The best alcohol Christmas gifts of 2022 recommended by an expert, from fine wine to whisky glasses
Victoria Moore's guide to the best alcohol Christmas gifts this year includes whisky glasses, gin gift sets and some superb wines under £50
You can tell what grown-ups give each other for Christmas by checking the google searches at this time of year: “best whisky glasses” and “gifts for whisky lovers” are never far from the top of the charts, closely followed by searches for beer and wine gifts. It makes perfect sense. Who wouldn’t want a lovely new set of wine glasses, just in time for Christmas dinner?
But that doesn’t mean you can just nip to the supermarket and buy whatever’s in a gift box on the end of the wine aisle. The best alcohol gifts take a little more deliberation than that - and who better to ask for advice than The Telegraph’s wine columnist Victoria Moore? Here are Victoria’s top recommendations for 2022. (And if you're reading this before December 1, you should definitely read our guide to the best alcohol advent calendars next – they're massive this year.)
Best alcohol Christmas gifts
1. Vinum Riesling Wine Glass, set of 2
“It might be called the riesling glass, but this wine glass is used by many professional tasters for all wines, both red and white. The insider’s choice.”
2. Glencairn Glass
“Shaped with a wide bowl and a narrow chimney, this glass is specialised for a dram of whisky. Essential kit for any whisky fan.”
3. Domaine Bousquet Finca Lalande Malbec 2021 Argentina
“Malbec is hugely popular and this is a lovely example, both generous and fresh.”
4. Wine Cellar one-year subscription
The Telegraph’s new wine club costs just £35 a year and grants up to 15% savings on our wine selections and free delivery, plus £10 off the first order. There's flexible ordering and no commitment to monthly deliveries. Why not gift a subscription to someone who's wine-curious?
5. Mother Root Marmalade Switchel
“A gorgeous zero-alcohol pick, in which the vivid intensity of marmalade plays with the tang of cider vinegar. Mix it with soda or tonic.”
6. The Cocktail Edit by Alice Lascelles (Quadrille)
“Every cocktail fiend needs a copy of this wise book, which takes us through a dozen classic drinks and the variations (lime and basil spritz? Yes please) it’s really worth trying.”
7. Dima’s Vodka
“This triple grain vodka distilled just outside Kyiv has won hearts and minds thanks to its silky-smoothness and the humanitarian efforts of its Ukrainian-born creator.”
8. Cartailler-Deluc Corkscrew
“For corkscrews, simple is best and this superior version of a classic design from the French company founded in 1898 in Thiers meets the brief.”
9. Salcombe Brewery Pub in a Box – Gluten Free
“Branded glasses, bar towels, Mr Filbert’s snacks (olives and nuts), beer towels and 6 x 330ml cans of Sun Drop, Salcombe Brewery’s award-winning gluten-free beer.”
10. Batch & Bottle Monkey Shoulder Lazy Old Fashioned
“A very good ready-to-pour version (made with Scotch not the usual bourbon or rye) of that king of after dinner cocktails, the Old Fashioned.”
11. 750ml Glass Meze Jug
“A small, hand-made glass jug that is perfect for water and cucumber at lunch, stirred cocktails (hello negroni) before dinner.”
12. Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto
“Make it a spritz by adding prosecco to this fragrant Italian liqueur made with bergamot with camomile, lemon balm and lavender.”
13. Polkra x Anna Glover Mirabilia Sunlight Coasters
“Inspired by mythical animals and folklore, these eucalyptus and cork coasters are almost too good to put your glass on.”
14. Round Murano Tumbler
“Reassuringly heavy, hand-blown Italian glass tumblers that come in 14 colours. The perfect special G&T (or water) glass.”
15. Japanese Whisky Tasting Set (5 x 3cl sample bottles)
“Japanese whisky has rapidly moved from novelty to powerhouse status on the world stage, making this tasting set an excellent present for any whisky drinker.”
16. Busi Jacobsohn Cuvée Brut 2018 England
“A below the radar but extremely good English sparkling wine made in Sussex from mostly chardonnay with some pinot noir and pinot meunier.”
17. Malfy Con Limone gin
Flavoured gins suddenly become very popular at Christmas, but they're seldom as sophisticated as this, distilled in Italy with Amalfi lemons and hand-picked juniper. They also do blood orange and pink grapefruit-flavoured gins for the same price.
18. Laylo Lot##11 Grüner Veltliner
“Laylo specialises in beautifully packaged bag in box wine and inside this wrapper featuring a baroque oil painting with the Esterhazy palace in the background is a refreshing Austrian grüner veltliner.”
19. Champagne Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé 2008
“An exceptional vintage rosé champagne from the family house that is master of the style. Buy a lobster to eat with it.”
20. The White Burgundy Pairing
“A smart wooden box containing two bottles of white burgundy: a crisply fresh Saint Véran and a more richly aromatic Saint-Romain.”
21. Monmouth Coffee at Home Set
“Containing a Dualit Burr grinder, 2 x 250g bags of beans, a ceramic filter cone to use on individual cups and a box of filter papers, this is for the coffee lover keen to ditch the pods.”
22. Monkey 47 Gin 'Monkey Kiosk' sampler
This Black Forest distillery uses inventive botanicals and has a fun 'Victorian apothecary' aesthetic. The Christmas sampler has 50cl each of their dry gin, barrel-aged gin and sloe gin.
23. Talisker 10 year-old single malt whisky 70cl and dry bag
"A gorgeous single Malt from Skye, and a bag to boot (for use on foot, on your bike or in your kayak)."
Christmas shopping guides from The Telegraph
Getting ready for Christmas? You may want to read our guides to the best Christmas hampers, the best artificial Christmas trees, the best children's toys, the best Christmas gifts, the best Christmas gifts for women and the best Christmas gifts for men.
We also have more specific gift guides this year. They include the best Secret Santa gifts, the best Christmas gifts for gardeners, the best Christmas food gifts and the best Christmas home gifts.
And, as Christmas dinner approaches, why not read our guides to the best Christmas crackers, the best Christmas table decorations and supermarket Christmas food delivery slots? There are plenty more ideas for Christmas dinner on Telegraph Food & Drink.