The Best Christmas Booze According To The Experts

This South African pinot noir is rich, spicy and incredibly good value – you’d pay three times this for an equivalent burgundy. Its flavour profile offers a generous palate of fruits of the forest, with the development of complex cherry and dark berry tones. It has the perfect balance of fruitiness and earthy aromas, so it’s great choice over Christmas, paired with red meats and game. 

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Few sommeliers will argue with the quality of this Australian bottle from Margaret River near Perth – a region that’s gaining attention for chardonnay that rivals some of the best from Burgundy. It has lots of surprises as it opens, with a bright yet creamy palate, supported by a beautifully taut line of acidity leading to a long, rich and dry finish with lingering hints of lemongrass. Serve it with rich dishes like your turkey pie on Boxing Day or a creamy seafood dish.

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Lanson champagne is a favourite for good reason. It’s well priced, goes down a treat at parties and never disappoints. Black Label is crisp and dry, with some subtle fruit notes. The long and slow maturation process of each bottle gives it a wonderfully smooth texture. A great start to an evening, it’s delicious with whatever canapés you’re serving.

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With UK temperatures on the rise, the south of England now offers the perfect terroir to produce sparkling wine that’s a lot like champagne but can’t be called that. The results from Nyetimber’s Sussex estate are outstanding. Its 2015 blanc de blanc has notes of toasted caramel brioche, candied almonds, citrus, apple, pear, and orange zest – Christmas in a bottle. Serve with scallops, salmon tartare or dover sole.

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This Scottish gin is made in the Outer Hebrides with a botanical mix including sweet-and-salty sugar kelp and liquorice root that adds a unique flavour. You’ll also detect notes of juniper, pine and fruits like mango, grapefruit and orange. There’s a herbaceous layer which transitions through to vanilla and a warming black pepper spice on the finish. We like this in a vesper made with the vodka below. 

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This is a very clean and fragrant vodka from a grain-to-glass estate. It’s an award-winning bottle from Wiltshire’s Ramsbury distillery, with notes of dried fruits, cocoa and caramel for a silky finish. Starting life as winter wheat on the farm, the vodka is distilled through a 43-plate copper still before it’s bottled on site. Pure and simple, we like this in a vesper as mentioned, or in a Boxing Day bloody mary with plenty of spice and horseradish.

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Cheap whisky is crap, so it pays to invest in a premium bottle if you can. For something a bit different, go for this Indian whisky which is taking the drinks world by storm. Indri Dru Single Malt from Piccadilly Distillery was recently named world’s best whisky for its Diwali edition. Aided by maturation in a tropical and humid climate, it has tropical notes of coconut, charred pineapple and nutmeg with a finish of tobacco and dark chocolate. Serve it however you take your whisky, though it does well in a boulevardier with sweet vermouth and Campari.

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Deya Brewing is an independent brewery local to us in Cheltenham. The team brewed the first versions of its Steady Rolling Man pale ale on a homebrew scale. Now their core beer, the hoppy and haze-inducing IPA is soft and delicate with intense tropical-fruit hop aromatics and saturation. Normally we’d enjoy this with whatever delicious street food is outside the brewery, but over the festive period it’ll be a nice surprise for guests, paired with salty dishes or a leftover turkey curry. 

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Lost Explorer is one of our favourite brands. This earthy mezcal is made with 100% Tobala agave from Oaxaca in southern Mexico. It’s smoky and sexy, with a punchy price tag – but trust us, it’s worth it for the quality. Thanks to notes of tobacco, cocoa, vanilla and leather, we like this in a mezcal negroni. Swap your gin for mezcal and add equal measures of Campari and sweet vermouth. Finish with orange peel and enjoy with Christmas desserts. 

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If you really want to splash out, this is a stunning premium cognac by Hine. It’s aged in barrels for at least 10 years to create a drink that’s complex, rich and balanced. It has lots of festive flavours – think spice, fruit and very rich cinnamon and nutmeg, with a gentle floral aroma. A full and supple palate with notes of perfume, it’s a particularly spicy cognac with a beautiful finish. Enjoy with a cheese and charcuterie board featuring mature camembert, chorizo and prosciutto. 

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Caleño’s Dark & Spicy is a non-alcoholic rum alternative that’s big and bold on flavour. It’s way more interesting than other non-alcoholic spirits out there, partly because it’s not overly herbaceous. Expect tropical notes of pineapple, coconut and lime, with natural spices that warm the palette. Serve it with ginger ale, lime and ice for a great alternative to a classic dark and stormy.

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