Last-minute boozy gifts

And a recipe for delicious (no kidding!) eggnog

I don’t know if you got the message, but drinking it out these days. Yes, consumption rates for the younger crowd are down and the latest trend is for alcohol-free cocktails. Now as much as I applaud this restraint, I cannot be a hypocrite and claim to be tempted by the idea of Mocktails or even doing the dry January thing next month. I see my alcohol consumption a bit like my meat consumption, as in moderation is the way to go. This year I’ve been drinking less wine and cutting back seriously on the spirits. But every so often I still shake myself up a whisky sour or a margarita.

I also like having a well-stocked bar for those times when I fancy a gin and tonic or Manhattan. And this time of year I also enjoy a nice glass of boozy eggnog, homemade only though so I’m including a recipe below.

The best thing about spirits is that unlike wine, they last for more than one meal, and a little bit goes a long way. Sadly, good spirits cost a bit, that’s why it’s fun to either give them or get them as gifts. And let’s be honest here, a handsome bottle of booze is also a great idea for a last-minute present as the liqueur stores are open until the very last hours before the holidays.

So here’s a list of a few bottles I would be happy to give or receive. Now please don’t go bonkers if I haven’t included your favourite vodka, mentioned a bourbon you think is a rip-off, or omitted local spirits. I chose these bottles simply because of their excellent gifting potential and I even included some budget choices for those who rightly believe $100 is WAY too much to spend on a bottle of anything. I get it and I’m here for you. 👍

Note: I’ve left out rum (and rhum), basically because I don’t drink much these days (or maybe it’s because I drank too much of it in my youth), but as rhum agricole has become a very popular spirit of late, maybe 2024 will be the year for rhum and I to get reacquainted.

Note that the links here lead to Montreal’ SAQ web site, but many of these spirits are available at the LCBO and most probably at your local liquor store. The first set of bottles is for all subscribers, and the rest and the eggnog recipe are for paid subscribers. And BTW, a subscription to Lick My Plate makes a great gift as well!

Whisky

The Balvenie 12 yr DoubleWood Single Malt $134.00

There are so many choices for a fine whisky to gift, but when I was in Scotland on the whisky trail, this is the one other whisky makers often recommended. This particular Balvenie is a “Doublewood” meaning it was aged in two barrels, the first, bourbon oak for 12 years and then a second ageing in sherry oak for 9 months more. It’s well-balanced and approachable, ideal for the beginner whisky drinker but sure to be cherished by the single-malt snobs too.

Budget choice: Tè Bheag Unchilfiltered Gaelic Blended Scotch Whisky $42

Not the most complex blended scotch, but at this price, you’ll still get a hit of smoke and a touch of peat with a sherry cask finish. Easy drinking and affordable

The fancy liqueur

Grand Marnier $51.75

If ever there was a bottle to gift, the classic Grand Marnier, arguably the most beloved of liqueurs, is it. Enjoyed as a digestif over ice, poured over your crêpes, or used to soak your cakes or make a soufflé, Grand-Marnier never goes out of style. On days when I’m feeling down, all I have to do is pull off the cork, take a deep whiff and all seems right in the world again. And if price is no object, try the less sweet and more complex Grand Marnier Louis Alexandre ($91) made with VSOP Cognacs and aged in oak casks. Major wow.

Budget choice: Ferrand Dry Curaçao $39.75

My choice for cocktails, this orange liqueur is less sweet than Triple Sec and can be sipped on its own. A favourite of bartenders and often sold out, so when you see it, grab it.

Gin

The Botanist Gin $55.25

Hailing from the Hebridean island of Islay, this small-batch spirit uses nine of the classic gin aromatics – orris root, cassia bark, coriander seed, etc – further flavoured with 22 wild, native island botanicals hand-picked from the hills, bogs and shores of Islay. Although there’s a lot going on here aromatically, the gin is smooth, well-balanced and not overly-perfumy, the downfall of so many newer gins. A total delight in a gin and tonic, it also makes a fabulous martini.

Budget choice: Beefeater $26.35

Gin has gone in so many directions of late that you’d be hard-pressed to know sometimes what you’re drinking. But this London Dry gin, one of the most popular on the market, is a classic that makes itself know in any drink in which is plays a part. The gin I always return to when I’ve had one weird gin too many

Vodka

Belvedere Vodka $55.25

Made from select Polish rye, distilled four times and charcoal-filtered for utmost purity, Belvedere is lauded for its strong character and superb packaging (an illustration of the Polish president's residence, Belvedere House, on the back of the bottle can be seen magnified through the vodka from a window on the front). Belvedere fans appreciate its vanilla nose, subtle rye flavour and a creamy texture. Fresh, well-balanced, smooth, and soft, this vodka makes a classy martini.

Budget choice: Tito’s Fifth Generation Tito's Handmade $36.75

America’s original craft vodka, this spirit is corn-based, which — bonus! — makes it gluten-free. In 1995, Bert “Tito” Beveridge (great name!) obtained the first legal permit to distill in Texas and thus Tito's Handmade Vodka was born. Batch distilled six times, Tito’s is smooth and so “clean” that (apparently) it doesn’t give you a hangover. You be the judge, but this spirit is not only a great bet for sipping, mixing and infusing, it’s a top choice of bartenders as well.

Bourbon

Basil Hayden's Kentucky Bourbon $61.75

The bourbon that made me fall in love with bourbon, this whiskey is spicy yet smooth, both full-bodied and sweet enough to lift all the aromatics. A high-rye Kentucky straight bourbon with a refined flavor profile with notes of vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and even pepper, this is a great choice for an old-fashioned or bourbon sour. A treat.

Budget choice: Bulleit Frontier Bourbon $42.75

Another favourite with mixologists, this spicy bourbon has character and holds its own in drinks like whisky sours and boulevardiers. I think I like their rye even more. A great bar staple.

Tequila

Casamigos Añejo $100

Alas, the selection of Añejo (oak-barrel-aged) tequilas at our local liquor monopoly leaves a lot to be desired, but this one, better suited to be sipped neat than mixed in cocktails, offers notes of soft caramel and vanilla. Yes it’s the George Clooney tequila, and connoisseurs may scoff, but I bet they'll secretly drink it just the same.

Budget choice: El Jimador Reposado $40.25

This is the tequila I buy for mixed cocktails and it never disappoints. Good enough to sip neat (or for shots), it’s also sold in a 1.14L bottle for $51.50 for an even better deal.

And a few more great bottles ideal for gifting…