Top 10 festively flavoured spirits
As seasonal sadness gives way to festive cheer, we're bringing you 10 spirits that are overflowing with flavours of the holidays.
Chocolate oranges, figgy puddings, candy canes and, unfortunately for some, Brussels sprouts... when Christmas rolls around, these are the flavours you can't escape, especially if you get yourself one of the bottles in this extra-festive line-up.Four Pillars Australian Christmas Gin
While we in the Northern Hemisphere might think of snow, long nights and drinks around the fire at Christmas, drinkers Down Under have the joys of sandy beaches, balmy evenings and drinks around the barbecue at this time of year. Well, it's alright for some!
Another tradition the Aussies have is the annual Christmas Gin drop from Four Pillars, which is an ode to four things co-founder Cameron Mackenzie loves: Australia, Christmas, gin and his late mum, Wilma, and her festive puddings.
Each year the Christmas-inspired gin – with its juniper-led notes of Christmas tree and plum pudding – is wrapped in an artwork from a local artist depicting what an Australian Christmas means to them. This year it features South Australian artist and crochet virtuoso Trevor Smith, who has whimsically handcrafted some of his favourite Christmas table items.
Four Pillars Christmas Gin Pudding is available online at www.fourpillarsgin.com, and from the Gin Shops in Surry Hills and Healesville for AU$30 (US$19.30).
Cotswolds Cloudy Christmas Gin
This particular Christmas bottling kicked off our SB Advent series this week. A festive twist on the Classic Cotswolds Dry Gin, the Cloudy Christmas expression is distilled in a traditional copper pot still and features nine carefully considered botanicals, including sweet zesty clementine and cardamon.
The result is a classic juniper-led gin with a touch of Christmas magic that retails for £37 (US$47) and rests at 46% ABV.
It is available online from www.cotswoldsdistillery.com, or from the brand’s three shops in Stourton, Broadway or Bourton-on-the-Water.
Boutique-y Yuletide Gin
Bursting with flavours of frankincense, myrrh, and a gingerbread house, this festive gin is complemented by traditional winter botanicals like nutmeg and cloves. It’s basically like Christmas pudding in a glass, with a few extra hints of mince pie pastry, raisins and orange peel, alongside some rich aromatic spiciness, too.
Plus, according to the folks at That Boutique-y Gin Company (the brains behind this seasonal stormer), this bottle is also packed with gold, so you can deck the halls, jingle your bells and give it a big shake it up for your own boozy snow globe.
It's currently on sale at Master of Malt for £18.95 (US$24) – usual RRP £37.95/US$48.30.
Project #173 Christmas Pudding Rum
Yo ho ho ho and a bottle of Christmas rum. Built around a core of the delicious sugar cane spirit, this expression features a fantastic gamut of Yuletide flavours that you'd find in a traditional Christmas pudding (and by that, we mean the ones loaded with plenty of booze).
Perfect for sipping alongside your own slice of Christmas pud, or for adding into a extra-jolly cocktail served in that bit between lunch and your dinner of left overs…
Grab a bottle from Master of Malt for £19.95 (US$25.40).
Miso, Black Cardamom & Pine Bathtub Gin
When your palate is calling out for something a bit less sweet at this time of year, this superbly savoury offering from Bathtub Gin should be your go-to.
This gin has been graced with the addition of smoky black cardamom, pine, and miso, which takes it to some umami-laden heights (with a hint of piney Christmas tree).
It goes without saying, this dry, unsweetened expression is a cracking gin for a Dirty Martini, as you’ll be able to pick out the flavours of the aromatic miso which lends a savoury, gently saline note to the core Bathtub botanicals.
This 43.3% ABV gin is £34.95 (US$44.50) from Master of Malt.
Nelson’s Brussel Sprout Vodka
Listen, we might not be 100% onboard with this one, but it’s Christmas, and you can’t have Christmas without Brussels sprouts (no matter how much you protest!).
The green hue of this vodka is on account of a whole heap of those tiny greens being infused into the spirit, creating an exclusive blend that subtly captures the essence of the infamous veggies. A perfect conversation starter at any holiday gathering, and a surefire way to make a lasting impression.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for the whole shebang of a Christmas dinner, the crew at Nelson’s Distillery have also brought together the sweetness of cranberry and the complexity of sage to create a Christmas Dinner Gin. Blend these two spirits together and you’ll have one hell of a festive Vesper Martini, that’s for sure.
Its bottled at 37.5% ABV and available to purchase from Master of Malt for £24.28 (US$31).
Diistil Chocolate Orange distillate
The USP of Diistil is that it can basically take any flavour you want and incorporate it into a distillate, and at Christmas, all we want is to crank the indulgence levels up to the max – something that this festive cracker does, with bells on.
By utilising handcrafted double-vacuum distillation, and incorporating a unique maceration technique, this distillate captures the unique essence of Christmas, which we would say takes the form of a chocolate orange nestled in the toe of your stocking, ready to eat on Christmas morning.
A delicious spirit to enjoy over ice or in a cocktail (with a chocolate orange segment garnish, of course!).
It can be purchased directly from www.diistil.com for £29 (US$37).
Figgy Pudding Gin by Ramsbury
Good tidings we bring to you with this gin: a seasonal-inspired spirit that captures the essence of a Christmas classic.
This London Dry from the Wiltshire-based Ramsbury Distillery blends the warmth of dried fruit, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg with the crisp botanicals of its award-winning gin to recreate the rich, spiced flavours of traditional figgy pudding.
Whether you're adding a touch of yuletide cheer to holiday cocktails or gifting to a gin lover, it’s the perfect way to toast to the season and elevate your celebrations. Now, bring us some figgy pudding!
Ramsbury Figgy Pudding Gin is available from its on-site shop and online at Ramsbury Estates for £36 (US$46).
Skrewball Eggnog
Peanut butter, cream, whiskey… these are the indulgent things that the holiday season is all about, and is a combination that Skrewball has returned for 2024. Made with 100% real, premium dairy cream, this spicy serve with its notes of cinnamon and vanilla alongside Skrewball’s signature salty and sweet taste makes Skrewball Eggnog the perfect festive beverage to sip on this holiday season. Available in the US for $24.99 in a 750ml bottle, the decadent 14.75% ABV drink is ready to pour and best served chilled or over ice.Candy Cane Cherry Vodka Liqueur
When people talk about getting into the Christmas spirit, there’s a good chance they’re talking about cracking into a bottle of this Candy Cane Cherry Vodka Liqueur by Gravity Drinks.
In a red and white-striped bottle that wouldn’t look out of place on your Christmas tree, it comes tied with a bow, and offers sweet and sharp-tasting notes, reminiscent of a cherry Bakewell tart with a subtle hint of almond. It's ideal for enjoying on its own as an aperitif or as a mixer in festive cocktails.
This olde fashioned liqueur is bottled at 15% ABV and can be found on www.very.co.uk for £20 (US$25).
