Unique Wines & Spirits To Get This Holiday Season

The holidays are the perfect excuse to break out that top bottle of whiskey or rare stout. And giving one as a gift never fails. Here, we picked the whiskey, beer, tequila, and more we'd want to give to others over the holidays that we'll try not to just keep for our own home bar.

BERTOUX Brandy

A Solera-style blend of pot-distilled California fine brandies aged 3 to 7 years in French and American oak, BERTOUX Brandy shines in classic cocktails and modern creations

BERTOUX Brandy was designed for mixology by a first-of-its-kind collaboration between top bartender Jeff Bell (PDT and Legacy Records) and acclaimed sommelier Thomas Pastuszak (The NoMad), who serve as Consulting Master Blenders

Rémy Martin XO limited-edition bottle designed by celebrated French Atelier, Steaven Richard

A globally celebrated French metalsmith and artist who has worked with major figures in contemporary art and architecture, such as Jacques Garcia, Pierre Yovanovitch, Karl Lagerfeld and Jean Nouvel. Rémy Martin’s desire was to combine the world of cognac with the world of an extraordinary artist. During the collaboration process, Steaven Richard immersed himself in the story behind Rémy Martin and found inspiration from the vineyards in Cognac to create the refined design.

Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut 150th Anniversary Limited Edition Bottle & Gift Box

Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut was first created in 1869, named Impérial in honor of Napoleon, a close friend of the Champagne House’s Moët family. A gift that exudes history and elegance, this limited-edition bottle or gift box will resonate with loved ones this holiday season. As the premiere champagne of excellence, the “I” emblazoned at the center adds a touch of inspiration as the year closes out. A graceful golden straw yellow in color, this wine has a lively palate combined with finesse with bright fruity aromas of apple, pear, white peach and citrus and notes of floral nuances.

The Macallan Edition No. 5 (SRP: $120)

The Macallan Edition No. 5 celebrates The Macallan’s extensive natural colour spectrum and the intricate whisky making process, in partnership with masters at the Pantone Color Institute™ to create a unique shade of purple that features on the packaging.

Inniskillin 2017 Vidal Icewine

Made from the premier Icewine grape in Ontario, this wine is known for its rich flavors and fruit filled aromas, notably ripe peach and lively citrus. A perfectly balanced acidity, results in a wine of the highest quality, with a long fruit filled finish.

Inniskillin 2017 Cabernet Franc Icewine

 (SRP $84.99/375 ml; available nationwide). A luscious (and rare) red Icewine, this Cabernet Franc bursts with flavors of strawberry and cherry with hints of fresh cream. This sweet indulgence is the perfect gift for the wine aficionado in your life.

Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Has notes of berry, peppercorn, and olive which fill the palate and lead to a long, lingering finish. The rugged mountain conditions on Napa Valley’s Mount Veeder produce grapes with concentrated dark fruit notes and a supple mouthfeel.

Double Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

(SRP $69.99; available nationwide). This character-driven cabernet is crafted by Thomas Rivers Brown, the winemaker behind cult-status winery Schrader Cellars. A full-bodied red with a bold fruit flavor and fine-grained tannins, this vintage opens with black and blue fruits balanced by a light oak spice, that is mirrored on the nose. It’s captivating fruit flavors pair easily with grilled steak or barbequed ribs.

Ten To One

o The white rum is a versatile, mixological game-changer, thanks to its higher proof and pronounced ester content. It blends Dominican column still rum with high-ester Jamaican pot still rum

o The dark rum expression is suitable for sipping or mixing. It is a masterful blend of column still Dominican, Trinidadian and Barbadian rums combined with high-ester Jamaican pot still rum

• Brainchild of Marc Farrell, born and bred in Trinidad, a life-long rum aficionado and formerly Starbucks’ youngest VP

PATRÓN Extra Añejo 10 Años

A remarkably rare, limited-edition offering that was aged for 10 years. Aged in a blend of American oak and hybrid American and Limousin barrels, it’s Patrón’s oldest release in the brand’s history. $349 for a 750ml bottle

D'USSÉ XO

The second cognac expression from the D'USSÉ portfolio, D'USSÉ XO (SRP $230) is an exquisite ultra-premium blend championing the category. Born from the prestigious Château de Cognac, D'USSÉ XO incorporates over 200 years of tradition with the inspiration of a passionate Cellar Master, Michel Casavecchia. The hand-selected eaux-de-vie used in D’USSÉ XO are aged a minimum of 10 years in French oak casks and the result is an uncompromising cognac that delivers complex flavor and culminates in an exceptionally balanced finish. D'USSÉ XO starts with a fruity bouquet on the nose, bringing notes of hazelnuts, nutmeg, apricot, orange, wood, and subtle warm spice on the palate. A statement wherever it rests, the exceptional bottle design – inspired by the liquid it contains – is both class and modern bearing the Cross of Lorraine: a symbol of honor, courage, and perseverance. The bottle is available at Totalwine.com and additional local retailers nationwide.

The Racing Series Gift Pack

This luxury set showcases Adobe Road’s newest line of four ultra-premium California wines paying homage to founder Kevin Buckler’s history on the track, as race-car driver and CEO of the winningest privateer racing team in North America, The Racer’s Group.

The winning team of highly-rated wines is named for an element of the sport, and the blends are as exciting to taste as the sport they honor. Available in gift set and individually on TheRacingSeries.com, The Racing Series includes: Apex, Redline, Shift & The 24.

Shochu - iichiko Saiten

iichiko, Japan’s leading barley shochu brand, today unveils iichiko Saiten, a pioneering, higher-proof shochu that is optimized for mixology and targets bartenders at the vanguard of the U.S. craft cocktail scene. Produced on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island and the cradle of shochu, iichiko Saiten (pronounced SIGH-ten, meaning “colorful sky”) is the first-ever shochu developed with insights from top U.S. bartenders with exceptional palates and deep cocktail knowledge. A unique clear spirit, iichiko Saiten is rich in flavor and umami character, resulting in genuinely innovative cocktails.

Espolòn Añejo X

Añejo X is secretly laid to rest for six long years. The extra aging creates a tequila of rich, complex flavors and uncommon character. Beautifully rich and subtly smoky. The taste is prominent in vanilla with notes of nutmeg and white peppercorn joined by hints of cocoa nibs, bitter chocolate, rich roasted fruits. A rich mouthfeel lingers traces of dark chocolate, cheery, tobacco and honey. This is the one you’ll stash and bring out to enjoy straight on special occasions.

Bonterra Merlot

For the 2017 Merlot, the lots were fermented separately and underwent full malolactic fermentation before being combined to create the final blend. Additional complexity comes from the small additions of Petite Sirah and Malbec. The wine was aged for twelve months using a combination of French and American oak of which 45% was new.

The resulting wine has aromas of black currant, black cherries and a touch of wood smoke with flavors of plums, dark berries, toasty oak and vanilla spice. In the mouth, this wine has an elegant and restrained style with nice structure and balance, soft tannins and a long finish.

Anchor Brewing Company’s 45th Annual Christmas Ale

Released yearly on November 1 since 1975, Anchor Christmas Ale (6.9% ABV) is a smooth and velvety spiced ale with rich flavors of roasted malts, toffee and Mexican chocolate. This was one of the very first holiday beers produced in America, and the tradition carries on with an ever-changing, secret recipe wrapped in a different label each year. This winter warmer is available in most major retailers nationwide.

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