Time for reflection

A house’s non-vintage champagnes guarantee consistency of style, while its vintage expressions are all about capturing the flavours of that year’s harvest (so can be an unexpected departure from style). Lallier cellar master Dominique Demarville’s Réflexions series is a non-vintage with a vintage heart – usually around 80 to 90 per cent of the cuvée is from a specific year, which gives it individuality without eccentricity. There is consistency of freshness, depth, purity and intensity, but the latest available in the UK – R.019 – has a lot of spice among the citrus and stone fruit freshness. Champagne Lallier R.019, £45.25; available from thewhiskyexchange.com; champagne-lallier.com

 

Jamaica funk

The Whisky Exchange announces its spirits of the year around this time, and there are always some crackers and quirky choices. The rum of the year is not a cool, elegantly marketed brand with a beautiful label. It is an eight-year-old muck and dunder rum from the venerable Jamaican distillery Hampden Estate. A funky aroma of ageing banana skin on the nose, but past that it’s sweet, thick banana milkshake on the palate with dark chocolate, nuts and coffee to follow. Hampden Estate 8 Year Old Rum, £68.50; thewhiskyexchange.com

Italo-Scozzesi 

There has long been a strong connection between Scotland and Italy – as Lewis Capaldi and Paolo Nutini, and many an ice cream chain in Glasgow, would tell you. This link is celebrated in a series of Italian wine-finished single malts from Tomatin, the Highland distillery between Inverness and Aviemore. Its tall, narrow stills produce a very fruity spirit that lends itself to wine-ageing. The Italian range includes a Marsala finish (all candied fruits, chocolate and brioche – perfect panettone accompaniment); an Amarone finish (rose-scented Turkish delight, strawberry jam, cinnamon-baked apples); and a Barolo finish (mulled wine and dark chocolate). Buon Natale, pal! Tomatin Italian Collection, all at £70, available at specialist retailers; tomatin.com 

Through the grape vines

Award-winning English sparkling wine producer Langham has opened its vineyards for VIP tours – and is now offering gift vouchers so fellow wine-lovers can share the experience. Langham has grown from a small-scale Dorset curiosity into a world-class estate under the guidance of the ingenious young head winemaker Tommy Grimshaw. He hosts the exclusive Winemaker Tour & Tasting – limited to only 10 guests – which goes into depth about the process and philosophy on a walk through the vines and winery, before he offers a guided tasting of the full range, including a blanc de noir as well as blanc de blancs. Langham can also recommend accommodation and dining nearby if you want to make a weekend of it. £37.50pp on selected dates throughout the year; langhamwine.co.uk/vouchers

Vintage hint 

The gift of a case of vintage port to celebrate a special occasion such as a wedding or the birth of a child is common, but has one flaw. If 2023 is the special year in question, the vintage won’t actually be declared until the middle of 2025. Graham’s Vintage Port Bond allows you to present a gift certificate, right now, guaranteeing an allocation in 18 months. A general port vintage across the Douro is declared three or four times a decade. If a general vintage is not declared, there are usually single quintas (estates) that are able to declare – in that event, the bond-holder will receive Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Single Quinta Vintage Port instead. In the unlikely event that there is no vintage, they will be offered an alternative year or a refund. One bottle in bond, £101.99; case of six, £509.99; grahamsportbond.com

Dragon out the festivities

Beyond Christmas, New Year and even Epiphany, is another excuse to celebrate: the Lunar New Year. And 2024 is an exciting one, because it is a Year of the Dragon. Courvoisier has partnered with Chinese artist Jiannan Huan – himself born in a dragon year, 1952 – to produce special editions of two cognacs: XO (blended from eaux de vie over 10 years old) and L’Essence (hors d’age, including some eaux de vie from the early 20^th century). The bottles are adorned with different versions of the painter’s images of the incendiary mythical beast. Courvoisier Lunar New Year L’Essence, £2,975; XO, £131 from thewhiskyexchange.com; courvoisier.com

Glass menagerie

The Glencairn Glass is an icon of whisky, as the go-to nosing and tasting vessel. Little-known fact, however – glasses can contain liquids that are not whisky. Gin lovers can have a crystal gin goblet, which flares out at the lip to release aromas trapped by most G&T balloons. There is also a crystal mixer glass, with room for ice cubes and garnish, also available in hand-cut and -blown crystal. Most Glencairn glassware can be personalised, with an online 3D visualiser to help with the design. Glencairn gin goblet, £11; mixer glass £7.50, or in hand-cut crystal, £28; glencairn.co.uk/christmas

Eminente domain

Eminente Gran Reserva No.1 is a Central Cuban rum aged for 10 years and finished for three months in the sort of French oak barrels used by cognac makers (Eminente is part of the Moët Hennessy group). This adds some delicious woody notes, but also floral and spice aromas such as orange blossom and sandalwood. The textured glass bottle is a reference to Cuba’s 3,000 species of crocodiles – we’ll have a daiquiri, and make it snappy. Eminente Gran Reserva No.1, £74.25; eminente.com

A tale with a twist 

Every year, Glenmorangie’s “A Tale Of” is hotly anticipated – what experiment will Dr Bill Lumsden come up with in his lab at the top of a tower next to the main distillery on the east coast of the Highlands. This year, it’s a mizunara cask finish, hence it’s a Tale of Tokyo. Mizunara is a rare Japanese oak, particularly scarce as it grows slowly and twistedly, making it hard to cooper into barrels. What it does for whisky, though, is magical – adding coconut sweetness and sandalwood and incense spiciness. That sweet vs dry dichotomy is evident here. Glenmorangie’s tall “giraffe” stills create a light and elegant spirit that can be steered by maturation. A Tale of Tokyo gives off a cigar-box aroma of cedar and tobacco, accompanied by the sweetness of lemon drops. On the palate, there is a sweet chilli prickle, like sriracha sauce, along with the sandalwood but also honey and leather notes. Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo, £75.95, available from specialist retailers; glenmorangie.com 

Glee club

A lifetime membership to The Wine Society is an out-of-the-box gift oenophiles will love. Members receive £20 towards their first order, and a range of benefits to accompany them on their wine journey. These include ever-flowing access to exclusive, fairly priced wines discovered all over the world; tastings and events; en primeur offers; and temperature-controlled cellars for elevated storage. The Wine Society lifetime membership, £40; thewinesociety.com

Sugar, spice and everything nice

Spice up this Christmas with Don Papa rum, whose notes of candied orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg pair perfectly with mince pies and Christmas pudding. The liquid works wonders in the kitchen, too. A dash of it enhances Christmas dinner favourites like honey-glazed carrots and roasted sweet potatoes through its oaky, apricot notes and a warming finish of vanilla and honey. Don Papa small batch rum, £31.95; masterofmalt.com

A cut above 

To celebrate its 175^th anniversary, bespoke tailor Huntsman Savile Row has teamed up with luxury whisky blender House of Hazelwood to produce a tweed and a 50-year-old blended malt. Huntsman’s creative director Campbell Carey has designed the tweed for jackets and suits. It also adorns a hip flask which joins the bottle and two samples in the 75 gift pack (£5,900). House of Hazelwood is named for the family home of the Grant-Gordon family, whose company, William Grant & Sons, owns Glenfiddich, Balvenie et al. This bottling is a blend of rare single malts, at least 50 years old (unlike a blended whisky, it contains only malt whiskies) from their private collection. Campbell Carey, also Huntsman’s head cutter, took his inspiration for the tweed from the colours of the hills of Speyside and the Highland flora and fauna in the grounds of Hazelwood House. houseofhazelwood.com; huntsmansavilerow.com  

 

Getting it down to a wine art

A place to jot down your favourite wine discoveries and improve your knowledge (and in turn, your wine-drinking experiences), this journal is a thoughtful gift for any wine enthusiast. Containing lessons on everything from tasting to chilling wines properly, this playfully written distillation of information comes in three elegant colourways: sand, midnight blue and merlot. The Partner in Wine journal, £29.50; partnerinwine.co.uk

Where there’s smoke there’s…

The Bladnoch’s new Peated Collection consists of perfect companions for a Christmas evening by the fireside. The 2023 batch of Alinta Reserve, which brings together campfire smokiness and white chocolate, is joined by three limited single casks from the Scottish distillery, which include rum, bourbon and sherry casks. The sherry hogshead expression strikes the palate with bonfires and plum jam, the rum cask edition a delicious mix of roasted marshmallows and apple pie. Finally, the 2009 bourbon barrel invokes toasted vanilla pods and warm sandalwood, with its finish marked by sweet and smoky warmth. The Peated Collection, from £80; bladnoch.com

Top of the carrier ladder

For those who like to make a well-equipped entrance to BYOB events, The Rochambeau Club has released a stunning bespoke wine carrier in partnership with Italian leather goods brand Métier. It features Métier’s beloved signatures, from the deep purple amarone alcantara lining to the stippled geometric-print canvas with hand-stitched finishing. Each carrier comes with a complimentary case of The Rochambeau Club’s iconic Racquet rosé. The “Bring a Bottle” wine carrier, £550; therochambeauclub.com

Something pithy

Infused with blood orange, honeyed orange blossom and a hint of chilli for a warm and citrusy tasting experience, the animated flavour profile of Caorunn’s crisp Blood Orange gin will liven up those grey, languorous days of Twixtmas. It’s sunshine in a bottle, making it an inspired winter gift. Caorunn Blood Orange gin, £30; caorunngin.com

For the saké of good taste

The perfect winter drink, Toku is fermented and matured in the sub-zero temperatures of Japan’s coldest city, Asahikawa. It’s then kept chilled as it’s transported to Mayfair’s Hedonism. Using Yamada Nishiki rice, famed for producing the highest quality saké, this premium Nama Chozo transmits aromas of honeydew melon, followed by a complementary chalky palate reminiscent of Grand Cru champagne. Toku Junmai Daiginjo, £155; hedonism.co.uk

