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The holidays are the best time of year for breaking out the good stuff — top shelf bottles you’ve been saving for a rainy day, shakers and jiggers and mixing gear galore so you can flex your inner Tom Cruise in Cocktail. But gifting a truly great bottle of booze (or a nonalcoholic option) can bring good tidings to all, especially if you need to take the edge off of dinner-table debates with extended relatives.
Whether you opt for a special occasion splurge a loved one wouldn’t normally get for themself, or smaller cocktail accouterment that a spirits enthusiast can add to their repertoire, the best alcohol gifts are always a thoughtful way to contribute to someone’s home bar. These festive offerings are guaranteed to please even as a host present for a dinner party, or just something to crack open in the post-holiday haze between now and New Year’s Eve.
The good news is that when you’re shopping for spirits and cocktail gifts, there’s a wide range of options for everyone’s preferred libations (and most of them can be ordered online fast with the help of a booze delivery service like Minibar or Reservebar). Whether they’re a discerning whiskey drinker, or a style-over-substance cocktail mixer, we’ve rounded up some of the RS Recommends team’s favorite bottles, bar accessories, and more to order last-minute for the holidays.
Best Alcohol Gifts for 2024
From award-winning whiskeys, to chic and stunning glasses, and cocktail club subscriptions, all of these gifts are sure to make the amateur bartender in your life smile.
Under $50
Del Maguey Vida Puebla Mezcal
$40.99
Buy Now on reservebar
$39.99
buy now on minibar
Del Maguey has been around long enough to be considered an oldie, but will forever be a goodie — bottom line, this is a great way to introduce someone to the world of mezcal. Crafted near the towering volcano Popocatépetl, Vida Puebla combines a unique toasted rosemary nose with a smooth pear and clementine finish. It’s got a soft, cream-like mouthfeel that makes it a winner for pairing with dinner or dessert, or whipped up into a classic Mezcal Mule.
W&P Crystal Ice Tray
$25.00
Buy Now On Amazon
Listen, gifting somefancy ice cube traysis doing your giftee a huge service — the wrong type of ice can easily dilute a drink and make it weaker and less flavorful. Plus, these cubes will look especially stunning when they’re sipping spirits neat. Inspired by swanky speakeasy cocktails, this intricately-etched ice mold features a geometric design that resembles brilliant, cut crystals.
George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky
$35.99+
Buy Now on minibar
$49.49
Buy Now on reservebar
It’s assmoooooooothas George Dickel Bottled In Bond Tennessee Whisky. I just received a bottle of the brand’s 13 Year release, a tasty dram with notes of pecan, dried apples, and maple syrup. In other words, it’s the ideal pour for sitting fireside this season. — John Lonsdale, Commerce Editor
Crate & Barrel Set of 6 Cocktail Picks
$6.95
Buy Now on crate & barrel
These Crate & Barrel cocktail picks are simple, yet stylish, and they add a cocktail bar-like flair to home drinks made from a bar cart. They come in a set of six, so they’re great for breaking out during a small dinner party, or when you just want to zhuzh up a drink for one.
Highclere Castle Gin
$33.99
Buy Now on flaviar
$29.99
Buy Now on reservebar
Cocktail-loving fans ofDownton Abbeywill be thrilled to receive this gin distilled with botanicals grown on the grounds of Highclere, the iconic stately home which served as the backdrop for Downton. Made in England’s oldest gin distillery, the infusions are largely what you would expect in a London Dry — juniper (of course), lavender, orange zest, cardamom, etc. But adding oats to the blend creates a unique, softened finish that lends itself to being sipped neat.
Mr Lyan’s Cocktails at Home: Good Things to Drink with Friends
$19.78
$26.99
27% off
Buy Now On Amazon
Penned by famed London-based bartending pro Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr. Lyan), this unfussy cocktail guide abandons any high-end mixologist pretensions and instead crafts fun, accessible drink recipes for home entertaining (meaning big batches abound here). Full of 70 exciting cocktails (like the frozen Smoked Watermelon Shandy, made with IPA and peated Scotch), these can easily integrate into part of your get-togethers this holiday season.
