Shopping for a cocktail enthusiast this holiday season? Explore our ideas for liqueur and liquor gifts that belong on every home bar.
What sort of liquor gifts or home bar presents should you buy for the cocktail lover in your life? It’s actually a harder question than it seems, especially if this isn’t a new passion for them.
If someone in your life is really into cocktails and has any sort of home bar, it’s safe to assume they already have the basics covered — a cocktail shaker, a bottle opener, some nice glassware. They probably have Angostura bitters on hand and some sort of custom ice mold.
Chances are, they’ve stocked their favorite liquors already, too (though a refill or backup is always nice, and you could always reach for a more top-shelf version of their favorite type of liquor).
A bartending book or cocktail recipe book is always a good idea, especially if it’s new. Be sure to check out our favorite cookbooks and cocktail book gift ideas separately. But if you’re looking for liqueur or liquor gift ideas — plus a few other consumables for a home bar — you’ll find those below.
Liquor Gifts
Sometimes, the best gifts are the most unique. For example, if I were giving you a liquor gift, it would probably be something from a local distillery here that doesn’t ship nationally. Sutler’s Spirit is one of my favorite gins, and arrives in a stunning black ceramic bottle. I’ve given it as a gift several times before, but it isn’t on this list because it’s unavailable in most parts of the United States.
The same is true of Young Hearts Distilling, which has released a dizzying array of products, from soju to strawberry liqueur to its award-winning Potenza aperitivo (two of these are on my home bar). This is to say, if there’s something local and distinct to you, or that you really love and you think someone else in your life would too, go with that.
But here’s a long list of inspiration if you’ve started there and it’s not quite what you need.
Rum
Coconut Cartel Añejo Rum: Here’s a sentence you probably didn’t anticipate — this aged rum hails from Guatemala and is made with coconut water. Yep, really. It’s suited for this Coconut Rum Negroni cocktail (above), among others.
Equiano Rum: Coming to you directly from my own bar cabinet, this pick is “the world’s first African and Caribbean rum,” one of only a few Black-owned spirits on the market (Sorel liqueur and Rye & Sons further down this list are two others). Equiano ships to 44 states, so most of you will have no problem grabbing a bottle. It’s on my home bar as we speak.
Gin
Farmer’s Organic Gin: Gin is vodka if it had a personality. And Farmer’s has a big one, with plenty of awards to its name — plus organic bragging rights. It belongs in this alcoholic Lavender Lemonade recipe inspired by Taylor Swift! Sounds like a pretty good liquor gift to me.
Conniption Kinship Gin: Brightly colored spirits can feel gimmicky. But when done right — without compromising flavor — they’re stunning to behold. That’s the case with Conniption’s immensely popular purple gin. It’s widely used by bartenders and enthusiasts near Conniption’s home in North Carolina, but while the distillery has claimed international awards, this one is still flying under the radar… for now. Some day, whoever you give this to will brag that they’ve been drinking it for years. (I am already doing that, and yes I have some here with me.)
Whiskey
Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon: This smokey Tennessee whiskey comes from one of the nation’s most well-known distilleries. No surprise this Campfire Old Fashioned recipe calls for it, but you could also sip it neat.
Rye & Sons Straight Rye Whiskey: Okay, in full transparency, this is the item on this list I most wish someone else would buy for me this Hanukkah or Christmas. (Also the Lambrusco further down, if my family is reading!) Yes, I already have many of the others stocked up; that’s true. But this bottle comes from culinary star André Hueston Mack, is aged for two years, and is among the more affordable in its category. Plus, rye whiskey is underrated.
Liqueur Gift Ideas
Nonino: As one of the world’s more respected amaros, Nonino still makes for a more niche and unexpected gift for the cocktail lover in your life. It works well in a wide range of cocktails, including this eminently crushable Lambrusco spritz (above).
Krupnikas: This spiced honey liqueur offers hints of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. It comes from my corner of North Carolina, and there’s a very good chance that if you’re not from here, you don’t know it. And for some enthusiasts, that sort of exclusivity and originality is exactly what they want from a holiday gift. (There’s a partially empty bottle on my home bar right now.)
Bushwacker Coconut Rum Cream: Rum and coconut are natural friends; buying them together in a rum cream feels like a no-brainer. While typically associated with summer, it also lends itself to this pumpkin pie cocktail (above).
Sorel Liqueur: This hibiscus-flavored, red-hued Caribbean favorite hailing from Brooklyn has won so many awards, I bet its creator has lost count. It’s gorgeous, distinct, and a must-have. (Yes, it’s in my bar cabinet already.)
Pre-Made Cocktails
Horton Coconut Rum Cocktails: A party pack of the Horton Coconut Rum Ready-to-Drink (or RTD in industry slang) cocktails comes with a few different iterations: lime soda, diet kola, and pineapple soda. That variety is appreciated, and makes this a good gift if you’re a guest at someone’s holiday party in particular.
Sunshine Punch: The name says it all — this is summer in a glass. This orange creme rum cocktail can be served over ice or as part of a cocktail. The brightly colored bottle looks like it would be most at home pool side or in your beachfront cooler, and that’s the idea.
Horton and Sunshine both provided free samples to Food Fanatic for editorial consideration.
Other Home Bar Gift Ideas
Luxardo Cherries: What can I say about the excellence of Luxardo cherries that hasn’t already been said — by me — in this ringing endorsement? Probably nothing. Go read it.
Avaline Lambrusco: Lambrusco is a fizzy Italian red wine, and this one comes to us from a Cameron Diaz-backed company. They offered us this Lambrusco spritz recipe that I can’t stop thinking about, and that’s why I’m hoping someone who knows my mailing address reads this and ships me a bottle (or two)!
Bitters Sample Set: Bitters are an essential component of making cocktails, but often it feels like overkill to buy a larger flavored bottle that will only be used in one or two recipes. Unless your loved one makes the same drink on repeat, variety is the name of the game. That’s why this bitters kit with five different flavors is so appealing! It includes one that’s more floral, one more herbaceous, a coffee and cocoa option, and then two that really caught my eye: pecan, magnolia, and habanero in the first and cherry, clove, and cinnamon in the second. I’ve bought other bitters from this purveyor before and can attest to their quality!
Turmeric Syrup: It can be fun to play with different syrups in your cocktails, but it often feels like a splurge. That’s exactly why some would be great as part of your liquor gifts for a cocktail lover — they’ll be happy to receive it and maybe wouldn’t have bought it for themselves! This turmeric syrup belongs in the pineapple mocktail you see above. And for what it’s worth, my wife just walked in the room, saw that photo, and said, “Wow, that looks good.” So yeah, buy this.
Botanist & Barrel Ciders & Wines: One of the country’s top natural hard cider producers was hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Your support can help them recover, which is a win-win because they’re creating some of the most compelling, unique, and enjoyable dry ciders in the world. Plus, they have a wine brand that’s also releasing some pretty incredible options. I actually ordered some recently and brought it to a neighbor earlier this week when they invited us for dinner! And I already want to order more.
Coffee Syrup: Just like the syrup listed above, this coffee-flavored concoction would be a fun addition to someone’s home bar — especially if they have a java obsession! One of our popular mocktail recipes, this Juan Valdez Fizz with cold brew and sour cherry, calls for coffee syrup like this one, so it could be put to immediate use. If it were me, I’d grab this syrup and the turmeric one, print both mocktail recipes, and give them to someone as a little gift bundle.
Don’t forget to explore all of our cocktail recipes and content!
Related Gift Ideas
Here are some other great options to consider: