As a spirits journalist who is also something of a cocktail aficionado, I spend a fair amount of time researching spirits and browsing shopping roundups or gift guides.
The reality is, many of them can appear somewhat redundant. They’re often going to include that coveted bourbon or some great tequila. But what about the less-expected rather out-of-the-box spirits?
If buying a gift this season for someone who already has an impressive bar cart, you’re going to want to skip the obvious stuff and go a little more left field. If you’re going to want to get them something they don’t already own, and are sure to receive with great excitement, there’s some really interesting ways to go!
Nikaido “Kitchom” Aged Oita Mugi Shochu
Shochu as a spirit category is on the verge of becoming huge globally, with recent trend reports showing a growth of 40% in awareness and interest. At just 24% ABV, it’s a perfect lower proof addition to any home bar and is great in cocktails, such as a low ABV martini.
Nikaido “Kitchom” Aged Oita Mugi Shochu ($60) is the the first all-barley shochu. This is a lighter, smoother drinking spirit than traditional shochu and is bottled in a beautiful hand painted clay Tsubo flask, perfect for repurposing, with no two alike, making it a fantastic gift.
Absente Absinthe Liqueur
You don’t get a history more fascinating than absinthe, and Absente ($50) presents a present-day modernized take on the classic recipe. The aromatic, emerald green liqueur will feel just as inspired by the green fairy days, and this modernized recipe, made from exotic botanicals, replacing wormwood with Southern-Wormwood, can be enjoyed in cocktails or int he classic way, enjoyed with sugar and water using a slotted spoon.
La Fuerza Vermouth
La Fuerza Vermouth comes from a female-founded beverage company curating small-production wine and spirits from around the world. While most people think of vermouth mainly as a martini ingredient, vermouth is presented here in an unexpected way. Pourtal is featuring the Merry Spritzmas Pack ($50), which includes both bottles plus simple spritz recipe cards for easy holiday entertaining.
Singani 63
Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh’s Bolivian liquor, Singani 63 ($35) is made from the Muscat of Alexandria grape grown at high altitude (above 5200 ft) in the Bolivian Andes of Tarija and distilled by the 4th generation distillers of 100 year-old Casa Real. It’s the cocktail ingredient they never knew they always needed.
House of Tamworth Spruce & Goose Whiskey
Nothing says “out of the box” quite like goose-flavored whiskey ($65). It’s a rather brilliant and fascinating blend of foraged white spruce tips, savory roasted goose from a local family-run farm, and lush plums. The result is a one-of-a-kind whiskey with layered notes of evergreen forest, game bird, tobacco, plum, and crackling with the mouthfeel and viscosity akin to a fat-washed cocktail.
Estate 98 Licor de Café Especial
Created from 100% single-estate coffee grown at the Santa Ana Volcano, Estate 98 ($50) has an intense and gorgeous coffee-forward profile, packed with rich notes of dark chocolate, roasted espresso, and mild tangerine acidity.
It also packs a punch: It has more caffeine than any other coffee liqueur on the market – meaning if they use this, they won’t have any need to even add espresso in coffee cocktails like the Espresso Martini.
Upstate Vodka Black Oxford
This collectors vodka is made from heirloom Black Oxford apples ($500) — a rare deep-purple varietal dating back to the 1700s — this ultra-limited expression (only 32 bottles produced) delivers a level of depth and exclusivity few holiday picks can match. It’s the definition of “something they’ve never tried.”
Bacan Guaro 29
Bacan Guaro 29 ($44) is a super-premium aguardiente from Colombia that’s starting to buzz in the U.S. It comes in two unaged expressions (24% ABV and 29% ABV) and it’s perfect for anyone who loves trying new flavors or showing up with something no one else has heard of. It’s not new though, it has quite a history: It carries cultural roots dating back centuries.
Bacan is exactly the kind of discovery bottle adventurous drinkers love. Crafted from organic sugarcane and organic star anise, it delivers a clean, dry, botanical profile unlike anything on most bar carts.
Jeppson’s Malört
Chicago’s most iconic bitter liqueur, Jeppson’s Malört ($33) is classic, unforgiving, and unapologetically bitter. Ideal for the friend who swears they can “handle anything.” This bäsk liqueur was introduced in Chicago in the 1930s, and has a storied history any true cocktail lover will appreciate.
Cultivaro Amaro
Cultivaro Amaro ($40) is a small-batch, handcrafted spirit that embodies the soul and flavor of the Southwest.
It’s layered with dates, bitter orange, roasted pecans, ponderosa pine bark, and sun-kissed nopales, and it’s a beautiful way to have an after-dinner ccocktail over a large ice cube for slow porch sipping.
Nankai Acou Japanese Rum
We probably already own and love rums from the Caribbean or South America, but few are aware that Japan has some truly notable rums as well!
Nankai Acou Rum ($55) is the first Japanese rum made from 100% Kokuto sugar. It is distilled twice in small batches in a copper pot still. With just 200 cases available, it’s extra special and rare.