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HEART LONDON MAGAZINE’S 2023 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDES – Christmas Tipples
If there is ever a time to enjoy a tipple must be during Christmas festivities, so every year we bring highlight tipples to try and enjoy.
Jura 14-Year-Old
Dreaming of a bright Christmas? Close your eyes and prepare to be transported to the spectacular coastline of Jura and its remote beachside distillery, which is this year celebrating its 60th anniversary. Sure to bring any celebration to life, Jura 14-Year-Old, matured in American Rye Cask for added depth and complexity, brings the islander’s sense of community and adventurous spirit to life. While the golden glaze of the bottle warms the senses, the fine spices of the rye cask aging weave in tones of cinnamon, honey, cacao, and hazelnut. And for an extra special Christmas gift? Head to the Jura website to create your own free, bespoke and personalised label to adorn the bottle.
Available from Master of Malt for £41.94
Champagne PIAFF BRUT
It isn’t just the pretty lime green bottle and label that you will love about this tipple, it is an excellent example of a premium champagne. Initial brioche on the nose leading to pear and apple notes, highlighted by a magnificent, persistent mousse. Elegant yet lively with a complex vanilla finish and a hint of oak on the back of the palate. Bring the new year in with the delicious champagne or give it as a treasured gift.
Available from House of Malt for £41.95
Roger Goulart Brut Reserva Cava 2019
This exceptional sparkling wine offers an aromatic complexity, revealing dried fruit aromas and creamy notes. This Cava is made from several grape varieties, including Xarel-lo, an indigenous grape to the Penedés en Catalogne area and the main variety used in the blend. Serve well chilled and at this great price, this Cava is safe bet for an aperitif or a pre-curser before the big night out!
Available from Harrogate Fine Wines for £19.50
Bouvet Crémant de Loire Excellence
The Crémant de Loire Brut Blanc Excellence from Bouvet Ladubay is an excellent and fine sparkling wine from France. The nose and palate are caressed by floral notes as well as tropical fruits. A perfect aperitif for many occasions. This delicious Brut Blanc is not only tasty it is excellent value for money at only £18.00.
Available from Harvey Nichols for £18.00
Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV
We are huge fans of Rose at Heart London Magazine and I have to say the Graham Beck Brut Rose is divine. This is another great value Brut, this time hailing from South Africa. This méthode cap classique (South African fizz made in the same way as Champagne) from SA stalwart Graham Beck has a lovely creamy red fruit and apple character, with a rich mousse and brioche finish. It has a vibrant raspberry acidity and a long finish.
Available from Majestic Wines for £16.99
L.A Sparkling English Blush Kombucha
LA in this instance stands for Louise Avery, who has been producing her kombucha in Suffolk since 2017 and exploring her passion for foraging. This delicate and floral, elegantly easy drinking for picture-perfect sipping. It isn’t just the price you will love; the flavour is delightful and perfect to celebrate the coronation. The English Rose is infused with white rose petals and elderflower, delicately dry with a floral finish. Its rosy flavour is beautifully offset by a slight tinge of vinegar, which gives it a nice, dry and complex finish. It works. It’s refreshing, versatile, lively and glamorous.
Available from L.A Brewery for £10.00
L.A Sparkling English Rose Infused Kombucha
L.A Brewery English Rose kombucha is a great celebration drink. A non-alcoholic alternative to Prosecco with a semi-dry and slightly citrus taste, perfect for those who like the taste of sparkling rose but not the liquor inside. The flavour balances floral hops with tangy rhubarb, elderflower and seasonal fruits such as strawberry and peach. Initially dry on the palate, this refreshing kombucha releases layers of soft fruitiness, ending with a touch of acidity from the rhubarb.
Available from L.A Brewery for £10.00
Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port
For us nothing tastes quite like Christmas like a good quality delicious port and Graham’s certainly is that and much more! W&J Graham is one of the most famous names in the port trade and has long been synonymous with the greatest vintage ports. This drink has a deep tawny colour. On the nose it shows complex nutty aromas combined with hints of honey and figs. On the palate its rich mature fruit flavours, beautifully mellowed with a luscious long finished.
