It’s the most wonderful time of the year again – even more so given what has happened over the past couple of years. And with that, a common question looms: Just what do you get for the holiday season?
To help you with that, we compiled a handy gift guide for you find the right whisky, gin, or rum for the liquor lovers in your life.
For House Parties
Deanston Virgin Oak and Teeling Small Batch are two of our most popular whiskies for gatherings, and with good reason: they’re both very easy-drinking, versatile, and wallet-friendly.
The Deanston Virgin Oak is an outstanding single malt for its price, and has a sweet, honeyed and soft vanilla profile. The Teeling Small Batch, meanwhile, is a smooth, flavourful Irish whiskey with a delightful rummy finish.
To Bring To A Gathering
The Arran 10 Year Old is a great all-rounder that’s well-received by any whisky fan. With a toffee, tropical fruit and honeyed profile, this award-winning Single Malt is full-bodied and versatile to have on its own, or with ice.
For A Unique Gift
The Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Cask Strength is a rare bottling that was made exclusively for Malaysia, giving whisky lovers a chance to savour Glenfarclas’s sherried profile at full volume. A wonderful, robust single malt that has all the flavours you want for Christmas, and will only get better with time.
For A Splurge
If you’re looking for older whiskies, the Tobermory 24 Year OId and Glenfarclas 25 Year Old are right up your alley. Presented at cask strength of 52.5% abv, the Tobermory is a fine dram filled with complex flavours of leather, old sherry, and chocolate oranges. The Glenfarclas 25 Year Old, meanwhile, has everything you want in an older whisky: notes of tobacco, leather, chocolate raisins are all here – and it comes in an attractive gift pack with one tasting glass too!
For the Peated Whisky Lover
Those who love a peat blast will do well in opting for the malty, strong, and peaty Mara Islay Single Malt from Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers. Duncan Taylor’s Big Smoke is also another great choice; made using the smokiest malt Scotch whiskies, this is a delightfully fruity and smokey blend that opens up with time.
For those who love an older age statement, the Ledaig 18 Year Old is an outstanding one that was just named The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky Of The Year.
For Non-Peated Whisky Lover
If you’re unsure about buying a peated whisky as a gift, we generally recommend you go for an unpeated whisky. There are dozens on offer, and the sherry-forward Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old never fails to impress anyone with its richness and quality. The Deanston 12 Year Old is no slouch either: this single malt sets the bar for a solid ex-bourbon cask matured whisky.
For the Gin Fan
Gins are always a staple in any liquor cabinet, and the Tobermory Hebridean Mountain Gin is a great bottle to have. Named World’s Best Classic Gin in 2021, this limited edition gin has gentle floral notes of heather, rosehip and citrus, and is good enough to be had on its own.
The Four Pillars Christmas Gin 2022 is another excellent choice for the season: made by distilling Christmas puddings, the gin was then aged in 100-year-old Muscat barrels. A classic juniper gin, with hints of cinnamon, backed up with a rich palate and sweetness from the Muscat.
For the Refined Rum Lover
There’s always an occasion for a good sipping rum, and the Angostura 1787 15 Year Old and Dictador 20 Year Old rums are our pick of the bunch.
The Angostura rum hails from Trinidad & Tobago, and is rich with prune, toffee, oak and raisin notes, whereas Dictador’s Colombian rum is full of milk chocolate, mocha, leather and tobacco notes.
For The Cocktail Enthusiast
An essential ingredient in most cocktails, Angostura Bitters is the perfect gift for the cocktail fan. This trio pack includes the traditional Angostura Bitters, along with a bottle each of Angostura Orange and Angostura Cocoa Bitters to expand the home bartender’s cocktail repertoire.
