Skip to content

Cocktail Lover’s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide: Non-Local Edition

Spirited gift options for the cocktail lover in your life

By AJ Rathbun December 15, 2016

thumbnail_gift-guide-nl-combo

Last week, we showcased locally-made gifts for the cocktail lover in your life. While I like the idea of stuffing stockings with Washington-made products, there are definitely some choice items made outside our state lines that would also bring a smile to that home (or pro!) bartender who you’re shopping for, starting with the six picks below.

Ardbeg Uigeadail Whisky: Made like all the wondrous whisky on the Scottish Isle of Islay, this Scotch whisky is named after the loch where Ardbeg gets its water, and has won numerous awards including World Whisky of the Year from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. It is a delicious and memorable tipple, with deep strong flavors, smoke, pepper, sherry and a little honey sweetness. If you know a Scotch lover, this is a good present and then some, as are its siblings in what the distillery calls its “Ultimate Range,” the peaty Ardbeg 10, and the forest-fruity Corryvreckan, named after a renowned whirlpool.

Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva Rum: If you have a special someone on your list that you know is daydreaming of island living (not hard to imagine with our current weather), putting a bottle of this in their stocking is sure to make you a favorite. Crafted from pure sugar cane in antique copper pot stills before being aged in oak for up to 12 years, this Venezuelan rum is a sumptuous mingling of caramel, nuts, orange, vanilla, nutmeg and allspice. They’ll want to sip this slowly and let the beach visions arrive (though it’s also superb in cocktails).

Sombra Mezcal: Another one for a recipient who just wants a break from the chill and the cold (even if it’s only a metaphoric break, and not an actual vacation), this mezcal is made in the Rio Hormiga Colorada valley, outside of Oaxaca, Mexico, from Espadin agave hearts that are cooked over mesquite-fired red hot rocks. It carries a lot of its history and geography in each sip, with a strong, smoky, mesquite nature, accented by citrus notes. It’s a serious drink, but also loads of fun and approachable, good with food, and it subs in nicely for cousin tequila in a margarita.

Cynar: As 2016 feels a lot like “the year of the herbal drink,” I’d be remiss for not having a herbally digestif on this list, and if you are shopping for someone who is developing a love for these types of drinks, or just expanding their cocktail repertoire, Cynar is a spot-on choice. Made from artichokes, of all things, in conjunction with 13 other herbs and plants, this Italian favorite is, like many of its brethren, adored due both to its taste (herbs, sweetness, a smidge of bitterness), and because it is thought to have a healing powers. Who knows, maybe it does? 

Follow Us

Restaurant Roundup: Pride Picks and Egypt’s National Dish

Restaurant Roundup: Pride Picks and Egypt’s National Dish

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

Pride is here and if you’re keen on showing a little extra support to bars and restaurants run by members of the LGBTQ+ community, you’re in luck—there are quite a few to choose from. Whether you raise a glass at WeRise Wines, enjoy a slice at A la Mode Pies, or slurp up the hand-pulled…

This Summer, Get Hitched at Town Hall

This Summer, Get Hitched at Town Hall

Cake & Punch brings fully planned micro weddings to one of Seattle’s best-known stages.

Almost exactly 16 years ago, over Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I left work in Fremont and boarded a seaplane to Victoria, B.C., to get married. We were both working in tech at the time, and the whole plan was wonderfully small. I wore a colorful Anthropologie dress I’d bought for $150, and my…

Restaurant Roundup: Burgermaster Opens in Issaquah and Karaoke Returns

Restaurant Roundup: Burgermaster Opens in Issaquah and Karaoke Returns

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

Summer presents an interesting dilemma for parents, especially those who could really use a night off from cooking. Do you grin and bear it and stay at home? Or do you head out to eat and hope the one-two punch of tablet time and coloring books can get you at least an hour to enjoy…

Restaurant Roundup: Live-Fire Cooking and Galician Prix Fixe

Restaurant Roundup: Live-Fire Cooking and Galician Prix Fixe

Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.

Like a juicy beef patty smacked between two buns, next Thursday is National Burger Day, and one local burger joint is making sure you experience the occasion on a full stomach. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Uneeda Burger in Fremont is giving away one free Classic Burger — that’s romaine, tomato, pickles, and house…