There’s a certain razzle-dazzle associated with cocktail culture, which can make buying Christmas gifts for the cocktail lover in your life a fun pastime. However, it might also feel overwhelming if you’re not sure on the correct apparatus and terminology. So we’ve gathered up a collection of gorgeous gifts we’d love to received as cocktail lovers by profession.
The number of home bartenders and amateur mixologists has increased markedly in recent years, so there are more suitable gifts available than ever. We’ve narrowed it down to a selection of 13 top items that range from artisanal glassware and drinks trolley accessories to recipe books and garnishes. Read on for our pick of top gifts for cocktail lovers this Christmas.
For more gift ideas for the drink lover in your life, see the full Club Oenologique Christmas gift guide.
Top Christmas gifts for the cocktail lover in your life
Calabrese Cocktail Footed Mixing Glass
For stirred-down drinks – including the Manhattan and the Martini – a bit of precision is what’s required. With its sturdy base and elegant pouring spout, that’s exactly what you’ll get from this cocktail mixing glass. Its classic design will look great on any drinks trolley, too.
£24, urbanbar.com
RTD Essentials Gift Set, Tayēr + Elementary
Tayēr + Elementary is a hyper-modern cocktail bar in east London that came fourth in 2024’s World’s 50 Best Bars list. This essentials pack contains a trio of the bar’s Christmas cocktails, including a ‘velvety and rich’ pudding sour, plus a Negroni and an Old Fashioned given extra doses of festive spice. They’re ideal for home mixologists taking the night off over the holiday and the bar’s online shop is also a good place to pick up stylish bar equipment.
£35, tayer-elementary.com
Margarita glass, Maison Balzac
For the Margarita fan in your life, Maison Balzac’s glass will go down a treat. The glasses are handblown and the design features a built-in wedge of lime (made of glass, of course), for a pleasing pop of green on this classic-shaped glass. Champagne might be more traditional at Christmas but who’s going to say no to a Margarita, especially in this chic glass?
£38, maisonbalzac.com
Bordallo Pinheiro Pineapple Pitcher
Whether it contains a bumper batch of cocktail or a sensible helping of water, this earthenware pitcher made by Portuguese ceramics studio, Bordallo Pinheiro, will look equally good on the Christmas table or outside at a summer barbecue. It’s hand-painted and bound to delight your guests.
£95.99, souschef.co.uk
Nick & Nora glasses (set of two), Riedel
As much as we love the ostentatious sense of occasion sipping from a wide-rimmed, V-shaped Martini glass, it’s far from the most practical vessel for at-home drinking. Enter the Nick & Nora. The glass was designed in the 1980s as a throwback to the more subtle and sedate sophistication of the pre-Prohibition drinking. Riedel make this elegant pair in crystal, which should guarantee just as stylish a time – with infinitely fewer spillages.
£32.50, riedel.com
Sip Swirl Straw Set of 4, HAY
This is stylish barware (that looks after any lipstick worn by drinkers) in the form of chic glass straws from Danish brand HAY. They’re suitable for hot toddies as well as Mojitos and come with their own brush to make cleaning a doddle. A very cute stocking-filler, they also ensure recipients are doing their bit for the environment by eradicating the need for one-use plastic versions.
£25, goodhoodstore.com
The Martini
Shaken or stirred? However you like your Martini, you’ll learn something new about this iconic drink in this book by award-winning journalist and cocktail expert Alice Lascelles. The book explores the history of the Martini and its enduring popularity. It also features 60 recipes, as well as tips and tricks to give this classic cocktail a twist.
£14.25, Amazon
Cartizze drinks trolley, Swoon
Cocktail trolleys are totally on trend but the last thing you want is a cluttered cornerpiece for the room. Thankfully, there’s plenty of space for the cocktail lover in your life to showcase their favourite bottles on the bottom rail of this brass and marble cart, while using the top to mix some magic.
£479, swooneditions.com
Rochester engraved silver cocktail shaker, Soho Home
Soho Home’s Rochester cocktail shaker is silver plated and features vintage-inspired etchings. Its striking, elegant look makes it a great gift for someone with a drinks trolley or cabinet that puts their cocktail-making equipment and glassware on permanent display.
£170 for members or £200 for non-members, sohohome.com
Perelló Gordal Olives
Visitors to tapas and cocktail bars will likely have seen tins of these olives stacked on counters and shelves so as to be within reach for cocktail garnishes and as snacks for drinkers. Gordal olives are the big, plump, juicy, green variety that everyone loves, with a mild kick of heat from the accompanying green chilli. Regardless of whether they’re destined for a Martini or a snack bowl, these are a great gift, particularly around Christmas when fatigue from flavours of stuffing, gravy and dried-fruit-based items can set in.
£18.95, Brindisa
Drop bar spoon
Don’t underestimate the joy that a good spoon can spark. Cocktail lovers may have their favourite style but most will agree that the weighted teardrop of a Japanese bar spoon should aid consistent stirring. This copper-plated option looks the part too.
£13, japaneseknifecompany.com
Classic Cocktail Selection Box, Whitebox
This gift set includes six classic cocktails from RTD cocktail-masters Whitebox. The selection includes the Pocket Negroni, Prêt à Boire Boulevardier, Classic Cosmo, Freezer Martini, Straight Up Daiquiri and Squeezy’s Margarita. All you have to do is pop open the can, pour into your favourite glass and enjoy. With their aesthetically pleasing designs, the cans will look great on any home bar too.
£34, whiteboxcocktails.com
The Original Maraschino Cherries, Luxardo
This may seem like a retro gift selection but no Manhattan is complete without a Maraschino cherry for garnish. And the cherry’s inclusion can elevate a great many mixed drinks – from the Last Word to the Whiskey Sour. Luxardo Original Maraschino Cherries are a pinnacle product, with sour marasca cherries candied to a protected family recipe.
£7.99, lakeland.co.uk
