts and honey and started to experiment with other unusual foods. Being of drinking age, I also experimented with the types of drinks these weird and wonderful foods paired with and have compiled a list of what might do with locusts and other unusual species.

Cockroaches

This is probably the most disgusting creature on the list. However, taken out of their usual environment and introduced to a deep fat fryer, they are quite nice. Needless to say, they are crunchy and, depending on their size and length of cooking time, can have a slightly soft of not squishy centre. But they are not bitter, in fact they have a delicate nutty flavour and have a touch of sweetness. This needs a delicate drink. A light pilsner goes well, or an aromatic delicate white wine like a Vino Verde. Both leave a crisp finish and allow the consumption of cockroaches to be most enjoyable.

Locusts

Like cockroaches, locusts become quite crunchy once deep fried, and the soft body also becomes crunchy. I also had them with honey in the traditional way, and how they were supposedly eaten in the Bible. In biblical times they were probably washed down with some red wine. The middle east was well known for producing red wine, and I found that this still works today. A light red wine such as Beaujolais or a light fruity red from southern Germany would go well – something with quite a bit of acidity to balance the honey, but not too big a flavour to hide the crispy nuttiness of the locust. 

Zebra

In certain areas of Kenya animals need to be culled for the good of the health of herds as a whole, and a small number of restaurants were able to sell the meat from these culls. Zebra meat is some of the softest I’ve had and unsurprisingly tastes a little like the horse meat frequently found on the menu in France. It is rich and slightly gamey and a good old-fashioned claret or a robust burgundy goes very well with Zebra. Try a spot of Margaux from a good vintage or a vineyard north of Morey-Saint-Denis in Burgundy.

Crocodile

Crocodile as a food is found in many places across Africa. I’ve had fresh barbequed crocodile and tinned crocodile pâté made in South Africa. I’ve also tried some smoked alligator biltong in Texas, and it really does matter how you have your animal cooked as to how you pair it. Barbequed crock tastes quite a bit like the brown meat on chicken, and goes very well with a bold white wine, like a Californian chardonnay. Crocodile pâté is particularly good with a sweet white wine. I had mine with Klein Constantia Vin de Constance which was a brilliant match and very satisfying having two South African products together. 

Eland

This is the softest, tastiest meat I have ever had. With more flavour than Kobe beef, and sweeter than a sirloin steak, it is rich with a great depth of flavour. With all this being presented to the senses, I would go for a simple refreshing drink to concentrate the mind on the meat. I suggest a brandy and lemonade with a touch of Angostura bitters, which gives the palate an extra pique to be able to take on the luxuriant Eland.

Scorpions 

I was hoping there would be something significantly different about scorpion from the other insects and invertebrates I had eaten, but they are remarkably similar. The exoskeleton is a little tougher, and the body crunchy. Maybe I had a bad chef for this one, but I remember eating them with Scotch. We were on a trip shooting guineafowl on the plains and they formed our first course before the birds. My aperitif that evening was a Scotch and soda, and it did the job nicely. 

 If you like the idea of the weird and wonderful, then how about an unusual cocktail with a frozen toe in it!

Coravin: The ultimate wine preservation gadget?

Head to any restaurant that’s rather proud of its wine list and chances are you’ll spot a quirky looking gadget by the side of the bar. This is Coravin: a needle-based wine preservation system that allows you to pour a glass of wine without pulling the cork. Pretty nifty, no? Coravin has revolutionised the way we taste wine in bars and restaurants as establishments can now offer a tasting sample of something really rather expensive and special without worrying about wasting the rest of the bottle. For consumers, this works well; it may allow them to taste a Screaming Eagle Cabernet without having to splash several thousand pounds on a full bottle. That tasting sample may still be £100 for 25ml, but at least it’s a little more attainable…

How does Coravin work?

The Coravin was invented by Greg Lambrecht: a surgeon from the US with a true passion for wine. Like most wine lovers, Greg found tasting many different bottles a pure joy, but hated having to wait for dinner parties full of people to pop the corks and not waste the bottles. One day, he brought his experience with spinal tap and chemotherapy needles to the table. He developed a device that allowed a thin needle to pierce a cork and displace the wine with inert argon gas while it was being poured. The addition of argon gas meant that the wine left in the bottle would not oxidise, but the genius bit was working out that the cork would reseal itself immediately (or after a few seconds if very cold).

When to use Coravin at home

“A Coravin is a wine bar in your house. You are only limited by the amount of different bottles you have. Why not have a great wine on a wednesday!” - Greg Lambrecht

The first cry from wine drinkers when presented with this funky little gadget tends to be ‘but we drink the whole bottle!’ I confess, this was me until I realised that we could taste six (or more) different wines in one night. It’s also the perfect way to check whether a wine you have been laying down is ready to drink. Just pour yourself a sip and put it back if its not ready. The latest version, model 11, also comes with a little shower attachment to aerate your wine.

“Faster, easier more fun than opening a bottle…”

The models

Coravin model 1 is the original, analogue version that comes in white. You can upgrade your colour and feel with the model 2 elite, choosing from rose gold, steel blue or even, bright red amongst others. If you really want to go to town, then the model 11 is for you. Fully automated and rechargeable, you can hook it up to bluetooth. It has an LED display that lets you know when to charge it or replace the capsule. You can also sync it up to the Coravin Moments app (iphone only currently), to match wine to music, food or anything else.

What about Screw Caps?

Believe it or not, there is now a screw cap attachment for the Coravin. It looks like quite like a regular screw cap, but with a silicon seal that reseals itself after the needle has pierced it. You do need to quickly replace the first screw cap with this, so a small amount of oxygen gets into the bottle then, but the wine can still last for several weeks if kept cool and on its side. Each Coravin screw cap can be reused up to 100 times.

Our verdict? It’s a wondrous thing and a great conversation piece at a dinner party. No wine lover should be without one.

See more at coravin.com

Buy Coravin Elite 2 here on Amazon. RRP £257.66

Buy Coravin Model 11 here from Wanderlust wine. RRP £845

By Helena Nicklin