It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Gin so for the last of my Christmas Gift Guides it's only proper that I offer some Festive Ginspiration. Gin has really taken off in recent years so there is plenty of choice out there for the discerning Juniper connoisseur. Included in my roundup are a selection of gins, mixers, festive offerings and quirky gin related gifts. I recently read that the perfect Christmas stocking comprises of something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read. I reckon I've managed to cover pretty much all of those bases and provide inspiration if you are shopping for the Gin lover in your life. If the Gin lover is you, do feel free to forward a link to the significant other in your life. I find a direct approach works much better than subtle hints.
Plant 'n' Grow
Ginalicious Gin Botanical Cocktail Garden
£15.95
I made a beeline for the Gin Garden when I spotted it at the BBC Good Food Show. It's the perfect gift for a green fingered gin connoisseur. A couple of hand blended cocktail infusions so you can get sipping straight away plus all you need to sow and grow your very own Gin Garden comprising of Basil, Cucumber, Rosemary and Thyme. Plus a fab wee cocktail and recipe book to top it off. Your G&T definitely counts as one of your five a day when you've grown some of it yourself!
Pinkster Boozy Berries
£7
When Pinkster make Gin they infuse it with fresh British Raspberries. Boozy Berries are a natural by product of this process. Wonderfully inebriated, I can confirm that they are particularly amazing when popped in a glass of Prosecco. Or how about in a boozy trifle, dipped in chocolate, turned into sorbet, served in a pavlova. The possibilities are endless.
Hotel Chocolat
65% Supermilk Gin Chocolate 70g £7.50
Cocoa Gin 250ml £15
Gin Truffles £3.75
What better than Gin? Chocolate and Gin! The folks at Hotel Chocolate know their Cocoa and have combined it skillfully with Gin in a range of products. Boozy Truffles, sophisticated chocolate bars and and award winning Cocoa Gin. Made by expert artisan English distillers working in small batches using the copper-pot stills the gin combines the flavours of Saint Lucia – lemon zests, juniper, coriander, mineola and angelica, with peppery notes of roasted cocoa shells and the richness crushed macadamia nuts.
Poporopo Gin & Tonic Caramel Popcorn
£3.00
Another fantastic Scottish brand that I discovered this year at the BBC Good Food Show. Poporopo make amaizing air popped gourmet popcorn right here in Scotland. Collaborating with Arbikie Highland Estate they have created a fantastic Gin & Tonic popcorn. It really does taste of Gin but not overpoweringly so. A fab wee stocking filler.
Aldi
Gin & Tonic Flavoured Crisps 99p
Try as I might I haven't been able to track any of these down. The concept intrigues me but I am yet to put them to the taste test. Dear Santa, I need a packet of these in MY stocking!
JK Fine Foods
Gin & Tonic Smoked Salmon 100g £4.95
What could be better than scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast on Christmas morning? Why scrambled egg and Gin & Tonic Scottish Smoked Salmon of course! I have to be honest and say that if I didn't know it was G&T I don't think I could have identified the flavour, however the award winning salmon itself is amazing and has a fantastic zestiness from the lemon peel. A peculiar infusion, but in a good way and sure the tickle the tastebuds of gin fans.
Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin
£33.85
Now this is something very special. Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin is made, not by simply distilling Christmassy botanicals, but by distilling actual whole Christmas puddings. Made according to Gin Master Ian's Great Aunt Nellie’s recipe, there's even a copy of it on the back of the label. 30lbs of Christmas puddings were steamed for 8 hours and then macerated with English grain spirit for 2 months and redistilled. A real labour of love! There's also a wee bit of frankincense in it for even more Christmas spirit. It makes a great festive G&T or serve as a shot straight out of the freezer. A refreshing alternative to Figgy Pudding and the most gorgeous bottle. This is top of my festive tipples.
Pickerings Gin
Gin-filled Christmas Baubles
£30
A picture paints a thousand words. Gin baubles for your Christmas tree. You KNOW you want them.
Eden Mill
12 Gins of Christmas
£59.95
Forget about drummers drumming, maids a milking and swans a swimming. All that I want my true love to bring to me are the 12 Gins of Christmas. No partridges or pear trees required.
Walter Gregor Scottish Tonic
4 x 200ml £6
When you've splashed out on a good Gin you really should also splash out on a good Tonic. Walter Gregor is a relatively new kid on the block. He's the first and only Scottish Tonic Water and pairs perfectly with the abundance of Artisan Scottish Gins, particularly those of a coastal or floral nature.
