Whether they like to sip and savour, stir or shake up a storm, our Valentine’s Day gift guide is now live to help you find the perfect present for that special cocktail lover in your life, or equip you with the essentials to treat them to a thoughtful cocktail or two!
Our Valentine’s Day gift wrap is also live, featuring a romantic red Drinks Distilled ribbon across our large, classic gift box and our bottle, glassware, and barware gift boxes. Don’t forget, you can handpick your own gift set to make it truly personalised or choose from our ready-made sets, plus all of our bottles and gift sets come complete with a free tasting and recipe card.
Scroll on to explore some of our favourite pre-made gift sets, including some of our newly launched mini bottle gift sets:
For the Sippers
Sometimes, a great spirit calls for no more than a jigger to pour out the perfect measure and a sophisticated glass to enjoy it in. For those who enjoy their spirits neat and enjoy the craftsmanship behind the bottle, here are our top picks:
Mini Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Tasting Kit
Our new mini gift sets come with two miniature spirits, a glass, jigger and bar spoon, not to mention our drinks experts’ tasting and recipe card. They’re an excellent way of testing out a new spirit with your partner, if you’re worried about taking the plunge with a full-sized bottle!
This Green Spot Irish Whiskey kit is ideal for those who like to sip their whiskey neat or on the rocks, but can also be used for classics like the Old Fashioned. Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Emily Chipperfield explains:
"Green Spot has a very approachable and versatile flavour profile, making it great for anyone new to whisky, whilst also being a bar staple for whisky aficionados."
The Lost Explorer Copitas Kit
The perfect treat for those who like to sip their mezcal, this set features two Lost Explorer ceramic copitas and a 20cl bottle of The Lost Explorer Espadín. Handpicked by Spirits Guide Kat Stanley-Whyte who comments:
“The Lost Explorer Mezcal is a core staple to both my home bar and back bar due to its pure deliciousness and the fact it’s a divine introduction to what mezcal can be - not just smoke! This mezcal has a soft, subtle spiciness with an underlying smokiness on the initial aroma, that then develops on the palate into a surprisingly fresh, green, earthy flavour profile with a touch of herbaceousness, allowing the true cooked agave notes to shine.”
For the Stirrers
Stirred cocktails are usually more spirit-forward than shaken cocktails, so they tend to be ideal for those who prefer a stronger flavour. Stirred cocktails feature many of the greats, such as the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Gin or Vodka Martini. You can’t go wrong with these classic sets:
Dima’s Pickled Martini Kit For Two
Perfect for date night for two vodka and Martini lovers, this brand new kit is based on Spirits Guide Millie Milliken’s recommended serve for Dima's Ukrainian Vodka, the pickled martini, as Millie explains:
“This is a Dirty Martini, but using pickle juice instead of olive brine – and not too dirty. Dirty Martinis have had a bit of a comeback of late, but this is maybe more restrained and clean in its delivery. The salinity of this vodka makes it the perfect backbone for such a spirit-forward cocktail and the addition of the pickle makes it more authentically Ukrainian (and it’s delicious too)."
What’s more, £5 from every kit goes to first aid kits for Ukraine.
Benromach Organic Scotch Old Fashioned Kit
Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Felipe Schrieberg describes this as:
"An award-winning and flexible dram that can be enjoyed by spirits newbies and whisky geeks alike. This was also the world’s first certified organic single malt whisky, marking an important sustainability milestone.”
He suggests: “Drink it neat or with a small splash of water but don’t be afraid to experiment with different cocktails either. Start with an Old Fashioned, or try a Highball if you're looking for something more refreshing. If you’re feeling really cheeky, go for a Piña Colada and use this to replace the rum – yes, it works.”
Monkey 47 Mini G&T Kit
Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin is described by Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Emma Stokes as:
"A complex, New Western Dry gin, Monkey 47 is a great option to have on your shelf for cocktails. Whilst it makes a lovely longer cocktail, think a G&T or a Tom Collins, it’s in the shorter, booze-led cocktails like the Martini where this gin really shines, thanks to the careful balancing of its botanicals, which come together to create a flavour sensation."
Chairman’s Reserve Hot Toddy Kit
Available as a mini or large kit, Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Millie explains:
"This is one of the best benchmarks you’ll find for a spiced rum out there. It comes into its own during the festive season in my home. It screams spices, citrus and Christmas cake – absolute heaven in hot drinks such as a rum toddy or hot buttered rum. However, it’s also worth remembering that spiced rum isn’t just for Christmas - Chairman’s Reserve is super versatile and works in a spiced version of a Mai Tai too."
For the Shakers
Shaken cocktails are all about texture, not to mention fanfare! You can’t help but appreciate the spectacle of a Margarita or Espresso Martini being given the shaking of a lifetime before being poured out with a velvety consistency. Here are some of our favourites to help spirits lovers shake in style:
The Ultimate Espresso Martini Kits
We've partnered with Bea Bradsell, cocktail expert and daughter of renowned bartender Dick Bradsell - creator of the iconic Espresso Martini, to create the ultimate range of Espresso Martini gift sets. Featuring Belvedere Pure, Mr Black Coffee Liqueur and illy coffee, there are three expertly curated sets (including a mini option) perfect for cocktail lovers to prepare their home bars with the essentials required to create the dinner party favourite, or to gift Espresso Martini lovers. Bea explains:
“I’ve selected Belvedere Pure as its bold enough to hold up the flavours of the serve with its spiced rye finish, whilst also featuring a subtle sweetness and that all-important creamy mouthfeel. These elements are perfectly complemented by the delicate flavours found in Mr Black, which is less sweet than your average coffee liqueur, with its rich, bitter profile balancing perfectly with bright, floral and fruity notes. I like to use illy espresso coffee to top off the serve, as it was my dad’s chosen favourite, thanks to the unique sweetness of its Arabica beans and its smooth and rich flavour profile, which allows the more decadent ingredients to shine through.”
El Tequileno Margarita Kit
Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Robyn Evans advises:
"El Tequileño is smooth, light and flavourful, making it perfect for both sipping or cocktails and a great gateway tequila for newbies to the category.This goes amazingly well in a Tommy’s Margarita. A super refreshing modern take on the classic Margarita, the fruity peppery notes of the tequila really shine here with the zesty lime juice and a touch of agave for balance.”
Ramsbury Single Estate Vodka Kits
Ideal for Cosmopolitan lovers and available both in a large and mini kit format, Drinks Distilled Spirits Guide Millie Milliken explains:
"This is undoubtedly one of the best vodkas I’ve ever tried. It’ll shut anyone up who thinks vodkas don’t have any character – because this one is brimming with it. It’s made using single estate winter wheat, and the raw material really comes through, with luscious notes of vanilla, chocolate and a milky character too. The biggest takeaway from this vodka though is its texture – beautifully creamy and mouth coating. It makes it a really strong contender for both spirit-forward cocktails as well as long drinks: main player and supporting cast. The Cosmopolitan is enjoying a much-deserved renaissance, and Ramsbury's vodka has the body to hold its own among the other dominant ingredients in this pink-hued, nostalgic cocktail."
Still Unsure?
If you’re really not sure where to even start, don’t forget we have e-vouchers or you can use our gift finding tool, the Spirits Compass. All you need to know is their favourite style of spirit, cocktail or flavour profile and our handy quiz will matchmake them with their ideal gift in less than a minute!
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