Our 5 top extra-special gins to give as a present

Are you dreaming of a gin-filled Christmas? Yes, me too. The day of eating my weight in cheese and slowly drifting into a gin-fuelled coma with all my loved ones is drawing ever closer.

Maybe you're hoping to buy some gin as a gift for someone? Or maybe you're thinking it's about time you treated YOURSELF seeing as you're already bankrupting yourself on presents. (This is probably a bad time to mention our gin gift guide, isn't it?)

Either way, the best thing you can do is veer away from the big-brand favourites and buy the gin less travelled (?!) - and there's so many brilliant, unique gins out there to choose from! And some of them even combine TWO passions - like gin and movies, or gin and classic literature.

You can take a look at our gin reviews (we've done A LOT) but here's a list of my top 5 super special gins to buy for Christmas:


1. For that one friend who likes to drink gin neat: Warner Edwards (from £24.95 - available widely, including John Lewis, Master of Malt and The Wine Society)

I've said it before, many times, but I'll say it again: WARNER EDWARDS IS MY FAVOURITE GIN OF ALL TIME. And there's FOUR of them - Harrington Dry, sloe, rhubarb and elderflower (we've tried them all).

As well as being perhaps the tastiest gin I've ever had, it's also the only gin I've ever genuinely enjoyed drinking neat over ice. It's THAT good.

2. For the seaside lover: Da Mhile Seaweed Gin, (around £30 - from Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and direct)

Another one of my top gins of all time, and really something special. This is minerally, with amazing cardamom notes and something 'sea air' in the aroma and taste. Utterly delicious - a real gin to linger over. And frankly superb value for money.

3. For the do-gooder and/or animal lover: Elephant Gin (around £29.50 from Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange) and 1897 Quinine Gin (£39.95 from Master of Malt)

Christmas is a time for giving, of course, and this is a really feel-good pair of gins, as both of them donate some of their profits to charity! Elephant gin helps (have you guessed yet?) elephant conservation, and 1897 Quinine gives money to fight malaria. And they're both really wonderful gins as well.

4. For the literary gin fan: Bath gin (£36.50, Master of Malt and direct)

When Lucienne first told us about Bath gin last year, I was smitten - it has a cheeky, winking Jane Austen on the label! It's also made with a lot of love - and Lucienne loved it when she tried it, so that's a proper Vinspire seal of approval.

5. For the classic Hollywood gin fan: Bogart's gin, £30 (direct)

This gin, dedicated to the Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart, was created last year as a collaboration between Rok Drinks and the estate of the man himself. It has his son's seal of approval, too, as his dad used to adore gin, and I reckon he'd have loved this one - it's been infused with coriander, macadamia nuts and citrus zest.

Pretty epic drink to sip for film lovers - especially in front of Casablanca while watching Bogart himself say his classic "of all the gin joints" line.