Under $100
Via Carota Variety 6-Pack
$69
Buy Now on via carota
I’m a massive fan of Via Carota, the iconic New York City restaurant that now serves up their cocktails in bottles that ship online, just in time for entertaining during the holidays. The Via Carota cocktail kit comes with six pre-mixed cocktails for every occasion, including a small bottle of a Classic Negroni, White Negroni, Espresso Martini, Signature Martini, Old Fashioned, and Signature Manhattan. — John Lonsdale, Commerce Editor
Art By Emily The Espresso Martini Art Print
$69
Buy Now on urban outfitters
This was the year of espresso for several reasons, but besides that one song you’re probably thinking of, espresso martinis proved to once again be the trendiest “it” drink. Made by NYC-based artist Emily Engeland, this vintage-inspired print fits right above anyone’s home bar so they never forget the right ratios for mixing the perfect espresso martini. And don’t forget — if you can’t float two coffee beans on top of the crema, it’s not a real espresso martini!
SirDavis American Whiskey
$89.99
Buy Now on reservebar
Put simply,Beyoncé’s debut whiskyis deliciously good — a celebrity spirit that’s actually worth buying. The nose captures a bouquet of baking spices, such as cinnamon and clove, with a subtle hint of oak. The palate ebbs and flows with waves of spicy heat amid a velvety mouthfeel complemented by orange marmalade and buttery shortbread cookie, before rounding out with a subtle, sweet honey finish.SirDavis, neat, is the liquid essence of “Sweet Honey Buckiin’” offCowboy Carter. It’s one of those songs – and pours – where you must go back for more to pick up all the flavorsome layers.
Breville Smoking Gun
$99.95
Buy Now On Amazon
A mixology-minded gadget that brings an extra oomph to whiskey and bourbon cocktails especially,Breville’s Smoking Gunwill allow your giftee to experiment with infusing their drinks with hickory, mesquite, cherrywood, and applewood. The hand-blown glass cloche infuses smoke flavor without adding heat, so it won’t melt their perfectly-spherical ice or warm their smokey Negroni.
Mijenta Tequila Maestra Selection No. 1
$99.99+
Buy Now on minibar
$99.99
Buy Now on reservebar
A rare female distiller in the world of tequila (aka maestra tequilera), Ana Maria Romero is a shining star for the future of small-batch tequila, especially thanks to her craft Maestra Selection No. 1. We had the opportunity to sip this intensely fruity and floral limited edition expression in Guadalajara, crafted from 8-year-old single estate agaves grown from seed (not propagated from another agave plant, which is more common). The slow-cooking process gives it a sweet, gardenia nose, and it’s peppered with tropical fruit notes like roasted pineapple that will have you coming back for another silky sip every time.
Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Club
$50+
Buy Now on cratejoy
Shaker & Spoon’s Cocktail Club is the gift that’ll keep on giving for any at-home mixologist. The monthly subscription box comes with everything they need to craft impressive cocktails — just add booze. Each box comes with everything they’ll need to make 12 drinks, including three recipes, pre-portioned syrups, bitters, aromatics, garnishes, and more. This is a great gift for another whose bar cart doesn’t need any more stocking, but wants to explore new and exciting drink-making techniques.
Under $200
The Dalmore Select Edition 2009 15 Year Old Scotch Whisky
$195.99
Buy Now on reservebar
Just in time for the holidays, The Dalmore has unveiled its Select Edition 2009 15-Year-Old Scotch Whisky. Released in November, the name of the collection reflects a special selection process that takes place each fall, when The Dalmore whisky makers review casks at the cooler temperatures, when flavors are said to be at “their most alive and true.” This year’s release comes from American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels, and offers notes of creamy vanilla, dark plum, cherries and gingerbread — in other words, the perfect palate for holiday sipping. — Tim Chan, Senior Director of Commerce
Death & Co. x Material The Stirred Set
$145
Buy Now on material
If you’re shopping for a cocktail enthusiast, come colorful glassware isideal for gifting — but does their mixing gear have to be boring? Made in collaboration with the cocktail experts at Death & Co., we love this Stirred Set that doubles as a playful tribute to bubbly, wavy Memphis design. Now they can master the art of the stirred cocktail (or mocktail) in style with a straight-walled pitcher, dual-sided mixing and muddling spoon and a versatile step jigger. It’ll look great on their bar cart and even better in their hands while making batch cocktails for the crowd.
