The festive season is upon us, and the mad scramble for buying last minute presents has begun in earnest. To help you out, we’ve scoured the internet, as well as some of the UK’s most high end retail outlets, to pinpoint the ultimate top 10 luxury boozy gifts which will help make Christmas as “merry” as it ought to be
1. Slingsby Rhubarb 70cl Gin with goblets gift set
Ok, so we’re a little biased but we just had to share the news that our best-selling Rhubarb Gin is available as part of a gift set with a stunning Slingsby branded goblet! Our Rhubarb Gin started life as one of our experimental gins – we took our London Dry Gin and infused it with the finest Yorkshire rhubarb from the famous Rhubarb triangle to create this delicious, moreish gin.
Available for £59.99 from our website or our Spirit of Harrogate store, this set is sure to add some pink to the cheeks of the lucky recipient!
2. Fever-Tree cracker from John Lewis
Now for something very special. Fever-Tree has created a range of eight different Christmas crackers with perfectly paired mini gin and tonics inside. One of them features our Slingsby Rhubarb Gin paired with Fever Tree’s Mediterranean tonic water. You can get hold of these exclusively at John Lewis stores on Oxford Street, in Liverpool, Nottingham, the Trafford Centre and Bluewater Centre right up until Christmas Eve – so, perfect for those last-minute Christmas buys! They’re just £8 per cracker and you can even mix and match to create your own set of four.
Our favourite combinations are the Pink Pepper Gin paired with Aromatic tonic, Chase GB Gin paired with Mediterranean tonic, Tarquin’s paired with Elderflower tonic and of course our very own Rhubarb Gin cracker!
3. The Tipsy Truffles H-Box, Hotel Chocolat
Gifting a loved one these delicious ‘tipsy’ truffles is a sure way to give them a ‘merry’ Christmas! This box of Hotel Chocolat treats contains 14 mouth-watering chocolates featuring premium spirits. They include fine rums, warming whiskies, fruity liqueurs, refreshing cocktails… and of course, gin. Buy from Hotel Chocolat shops or the website for £12.95.
4. Special Touch botanicals for gin and tonic, from Harvey Nichols
This botanical set is the ideal gift for gin lovers as it allows you to create your own bespoke gin in the comfort of your own home! For lovers of the traditional gin and tonic, add a couple of juniper berries. For a more special spirced twist, add a few crushed cardamom pods or some pink pepper. If floral and aromatic is what you’re after, the rose petals and hibiscus flower are perfect and give the gin and tonic a beautiful red colour. The possibilities are endless! This set includes 10 different botanicals and costs £39.95 from Harvey Nichols.
If you’re looking for a gift that takes your loved one’s gin making experience to the next level, why not book them onto our Master Distiller Experience
5. Booths’ English sparkling wine duo
English wine is so hot right now, with a 64% rise in the number of bottles available last year compared to the previous year. Why not treat a wine connoisseur friend to this duo of top quality Booths English sparkling wine, beautifully presented in a wooden gift box complete with sliding lid. Made in England’s South Downs by award winning producers Ridgeview, this sparkling wine is a delicious blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier supported by crisp Chadonnay notes. It’s wonderful with rich fish dishes or canapes featuring duck or beetroot… or on its own of course! Available at Booths for £50.
6. Nine piece Parisian copper cocktail shaker kit, from Amazon
If you’re giving your loved one a bottle of Slingsby gin for Christmas, why not accompany your gift with this gorgeous copper cocktail set from Amazon? This set comes with all the essentials for any budding mixologist including a cocktail shaker, sieve and measuring jigger for pouring the perfect shot. It also includes a recipe booklet to give you inspiration for your New Year’s eve soiree. Available on Amazon for £29.99.
7. LSA International fir tree balloon glasses
These modern gin glasses have been given a traditional twist with a frosted band of snow-laden fir trees. Inspired by wintery alpine landscapes, these glasses with help create a winter table setting for any festive party. You can buy a set of two from John Lewis for £20.
8. Oliver Bonas drinks trolley
Mobile drinks trolleys date back to the late 1930s and early 1940s, when cocktails were first exploding onto the scene. We’re not sure whether we have Mad Men’s Don Draper to thank, but drinks trolleys are so on-trend right now, and you can find them on sale in most high-end retailers. If you know someone who has a penchant for cocktails, glamour and interiors, look no further than this stunning drinks trolley from Oliver Bonas. It has one marble and two mirrored shelves and is available for £395 from the Oliver Bonas website.
9. Rudding Park champagne afternoon tea for two
For the friend that has everything, why not treat them to a champagne afternoon tea for two at beautiful Rudding Park near Harrogate? The voucher includes a range of finger sandwiches, homemade cakes, scones and specialist teas and coffees for two people as well as two glasses of fine champagne. Served in the conservatory ,which features a 400 year old olive tree, guests can take in the views of the gardens while they sip their drinks and dig into their treats with large patio doors leading out onto the terrace.
A little tip here from the Slingsby team… tell your friend to plan their visit for anytime between May and September as they will be able to stop by Rudding Park’s stunning Kitchen Garden after tea. Here they they will be able to spot 12 of the 24 botanicals that are used in Slingsby’s range of gins. You can buy the voucher for champagne afternoon tea from the Rudding Park website and it costs £79.
10. Betty’s Gin Box
Who doesn’t love Betty’s? If that special someone likes a gin but also has a bit of a sweet tooth, we’ve found the perfect gift for them. Betty’s elegant and decadent Gin Box includes a box of Betty’s very own salted caramel chocolates as well as a bottle of Slingsby’s classic London Dry Gin, which contains notes of rhubarb, grapefruit, juniper, jasmine and light green tea. This beautiful gift box is available from Betty’s website for £60.
To find out more about the range of gins we have on offer, all of which will make a fantastic Christmas present, head to our Spirit of Harrogate online shop.