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There are a few ways to go with it — 1) a nice bottle of whatever your chosen recipient enjoys to help stock the bar, 2) something in the spirit category they enjoy, but would probably not spring for themselves, or 3) something fun that would kick the party up a notch.
Anyway you slice it, a bottle of booze is an easy gift for you to obtain and odds are the person on the receiving end is going to love it.
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Here is our short list of 12 great bottles to invest in for the 2016 holiday season, ranked in price from lowest to highest.
These can all be found in most local liquor stores alongside all of the usual suspects. Cost may vary, but generally should be around the price listed.
1.) Three Olives Elvis Presley Coconut Water Vodka, $16
The best part about this may very well be the cool Elvis Presley bottle. If your recipient loves light, tropical cocktails, this is sure to be a hit. Use the Three Olives recipe and make an Elvis: two parts Three Olives Elvis Presley Coconut Water Vodka, 2 parts pineapple juice and a splash of club soda. It will be like you're in Hawaii in winter for a price that you can't beat.
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2.) Stolichnaya (Stoli) Salted Karamel, $19
We're not a huge fan of flavored vodkas, but wow, is this bottle worth a try. Sweetened with all natural beet sugar, this vodka is a great holiday mixer that will go great with apple cider, Kahlua and cream, ginger beer for a salted caramel mule as well as many other options. This will be a party favorite and it's perfectly priced.
3.) Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, $19
If you are buying for a savvy drinker, they will likely be impressed with a really good vermouth. It's an important ingredient in Negronis, Manhattans and dry martinis, but it's also a nice aperitif that's worth enjoying. This isn't going to be a gift for most people, but for the right friend or loved one it is sure to hit the spot. Bonus: Pair it with an interesting bottle of bitters for added cool points.
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4.) Vim & Petal, $25
This dry gin from Middle West Spirits in Columbus (makers of OYO) is a dry gin that boasts 18 different botanicals. All of the wheat and other ingredients are sourced in Ohio, so this is a nice price point for a bottle that is loaded with state ingredients and state pride.
5.) Belle of Dayton Gin, $27
From the great minds at Belle of Dayton, this small batch gin has just been released in the marketplace. We love the description: "So popular and riotous was gin in 1700s Britain, Parliament passed five laws to beat it back. Gin's been glorified, vilified, waylaid and run out of town. Now, Dayton dry Gin, crafted in a small-batch, artisan distillery, shoots the notorious juniper berry full with a mutiny of flavors—rye, hops, lemon peel and coriander—steam-injected, vapor-infused flavors held captive in a four-plate copper column. belle of Dayton offers a revival of the spirit for the audacious palette."
6.) Larceny Bourbon Whiskey, $28
The resume for this modestly priced bourbon whiskey is impressive. Larceny won the Double Gold Medal award at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it's ranked No. 18 of the Top 120 Spirits in the World, and was given the highest rating from the Spirit Journal. This is a smooth sipper and is definitely one of the best bourbon buys at the liquor store when you consider the price.
7.) Ocean Vodka, $29
This vodka is the No. 1 selling spirit in Hawaii where it is made. It's also the only vodka in the world made from organic sugar cane, helping give it a distinct flavor that is furthered along with the ocean mineral water it is distilled with. The packaging of this bottle may be bulky, but it is very cool, earning it an international packaging award in late 2014. This is definitely a conversation piece and a great gift for the vodka lover in your life.
8.) Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey Crock, $32
This perennial holiday favorite is available year-round in a glass bottle, but is released every holiday in a special ceramic crock based on the original packaging from 1829. It's a great conversation piece and the packaging elevates this even more into a most excellent host or hostess gift.
9.) Watershed Distillery Old Fashioned, $35
Looking to enjoy a great craft cocktail without the fuss? The fine folks at Watershed Distillery in Columbus have just the thing for you: a classic old fashioned that's ready to go. Using their 90 proof bourbon as a base, Watershed mixes in bitters, raw cane sugar and juice from Ohio grown cherries. Grab a glass with ice, pour and you're in business. This is a perfect bottle to buy yourself if you are throwing a holiday party and don't want to deal with making cocktails on top of everything else.
10.) Ilegal Mezcal Joven, $44
We found a bottle of this at Arrow Wine & Spirits and loved the wax sealer and the old world look of the bottle. That, and mezcal is simply fantastic. If you are not familiar, the website Serious Eats does a great job explaining what it is. Michael Dietsch writes, "The word mezcal comes from the Nahuatl words metl and ixcalli, which taken together mean 'oven cooked agave.' Like tequila, mezcal is made by roasting agave hearts in an oven ... When the Spanish arrived (in Mexico), they brought along the knowledge of distillation; and lucky for them, they found a plant (agave) whose juices they could readily distill. Tequila's ancestor was born. The first mezcals appeared in the 1500s, and the beverage spread throughout Mexico over the following centuries, eventually being exported back into Spain."
Mezcal isn't for everyone, it's strong and smoky, but if you want to try something different and you love tequila, this is your ticket. You can also make regular tequila drinks "smoked" by floating a little in your cocktail.
11.) Herradura Anejo Tequila, $48
This bottle is the favorite tequila of the bartending staff at El Meson, and they would know good tequila. The flavor, smoothness and kick will make this bottles contents feel more like a pick-me-up than a sedative. Added flavor comes from the tequila being aged a year in an oak barrel, which adds to the smooth delivery.
12.) Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Bourbon Barrel Reserve, $60
This bottle, only available in the U.S., is a Century Bar favorite, so you know it's good. The whisky matures fourteen years in ex-bourbon American Oak casks and is finished in deep charred new American Oak barrels. This is a bottle for scotch lovers, bourbon lovers and whiskey lovers and will not disappoint on any front.
Bonus: Compass Box Hedonism Scotch Whiskey, $102
This is pricey, but it's worth seeking out if you aren't limited to a budget and want something really special. It's not peaty like most scotch. Instead, it offers up a smooth heat with a warm vanilla spice finish. If it's not on the shelf at your local liquor store, ask if they can order you a bottle.
Aged in oak casks, and distilled and made in a old-world method, this is something the right person will treasure this holiday season. Made with 100% grain whisky is an unusual find in a spirit and in this case, it's one worth seeking out. This is a pricey option we would welcome under our tree.
Contact this contributing writer at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.
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