Drinkhacker’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for Christmas
Ho ho ho! Forget milk and cookies, what Santa needs this year is a shot of good, hard alcohol to help get him through whatever 2025 has in store for us.
Shopping is tough, so if you’re considering a special bottle for a special someone in your life, look no further. We have you covered right here with dozens of great picks for holiday hooch, and as always, we are trying hard to keep prices down while keeping quality (and intrigue) high. Sure, Dad may be happy with another bottle of Maker’s Mark or Macallan single malt — but we think you can move the joyfulness needle just a bit more with something a little more exotic.
Prices listed below are current as of press time, but they can fluctuate, sometimes dramatically, so be sure to shop around before you pull the trigger.
You’ll find most of these products available from our retail partners at Flaviar, Total Wine, Frootbat, and Wine.com. You can also search multiple stores at wine-searcher to find the best prices on all these products and more from shops across the internet. If you can’t find something — or want a totally unique recommendation for a someone that isn’t well-represented by our list — please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or drop us a line.
Oh, and don’t forget to grab some Drinkhacker merch — we’ve got just about everything now — and please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, or all three for the latest and greatest.
Finally, don’t forget that previous picks are still out there and make great gifts. For more top gift ideas check out the archives and read our 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008 holiday guides.
Bourbon – New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon 8 Years Old ($80) – I don’t think any up-and-coming distillery is more exciting today than New Riff, which is putting out a bevy of new whiskeys (including single malt) and experimenting with a wide range of styles. The operation’s oldest release yet is this 8 year old, which checks all the boxes that any bourbon lover will want, and it should be readily available in stores and online. More great options, all unique and well under $100: Savage & Cooke Bloody Butcher Bourbon Bottled in Bond ($80), 2XO The Tribute Blend ($84), and Laws Four Grain Bourbon Honey Cask Finished ($70) — the lattermost for sweet tooths only! As always, watch this space for our top whiskeys of the year list in mid-December, which will offer even more solid picks.
Scotch – The Glenlivet Rum & Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection ($90) – We reviewed plenty of stellar Scotch whiskies with 30, 40, and even 50 year age statements this year — and prices to match. Finding more newly released and affordable fare in the category isn’t easy, but this unique bottling from The Glenlivet is fresh, fun, and almost universally crowd-pleasing. Easy to find and a good value is Highland Park 18 Years Old ($170), which has a new bottle now but is the same whisky we reviewed. Other cool options in Scotch include Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet ($250), which is widely available for well below its $420 MSRP. Also check out rarities like Meikle Toir The Sherry One ($60) and Ardnamurchan The ArdnAmerica Tour Bottling ($80). As a final pick, we also loved Ardbeg Spectacular ($120), but this one has been a bit divisive among drinkers.
Other Whiskey – Sagamore Spirit Rye 9 Years Old (2024) ($85) – Want to get wild? Fans of more exotic styles of whiskey will thrill to this latest rye from Baltimore’s Sagamore Spirit, which is some of the best whiskey the distillery has ever produced. Other solid but unusual ryes include New Riff High Note Collection – Malted Rye 8 Years Old ($90) and Mammoth Northern Rye No. 2 ($64), though these will sadly be a little harder to find (but worth it!). Our luxe pick for the category however is Gold Spot Irish Whiskey Generations Edition 13 Years Old ($190), one of the best Irish whiskeys we’ve ever tasted.
Gin – Renais Reserve Familiale Gin ($50) – I had to go all the way to London to get this stellar gin, but you can pick it up stateside now. Made in homage to France with spent Burgundy grapes, it’s a punchy gin that will put more delicate styles promptly in their place. Other unique expressions worth a look include Freeland Spirits Old Tom Gin ($50), As Above, So Below Sigil Gin ($39). and — trust us — Tamworth Garden Watermelon Flavored Gin ($55). For more thoughts, check out our most recent top 10 gins list.
Vodka – Belvedere 10 Vodka ($150) – If you absolutely have to give someone vodka as a present, give Belvedere 10 a try. It’s got an extremely fancy bottle and a price tag to match. More affordable options include Weber Ranch Vodka ($27), Griffo Distillery Vodka ($25), or even the relaunched Krol Vodka ($17). For white elephant events, don’t sleep on the already infamous Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit ($60).
Rum – Transcontinental Rum Line Panama 2015 ($58) – La Maison & Velier’s Transcontinental collection doesn’t often disappoint, particularly given its incredibly reasonable prices for vintage-dated rum. This 2015 Panama bottling was our favorite of the year, and it makes for a unique and delightful gift that feels far fancier than its $58 price tag would suggest. Rhum J.M Épices Créoles ($35) is another luxe bottling available for a song. Or you can move upmarket and make an even bigger impression with a bottle of Brugal Rum Coleccion Visionaria Edicion 02, Coffee ($90) or Hampden “Great House” Rum Distillery Edition 2023 ($110). For more solid picks, see our most recent top 10 rums list.
Brandy – Hennessy Master Blender’s Selection No. 5 ($90) – Hennessy’s latest special edition, a blend of eaux-de-vie from 18 Cognac-producing families, is perhaps its best in the Blender’s Selection lineup to date. For another solid Cognac from a “name” producer, check out the relatively obscure Remy Martin Tercet ($105), which is a chewy, immersive delight. Want to get wild? Check out the amazing Lilith Apple Brandy from Tamworth ($95) — or go even wilder with a bottle of Fanny Fougerat Pineau des Charentes Le Colibri Charmant Blanc ($35). It’s not Cognac, but it’s adjacent enough to please any fan of the spirit.
Tequila – Siempre Tequila Plata ($36) – We’re taking a bit of heat for our 2024 top 10 tequila list because most of the picks on it are expensive. Not entirely our fault: Tequila prices are rocketing up, but so is quality, age, and innovation. While any of these top 10 tequilas and mezcals will make a great gift, we absolutely wanted to provide some more affordable options. Siempre’s revamped plata (and its reposado), which now come from a different distillery, are the affordable high-grade tequilas that the agave nut on your list will love — clean, classy, and authentic. For a bit more, consider El Tequileno Anejo Gran Reserva ($65), a steal for an anejo of this caliber. Mezcal fans: Consider the very powerful Gracias a Dios Mezcal Tobala ($80). Or go rogue with something like Kilinga Bacanora Blanco ($50) and spend the rest of the holiday researching exactly what it is.
Liqueur – Amaro Lucano Non-Alcoholic ($30) – I’m going to tell you something and you’re not going to believe me: They make a non-alcoholic amaro that is just as good — indistinguishable, almost — as the real deal. Give Lucano NA to your sober-curious or even your anti-sober buddies and see if they don’t agree. Other liqueurish goodies we loved include the rich Griffo Distillery Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur ($32) and the ultra-exotic Ferrand Dry Curacao Yuzu ($30).
Wine – You can’t ever go wrong with a bottle of wine. Check out our latest best-of lists for great picks, including our top 10 wines for summer and our top 10 wines for winter features.
Books – Some of our favorite titles from 2024: Spirits Distilled, The Whiskey Rebellion, The Bourbon Drinker’s Companion, How to Taste, One Thousand Vines, and The World Atlas of Whisky, Third Edition.
Remember: If you need another custom gift idea (or have a different budget), drop us a line or leave a comment here and we’ll offer our best advice!
Looking to buy any of the above? Give our retail partners at Flaviar, Total Wine, Frootbat, and Wine.com a try! Remember you can search multiple stores at wine-searcher for hard-to-find products. And Flaviar’s spirits subscription kits are a great way to try dozens of spirits each year for a reasonable price.
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