With so many choices in the bottleshop, finding a unique drinks gift for your favourite person is hard. We’ve put together some of the most interesting, unique and delicious liquid gifts on the market. Cheers!
Sign up to our free newsletter here for more travel inspiration. You also get your own copy of our travel ebook – it’s on us!
Christmas is a wonderful time to relax and sip something tasty, and perhaps try something new. Even better if what you’re about to drink has been given to you by someone that loves you.
We’re always on the look-out for new things to drink and this gift guide has that in spades.
Here you’ll find everything from zero-alcohol spritz gift packs and pre-mixes to canned wine that’s actually really good to unusual sparkling.
We’ve also found high-end wines that don’t cost the earth, amazing gin gift boxes and subscription services as well as really out-there gins, superb bourbons and outrageously good Aussie and Scottish single malts.
Gee, Christmas is going to be good this year!
For more gift ideas this Christmas, check out our free online gift guide and e-zine here:
Or click here for your easily downloadable PDF version of Hint Magazine!
Lyre’s zero-alcohol Pink London Spritz RTDs – $49.99 case of 12 cans
Perfect for Christmas by the pool or at the beach, these RTDs are as refreshing as they are convenient.
Full of the gin spritz vibes but with none of the alcohol, these Pink London Spritz drinks are packed with citrus and herbaceous flavours, and in spite of the pretty pink colour and sweet aroma they have a sharp edge to them.
Drink them as is or fancy them up in a spritz glass. You can also use them as the ideal base for an alcoholic drink. A 30ml measure of almond liqueur adds a touch of sweetness and a rose gold glow to the show.
Lyre’s zero-alcohol Amalfi Spritz Grande Duo Set – $74.00
The best way to get the party started without finishing Christmas, this non-alc cocktail kit from Lyre’s is genius.
With a 700ml bottle of Lyre’s Italian Spritz (a clever 0% riff on amaros like Campari) and 2x 750ml bottles of Lyre’s Classico sparkling wine, this kit easily becomes a delicious spritz similar to an Aperol spritz but without the risk of hangover! Now that’s what I call the perfect Christmas gift!
Wine in a Can from Scarborough Wines – $36.00 (x4 250ml)
From Scarborough Wines, one of the apex wineries of the Hunter Valley, NSW’s oldest and most esteemed wine region, these wines in a can represent a fun, fresh and tasty summer!
These are all full-strength wines and at 250ml are around 1/3 of a bottle. However, the cans have many advantages. You can measure how much you’re drinking easier, they chill faster and safer than bottles, they recycle easier, and they’re pool, beach and hike appropriate!
There are four varieties: Chardonnay, Vermentino lightly sparkling, Pinot Noir lightly sparkling rosé and Tempranillo Joven. You can either drink each one as is, or mix them to make delicious spritz cocktails.
At the other end of the scale, Scarborough Wines also have a new ultra-premium Chardonnay range that’s taken home serious awards this year.
Read about their Keepers of the Flame wine experience here.
Best’s Wines Blanc de Noir 2024 – $30.00
You’ve definitely heard of sparkling wine before and you’ve probably heard of sparkling Shiraz too. But I bet you’ve never heard of sparkling white wine made from Shiraz grapes, have you?
From the town of Great Western in Victoria, Best’s Wines are home to some of the oldest grapevines in Australia. They also love to riff on a theme.
Shiraz grapes, harvested early to retain plenty of acidity, are pressed and fermented with zero skin contact to keep the colour away from the juice. The resulting cuvee is vibrant and fresh with citrus, sherbet, apricot, and peaches and cream on the palate, and a bright citrus finish.
Perfect with smoked salmon, prawns, oysters or a good cheese board, this is the bubbly you want for Christmas!
Nepenthe Prestige Cuvée Chardonnay Pinot Noir – $25.00
Nepenthe, named after the elixir in Homer’s Odyssey that casts away sorrow and trouble, has created a classic Aussie sparkling perfect for summer celebrations.
Using their estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes in Adelaide Hills, Nepenthe’s Prestige Cuvée is fresh, fruit-forward and well-structured. It has a creamy softness on the palate from bottle fermentation, and finishes crisp and clean at the end.
Nepenthe Pinnacle Albariño 2023 – $35.00
In his Odyssey, Homer talks about a wine potion that brings on happy forgetfulness, that stops sadness and grief. He called it Nepenthe, the perfect name for a winery!
This single-vineyard Albariño, a Spanish varietal that’s growing in popularity worldwide, is fresh, floral and juicy. With peachy apple notes to start, this lovely wine stretches out with long citrus legs for a lasting zippy finish.
Studio by Miraval Rosé – $26.99
Magnum 1.5l bottle also available for $49.99
Made in the heart of the Côte d’Azur, this reassuringly dry rosé is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle, and the maritime grape, Tibouren.
The result is a beautiful pink blush to a crisp rosé wine that’s made for Christmas afternoons or getting NYE started!
McGuigan Personal Reserve Late Picked Traminer 2019 – $30.00
The McGuigan Personal Reserve Range never used to be available to the public. Saved for significant family functions, these wines, made from carefully selected low-yield vines became so popular that the family decided to release them to wine club members and visitors to the Hunter Valley cellar door.
