GIN LOVER GIFT GUIDE

Dec 20, 2019
Gift Guides , Food and Drink

Charlotte Bowler

Christmas is upon us, and with it, the daunting task of shopping for Christmas gifts. If you happen to know a gin-lover (and the chances are, you do) our gin-lover’s gift guide is your one stop shop for the perfect Christmas gift.

It’s safe to say that as a nation we are ending the decade with a sure love of all things gin. Gin & tonic could even be seen as THE drink of the 2010s. Reigning as one of the most loved alcoholic drinks of the last few years, its popularity is so undenied that there’s even a day dedicated to gin & tonic! (19th October, if you were wondering…). Its sheer popularity means that these days you can find a huge array of flavours, sets, beautiful glasses, tastings, distillery tours and more, all centring around wonderful gin. For a gin lover, the options are truly endless! With so much on offer, just what do you get the person who loves gin a little too much?

First of all, you could go with the obvious: a big old bottle of their favourite tipple. With so many different gins available today, we’ve narrowed down a few of our favourites that would make excellent gifts for this Christmas.

Sipsmith London Lemon Drizzle 50cl for £24.00

Sipsmith are known for creating unique, interesting blends of gins and were the first copper-pot distillery to open in London almost 200 years ago. Combining sun-dried lemon peels and lemon verbena, their delicate Lemon Drizzle Gin is a fresh and fruity treat, a wonderful gift for anybody with a sweet tooth! They don’t just excel in taste; the bottle’s stunning design makes this gin a truly special gift for the festive period. With a range of other fragrant flavours including orange and cacao, you can explore their full range of delectable spirits here.

Ophir Oriental Spiced Gin 70cl for £23.00

A festive favourite, this oriental spiced gin is sure to be a winter warmer, gladly received by any gin lover! This gin pairs beautifully with Schweppes, orange and cardamom and smells just like Christmas in a cup. It’s favourability is undenied, as since 2013 this particular spirit has won 7 international awards, including the highest award of ‘Master’ in The Gin Masters. Must be good then, eh?

Flamingo Tears Pink Grapefruit Gin 50cl for £40.00

For a gin that fulfils all of your sparkly, fluorescent pink dreams, look no further! Sure to taste as fabulous as it looks, this would make a great gift for any gin lover who likes to sparkle. Pink grapefruit flavoured and ‘made from the glittery tears of fabulous flamingos’, its almost too pretty to drink! A novelty that’s bound to be a hit, you can also find Pixie Tears Gin.

This Gin Tastes Like Christmas 50cl for £27.99

This gin could be seen as the very embodiment of Christmas, and as the name suggests, tastes just like the most wonderful time of the year! A delicious combination of mulled wine and gin, this spirit combines cinnamon, cloves and clementine’s to create a luscious liqueur that can be enjoyed with a splash of your favourite tonic. A great seasonal gift, this gin would make any gin lover feel festive!

If you’d like to go for something a little more unique, and give the gift of an experience, we have a whole range of gin experiences throughout the country to suit every type of gin lover. From tours to tastings, they even having a go at distilling their own spirit themselves. Our vouchers can be delivered via email instantly – so perfect for any last-minute shoppers! Read on to explore some fantastic gin Christmas gift experiences:

Gin Bus Tour in Yorkshire for Two £160

Beginning at York station, this voucher entitles two participants to an in depth, 5-hour group tour of Yorkshire’s premium distilleries. An interesting and educational Christmas gift for the gin lover in your life, they’re in for a treat as they tour three different artisan distilleries to learn about the process of making gin. Each stop will feature unique tastings, because of course, no lesson is complete without a sample or two! The experience will explore the gin process in full, as they discover the stages of creating flavours, to distillation, to bottling and labelling. Finally, they’ll make it to the historic and elegant Barmby Moor House, where the tour will end. An indulgent experience that shouldn’t be missed…, all aboard the gin bus!

Gin School Experience for Two in Staffordshire £135

If tours and tastings just aren’t enough, this educational gin school experience makes the perfect gift for any budding distillers! Taking place at a pioneering gin school and micro distillery in Staffordshire, participants will create their own signature blends in a miniature copper pot with help from the school’s master distiller. Taught by expert gin tutors, they’ll tour the former schoolhouse, as well as sample the beautiful blends and learn how to pair the spirits with the perfect tonic, mixer or garnish. Leaving with their own uniquely labelled bottle, this fun and fascinating day out is an ideal present for a craft drink connoisseur and a friend.

Gin Afternoon Tea on a Vintage Routemaster Bus £45

Taking afternoon tea to a whole new level, this Gin Afternoon Tea makes the perfect Christmas gift for the gin lover in your life. Climbing aboard a vintage red Routemaster bus, they’ll be treated to sightseeing Scotland’s capital as they indulge in delicious British classics. This experience combines all the ingredients of a memorable afternoon. With good food, a delicious cocktail and the chance to learn more about Scotland’s history, you have the perfect recipe for a great gift! Tours run in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and can be catered for gluten free, dairy free, vegan and vegetarian diets. The artisanal gin cocktails are served elegantly in an ornate tea pot, and finished with aromatic herbs, so feel like a real treat! An ideal and individual way to see Scotland’s sights, this Gin Afternoon Tea would make a memorable experience gift for friends or family.