Qcumber
330ml £1.49 750ml £2.39
A number of years ago I discovered an amazing cucumber mixer for my gin whilst on holiday in Spain. Alas at that point there was nothing similar available in the UK but that's all changed now thanks to Qcumber. This is a fantastically refreshing blend of natural cucumber and spring water. G&Q is the perfect alternative to G&T.
Bottle Green Mixers
Classic Tonic, Light Tonic, Pink Tonic, Elderflower Tonic, Bitter Grapefruit
£1.69
On the trail of interesting mixers I was delighted to discover a brand new range from Bottle Green. Perfect in cocktails, as mixers and dare I say it even sans Gin. Bitter Grapefruit is my absolute favourite.
101 Gins to Try Before You Die
£12.99
Gin The Spirit of Britain
£10.99
Everyone needs a book at Christmas. Both of these offerings beat the traditional Beano or Dandy Annual hands down. Educational, informative, a wee bit of history and plenty of Mother's Ruin. Just the tonic for a gin lovers bookshelf.
Shaken Cocktails
The Best Gin Cocktails You've Ever Made £25
Three Month Gin Cocktail Gift Subscription £85
Do you like your Gin shaken not stirred? Shaken Cocktails will take you on a voyage of discovery kicking off with all the boozy ingredients you need for five drinks: four cocktails and an extra measure of gin left over as a nightcap. If that's not enough opt for the 3 month version. Premium ingredients, classic cocktails and modern variations plus tips and tricks of the trade so you can shake up bar quality beverages at home.
North Hop Festivals
Craft Beer, Cider, GIN, Cocktails, Street Food and Music. North Hop will be in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh in 2016. Tickets are the gift that keeps on giving. Excitement on the day and something to look forward to at a later date.
Not On The High Street
Everything above is from the fantastic NOTHS. Just type in GIN in the search box and you will be spoilt for choice.
Tanqueray Gin
£26.60 (1L bottle)
Tanqueray London Dry Gin comes in a striking and iconic green bottle inspired by the traditional three-piece cocktail shaker. What's better than mulled wine? Mulled Gin of course. This fab recipe for Mulled Tanqueray sure packs a punch.
Mulled Tanqueray Punch
35ml Tanqueray London Dry
60ml Pressed Apple Juice
25ml Spiced Sugar Syrup
15ml Fresh Lemon Juice
Cinnamon stick
Whole Fresh Apple
Whole Fresh
Orange Cloves
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and add cloves, cinnamon and orange peel, heat up and serve into a latte glass with a clove studded apple slice. (You can multiply the recipe to make a large batch if you are entertaining friends)
Pinkster
£33
The by product of Boozy Berries. Or perhaps its the other way around?! Deliciously dry, with a hint of fruit, an exceptionally smooth finish and an awesome colour. Colonel Pinkster advises that for the perfect serve you should Spank The Mint.
Thomas Dakin
Available from Harvey Nichols, Booths and Wine Rack. Price from £29.00
A classic style, juniper led single London Dry Gin. Zesty notes or orange and citris combine with Red Cole, a savoury root botanical.
BLOOM
Available from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco and Harvey Nichols. Price from £24.00
BLOOM is a delicate floral London Dry Gin, inspired by the natural flora of an English country garden. Its perfect serve is with Strawberries.
Berry Good
Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackcurrant Gin Trio 3 x 10cl £20
Made in Caithness with Scottish fruit. Also available to buy in larger 50cl bottles for £20. Free from artificial colours or flavourings, these drinks are 'Bursting with Berriness'
Christmas Edinburgh Gin
£35
Infused with the traditional festive spices of frankincense, myrrh and nutmeg. The stunning bottle has been crafted with Bruni glass and features an opulent art deco style label. £1 from every bottle sold will be donated to Trussell Trust Food Banks in Scotland.
Gordon Castle
Plum Gin Liqueur & Raspberry Gin Liqueur £28 50cl
Gordon Castle Scotland Gin married together with fruit form the historic Gordon Castle Walled Garden in Moray. Delicious on their own or with a glass of fizz for a festive tipple.
Pickerings
Triple Tipple Miniature Gift Pack 3 x 5cl £17
A triple whammy. Pickering’s Gin, Pickering’s Naval Strength - bottled at 57.1% (100 proof) for a pinch more punch and Pickering’s Original 1947 Gin.
It's beginning to look a lot like Ginmass
For a further Gin Gift Guide take a look at fellow gin loving blogger Emma's Gin-Tastic Gift Guide and for non Gin Gifts you could do worse than my Christmas Stocking Fillers for Foodies Gift Guide and my Gadgets for Foodies Gift Guide
Happy Shopping!
Disclosure : Thanks to all the brands and PR's who provided products for review. All views expressed are my own.