I heard you need gift ideas
For your favorite cocktail lover, wine aficionado, or coffee obsessive
Welcome to the first annual WHAT TO DRINK holiday gift guide. Below, you’ll find stocking stuffers and little trinkets, investment-worthy glassware, coffee gear, and a few bottles I recommend.
It probably goes without saying, but this guide is for the 21-and-over set, and please, as they say, drink responsibly. Some of the links below are affiliate links; I may earn a (small) commission with your purchase.
Vintage teeny swords
My husband’s grandparents had a set of these little cocktail picks, made in Toledo, Spain, when he was growing up; I hear that the cousins—do not try this at home—used them for sword fights. Picks like these are the best possible thing for holding your martini olive, or for tangy-spicy-fishy gildas, which are excellent with martinis. My set is a prized possession; I always keep an eye out for more. (Buy for $25+)
Cuisinart Champagne Stopper
The perfect stocking stuffer for a wine lover—this keeps the fizz lively as you linger over a meal, and makes it possible to save half the bottle for tomorrow night. I use these all the time, and tested this version against a cheaper model recently. This sealed more smoothly. ($8)
Riedel Neat Glass
This chunky little six-ounce glass is smaller than a standard rocks glass, so it fits really well in my not-huge hands, and I find I reach for it often. Use it for a pour of your favorite whiskey—or a little espresso on ice. (Set of four, $78)
Firelit Coffee Liqueur
I came across this exceptional coffee liqueur when writing a story about White Russians. It’s too good to use in a White Russian. ($45)
Old silver tongs
As I’ve mentioned over on my gift guide for cooks, I’m obsessed with silver that’s decidedly weird, like tongs that look like chicken feet. Set out smaller versions with sugar cubes as part of a DIY old fashioned bar, or use them for olives. Note some of these are sterling, some silver-plated. (Buy on Etsy, prices vary)
Glasvin Decanter
Not every wine wants or needs the extreme oxygenation of a wide decanter; lighter bodied reds seem happier in slimmer carafes. Wide decanters are also a bear to wash, so I find myself opting instead for the casual sort of glass jug that you’d use to serve water or orange juice. Glasvin—maker of the extraordinary hand-blown wine glasses that I’ve been using for years—offers a happy medium: an elegant decanter in a more modern slim style, with a rounded bulb and a neck that’s easy to hold comfortably in one hand. It doesn’t hog dinner table space and it’s dishwasher-recommended. ($75)
A mug that’s nice to hold
I love a smaller mug for making a macchiato—this version from East Fork feels so cozy in your hand. The 12-ounce size is available in a wider range of hues, and is perfect if you’re seeking out an option for a more voluminous morning coffee. ($38 / $44)
A big bourbon
If you like your whiskey strong and spicy—bold enough to be able to sit on a big ice cube—you’ll like the Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B524. It’s hot, for sure, at 125.4 proof (thats 62.7% ABV) but that warmth is cinnamony and smoothed out a bit with hints of caramel. This batch outperforms its price point (and some more expensive bourbons), but I haven’t tried any other recent batches; your mileage may vary if you can’t find this one. (Around $65)
Ribbed Inku Glassware
The prettiest coupes for your Manhattans, or tall glasses for fizzy highballs and iced tea. ($34)
Manojo Mezcal
Chef Enrique Olvera is a co-owner of this new brand, whose first bottling is produced with husband and wife mezcaleros Joel Velasco and Felicitas Hernández. The piñas are cooked in underground pits and crushed by horse-pulled tahona; fermentation happens in open air vats before it hits copper stills. At 43% ABV, it’s a bit softer than some of my favorites, but the flavors are lovely, evoking eucalyptus and sage, grapefruit peel and brushfire, and the price is gentle, too. ($50)
And a cocktail book…
Does your favorite cocktail lover own both of my books already? Here’s how to choose between them if the answer is no: The One-Bottle Cocktail starts with a single spirit and a trip to the grocery store; it’s ideal for the home cook who is curious about cocktails. Batch Cocktails is meant for the entertainer who is ready to move beyond the basics.
Custom bottle of cocktails
You can purchase pre-mixed cocktails that come in nice packaging—Hoste makes a high-end version—but you’ll get to personalized your gift if you make the cocktail yourself. Batch Cocktails has an index of recipes of page 15 that can be bottled and refrigerated for months, but you can also simply mix up a Manhattan with your favorite whiskey. (Feel free to combine a variety of whiskeys that you have around as well, but use a fresh bottle of sweet vermouth, and sub in a little amaro for a quarter or so of the vermouth portion if you like.) Or make their favorite stirred drink! In general, for longer-term refrigeration, I’d recommend leaving out any water or bitters and adding those when serving by stirring with ice, then seasoning in the glass.
Dandelion Hot Chocolate
The not-too-sweet house hot chocolate from San Francisco’s Dandelion lets the character of single-origin Ecuadorian chocolate shine through. ($18)
Eto wine decanter
If you’re the only person drinking wine in your household, and you want to savor a bottle over the course of the week or so, you may be interested in this shiny wine-preserving decanter, which doesn’t involve sticking a Teflon-coated needle in a cork or dealing with argon capsules. There’s basically a plunger with a seal that protects the wine from air, allowing you to pour out glass after glass, pressing down to seal off the rest of the bottle. ($195)
Pour Over Carafe
In striking cobalt blue. ($88)
Love these ideas! I love to pick up vintage cocktail glasses at thrift stores, etc and give a pair of them along with one of your Batch Cocktails in a pretty bottle. Bound by Venus, Tenochtitlan, and Double Down have all been well received!
The teeny swords are amazing!!! And a perfect idea for a gift! Thank you!!!