Gin & Tonic Tasting - Various Locations £35

Available in Southampton and Winchester, this experience includes two hours dedicated to sampling refreshing combinations of Gin and Tonic. Perfection! Whether you're looking to gift an experience day for him or an experience day for her, if they enjoy gin that’s flavoured, spiced or a good old original, they’ll be sure to leave this tasting with a refreshed appreciation for their favourite tipple. Upon arrival at their chosen venue, your recipient will take a seat and be met with a variety of five different premium gins and garnishes. Their knowledgeable host will guide them through each type of gin, as they explore the world of flavours provided. The Gin and Tonic tasting makes for a unique experience gift for any lover of the classic combination, and is bound to open their eyes to the wide world of the well-loved spirit!

London Gin Tasting Evening £39

Complete with charcuteries and cheese plates, this indulgent two-hour gin tasting in London makes a wonderful gift for any budding gin connoisseurs. They’ll be introduced to their expert gin tutor, who will let them know what the evening will entail. Included will be a look at the evolution of gin through the ages, and an in-depth look into the various gin making methods used in countries across the globe. Once they’ve decided their favourite it will be onto making and enjoying their own cocktails. Based near Waterloo station, the venue is easy to get to and makes a perfect evening out in the city.

Nationwide Gin Tasting Masterclass for 2 £70

Available nationwide, this gin masterclass includes tasty nibbles, a delicious range of gins to taste, a full-size G&T of your own, AND a meal in the onsite restaurant. For £70 for two, this gift will have its lucky recipients singing all the way home! They’ll be greeted by the venue’s resident gin expert, and guided through five different gins, accompanied by a lesson on the origins of the popular spirit. Once the tastings are done, it’s decision time…. As the lucky giftees will receive a large cocktail of their favourite from the line-up to enjoy whilst they revel in all their newfound gin knowledge. To top the session off, the voucher includes a choice of meal from a set menu, because all that gin tasting can make a person hungry!

Tennent’s and Makar Gin Tour in Glasgow £38

This next one is for the gin lover who can also be partial to a pint… Exploring Glasgow’s proudest exports (Tennent’s Lager and Makar Gin), your giftee will experience the city’s true spirit by going behind the scenes of both the famous brewery and award-winning distillery. And of course, no tour is complete without a few samples, so they’ll be able to enjoy tastings of the brews and gins throughout. Along with the voucher, they’ll receive a 20% discount on Tennent’s merchandise and a £5 voucher towards a bottle of gin. Happy days! A brilliant day out for locals or visitors to the area, and a memorable experience to share with a drinking buddy.

Lastly, these days there’s a huge array of novelty gifts, gift sets, books, (-the list goes on) all dedicated to the well-loved spirit. Here’s a few of our favourite picks that would make a great Christmas gift for the gin lover on your list:

Talking Tables: The Gin Game £19.99

The perfect gift for anybody who loves a bit of healthy competition, this gin board game sees players work their way around the board by answering questions to do with gin. History, mixology, and ‘Gin-ius’ cards are all in the mix, so they’ll be sure to test their knowledge, or learn a thing or two about their favourite drink! Christmas is the time to get all of the board games out, so why not gift a new game that can be suitably enjoyed alongside a cold G&T?

Spreadable Gin £9.99

For fans of jam and marmalade, we introduce you to spreadable gin! This gin infused preserve is award winning, and has a number of different uses. You can spread it, bake with it, drink it or even enjoy it straight from the jar! A great idea for a boozy novelty gift, they just may end up enjoying it and using in their next cocktail!

Ridleys Gin Lover Jigsaw Puzzle £14.99

Appropriately named, this jigsaw puzzle makes the ultimate Christmas gift for a gin lover. As they piece it together, they will discover an array of gin facts, as well as beautiful illustrations of their favourite spirit. The puzzle comes packaged in a smart cylindrical box, and contains 500 puzzle pieces.

Gone with the Gin: Cocktails with a Hollywood Twist £9.99

A book containing delicious cocktails with a Hollywood flare, this recipe book makes for the perfect gift for any film buff who’s partial to a G&T or two! The book features 50 different blends, paired with a commentary on pop culture’s most quotable movies. It’s a sequel to the popular and well received ‘Tequila Mockingbird’, and also includes some drinking games to play once the drinks are prepared. They’ll be sure to have a good giggle!

There you have it, a guide to Christmas gifts for gin lovers. We all know one, and luckily there’s a lot out there to please them! We hope you’ve found the perfect Christmas gift for the gin fan in your life, but if you’re still looking, feel free to explore our food and drink Christmas gifts here.