Got a scotch drinker on your list? Or were you asked to bring a bottle to the company holiday party? Here are nine types of liquor that aficionados and co-workers alike will enjoy:
Grey Goose ($30 for 750ml)
You can’t go wrong with the Goose. The vodka maker states boldly that it is “the world’s best-tasting vodka,” but whether or not you agree, you can at least impress friends with this fact: It will be the official spirit of the PGA Tour starting in 2014. Then make them a Back Nine: vodka with sweetened iced tea, limoncello liqueur, lemon zest and mint leaves.
Glenmorangie Ealanta ($120)
This whisky actually earned the honor of “world’s best” from someone other than itself and the single malt stands out because it was aged for 19 years in virgin American white-oak barrels. Thus, it can be pricey, but a whisky lover will appreciate every sip.
10 Cane ($25)
For a quality rum that’s not expensive or overused, try 10 Cane Rum. It uses first press Trinidadian sugar cane juice, which is the purest, most flavorful juice extracted from hand-harvested sugar cane. The name comes from the fact that 10 sugar cane stalks are needed to make one bottle of 10 Cane Rum.
Don Julio Añejo ($57)
One of the most unique-tasting tequilas around, Don Julio Añejo is aged for 18 months in American white-oak barrels and offers a variety of tastes and smells. Before sipping you’ll sniff hints of lime, grapefruit, citrus and caramel, and then you’ll taste agave, vanilla, honey and butterscotch. How? Don’t ask, just enjoy.
Maker’s 46 ($36)
Whiskey drinkers probably know of Maker’s Mark, the bourbon whiskey in the bottle sealed with red wax. But they may not be aware of Maker’s 46, a bourbon that’s stronger and aged longer than the original. It sits in barrels with seared French oak rods to create a creamy seared-oak flavor that is joined by hints of caramel and vanilla. And 46 is also sealed with red wax.
Tanqueray No. 10 ($34)
Got some martini or gin & tonic people? Offer up Tanqueray’s specialty gin to spice up their spirits. It claims to be the only gin made from whole citrus fruits – white grapefruits from Florida, limes from Mexico, along with juniper, coriander and chamomile flowers. It earned “best white spirit” honors three years in a row at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which put No. 10 in the Spirits Hall of Fame.
Glenfiddich Malt Master ($90)
For the scotch purist on your list, go with Glenfiddich, which has 20 different types to choose from. If you’ve got $450 to spend, there’s the 30 Year Old. Or if you’ve got $30 to spend, there’s the 12 Year Old. We like the Malt Master because it’s still expensive but won’t require a loan. It’s spicy but boasts vanilla, plum and toasted almonds to finish smooth.
OM: Organic Mixology Wild Cranberry & Blood Orange Artisan Cocktail ($26)
Have a friend who’s all organic? Or tries to be but has to make exceptions when it comes to their cocktails? No longer. Organic Mixology is the world’s first USDA-certified organic-prepared cocktail maker. The company’s first spirit was the Wild Cranberry and Blood Orange mix, made with organic vodka, natural cranberry and orange flavors, and organic agave nectar.
Onyx Moonshine ($24)
Thought moonshine was outlawed? Think again. Onyx is New England’s first legal moonshine and came from the Best Microdistillery of New England according to “Yankee Magazine” in 2012. Tell the giftee they can drink like the stars – Onyx Moonshine was the exclusive spirit for the 2012 Grammy Awards’ official gift bags.
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