Do you leave the majority of your Christmas shopping to the last minute? Panic purchasing your loved ones Yankee Candles and Lynx Africa sets? Well if this is you, don’t panic! I’ve gone to the trouble of picking five gins you can find in all good off licences, that I feel would be the perfect gift for any gin loving relation you might have this Christmas.
Brockmans Gin
First is Brockmans Gin, marketed as “intensely smooth” and to be honest I have to agree!
Floral on the nose with fruity flavours from the berries and citrus notes coming through on the palate. Brockmans has a beautiful balance of sweetness that isn’t sickly sweet like some flavoured gins entering the market.
Not a classical gin in my opinion - but without a doubt one of my favourite gins!
Serve with tonic and a slice of grapefruit or alternatively tonic with blackberries and raspberries - perfect for someone with a slightly sweeter tooth.
Origin: Surrey, England
Price: £29-£35
Jawbox Classic Gin
Jawbox Gin is quickly becoming a staple gin in all bars, restaurants and hotels across Northern Ireland.
Robust and bursting with flavours from the spicy warmth of cardamom, citrus flavours of lemon peel, classical strong flavours of juniper and the sweetness of liquorice - Jawbox has it all.
The perfect gift for anyone this Christmas ranging from a casual to a more experienced gin drinker, Jawbox deserves a place in any drinks cabinet!
Serve with ginger ale, honeycomb and a slice of lime or alternatively ginger ale and a slice of lime is all you need to bring out the robust flavours of Jawbox.
Origin: County Down, Ireland
Price: £27-£32
Wild Burrow London Dry Gin
This surprising little number caught my eye whilst doing the weekly shop in Lidl and I have to say I am very glad it did.
A classic London dry gin packing all the flavours you would expect juniper, coriander, angelica orange and lemon but with an added little twist. Wild Burrow add in a few locally foraged botanicals such as wild garlic, fennel and furze petals from West Cork to give their gin that extra punch.
The value for money in Wild Burrow Gin is quite frankly excellent, if you’re on the lookout for something slightly on the cheaper side but still want to impress, this is the perfect gin for you!
Serve with tonic, a slice of lemon and a mint sprig to fully appreciate Wild Burrow. I tried a few combinations with this gin and found it also works extremely well with tonic, an orange slice and mint sprig if you wish to add a slightly sweeter edge to the finish.
Origin: County Cork Ireland
Price: £17.99 (Lidl Exclusive)
Listoke 1777 Small Batch Gin
Listoke 1777 Small Batch Gin is more niche and difficult to find than the other gins on this list, but if you manage to source
a bottle it is certainly worth the trouble!
The second you open it you are greeted with a beautiful warm floral aroma, bold herbaceous flavours, intricately mixed with a touch of spice and earthy notes which give Listoke an undeniable depth of flavours.
Personally, out of the numerous gins I have had the pleasure of trying Listoke is hands down my favourite!
Serve with tonic, orange peel, cinnamon and a sprig of rosemary to produce a moreish serving packed full of flavour (I had no rosemary for the photo).
Origin: County Louth, Ireland
Price: £35-£40
Copeland Raspberry & Mint Gin
The ever-growing gin market has recently seen the introduction of several flavoured gins, in my opinion many of these are awfully sweet, poorly balanced and merely marketing gimmicks. However, there are many flavoured gins that have a sweeter edge and are a delight on the palate one such gin is Copeland Gin Raspberry & Mint Flavour! A refreshingly sweet tipple, which has the bite of sweet raspberry, strong notes of juniper and the herbaceous balance of mint and coriander flavours providing a fresh and crisp finish.
The perfect gin to gift to someone with a love of sweet and fruity flavours. Alternatively check out the rest of the equally impressive Copeland Gin range.
Serve with tonic, fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint to unleash the full flavour potential (Unfortunately I had drunk all my Copeland so a stock image will have to do).
Origin: County Down, Ireland
Price: £28-£33