Available from The Bottle Club for £19.99
Merser Signature Rum
Merser Signature is a genuine and beautifully balanced smooth Golden Rum with hints of tropical fruits as well as butterscotch and an oaky sweetness. This tasty rum combines the finest rums from Barbados, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Trinidad that have been aged for up to 8 years. It boasts hints of tropical fruits as well as butterscotch and an oaky sweetness, Merser Signature is elegant and distinctive with a wonderfully smooth finish. Perfect to enjoy around the Christmas fire.
Available from Waitrose for £23.00
Goslings Gold Seal Bermuda Gold Rum
Goslings Gold Seal Rum is a world apart from traditional amber rums. Robust, yet remarkably soft. The result of years of sipping and perfecting, its intricate, luscious character lives up admirably to its impressive lineage. Goslings Gold Seal Rum is a world apart from traditional amber rums. Robust, yet remarkably soft. The result of years of sipping and perfecting, its intricate, luscious character lives up admirably to its impressive lineage.
Available from Masters of Malt for £22.99
Respirated Sustainable British Vodka
There are two things we LOVE at Heart London vodka and sustainability, so you can imagine our delight when we heard about Respirated Sustainable British Vodka. It’s also great value for a quality vodka. Smooth and characterful, this climate-conscious vodka is great on the rocks or as part of your favourite cocktails. The vodka is packaged in 100% recycled glass, complete with a sustainable cork and compostable capsule. The label has also been printed on recycled paper. It also tastes great!
Available from Ocado for £25.00
VIVIR Tequila Blanco
Another of our favourite tipples is Tequila, whether you have one shot, sip it or enjoy it on the rocks it is guaranteed fun and if you add great taste, what more can you ask for! The bottle itself is sleek with a lovely green label. This award-winning 100% Agave Tequila Blanco is made from 9 year old estate grown highland Weber Blue Agave in Jalisco, Mexico. Using traditional Hornos to cook our Agave it produces a smooth, clean and floral spirit. There are fresh aromas of Agave on the nose that follow through to the palate. A must buy this Christmas.
Available from VIVIR Tequila for £40.00
Côtes du Rhône Villages Red Wine
The Rhone Valley boasts some of the most iconic vineyards in the world, and this provides the perfect climate for producing Grenache and Syrah. This wine shows a great balance and structure and low acidity with medium tannins. With big, lush flavours and forward notes of plums, cherry and spice, it pairs perfectly with Autumn/Winter dishes so you can enjoy this delicious tipple all winter long! It is also fantastic value at only £7.45
Available from Amazon for £7.45
Kyrö Dairy Cream
We absolutely love the Kyrö Dairy Cream and know you will too so why not elevate your Christmas celebrations with this deliciously indulgent milk punch liqueur. Kyrö Dairy Cream is a Finnish cream liqueur with a touch of 100% rye malt whisky. It is made using local milk and cream and a splash of Kyrö Malt rye whisky. Great news it is also gluten free! It tastes of liquorice, chocolate, toffee, fresh dairy cream, hint of salt. Enjoy neat with ice, add to creamy cocktails, coffees, and desserts. Absolutely divine!
Available from Waitrose for £20.00
Greasy Fingers Big Buttery Chardonnay
It isn’t just the quirky name you will love about this Chardonnay as it’s a lovely flavoursome rich wine too! This is a A rich and complex wine that displays intense ripe nectarine and subtle tropical fruit notes complemented by creamy, toasty oak highlights. Greasy Fingers Chardonnay is a generous and flavoursome Aussie favourite. Pale straw in colour, with an aroma of warmed peaches, vanilla custard and cinnamon spice.
Available from Sainsbury’s at £10.00
Tanqueray Flor De Sivilla Distilled Gin
Back in the 1860s, Tanqueray creator Charles Tanqueray visited the orange groves of Spain and eventually produced a gin recipe based around the glory of Seville oranges. In early 2018, they released Tanqueray Sevilla Gin, inspired by the recipe written over 140 years ago! If you like your gin to be citrus-focussed and excellent, you’re in for a treat. With tasting notes of crisp juniper and zesty orange, supported by earthy vanilla and allspice.