Código 1530 George Strait “Cowboys and Dreamers” Special Edition Añejo Tequila
$134
Buy Now on reservebar
One of our favorite tequilas to sip is George Strait’s Código 1530. Unlike some celebrity tequilas, which are often best left for mixed drinks, you’ll want to take your time savoring Código Añejo. Aged in French oak barrels previously used for cabernet wine, the tequila has a beautiful color to go along with its robust and well-rounded flavor — think hints of cherries, fruit peel and oak, balanced with familiar notes of vanilla and caramel. How to drink it: neat for a taste, then over an ice cube if you prefer it to be slightly chilled. How to buy it: in this limited-edition packaging that celebrates Strait’s newest album release, Cowboys and Dreamers. — Tim Chan, Senior Director of Commerce
Estelle Colored Glass Set of 6 Stem Coupes
$143.50
$205
30% off
Buy Now on nordstrom
The founder of Estelle Colored Glass named her company in honor of her grandmother and was inspired by her antique glass collection to create eye-catching glassware with a vintage charm. We feel like we’ve been seeing thesestem coupes everywhere lately, tintedin shades like Amber Smoke, Mint Green, and Lavender. Stun your giftee with a set of six glasses along with a fresh and delicate vintage cuveé, like one of our favorites, Perrier-Jouët Belle Époque 2015 (or for something a bit more budget-friendly, this fun, bubbly Italian red from Avaline that we couldn’t stop drinking this summer).
Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select Tennessee Whiskey
$170.99
Buy Now on reservebar
$199.99
Buy Now on minibar
Jack Daniel’s is doing it their way with a new tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes himself — their Sinatra Select is made with unique “Sinatra Barrels” that have deep grooves carved into their staves to expose the whiskey to extra layers of toasted oak. This added exposure gives it a deep amber color, bold palate with a hint of smoke, and an incredibly smooth vanilla finish. For a cocktail as smooth as smooth as he was, gift this bottle with a recipe for “Frank’s Way” (three rocks, two fingers of Sinatra Select, and a splash of water).
Under $1,000
Hennessy XO
$245.99
Buy Now on minibar
$245.99
Buy Now on reservebar
With intense, peppery flavors that attest to its long aging (the X.O. stands for “eXtra Old”), Hennessy’s rich sipper is well-worthy of holiday gifting. While an X.O. has to be at least 10 years old, this is a blend of more than one hundred individual eaux-de-vie, or aged cognacs, some of which were aged up to 30 years. With a curved, vine-engraved bottle reminiscent of the decanters Hennessy was originally sold in, this will be a standout when they pass it around after dinner, or for a cozy fireside nightcap.
Aarke Carbonator III Premium Carbonator
$229.00
Buy Now On Amazon
This Swedish-designed carbonator is the elegant, minimalist older sibling of the SodaStream, and an unexpectedly useful assist for punching up bubbly cocktails. It can infuse regular tap water with a burst of CO2, so they can now fizz everything from gin fizzes to whiskey highballs with ease. Home bartenders love it for its slim countertop real estate despite the long-lasting bubbles it provides.
Cheech and Chong’s The Judge’s Water Vodka
$309.99
Buy Now on reservebar
Inspired by the iconic courtroom scene in Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke, this limited-edition vodka from the duo comes in — what else? — a custom bottle that transforms into the ultimate glass water pipe. For anyone you know who’s dreaming more of a green Christmas, this custom gift box comes with all the tools and parts they need to spark it up after they’re finished sipping the premium vodka within (which, by the way, comes from the same supplier that won double gold at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, so they’re no slouches). A portion of the proceeds from each bottle will also be donated to the Last Prisoner Project, which helps folks who have been unjustly locked up for cannabis-related issues.
Baccarat Four Elements Tumbler Set
$600
Buy Now on baccarat
Made for liquor connoisseurs, these are undeniably the most premium glasses for sipping next to anything on the rocks. This set includes four tumblers from the French luxury crystal maker Baccarat, one for each cocktail served exclusively at the Baccarat Hotel in New York. The set is inspired by the elements, with each tumbler in the box from a different Baccarat collection: the Perfection, Montaigne, Nancy and Harmonie. They’ve got a nice heft to them, but a rim thin enough to taste every note of top shelf whiskeys or creative cocktails.
Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot “B” 12 Year Old Bourbon
$763.99
Buy Now on caskers
$737.99
Buy Now on flaviar
Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle is the stuff of bourbon legend, and even non-whiskey drinkers might know his legacy as one of the industry’s founding fathers — or the legacy of those once-a-year rare bourbon drops. Even though Buffalo Trace dug up an unusually high yield of 20 and 23-year-old bourbon from the distillery reserve compared to previous years, unless you’re willing to fork up Old Pappy money, we feel like the Van Winkle Special Reserve Lot “B” 12 Year makes for an excellent-tasting, and equally as special, gift. It hits all the highs of a usual Van Winkle (sweet notes of caramel and fruits, a smooth oak flavor, gentle mouthfeel) without having to elbow all the devotees of the Cult of Pappy to score a bottle.
