You can't go wrong with drinks presents at Christmas. Here, influencer Inka Larissa, picks her seasonal favourites
Tasting Sets
Edinburgh Gin Story Book
Paradise Found is your personal gin library with 12 individual bottles of different London Dry and flavoured gins.
MYXD Premixed Cocktail Kit
Cocktails made easy with MYXD. Build the ultimate cocktail gift box by choosing from a wide range of flavours or simply order a pre-made box.
Glengoyne Whisky & Chocolate Gift Set
Whisky gift pack featuring three of Glengoyne’s single malts, 10, 12 and 15-Year-Old. Each dram has been matched with three artisan chocolate bars from Coco Chocolatier. Includes an audio guide to complete the tasting experience.
Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Set
For those who cannot visit Campbeltown, this is a great tasting experience to enjoy from the comfort of their own home. The bespoke whisky set includes five drams personally selected by the master distiller. Includes a tasting video.
Festive releases
Kirkjuvagr Yuletide Gin, 40%ABV
This Christmassy gin, right, has lovely winter spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It also comes in a stunning bottle!
Misty Isle Mulled Christmas Gin, 41.5%ABV
This Gin is full of festive flavour. All botanicals are soaked in a rich Italian Amarone red wine prior to distilling.
Glasgow 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish
This gift works well for both beer and whisky lovers as the gift box includes both the single malt and a bottle of Innis & Gunn’s PX Finish Golden Beer. Once the beer had its time in the sherry cask, it was emptied and filled with 1770 whisky.
A limited-edition release, bottled
at 58% ABV.
Experiences
Drinks in The American Bar
Who doesn’t love a visit to Gleneagles Hotel? Even better when someone else pays the bill! Drinks vouchers start from £40.
Gin School Experience
1881 Distillery offers a Gin Distiller Experience and it’s the perfect gift for a gin lover. During the three-hour class they will create and craft their own gin (70cl bottle). To make it extra special, choose an overnight package, which includes stay for two at Peebles Hydro with breakfast and pool access.
Drinks Cruise
Summerhall Drinks Lab organises tasting events on the Union Canal. You can choose a voucher for a Gin Cruise, Tiki Rum Cruise, Tequila & Mezcal Cruise or Foraged Cocktail Cruise. Trips run from March.
Gin Tour Experience
Get the perfect gift for any gin enthusiast with Secret Garden Distillery’s exclusive Gin Tour Gift Vouchers. As they grow over 600 different varieties of herbs and plants at the distillery, the experience is like no other.
The Gin Spa voucher
The Gin Spa offers various spa experiences, but if you really want to splash the cash, choose the Gin to Your Tonic voucher, which includes two one-hour treatments, G&T and Prosecco afternoon tea for two.
RECIPE: All-in-One Winter Fizz
This cocktail is a mix of all the best winter flavours!
Ingredients
30ml Kirkjuvagr Harpa Gin
25ml Fresh clementine juice (or orange)
10ml Cointreau
15ml Fresh pomegranate juice
10ml Cranberry syrup*
Prosecco
Pomegranate seeds/Citrus slices/Thyme/Rosemary
Method
Shake clementine juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry syrup, and gin together with ice. Double strain into a cocktail glass and top up with Prosecco. Garnish with your chosen ingredients.* To make a flavoured syrup, simply add sugar, water and cranberries to a saucepan. Muddle the berries to release flavour. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Take off the heat, cover with a lid and leave to sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Strain and store.
RECIPE: Nordic Mulled Wine
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
8 cloves
Small piece of ginger
Peel of half an orange
I cup of sugar (less if juice is very sweet)
1.3 cups of blackcurrant juice (if not available, you can use cranberry, redcurrant or apple juice or even a mix of all three)
A bottle of red wine
A bottle of red wine vodka (this can be replaced by rum, port or cognac)
Method
Mix all the spices together in a pot with sugar and the juice. Heat up and let it boil until the liquid becomes slightly thicker, syrupy – approximately ten minutes. Take the pot off the hob and add the red wine and stir well. Remove the spices and add a little vodka. Heat the mixture slightly, but do not boil at this stage. Serve with raisins and almond flakes. If some of your guests don’t like vodka, you can add a shot straight into the glass for those who like theirs a bit stronger.
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