Available from Sainsbury’s for £20.00
Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva Red Wine
A complex yet approachable 2016 vintage red wine from the Spanish premier wine region Rioja, crafted by the leading winery Campo Viejo. It airs perfectly with roast meats, grilled tuna and Sunday roasts making it perfect to enjoy with Christmas dinner. This is a beautiful structured Spanish red wine with fruit characters such as cherries and ripe blackberries. The wine has elegant and soft tannins, middle weight, long and complex finish. A rich palate with ripe red and black fruit, subtle oaky notes with hints of liquorice and cocoa.
Available from Sainsbury’s for £9.50
Villa Maria Sparkling Cuvée Brut
You can make your moments special this Christmas for only fourteen pounds. Pale straw in colour, this sparkling wine presents with fresh citrus and floral notes on the nose. The crisp palate is refreshing with a subtle brioche note providing richness and complexity. This wine has a long lingering dry finish due to its fine acidity. Great value and great taste.
Available at Sainsbury’s for £14.00
Journey’s End Cap Classique NV
This Method Cap Classique is the first sparkling with from Journey’s End, released to celebrate our 25th anniversary, and the 50th anniversary of South Africa’s Cap Classique. Whole bunches of grapes are deposited directly in the presses (pneumatic) and pressed very gently according to a Champagne pressing programme. Only the cuvee (the best quality juice) is used in the blend. This Cap Classique (bottle fermented sparkling wine) is a blend of red and white grapes displaying the full, balanced yeasty complexity synonymous with a wine made in this style.
Avalable from Noble Green Wines for £20.50
No 3 Pre-Bottled Gin Cocktail, Citrus and Bergamot Gimlet
New from No.3 in its series of pre-bottled cocktails is the Gimlet. Vibrant and refreshing bergamot on the palate, suitable sharp and citrussy, backed up by No.3’s sweet citrus botanicals. Ending with subtle floral notes and a hint of spice. This eye-catching bottle looks great in any drinks cabinet and perfect to enjoy this festive season, just poor over ice for the perfect cocktail!
Avalable from BBR for £30.00
Errazuriz Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay
The 2018 vintage was one of the coolest ever recorded in this vineyard, and the results, up to and including the top brand, Pizarras, are impressive. The focus on terroir, elegance and energy is commendable, and this wine is a beautifully poised expression of Chardonnay’s apple freshness with creamy texture. There’s an underlying minerality here that offsets the vibrant acidity and savoury depths to electric effect.
Available from Harvey Nichols for £18.00
Queen Bee Viognier 2022
For characterful Viognier with an enticing aroma, exotic fruit and freshness, reach for Queen Bee. It’s a handcrafted, South African white from SA’s ‘Ethical Winery of the Year’ 2021. Round and elegantly fresh, with tasting notes of vibrant tropical fruits, peach and pear. Gentle rose petal and peach aromas lined by orange zest and crispy pear for an approachable Viognier perfect for everyday drinking.
Available from Laithwaites for £14.99
Journey’s End V5 Cabernet Franc
There’s a Mediterranean side to this beautiful Cabernet Franc, with dry coastal herbs topping the juicy cranberry and raspberry fruit. This wine displays intense ripe cherry, savoury olive and wild fynbos characters on the nose rounded up by a sweet cinnamon spice from generous oak maturation. Great balance is exhibited on the palate with coastal freshness, Mediterranean minerality and soft powdery tannins and a lengthy finish.
Available for £15.50 from Waitrose
Domaine Bousquet Finca Lalande Malbec
A beautiful note and a delicious Malbec! The nose offers intense rich aromas with blackberry fruit, spicy black pepper notes, blackcurrant and cassis. On the palate it reveals an elegant personality with spicy, layered red and black fruits, silky tannins and plush finish. This wine goes well with red meat and sauces making it perfect for Christmas!
