-Seize the season with PayPal-
The holidays (Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Festivus, etc.) are a time for giving. You can be lame and give your loved ones or friends the gift of a new tie, socks, or personalized coffee mug, or you can give them something they’ll actually want. By that we mean some cocktail swag. The craft cocktail renaissance is currently in full swing and with that came the rise of home bartenders. But, these home bartenders need the tools to create amazing, delicious, mouth-watering cocktails. You, should be the one to give the gift of cocktail tools. Below you’ll find a list of some of the most interesting, informative, and just flat-out fun cocktail-related gifts this year.
Cocktail Gift Guide
-
Hendrick’s Gin BoomCase
This gift is for the most serious of all gin-based cocktailers. That’s because it’s a collaboration between famed Scottish gin brand Hendrick’s and vintage stereo brand Boomcase. Together, they created a limited-edition custom-made briefcase that is part stereo and part tea set. They only made 15, so you better put in your order quickly if you want this 100 watt amplifier with two woofers, one midrange speaker, and four dome speakers. It’s like carrying around an instant party in a briefcase. It even has a placeholder for a 750 ml bottle of Hendrick’s.
-
The Oak Tumbler
When whiskey is distilled, it resembles vodka a lot more than bourbon. That’s why it undergoes an aging process in charred barrels for 3 or more years in order to give it the color and flavor we are used to. This tumbler utilizes that same principle. The charred interior was designed to make any drink (beer, wine, your favorite spirit) taste like it was aged in a barrel.
-
The W&P Design + Rifle Paper Co. Travel Pack
Sometimes air travel can be rough. From delays to unruly fellow passenger, flights can sometimes seem a lot longer than they actually are. The folks at W & P Design know your pain. That’s why they collaborated with Rifle Paper Co. to make this limited-edition travel pack of some of your favorite cocktail kits. It includes: a Bloody Mary Carry On Cocktail Kit, a Champagne Cocktail Carry On Cocktail Kit, a Moscow Mule Carry On Cocktail Kit, and a Canvas + Leather travel bag to carry it all with you.
-
Artland Hampton Decanter
Just because home bartenders tend to mix up cocktails, that doesn’t mean that they don’t like to just sit back and enjoy a glass neat every now and then. This hand-made glass decanter holds 26 ounces of your favorite spirit and comes with a glass stopper. It’s the best way to both decant and show off your favorite spirit.
-
Meehan’s Bartender Manual
You can’t give someone the gift of bar tools without the recipes and know-how to make them, right? In a vast river of cocktail books, it’s hard to figure out the right one. “Meehan’s Bartender Manual” is the necessary book for the discerning cocktail fan. From highly-respected bartender Jim Meehan, this book is full of more than 100 recipes as well as everything the mixologist has learned in his career.
-
Prince of Scots Classic Old Fashioned Set
So, the friend or family member you’re buying a gift for prefers Old Fashioneds to Sazeracs. Well, there’s a set for that as well. This kit comes with all of the important tools needed to make one of the most famous cocktails ever conceived. This includes: 3oz Box (20 cubes) of Raw Demerara Sugar Cubes, one Japanese Style Double-Sided Jigger --1.5 oz / 0.75 oz, one 10" Southampton Home Natural Hardwood Muddler, and one Hella Bitters 5oz bottle of aromatic bitters. Throw in a bottle of their favorite whiskey and you have yourself a very happy holiday in the making.
-
Moscow Copper Co. Limited Edition - 2 Original Mugs w/ Collectors Box
One of the most popular classic cocktail trends to come back in the last few years is the Moscow Mule. This simple drink of vodka, ginger ale, and lime needs to be served in a not-so simple copper mug. This set of two, 100% pure copper Moscow Mule mugs is perfect for the Mule fan in your life.
-
Mako Stainless Steel Round Flask
If your favorite home-mixologist creates his or her perfect cocktail, they’ll need a way to transport it to and from their favorite places. I mean, how else are they going to let other people try it? The easiest way to do that is with flask. You can get a basic flask that will end up being an afterthought, or you can give them this handsome, stainless steel round hip flask that comes in a handful of stylish colors.
-
David Wondrich Sazerac Kit
David Wondrich is one of the most well-known cocktail experts and writers in the world. That’s why he’s the main the trust when making a perfect Sazerac. And since you probably can’t get Wondrich to stop by your house and show you how to make one, this cocktail kit is the perfect middle ground. The set includes: a Miret Barspoon, Two lead-free crystal Sazerac glasses, and a Wilkinson Julep Strainer.
-
Ikura Knife
Made in collaboration with cocktail megastore Cocktail Kingdom and famed Los Angeles bartender Aaron Polsky, the Ikura Knife is the one utensil every home bartender needs. Not only is it super sharp, with a six-inched forged steel blade, but it also has an angled point that is perfect for more detailed work. It was made for professional bartenders, but it perfectly suited for home use.
-
Cocktail Kingdom Barware Roll-up
This one is for the advanced home cocktailer. If you’re just starting out and making gin & tonics and 7 & 7’s, a nice bar spoon and pint glass will do the job just fine. But, for those serious about mixology, this barware roll-up is a must have, It has everything a home bartender needs, including: Japanese Style Jigger 1oz/2oz (30ml/60ml), Stainless Steel Hoffman® Barspoon, 33.5cm, Stainless Steel Koriko® Hawthorne Strainer, Stainless Steel 25cm Garnish Tongs, Kuhn Rikon Swiss Peeler, a Channel Knife, and a barware roll-up to hold it all together when not in use.
-
RBT Cocktail Shaker
If the home bartender in your life has any tool, it should be a shaker. That’s because, if all else fails, they can pour all of their ingredients into it, shake it up and produce a pretty tasty cocktail. Rabbit is well known for its wide-array of cocktail tools and its RBT Cocktail Shaker, with its integrated strainer, is one of the best.
