Christmas is the perfect time for gin, whether you’re gifting your gin-loving bestie or simply yourself. Never have we had so much choice when it comes to flavour and style – what a time to be alive.
From deliciously festive Christmas Pudding gin and refined premium Scottish gins to a moreish gin designed specifically for shots, our guide has got a gin for every occasion.
In the Welsh Wind Gin
In the Welsh Wind Distillery has put Cardigan Bay on the map as far as artisan Welsh spirits are concerned and their premium gins are fast gaining cult status. Their Signature Style Gin is a smooth, oil-rich affair, boasting notes of orange, cinnamon, clove, ginger and tea-soaked currants. Serve with your tonic of choice, some ice and dried fruit for a refined serve that commands repeat sips.
In the Welsh Wind Signature Style Gin is available from their online shop for £42.
Rock Rose Original Gin | Rock Rose Smoked Orange Gin
Dunnet Bay Distillers first started crafting gin in their copper stills back in 2014 and have gone on to become a multi-award-winning brand less than a decade later. Their signature Rock Rose Gin gives off a whiff of rose, cardamon and citrus on the nose, whilst fruity berries hit the palate with intensity, before moving onto a sea buckthorn finish. Wonderful stuff.
It’s also well worth checking out Rock Rose Smoked Orange Edition over the winter months. After giving off hints of smoke and zingy citrus on opening, flavours of Lapsang Souchong Tea and candied orange come through. Perfect with ice, tonic and a slice of orange by a roaring fire.
Both variants come housed in beautiful white ceramic bottles, making them the ultimate stocking filler.
Pick up a bottle of Rock Rose Gin direct from Dunnet Bay Distillers for £36.
Salcombe Four Seas Gin
Specially crafted to commemorate the Royal National Lifeboat Association’s 200th anniversary, Salcombe Four Seas Gin is a classic dry London gin that showcases four key botanicals. Leading with lemons smoked over Scottish whisky barrel wood chips, tangy sea buckthorn, foraged sugar kelp and elderberries, this silky smooth and refreshing gin is truly exceptional.
Like all products in the Salcombe Gin portfolio, Four Seas contains no plastic packaging and has a biodegradable cellulose tamper proof seal. Salcombe also donate 10% of the net price of each bottle to the RNLI, so each purchase helps towards saving lives. Grab a bottle direct from Salcombe Gin for £39.50.
WATTSHOT Gin
The very idea of shotting gin might have the gin purists up in arms, however, disruptive brand WATTSHOT doesn’t care. Featuring no less than eight rooted botanicals, I can confirm that this cherry blossom-led gin is really darn good and does indeed make for a fantastic shot. It’s smooth, it’s delicious, and it goes down far too easily. This vibrant award-winner is available for £29.95 direct from WATTSHOT.
Chase Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo Gin | Chase Rhubarb & Bramley Apple Gin
Originally famous for its brilliant vodka portfolio, Hertfordshire-based Chase Distillery is now enjoying success with its growing gin collection. Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo promises a zippy and zesty taste sensation, blending its key ingredients with juniper and lime. Mix with tonic, ice and a wedge of grapefruit for the perfect serve.
The Rhubarb & Bramley Apple variant balances its tart and tangy top-end ingredients with hints of juniper and is best served with premium tonic and a slice of apple.
You can snap up a bottle of Pink Grapefruit & Pomelo Gin for £22 from Amazon and Rhubarb & Bramley Apple Gin for £27.75 from Amazon.
Harvey Nichols Christmas Pudding Gin
Located at the foot of the Pentland Hills on the outskirts of Edinburgh, The Secret Garden Distillery has a reputation for putting out some of the world’s most enticing spirits– and their Christmas Pudding Gin is certainly that.
Created exclusively for Harvey Nichols, this warming little number is infused with the store’s very own Christmas pudding and gives off notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s just as incredible as it sounds and makes for a winning gift for the seasoned gin aficionado. Pick it up at your local Harvey Nichols store or online for £22 for a 200ml bottle.