Available from Waitrose for £7.99
Warninks Advocaat
This is a drink we have loved for decades, it reminds me a little of American eggnog with a kick. Warninks Advocaat is a firm favourite in the UK, especially at Christmas and it wouldn’t be Christmas without Advocaat! and the cocktail that is synonymous with Christmas is the Warninks Snowball: 2 Measures of Warninks Advocaat over ice. Top up with Lemonade or Soda, add a 0.25 measure of fresh Lime or Cordial. Garnish with a cherry or a slice of lime. Absolutely delicious!
Available from Sainsbury’s for £13.00
Haymans London Dry Gin
You can always trust there will be a bottle of gin in anyone’s cupboard, with the humble gin and tonic always being a safe go to. In this case, we tried out Hayman’s London Dry Gin.
This was my first time trying Hayman’s, and it didn’t disappoint. When you crack open the bottle you’re first hit with the pleasant scent of juniper, with citrus and coriander lurking behind. The taste is creamier than most gins I’ve tried, although this isn’t necessarily a bad thing; due to its more citrus-y taste I actually think it does the gin some favours. In terms of tasting, like with the aroma, the juniper is the first flavour to come through, followed by the lemon citrus (made better if you drink with a segment of lemon), before fading into a finish of juniper, orange zest, pumpkin spice and perhaps a small lingering taste of liquorice adding a hint of faint bitterness.
I would recommend, if you’re adding this to your assortment of Christmas drinks, to pair this gin with Mediterranean Tonic and serve with light puddings, although you could drink it at any time, the taste is best accompanied with gelato, saving the wine for the roast.
Available from – Hayman’s London Dry Gin for £27.00
Aber Falls Single Malt Whisky
Next up is a classic staple, perhaps not drank as often as the hearty Gin and Tonic, and most classically served on the rocks: Whisky.
With a Welsh heritage, I’ll review the Aber Falls Single Malt Whisky first.
Matured in bourbon and oak casts, this whiskey is brimming with subtle spice and a nice amount of rich fruit.
On the nose, you’re greeted with a nutty creamy malt scent, with elements of fruit (mainly dates and prunes) lurking behind. At first sip there’s a gorgeous taste of vanilla and toffee, followed by dried fruit – mainly sultanas, and almost a taste of espresso and dark chocolate, making me think this could make a good addition for an Irish Coffee (or in this case, Welsh Coffee!)
Finally, you’re left behind with a delicious aftertaste of vanilla fudge and sherried fruit cake.
I’m not a keen whisky drinker, finding the taste a little too strong for my linking, but found this whiskey to be perfect, as it was more subdued that most Whiskey’s I’ve tried, but still had the staple taste expected from a classic Single Malt. Alongside this, you have to give the team at Aber Falls extra points for their commitment to sustainability and quality; working closely with the local farmers.
I would personally pair this with a good Christmas pudding, or perhaps an after dinner Irish Coffee.
Available from – Aber Falls Distillery for £27.00
Gulliver’s 47
Next up on the Whiskey’s is Gulliver’s 47, matured in Pedro Ximénez casts. A classic english whiskey, Gulliver’s definitely a household name if you’re a keen whiskey drinker.
Whereas the Aber Falls was slightly more subdued, with a focus on vanilla and fruity tase, Gulliver’s is far ‘darker’ in a sense with its taste. On the nose I would say it is far more treacle-y, with the raisins hitting you first, rather than the dates and prunes. The taste kicks off with the dark fruit cake coming through, and some woody spices. Rather than tasting like dark chocolate, like the Aber Falls, Gulliver’s comes through with a more bitter taste, like cocoa nibs. Finishing the palate off, some sweetness comes through with some liquorice lurking in the back of your throat.
I would say this whiskey has a more in your face, strong taste to it than the Aber Falls, and would be perfect as the booze to set alight your Christmas pudding to, as well as being paired best on the rocks. It’s your staple, go to whiskey for avid drinkers and you can’t go wrong with it.
Available at – Gulliver’s 47 for £79.00
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