This Late Picked Traminer is a wonderful example of the rare Personal Reserve range and a clever use of the varietal. Along with fresh intense marmalade and Turkish delight notes, tropical fruit flavours balance with a fine acidity and crisp finish, and a luxurious texture.
The iconic blue bottle and wax seal of McGuigan’s Personal Reserve dessert and fortified range makes this gift even more unique.
Tempus Two Copper Verdelho 2022 – $30.00
Showing off their wine-makers’ ability and craft in old-world wine styles with an Aussie twist, the Tempus Two Copper Range is for the serious wine enthusiast.
The Copper Verdelho has all the hallmarks associated with the varietal; the tropical fruit frisson that’s followed by a delightful acidity carrying through to a bright yet dry finish.
McGuigan Mastercraft Summer Shiraz 2020 – $40.00
Each year, McGuigan select small parcels of grapes from their favourite vineyards for the vintage. These are made into the Mastercraft series.
In 2020, Shiraz grapes from the Barossa Valley became McGuigan’s Summer Shiraz. Fruit-forward and juicy, with sweetness turning dry towards the finish, this is an easy-going red perfect to have with Christmas dinner or even chilled as an aperitif.
Tempus Two Copper Shiraz Gin – $85.00
Anyone who loves wine and gin is going to lose it for this ultimate mash-up — Tempus Two’s Shiraz Gin. This deep magenta gin, made from extracted Shiraz wine distillate is packed with all those much-loved juicy jammy Shiraz qualities. Add to that the balancing flavours of spicy savoury juniper, tart orange peel and earthy coriander, and you have a gin to celebrate with.
Drink with soda or tonic, or even better a 150ml-200ml of prosecco for the perfect gin spritz.
Garden Street Gin Club gin subscription – $99p/m
Gin lovers, rejoice! What better gift for the juniper junky in your life than this incredible gin subscription from Garden Street Gin Club?
Every month, Garden Street Gin Club will deliver a sumptuous box filled with a full-sized 700ml bottle of Aussie craft gin. Alongside, there’ll be two matched tonics to go with that month’s tipple as well as snacks, paired garnishes, a glossy monthly magazine and even a special gift.
You can also buy a box without signing up to a subscription. This special Farmer’s Wife Christmas box is $159.00.
The Autumn Dry Gin from Farmer’s Wife in Allworth, NSW is part of the special Christmas Collection, whereas every month a different craft gin from an Aussie distiller is in the box.
This gin has native sage, myrtles, pepperberry and rare native sugar bag honey, and is paired with StrangeLove Light Tonic for a splendid G&T. For a bit of difference, try a Ginger Mule, mixing Autumn Gin with StrangeLove Ginger Beer and grapefruit bitters, mint leaves and half a lime.
The inaugural gin box will also come with a welcome pack of two beautiful gin glasses by Aussie stemware company Plumm.
Strange Nature Gin – $89.99
I don’t think it’s unfair to say that New Zealanders never do things normally. If there’s ever a new angle or an alternative way of doing something, the Kiwis will find it. And that’s never truer than with this gin.
Harnessing the flavours from one of New Zealand’s most popular wine varieties, the creative brains from Giesen Wines have used their Sauvignon Blanc to create Strange Nature — a truly unique gin.
But this isn’t just a grape-based spirit — plenty of distilleries do that. Strange Nature uses actual Sauv Blanc wine as a botanical. In fact, this gin only has two: Sauvignon Blanc wine and juniper.
The pine and savoury notes of juniper create a base for the fresh tropical and dark berry notes of the Sauvignon Blanc to stand prominently and to create a very different take on gin flavours.
Perfect for G&Ts, gin mules and summer spritzes, this is the perfect gin for hot weather.
Glengoyne 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky – $103.99
Glengoyne will always hold a special place in our hearts as it was the first Scottish distillery we’ve visited. Glengoyne is on the very edge of being both a Lowlands and Highlands whisky, with its distillery just south of the demarkation line and, just across the road, the barrelhouse where the whisky is aged is in the Highlands.
But you can read all about that here in our write-up.
Glengoyne has been crafting beautiful single malt scotch for over 190 years. Their style is smooth, clean, unpeated whisky, and the water they use comes from a hidden waterfall just behind the distillery.
Having spent 12 years in French and American oak barrels, this Glengoyne whisky offers a perfect balance of rich intensity and citrus freshness, bringing notes of toffee apples, ginger, shortbread and a delicate hint of spice, rounded off with a soft and smooth oak finish.
Best enjoyed neat or with a touch of water, Glengoyne 12 is the perfect gift for any scotch fan.
Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon – $108.99
With a long heritage going back over 150 years, Yellowstone Distillery has connections with the famous Beam family, who have been in the whiskey business for seven generations.
Yellowstone Select is the combination of two different Yellowstone straight bourbons (meaning they’ve spent at least two years in virgin American oak barrels). The two whiskeys in this bottle, however, go far beyond that. One has been aged for four years, the other for seven, delivering a whole range of flavours, aromas and textures.
You’ll find caramel, melted butter and ripe cherries with a tangy finish, and notes of burnt sugar, tobacco and cloves. This is a great gift for any whiskey nerd and for lovers of classic cocktails like a boulevardier, Manhattan or old fashioned.