A bonnie, bonnie dram 

The world is finally catching up with the first ever whisky influencer, Captain Haddock, whose favourite whisky was Loch Lomond. OK, that was a fictional brand when Hergé began writing the Tintin books, but the real thing (founded in 1964) is excellent – and The Whisky Exchange has named the 18YO “Whisky of the Year” in a blind tasting by a panel of experts. Its trick is to have different-shaped stills and play with the different characteristics of spirit that produces. That is done by Michael Henry – a quiet technical genius of a master distiller. The 18YO is full-bodied, oaky and toffee-chew and tobacco rich, but with pops of bright, almost dry fruit – grapefruit, gooseberry, apple peel. A worthy winner. Loch Lomond 18YO, £87.50 (currently on special offer, £79.50 at The Whisky Exchange – where you can also see the Whisky of the Year shortlist); lochlomondwhiskies.com 

Merci beaucoup-ette

We all know someone who can sit in a cocktail bar mesmerised by the fast-paced manual dexterity of the bartender. Help them mix things up at home this Christmas by using an elegantly crafted shaker, jigger, and spoon to try their hand at exclusive recipes detailed in Claridge’s: The Cocktail Book, which include signatures from The Fumoir, Claridge’s Bar and The Painter’s Room. The Mixology Edition: Claridge’s cocktail gift set, £175; claridges.co.uk

Feliz Navidad

Colombian speciality coffee roaster Hermanos has released a gift set that will give coffee aficionados something to get buzzed about this Christmas. It contains two pouches of new festive flavours: Santa Rita Honey beans harbour notes of roasted almonds, apricot jam and milk chocolate, while Finca Las Brisas beans combine traces of stone fruits, caramel, green apple and lemon. The set also features a double-wall glass vessel with a bamboo lid to keep your cup of joe warm. Christmas gift set, from £32; hermanoscoffeeroasters.com

 

Mercury retrograde

In conceptualising this sleek coffee machine, prolific designer Luca Trazzi was inspired by Italian designs from the 1960s. Owners will enjoy not only the festive red edition’s arresting yet slender aesthetic, but its sustainable functionality, too. Offering two brewing options for traditional ground coffee or a classic espresso using the compostable E.S.E. pods, the machine also has an ECO mode incorporating fast-heating technology, significantly reducing energy consumption and the waiting time for one’s favourite brew. What’s not to love? Ground coffee & E.S.E. pods machine – X1 Anniversary, £572; illy.com

Just a drop…

A harmonious blend of 22 botanicals, this smooth gin’s essence of juniper and spice is satisfyingly offset by gentle notes of vanilla and bee pollen. It uses Welsh water, a droplet of which serves as the inspiration behind the elegant bottle, and it is as much of a gem among gins as Cygnet’s owner Katherine Jenkins is among singers. Cygnet 22 Welsh dry gin, £48.49; cygnet-distillery.com

The big night 

Every year, Macallan releases a whisky to mark a winter celebration, which revels in the little details of traditional festivities. The beautifully (and cleverly) designed packaging creates a fun unboxing ceremony imbued with meaning. Last year’s A Night on Earth was themed around Hogmanay and first-footing – the Scottish practice of visiting neighbours after the bells, with a lump of coal for the fire, some shortbread and a bottle of whisky. This year’s edition is decorated by Chinese mixed-media artist Nini Sum and nods to the upcoming Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon, but reflects universal seasonal wishes. The outer layer represents a night of celebration, with fireworks in the sky; the second shows a city with bright headlamp swooshes of people heading out to the countryside to their family homes; the third features the orange glow of neighbours’ welcoming lanterns. The single malt inside also echoes some of Sum’s memories: there’s a buttery toasted oak aroma from ex-bourbon casks, similar to Shanghai’s popped-rice vendors’ carts and a nuttiness akin to traditional sunflower seed snacks. Macallan ‘A Night on Earth – The Journey’, £105; themacallan.com 

 

Red, red wine

Sharing a delicious bottle of red is customary for a Christmas feast. Enter Mai Dire Mai, which in Italian means ‘never say never’. Greeting the nose with cocoa, cedar wood and hints of cherry, the wine is full bodied, rich in tannins and packs a punch with intense flavours of black cherry, mocha and spice. It’s just the thing to accompany a sprawling festive spread. 2015 Valpolicella Superiore Mai Dire Mai, Pasqua, £43.50; jeroboams.co.uk

Christmas sparkle

Dom Ruinart 2010 is truly something to celebrate – and, happily, ideal to celebrate with! Made exclusively with Grand Cru chardonnays from the Côte des Blancs region and Montagne de Reims, this sparkling golden wine epitomises terroir diversity throughout Champagne. It offers gently spiced, elegantly seasonal notes of nutmeg, roasted hazelnuts and almonds underpinned by a trace of citrus fruit. The palate is rich, full of fig leaf notes mingling with black tea and spices. Dom Ruinart 2010, £280; selfridges.com